With Forza Motorsports 2 scheduled to hit next week it was only a matter of time before the first review would pop up and the first one is a rewarding one to say the least.
Japanese gaming publication Famitsu has given Forza 2 the rare platinum rating. This is huge because it's a western made game reviewed by the Japanese, a market that Microsoft has had so much trouble penetrating.
"Kamikaze" Nagata: As it stands now, the ultimate racing game. No complaints about the variety of car types offered. Can micromanage the different assists, and it's good how that impacts your race bonus. Even beginners can get into the races. A lot of features aside from Xbox Live. 9/10
Yamamoto "Benki": Career mode lets you swap cars and mod them, which is very satisfying. There's plenty of options for cars, parts and settings. In the beginning it can be intimidating since the races are more in the realm of simulation, but as in real life, you can improve the handling to get a smoother ride. It's a game that I really want to thoroughly play through. 9/10
Yoshiike Maria: You can simply pick up and play the game, or really get nitty gritty with all the intricate settings. Depending on the car, some races are a bit challenging with normal tires, but once you get over that you can enjoy driving the car for awhile. [Something about her being straightly impressed with the sounds of the tires... some letters are obscuring her review]. 9/10
Dealy Matsuo: With all the options to change assists, it has depth that can be appreciated as both a simulator and a game. No complaints about the variety of cars and car mods. Although there's no tutorial, the game is easy to play with all of the assists. Loading times before races are neither slow nor fast. 9/10
And what does former GT racer Takeshi Tsuchiya think of the game? he loves it according to an interview he did with Turn 10 studios:
Q: You adjusted your settings a lot – how was that aspect of it?
TT: I just can’t race smoothly or enjoyably without the car being set up properly. In an actual race, I make little adjustments on every lap. You have to use your head in exactly the same way as you would in real life – you might want to set it up so that you don’t lose it on the curves, but if you overdo it, you might not be able to turn fast enough, things like that. Today, I just did enough tuning to be able to take the last corner at full throttle, but it was very close to the set-up I actually use in practice with the real car. I’m sure if I spent more time on it, I could get a better time with some fine-tuning.
Q: Any tips for us?
TT: It’s just as difficult to drive in the game as it is in real life, so the best advice is probably to practice in a real car ;) Joking aside, if you want to play as I do with the assists (ABS, TCS) etc. off, the first tuning adjustment you should make is to make sure the rear tires don’t spin when you hit the throttle. Next, I’d set it up to make it easier to take the turns. Everyone has their own driving style, so they should practice a lot and make their own adjustments. Prepare for the race with the same concentration as you would use if you were getting ready to race on a circuit in a GT car.
Q: This time you went for a Time Trial, but what other modes are you interested in?
TT: Since FM2 reproduces car characteristics so accurately, what I want to do most are virtual test-drives, where I take cars I could never afford out on the circuit to see what they’re like and how they handle. Also, racing against other players looks fun. If I did it, I’m sorry but I’d have to go all-out – I don’t think anyone would have a chance at taking me on Suzuka with the Eclipse Advan Supra, no matter how good a gamer they are!
Q: Finally, a message for the fans eagerly awaiting Forza Motorsport 2 please!
TT: I think it really goes beyond what you expect from a game. I think it’s probably the first racing game that a real life race driver like myself can actually win at ;) Only race drivers ever get the chance to drive a race car. This game is the only one that can give you a glimpse of the real world of the circuit as seen from the cockpit of a race car. I really want you to play this, so you can realize that it’s pretty freaking tough being a race driver! ;)
e is correct and so far it has yet to fail me, Fatal Fury Special and Streets of Rage 2 is headed to the XBOX 360 as an XBLA title. Next to Street Fighter, I have always had a special place in my heart for the classic Neo Geo 2d fighters and just the idea of playing this game over Live get's me all giddy as a girl.
