The latest edition in the Forza Motorsport series was released towards the back end of 2017. Developed by Turn10 and published by Microsoft as an Xbox One exclusive, the seventh game of the series sets a new benchmark for racing games across a variety of fields including graphics, car collection, sound, and a plethora of tracks, race modes, weather conditions and driving atmosphere. If you speak to many fans of the series, Forza Motorsport 4, is likely to be their favourite game, however, with the addition of Forza Motorsport 7 that is likely to change.
The Garage:
The Forza series is renowned for their commitment to showcasing the broadest selection of cars. The array of cars is truly mind-blowing, I mean there is really a type of car for anyone and I mean everyone. The selection goes way beyond the cars that you would find on the covers of magazines as you could find an array of lesser-known cars from years gone by. I mean you can race a truck for crying out loud and I’m not talking about a pick-up I mean like a full-blown cargo truck.
The Graphics:
What really sets this game apart in terms of the graphics is the insane attention to detail that the developers have provided. It really is the small aspects that elevate the game into a truly magnificent visual racing experience.
Improvements have been made in the lighting and weather visuals of the game, which results in truly breathtaking visuals that constantly change. The lighting of the sky, for example, changes as you zoom around the track and the colour of the sky changes as a storm rolls in.
Another standard which has been maintained at an incredible level is the detail of the cars. The finer details are really highlighted, from windscreen wipers that vibrate and shake as you drive to the detail inside the car in cabin view, Forza Motorsport 7 undoubtedly has a focus on producing not just a huge amount of different cars but making sure each car has a realistic look and feel right down to the bolts on the tires.
Gameplay:
The gameplay is exactly what you would come to expect from a title like Forza. To be honest I struggled a bit in the beginning but like most things in life, practice makes perfect. Okay, maybe not perfect but it was not long until my crashes were down to a minimum and not around every second corner. The handling of the vehicles is very similar to the handling model found in previous editions with minor tweaks here and there.
The rewind function is back again. While I do like the function and it is always great to be able to undo race-deciding mistakes it does make the game a whole lot easier as you can rewind whenever and as many time as you would like. I would have preferred if the rewind function had a different approach. For example, a situation where you would have to build up a “rewind bar” throughout the race which can only be used once full.
Career Mode/ Forza Driver’s Cup:
The career mode in Forza Motorsport 7 underwent a moderate overhaul, resulting in a more structured and linear experienced. I really enjoyed the structured feel of the Forza Driver’s Cup. This mode really encourages you to race through the game (yes the pun is intended) as it encourages you to race with an array of different types/classes of vehicles as you look to expand your garage into the ultimate collector’s dream and chase the Driver’s Cup waiting for you at the end.
The game does lack the ability to modify events in certain ways during the Driver’s Cup but that is only a minor issue which is overcome by the fact that you can pretty much create any type of race using any type of car, on any type of track, in any type of conditions in the Free Play mode.
Overview:
The game is clearly emphasised on car collecting as it allows users to purchase and modify the cars in an array of ways. The cars are stored in tiers and the further you climb up these tiers the more access you have to different cars. You can, however, drive any car in Free Play mode which provides you with the freedom of choice not matched in many other racing games.
The collection system rewards you for amassing a warehouse packed with these speed merchant vehicles. The rewards come in an XP system which encourages you to buy loot boxes. The loots boxes, however, rarely produce any noteworthy additions, so you better-suited spending that XP on car modifications and purchases.
Conclusion:
Forza Motorsport 7 is truly one of the best titles to emerge from the series. It is packed with a plethora of stunning cars, breathtaking views and a driving experience not matched by many other games in 2017.
By Dean Workman
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