Forza Motorsport Review: Rebooted and Resuited

[rocketcaron]

Kind of a quick review, I would even say botched by GT Planet standard. I was expecting a more expansive and detailed description of what the game really is. I guess the fact that they need to push these reviews out as quick as possible to be "click relevant" is what's at play here but disapointing nevertheless.

 

[UKMikey]

The couple of video reviews out of the several I've seen so far that mention the wheel feel seem to say it was improved a lot once they tweaked the FFB settings. It's a shame that they didn't nail them out of the box but I hope future reviewers are able to take this on board as I'd like to see whether this affects their assessment of the game's physics.

I probably missed something but I'm still not sure how pronounced the rubbering in is on longer races and how it affects grip. At any rate I hope the game improves as much as, or more than, FM7 has since launch. For me it's a promising start and I'm not ready to write it off just yet until I've played it for longer than the few days it took for me to complete GT7's initial round of cafe menu books.

 

[Famine]

The couple of video reviews I've seen so far that mention the wheel feel seem to say it was improved a lot once they tweaked the FFB settings. It's a shame that they didn't nail them out of the box but I hope future reviewers are able to take this on board as I'd like to see whether this affects their assessment of the game's physics.

Ah good, it wasn't just me then

 

[MagpieRacer]

Kind of a quick review, I would even say botched by GT Planet standard. I was expecting a more expansive and detailed description of what the game really is. I guess the fact that they need to push these reviews out as quick as possible to be "click relevant" is what's at play here but disapointing nevertheless.

Couldn’t disagree more.

 

[Imari]

Good review, and it confirms some of the things I expected from the game.

I think this is going to be a "pick it up on discount" for me. I think part of it is that I'm far less interested in these kinds of expansive but shallow racing games. But I don't see the value in spending between $100 and $150 dollarydoos on this thing that I'm sure plays fine but just seems to offer more of the same old same old in a shinier package.

If I owned no other racing games, I could see this being a good choice. Or if I was stuck on console. Maybe in 12 months when it's got a bunch of new content and stuff like the AI and career has been fine tuned it'll look more attractive to me, but for now I'm watching other reviews and people play the game and I feel absolutely no excitement to buy it and join in.

 

[UKMikey]

Ah good, it wasn't just me then

You said there are a lot of settings so I'd like to hear what people have to say once their wheels are properly tuned and whether their assessment changes

 

[BlackHGT]

Now it's limited to 360 degrees, akin to Gran Turismo 7.

If that's true, that's great, it really bothered me in the old FM parts! Luckily FM has the cockpit view without the steering wheel (that would be cool to have in GT7 too) so you can get around that.

 

[UKMikey]

If that's true, that's great, it really bothered me in the old FM parts! Luckily FM has the cockpit view without the steering wheel (that would be cool to have in GT7 too) so you can get around that.

It's been specifically demonstrated on at least two of the videos I've seen.

 

[BlackHGT]

It's been specifically demonstrated on at least two of the videos I've seen.

Cool thanks for the information
I must confess that I have not watched many videos. I'd rather be flashed a bit when I start the game.

 

[Veinz]

It looks kind of mid, I’ll try it on pc gamepass first.

 

[skazz]

Having played about 10 races now on Xbox Series X, I will say a few things:

• Graphics are a bit variable. Most of the time it looks really good, but there are some obvious misses. I expect we are seeing bugs.
• Controller support is almost exactly what I dreamed of : FH5 as basis, with more nuance and accuracy required, but none of the odd behaviour I used to hate in FM7.
• Physics are probably a little easier than FM7, definitely not a sim. This is a game to play on a big HDR TV at 4k with your controller and just have fun. Which is exactly what I wanted, so thumbs up from me
  
• CarPG element is annoying, but I couldn't really care. I was just racing the Jaguar F-Type stock against the AI in quick races and loving every minute of it.
• Car list is good for me. Track list is a little meagre (more variant layouts should have been included). But since the base game is pretty much exactly what I personally wanted, that's fine.
• The stock 911 GT3-R (Race Day Car Pack) doesn't have stupid lift off oversteer and just turns as you'd expect an aero-coated slick shod 911 GT3-R to turn. Finally!
• Edit: Replays are not inspired in terms of camera viewpoints, definitely not a patch on Gran Turismo. I used to race then watch replay all the time in GT, but won't bother much in FM2023.

So yeah, it's FH5 driving feel on race tracks with a bit more nuance (and more realistic front end grip). Awesome!

 

[Confus]

Obviously I'm withholding final judgement until I play it, but I'm not crazy about what I've been seeing across multiple reviews so far. It seems like it's just another fairly standard Forza Motorsport entry, as opposed to the total reboot the series has been in need of.

