“Forza Motorsport 5” had a bit of a mixed reception among fans of the franchise – on one hand, everyone recognized the obvious huge effort that had gone into making the title. On the other, some felt like the game was too “sterile” and didn’t really offer an interesting experience, at least not the kind that they expected given its name. Still, the general consensus was that the game was at least one of the more interesting launch titles for the Xbox One.
Now that some critics have had a chance to try out the new “Forza Motorsport 6” on their own and they’ve spent some time with the title, we’re starting to hear responses about it. And for the most part, it looks like the developers have done an outstanding job, delivering the kind of experience players wanted to see in the previous game in the first place, and making full use of the modern console hardware.
The new game comes with various improvements, such as new cars, more Drivatar features, an all-new career mode, and better multiplayer experience. Players can now once again race during the night as well as in bad weather, and the game has ramped up the immersion factor significantly compared to previous installments in the franchise.
One of the problems that were quite prominently discussed about “Forza Motorsport 5” was the variety of cars available in the game, as it only came with 200 models. We say “only”, even though it sounds a lot, because it was half the number of cars in the previous game, and the fact that the title only had 14 tracks didn’t help matters either. In the end, many players reported that the game felt repetitive and monotonous after a while.
On the other hand, now the new title arrives with 450 licensed cars – including the new Ford GT which is actually on the cover of the game – and they can all be viewed in the “Forzavista mode”, which lets the player walk around and take a look at their car from multiple different angles.
There are now 26 tracks available as well, taking the game all over the world in various real-life locations, such as the Daytona International Speedway, as well as Le Mans. Rio de Janeiro is also featured with a very intense track, and many reviewers were particularly fond of it.
Then there’s the visual factor of the game, something which has struck pretty much everyone who’s gotten a chance to play it. The new “Forza Motorsport 6” looks stunning and it clearly makes full use of the modern hardware that it runs on, so players should expect no compromise with the visual fidelity of the title.
Everything just feels right, and even though some of the details are apparently slightly unpolished at this point, the game as a whole feels consistent and plays properly, according to reviewers. Furthermore, some of the new bits of eye candy actually have gameplay implications, such as the new weather conditions.
It’s interesting to note that there are various small details that add to the whole experience like 3D, physics-based rain puddles that can actually affect the way the car handles on the road, forcing players to drive more carefully in rainy weather. Just as they would in real life – while of course, driving in favorable conditions should allow a player to get the most out of their car, especially for someone with good skill at the game.