FORZA MOTORSPORT 3 (X360)
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Publisher: Microsoft.
Developer: Turn 10 Studios. Released: October 2009. Genre: Racing. Posted 14th October 2012. By Shane Battams © 2012 |
Gas guzzlers, both causal and serious, can rejoice: Forza Motorsport 3 is the pinnacle of its genre. The third instalment in the Microsoft-exclusive racing series saw developer Turn 10 perfecting their craft by refining the racing, adding more vehicles, more customisation options and more content to whizz through. Established aspects such as the game’s completely customisable difficulty, have thankfully remained intact too, and combine with Turn 10’s various refinements to create the ultimate racer.
Like its predecessors, Forza 3 is a simulation racer that aims to compete with Sony’s Gran Turismo, albeit with a heavier customisation system. The racing here is so sublime, it’s more than a match for GT. Handling is pitch-perfect, as always, and the new additions help the game compete with the current racing crop, such as Grid. F3 recycles the same damage system from the previous games, but vehicles can now do a full 360-degree rollover, adding an extra layer of realism to the game’s visceral crashes. You can also now switch to an in-car view, which is a nice addition for those who race outside of the standard car view. A Drift system has also been added, although no races focus on this feature, where a press of the left button tracks drift points you earn. F3 also borrows the rewind function present in Grid and Dirt 2, where mistakes can be erased with a press of a button. It’s a good addition, but some will see it as Turn 10 keeping with the crowd.
Forza Motorsport 3 runs as good as it looks, maintaining incredible smoothness even at high speeds
Forza has always impressed with its customizable difficulty level, and Forza 3 is no exception. The game features three main difficulties, but the game can be tailored far beyond that. The Driving Line returns from previous games, advising the player on the speed they should be driving. There’s also the ability to enable or disable auto-breaking, stability control, manual transmission and more. The game is smart as, rather than punishing you for using these, the game rewards you for turning these assists off. It gives you an extra percentage of Credits if you bump up the challenge, meaning risk will bring reward to those who seek more of a challenge. But, it doesn’t take away earnings if you decide to play it safe. The AI is solid, and provides a good challenge if you crank up the difficulty, though there are moments when the drivers can just drift off the track as if they’ve passed out.
The game contains well over 400 cars (more than 500 with DLC), meaning there’s a huge amount of choice. Each car is categorised in ranks ranging from F to R1 and a new system lets you quick-upgrade into each rank without having to buy specific parts. This helps eager racers get into the action quicker. The game adds two new vehicle types in the form of SUVs and stock cars. Vehicles can be upgraded, meaning players can mostly stick to the brands they prefer rather than repeatedly having to buy higher-level cars. Vehicles can be tuned to maximise performance and tweaking their settings can give you a major advantage.
The game contains well over 400 cars (more than 500 with DLC), meaning there’s a huge amount of choice. Each car is categorised in ranks ranging from F to R1 and a new system lets you quick-upgrade into each rank without having to buy specific parts. This helps eager racers get into the action quicker. The game adds two new vehicle types in the form of SUVs and stock cars. Vehicles can be upgraded, meaning players can mostly stick to the brands they prefer rather than repeatedly having to buy higher-level cars. Vehicles can be tuned to maximise performance and tweaking their settings can give you a major advantage.
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Most of your time will be spent in the new Season mode. Split into Six Seasons, the player must complete World Championship events to complete a season. Between each Championship race, players can choose a series with specific entry requirements (e.g. rear-wheel drive cars) to pass the time between each Championship event. As you progress through the game’s six seasons, each one contains more races, meaning you must complete more races between. Most races are standard lap events, but there’s also the addition of Drag events, where drivers must speed to the end in quick-burst races, which adds some variety to the standard events. The game also contains a Ranking system, and completing each of the fifty levels will reward you with a new car, which is a good enough reward to entice players to keep grinding towards Level 50. The game’s career comprises well over 200 events, each containing multiple races. This means there’s a huge amount of content to the single-player component and the game’s slick racing means it never gets stale. Once you finish the Seasons, you can use Event Select to finish off any events you haven’t completed. Players will need at least forty hours to finish the Seasons and well over a hundred to finish all the events.
The main trick of the Forza series, its in-depth customization options, returns mostly unchanged. One new feature is the ability to create artwork on a flat surface before placing it on the car, which makes creating the perfect image that much easier. The great thing about FM3 is how easily you can share the fruits of your labour. Vinyl images, tuning schematics, full-car designs and cars themselves can be sold on the game’s Storefront and anything purchased can also be rated. Forza 3 thrives on this, with some incredible designs available in the store from the more creative members of the community, which means even if you have zero artistic skill your car can still look sexy.
The main trick of the Forza series, its in-depth customization options, returns mostly unchanged. One new feature is the ability to create artwork on a flat surface before placing it on the car, which makes creating the perfect image that much easier. The great thing about FM3 is how easily you can share the fruits of your labour. Vinyl images, tuning schematics, full-car designs and cars themselves can be sold on the game’s Storefront and anything purchased can also be rated. Forza 3 thrives on this, with some incredible designs available in the store from the more creative members of the community, which means even if you have zero artistic skill your car can still look sexy.
Kitchen tiles make a belated return to competitive racing
The game also offers a simplistic but fun competitive online mode. You can race on any of the game’s single-player tracks with up to seven other racers. It runs smoothly, with no lag while playing online. It’s definitely for the more hardcore players, as no assists are allowed online. You can challenge others in standard races and drags, as well as special modes such as Virus and Cat-and-Mouse, adding a few twists to the racing. The customisation options really add spice to this mode, including options that reverse the rules of the game (for example, the cars which travel the least distance win, as weird as that sounds). You can even play these games with bots if you don’t feel like challenging players online. It’s fun as heck, and the fact you earn Money and XP while playing these modes makes the deal even sweeter.
