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The reasons for comparing on base level hardware — something we did for PCARS2, and will be doing for GT Sport — are twofold. One, it's to level the playing field as much as possible. Two, it's still how the majority of players are likely to experience these games.
Where is this accusation? There's a what-if scenario — located in the Verdict section no less, where it has no sway with the scores themselves. There's also a revised editor's note about the VIP scenario (which was actually updated before you made this post).
Yes, originally, it suggested skipping the Ultimate. When VIP was consumable, you could buy the base version of the game and the Car Pass, and save cash. And once it was found, the current Ram FE exploit could change the value equation for some people. As an avid Forza player and fan, I'm very aware of the benefits of the pricier special editions. In its launch form, the Ultimate Edition represented worse value, comparatively, than FM6's did.
That's because you're too concerned with assigning your own meaning to the words, instead of actually reading them. FM7 currently sits alongside F1 2017 as our two highest-rated reviews since the new system went into place.
Well, I'm not saying it was terrible, the review, it just seemed a little less than optimistic.
Granted it shared half-full and half-empty perspectives, as I personally think if this game came with a "GT" stamp, it might be being hyped as amazing, if only a little bit more.
You gotta know I didn't re-read the review, I just didn't type a comment for a day or two after reading it.
Also, 25x double credits and a couple mod packs, with some free hoonigans and FnF cars, isn't a bad deal all by itself for 10 bucks over the car pass and standard edition.(although aggrevating vip changed)
There's also the ZL1 "exploit" as VIP users all have that now too.
40% credits and 15k credits at Road Atlanta, 20k in 2 minutes is easy, and you can't run out of money for leveling up so easily.
("Exploit" is in quotation marks because it's really hard to call something deliberately placed in the game an exploit)(( another FE car gives 20k at Sonoma, can't recall which))
I still have the question of what game would get 5 stars, which doesn't mean FM7 should, it means something should. If nothing gets 5 stars, the "system" is impossible to please.
I know you're a Forza fan, so in greater detail, perhaps you held back just a bit to avoid being called biased for it? Maybe it's from being a Forza veteran, as those seem the most unhappy with the new title.
Or maybe I read into it wrong.
I think, despite some very aggrevating circumstances around the release, there's a lot being underrated.
It's not perfect, it has flaws, but I can't see any GT game ever created actually stacking up to it, except in the "for it's time" method.
That's just my own opinion, but as one of the former biggest GT fanboys on the planet, it's hard to convince myself I am biased for Forza in any way whatsoever.
P.S. I hated your complaint of understeer. I'm not sure how much you like, I thought it was a nearly perfect upgrade from tail-happy previous games.
Obviously that one is personal preference/opinion.
