Reviewed
11.18.2016
Publisher
Microsoft
Studios
Developer
Playground
Games
Turn
10 Studios
Format
1x
BD
Digital
Available
09.27.2016
(USA)
Platforms
XB1,
PC
Difficulty
Adjustable
Dimensions
3D
View
1st/3rd
Person
Genre
Racing
/ Realistic
Player(s)
1
2-12
(XBL)
Options
Content
DL
Force
feedback
wheel
Xbox
Live
Requires
n/a
ESRB
E
- Everyone |
| Introduction |
|
> The Forza franchise has really matured into the go-to series
for racing fans of all types. Whereas Need
For Speed used to be my favorite series, lately EA
has come up somewhat short. NFS games of old really provided
some exhilirating police chases though. Thankfully, Forza Horizon
3 steps in right where Forza
Horizon 2 left off. That's fine by me because I'm a fan of
not messing with success.
> This game takes place in various locations of Australia. The player can
customize everything, including which festival to upgrade, friends to hire
and fire as "drivatars", and well over 350 cars. The real beauty lies in
the graphics and physics. Wonderful. |
| Graphics |
|
> What should I say beyond, smooth, beautiful, fast, dynamic, colorful
and detailed!? Just look at the screenshots and know any gamer would love
the visuals. Forza Horizon 3 delivers the goods. The developer
even managed to include sunrise and sunset situations that don't excessively
blind the player. Leaving aside the obvious lack of control, even driving
in the rain is a positive visual experience. The one thing I would add
to improve this category is the ability to decide weather conditions. |
| Control |
|
> Spot on - tight and predictable as always (in Forza Horizon
games). The player decides where to go, how to get there and which (customized)
vehicle to race with. The rewind feature is welcomed back with open arms,
as it alleviates a lot of the potential frustration involved in solo play.
There are a ton of perks to unlock via skillful driving which generally
provides additional credits and experience. A point of weakness for me:
either I'm not that good at drifting, or this game could use some tweaking
in that area. One feature I would add is the ability to pass time as done
in Test Drive Unlimited, so that one can wait out the rain
and/or dead of night (if so desired). |
| Sound |
|
> Forza Horizon 3 offers a wide variety of virtual radio
stations to unlock and listen to. None of them are particularly great,
but surely there's something for everyone. My favorite station is "Epitaph",
which is the resident metal channel. I don't recognize much of what's on
this station, except for maybe some tunes that are reminiscent of Crazy
Taxi's frenetic soundtrack.
> The sound effects are well done and certainly not annoying. It's always
a joy to hear the whining torque of a Ferrari V12 and the grumbling power
of a Corvette V8. Everything is realistic from the skidding tires to the
bending sign posts and cracking trees. |
| Fun |
|
> The player can decide on difficulty, where to go, who to race, what parameters
the race will have and so much more. Did I mention there are seemingly
limitless options for upgrading and tuning a vehicle? Yup! Each car has
a standard class like "A", all of which can be upgraded higher to say "S1"
or "S2" by adding better components and parts. Let's not forget the gamer
can completely customize a car's paint, decals, rims, etc. Creations can
be shared and downloaded as well. If that's not enough, then go into the
tuning menus and tweak any car's performance to the max! New showcase events
include jet, train, and power boat races of epic proportions! The one area
I don't particularly care for is the "bucket list" events - but even those
can be customized now. |
| Bottom
Line |
|
> Forza Horizon 3 is the epitome of a quality racing game
that is accessible to all gamers. It features various landscapes from seaside
streets to dirt backroads to obstacle-rich off-road areas. A plethora of
vehicle types that span more than 40 years are ready to be earned/collected.
This game could easily be a straight 10 with minor enhancements and a radio
station that plays the metal bands I grew up with. Anyway if you like driving
at all, this is the game you need. |
| Ratings |
| Overall: 9.3 | Graphics:
9.5 | Control: 9.5 | Sound: 8.5 | Fun: 9.5 |
~ Shinobi
~
|
