Developer: Turn 10 Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Platform: Xbox One
Tested on: Xbox One
Forza Motorsport 6 – Review
Even though Forza 5 received a decent reception, there were many problems with the lack of content, compared to previous iterations. Now with the next version of Forza right in front of us, it seems that Turn 10 decided to completely rev up this new version, to make up for what the fifth installment might have lacked. It’s time to head back to the track and earn ourselves some fancy new digital cars for our already crowded garage.
Story
If you’re looking for a fancy story, or something along the lines of the Forza Horizon series, we can immediately tell you that there is no actual story value to be found here. Of course, you have the career mode in which you’ll be able to spend the many hours to come, in which you’ll have to climb to the top, to earn yourself some new cars and such. That being said, seeing it’s a simulation game, we doubt you’d actually buy this one for the elaborate plot that could have been implemented in the world of racing.
Graphics
Forza 6 might be one of the first games on the Xbox One that truly taps into the potential of the console. Everything looks detailed and some even head towards a lifelike appearance, which suits the simulation genre just perfectly. Cars are glossy and the reflections are simply stunning. The environments are a fun, detailed and realistic change from the many ‘cardboard’ backgrounds in lots of other games, even at this day and age. The newly added rain effects as well as the puddles on the tracks add another layer of realism to the equation and truth be told, there aren’t really any negative aspects when it comes to the appearance of the game.
Sound
Except for a few tunes in the menus, there isn’t that much music to be found in the game. Nonetheless, seeing it’s a simulation game, all one could wish for are realistic engine, crash and drifting sounds at the proper times. Forza 6 delivers on this front, as all the vehicles have a realistic sound and it’s actually easy to notice the difference between all the different cars.
Gameplay
Forza Motorsport 6 is a simulation racing game, that aims for a diverse library of available cars, options and different modes to appeal to many different racing fans. That being said, whilst most simulation games are not the most easily accessible type of game for newcomers, Forza 6 does a grand effort to provide a great experience for new players and veterans alike.
The game throws you right into the action, by letting you ease into the career mode, in which you can determine your own skill level. Those who are used to the previous games will probably find themselves tweaking the difficulty settings early on, whilst newcomers will probably start off with a lot of aids turned on. For example the game can show you where you’d best approach a turn, hit the brakes for you, tweak the difficulty level when needed and so on. That being said, the game will reward those who take a leap of faith and try to race on higher difficulty settings, as it will earn you more credits, with which you can buy fancy new cars or modifications.
When you’re able to work with a higher difficulty, you’ll also be able to explore the world of ‘fine tuning’ your car for different tracks and/or conditions. You’ll notice that you’ll need to tweak a bit more, when the weather conditions are poor, rather than during a sunny day. The rain mechanics are also a new feature in the series, and truth be told, you’ll enjoy the difference compared to a dry track.
You’ll be able to earn rewards by gaining experience per different car brand, as well as an overall experience level. The latter will reward you with a random prize each time you gain a new level. This random prize is earned by ‘spinning a wheel’, which can present you with different money prizes as well as random cars for your ever growing collection. When leveling up a ‘brand level’, you’ll acquire some pocket change, in order to save up for new things.
A new addition to the series are the so called ‘mod packs’, which add a kind of card game-like mechanic to the equation. You’ll be able to spend some credits on different tiers of card packs, which will provide you with random, useable modifications for your cars, that will give you boosts, challenges and/or rewards.
As stated earlier, the developers did their best to add more content in this edition, and thus during your career you’ll experience more than simple races. You’ll also be able to race through different types of events, such as facing off with Top Gear’s notorious Stig, or taming your car during one of those exciting IndyCar races. This also means the game incorporated more tracks than the previous installment of the franchise.
Of course, having more options and a plethora of awesome cars, be it old school ones or newly introduced models, it’s also about how the game feels and reacts. You’ll immediately notice that this game is no arcade racer, along the lines of Forza’s little brother, the Horizon series. That being said, sometimes it still lacks a bit compared to other simulation games, when it comes to aspects such as F1. Nonetheless, during other moments the game is truly a simulation game, where small mistakes get punished and a true realistic feeling surrounds you at all times.
Conclusion
Forza Motorsport 6 is a very welcome new iteration to the exclusive Microsoft franchise. The developers truly did their best to turn things around and offer more content, extremely realistic graphics and a great racing experience. If you’re afraid that a simulation game might be too hard or if you’re new to the genre, don’t worry, this one truly teaches you the ropes as you go and before you know it, you might be seriously hooked. Certainly one of the best simulation games out there, for new players and veterans alike.
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