What I'm most concerned about, and hopefully those of you who have played it can help with, is whether or not you're able to just buy a car and modify it however you like, or if you need to do X number of races with it or drive it for X number of hours before you have the full suite of upgrades available? If that is the case, I truly may just end up skipping this one. Building and tuning cars is basically all I have done in FM, and racing is just how I pay the bills to make that happen, so if I need to be investing tons of time and energy in every single car just to be able to modify it how I like, I think I'm out.

 

[MonoTonouS]

Nah fam we have to measure a game by it's own claims .
Physics being the best: LIES . According to almost every review they are similar to FM7 .
Graphics :

 

[Famine]

What I'm most concerned about, and hopefully those of you who have played it can help with, is whether or not you're able to just buy a car and modify it however you like, or if you need to do X number of races with it or drive it for X number of hours before you have the full suite of upgrades available?

You can buy anything (except VIP/Race Day cars unless you have the packs) and they're not expensive, but you then have to drive them for a while to level them up.

It takes about 45 minutes to get to Car Level 25, which gives you everything except engine swap and drivetrain swap. Figure on 2hr to reach Car Level 50 which gets it all.

 

[Confus]

You can buy anything (except VIP/Race Day cars unless you have the packs) and they're not expensive, but you then have to drive them for a while to level them up.

It takes about 45 minutes to get to Car Level 25, which gives you everything except engine swap and drivetrain swap. Figure on 2hr to reach Car Level 50 which gets it all.

Thanks for clarifying. That's unfortunately what I was concerned with. I really don't have the free time to devote myself to at least 45 minutes per car before I can even begin testing/tuning. I suppose it's not a bad system if you're a new player or someone who's almost constantly racing, but this change kind of leaves the more casual players out, imo.

 

[R55NA]

You can buy anything (except VIP/Race Day cars unless you have the packs) and they're not expensive, but you then have to drive them for a while to level them up.

It takes about 45 minutes to get to Car Level 25, which gives you everything except engine swap and drivetrain swap. Figure on 2hr to reach Car Level 50 which gets it all.

If you have been gifted any cars, even the DLC cars, are any cars max level? Or has every car been Level 0/1.

Either option doesnt bother me, just curious.

 

[Seikenfreak]

After reading the review, the all encompassing word that comes to my mind since they've started showing the game off:

"Underwhelming"

I, like many other people it seems, was hoping that this fresh start, "ground up" rebuild, etc etc meant it was going to feel/look like a new age of Forza so to speak. From everything I've seen, this looks like it could've just been another entry in their former bi-annual release schedule. It comes across as iterative and not reinvented.

Will I try it? Probably. I'd really like to have some self control and not buy it at launch at least in slight protest of the game. But if I know myself after all these years, I'll cave, buy it, play it just so I can know for sure myself that.. yeap, its not what I was hoping for. And then stop playing it after a week.

 

[Famine]

If you have been gifted any cars, even the DLC cars, are any cars max level? Or has every car been Level 0/1.

Either option doesnt bother me, just curious.

Every one is at Level 1.


Which reminds me, I've just been through the in-game car list three times and only come up with 511 cars despite the game saying 514

Edit: Wait a minute... it's not double-dipping the three "Featured" cars, surely? That'd be nuts


There's been some weird items removed too. I've now got these cars from September's list missing:

Audi - Audi quattro S1 #2 Audi Sport 1986
Dodge - Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 2018
Ford - Ford GT 2017
Formula Drift - Formula Drift Nissan 370Z #64 2018
Lexus - Lexus LFA 2010
Porsche - Porsche 919 Hybrid #19 Porsche Team 2015; Porsche 911 GT2 1995

 

[skazz]

I raced against 2 LFAs in a quick race earlier.

 

[Draugnimir]

Every one is at Level 1.


Which reminds me, I've just been through the in-game car list three times and only come up with 511 cars despite the game saying 514

There's been some weird items removed too. I've now got these cars from September's list missing:

Audi - Audi quattro S1 #2 Audi Sport 1986
Dodge - Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 2018
Ford - Ford GT 2017
Formula Drift - Formula Drift Nissan 370Z #64 2018
Lexus LFA 2010
Porsche - Porsche 919 Hybrid #19 Porsche Team 2015; Porsche 911 GT2 1995

Dodge Challenger, Ford GT, Lexus LFA, and Porsche 911 GT2 '95 are only available as rewards in career mode, that's why they're missing (though I don't see sense behind it either)

Removal of Formula Drift must've been some last-minute call. And as for Audi Sport quattro S1 and Porsche 919 '15, they were never officially confirmed AFAIK (only road-going Audi Sport quattro '83 and Porsche 919 '17).