Forza 3 is also a treat to the senses. It looks fantastic, with greatly detailed car models showcasing fantastic reflections that immerse the player completely. The damage system looks great too, with various weights of crashes resulting in realistic quantities of debris. The tracks look stunning, with crisp blue skies and detailed textures that keep up with the rapid speeds. The only sore spot involves the ugly character models when you drive into the pits. The audio is great though, as gearheads will take satisfaction in the meaty engine tones. The soundtrack is pretty forgettable, but thankfully the game prioritises engine notes above the music, really sticking to the ethos of a driving simulator.
Forza 3 is also a treat to the senses. It looks fantastic, with greatly detailed car models showcasing fantastic reflections that immerse the player completely. The damage system looks great too, with various weights of crashes resulting in realistic quantities of debris. The tracks look stunning, with crisp blue skies and detailed textures that keep up with the rapid speeds. The only sore spot involves the ugly character models when you drive into the pits. The audio is great though, as gearheads will take satisfaction in the meaty engine tones. The soundtrack is pretty forgettable, but thankfully the game prioritises engine notes above the music, really sticking to the ethos of a driving simulator.
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Everything comes together in Forza Motorsport 3. It is a racer that anyone of any skill can pick up and enjoy, whether in short bursts or marathon sessions, and the game is bursting with hundreds of hours of content. Top that off with fantastic presentation, customisation that’s aided greatly by an engaging community, and Turn 10 has delivered not only the best game in the series but one of the best racers on the Xbox 360. Polyphony should be afraid: Forza 3 stands toe-to-toe with the best of GT, and then some.
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VERDICT
Visual: 10/10
Audio: 9/10 Gameplay: 10/10 Longevity: 10/10 OVERALL: 10/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: FORZA MOTORSPORT 3 (X360)
Whilst Gran Turismo endured an uncharacteristically uncertain time of things during the seventh generation, Forza Motorsport, by contrast, flourished. Stealing a march on its console rival through its fantastic, realistic handling and an awe-inspiringly smooth frame rate, FM3 offers unrivalled control thanks to its immersive rumble function and superior, pedal-like triggers, helping lend an extra dimension to both acceleration and braking. Stunningly beautiful graphics do it no harm at all, either. Packed with gleaming motors and picturesque, pin-sharp locations, the game’s mind-bogglingly vast backgrounds and detailed environments positively scream quality. The sheer number of tournaments is enough to keep fans locked in for weeks, perhaps months, whilst a remarkably comprehensive showroom of cars proved a match for Polyphony Digital’s once-untouchable line-ups. There’s a potent mix of Grand Prix and national circuits, meaning legendary circuits such as Le Mans and Silverstone rub shoulders with quirkier layouts such as Road Atlanta and Sebring. There’s also a wealth of superb fictional tracks, meaning a lot of this sequel’s content feels fresh. The only slight complaint is, in trying so closely to ape the Gran Turismo experience, FM3 stumbles into the trap of replicating some of the PlayStation classic’s less desirable traits. These include overly-clinical selection screens and the predominance of elevator music bringing a somewhat trivial vibe to the menus, as well as a mostly forgettable soundtrack. The calendar structure and the game’s proclivity to shoehorn long tournaments with slow cars into the mix when you’re trying to focus on a major championship also proves somewhat unwelcome. Never mind this, however. Forza Motorsport 3 is royalty amongst racers, and perhaps the best console driving sim of its generation. [9] – Tom Clare © 2023
Whilst Gran Turismo endured an uncharacteristically uncertain time of things during the seventh generation, Forza Motorsport, by contrast, flourished. Stealing a march on its console rival through its fantastic, realistic handling and an awe-inspiringly smooth frame rate, FM3 offers unrivalled control thanks to its immersive rumble function and superior, pedal-like triggers, helping lend an extra dimension to both acceleration and braking. Stunningly beautiful graphics do it no harm at all, either. Packed with gleaming motors and picturesque, pin-sharp locations, the game’s mind-bogglingly vast backgrounds and detailed environments positively scream quality. The sheer number of tournaments is enough to keep fans locked in for weeks, perhaps months, whilst a remarkably comprehensive showroom of cars proved a match for Polyphony Digital’s once-untouchable line-ups. There’s a potent mix of Grand Prix and national circuits, meaning legendary circuits such as Le Mans and Silverstone rub shoulders with quirkier layouts such as Road Atlanta and Sebring. There’s also a wealth of superb fictional tracks, meaning a lot of this sequel’s content feels fresh. The only slight complaint is, in trying so closely to ape the Gran Turismo experience, FM3 stumbles into the trap of replicating some of the PlayStation classic’s less desirable traits. These include overly-clinical selection screens and the predominance of elevator music bringing a somewhat trivial vibe to the menus, as well as a mostly forgettable soundtrack. The calendar structure and the game’s proclivity to shoehorn long tournaments with slow cars into the mix when you’re trying to focus on a major championship also proves somewhat unwelcome. Never mind this, however. Forza Motorsport 3 is royalty amongst racers, and perhaps the best console driving sim of its generation. [9] – Tom Clare © 2023
MORE FORZA GAMES ON XBOX PLATFORMS REVIEWED
Forza Horizon (2012, Xbox 360)
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Forza Motorsport 5 (2014, Xbox One)
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