 

[Auditore]

There was alot of talk from the devs about the many points of tire contact they were simulating,i don't know much about that stuff but i thought it would be a big difference for the physics.To hear they're underwhelming is a bit disappointing

 

[m355y]

I miss getting blown away by racing games. Last one maybe Driveclub in what, 2013? I really expected this to be the one and still hope it is because there are several things that I didn't like about FM5/6/7 and it does sound like a lot of them are fixed here, finally. I don't really care about reviews as a rule, I want a game to be what I want it to be and judge it on those personal standards that only apply to me really. So I'll reserve judgement. Also worth saying that a bit of a mixed reception is kind of inevitable here given that most people here sit on the Gran Turismo side of the fence (as do I, in honesty). And that this game is now a basis for the next three, four, five years of support from T10. So let's see. But I was hoping for slightly more impressive reviews.

 

[Draugnimir]

There was alot of talk from the devs about the many points of tire contact they were simulating,i don't know much about that stuff but i thought it would be a big difference for the physics.To hear they're underwhelming is a bit disappointing

From my experience with the game (I reviewed it elsewhere in the web), new physics indeed makes a big difference. To me, it feels nothing like FM7 (only in good sense) and can be a blast to play even with wheel (G29)

 

[Famine]

Dodge Challenger, Ford GT, Lexus LFA, and Porsche 911 GT2 '95 are only available as rewards in career mode, that's why they're missing (though I don't see sense behind it either)

Of course!

And as for Audi Sport quattro S1 and Porsche 919 '15, they were never officially confirmed AFAIK (only road-going Audi Sport quattro '83 and Porsche 919 '17).

The GTP list only ever used the official FM site list, and they were both on there after the last update on September 19th (as archived by Archive.org)

Forza Motorsport Initial Car List

Check out the cars available in Forza Motorsport at launch on October 10.

web.archive.org

 

[Draugnimir]

Of course!

The GTP list only ever used the official FM site list, and they were both on there after the last update on September 19th (as archived by Archive.org)

Forza Motorsport Initial Car List

Check out the cars available in Forza Motorsport at launch on October 10.

web.archive.org

View attachment 1292491

Interesting! I've been following mostly Twitter posts for reveals of new cars in last two months (as updates of that official list were usually late and had mistakes), and I've never seen those two cars there... Now we know why 😅

 

[SPhilli911]

• Controller support is almost exactly what I dreamed of : FH5 as basis, with more nuance and accuracy required, but none of the odd behaviour I used to hate in FM7.
• Physics are probably a little easier than FM7, definitely not a sim. This is a game to play on a big HDR TV at 4k with your controller and just have fun. Which is exactly what I wanted, so thumbs up from me

So yeah, it's FH5 driving feel on race tracks with a bit more nuance (and more realistic front end grip). Awesome!

Might be disappointing to some, but this makes me happy to hear, honestly FH5 physics are very fun as a basis for FM. I don't have a wheel and I play games casually when I can. Super excited to play tomorrow.

 

[Confus]

After reading the review, the all encompassing word that comes to my mind since they've started showing the game off:

"Underwhelming"

I, like many other people it seems, was hoping that this fresh start, "ground up" rebuild, etc etc meant it was going to feel/look like a new age of Forza so to speak. From everything I've seen, this looks like it could've just been another entry in their former bi-annual release schedule. It comes across as iterative and not reinvented.

Will I try it? Probably. I'd really like to have some self control and not buy it at launch at least in slight protest of the game. But if I know myself after all these years, I'll cave, buy it, play it just so I can know for sure myself that.. yeap, its not what I was hoping for. And then stop playing it after a week.

I played about an hour and yes, it does feel like it could've just been FM8. If you have played any previous FM game you already know what you're getting into. The physics are pretty good, if a little biased towards understeer, but they do feel more sim-like, which I think is good.

Unfortunately the car leveling thing is going to annoy me, I can already tell. Also, they are still using the same exact aftermarket wheels they've been using since time began. Same models, same exact everything. Really kind of bummed about that and hopeful they make some meaningful updates to the list.

 

[ruestchiva]

I'm glad about Forza coming back as a strong competitor. I hope this makes Polyphony consider enhancing their game and solving some of the problems they've been avoiding since Forza can really grab a considerable portion of GT's users.

 

[VICIOUS13JP]

Isn't the star rating too high for the reviews? If I had only read the article, I would have thought it was 3/5 or lower.

 

[Veinz]

Can you see a list of a player created lobbies like in GT? I skipped FM7 but the previous two didn’t have that. It was probably the dumbest decision they’ve ever made.