Forza Horizons..Demo thoughts

[spazsterian]

So i blew the dust off my MS wheel and downloaded the demo today. I'll be posting a full review on my YT channel but until then...

Definately an arcade game. Forza 4's physics has found its home and yet Horizons offers more grip then FM4 does , even with race tires. (All assists off and simulation settings) Front brakes lock ridicuosly, so ABS would be a good idea. Easy to drift that for sure.
Challenges, nothing is too difficult in expert mode in the demo, so the actual game probably won't be any different, I can't see them writing different code.
If you ever played need for speed (later ones) this feels/looks/acts so much like it. you'll occasionally get a sense/feel that your playing Driver. Found the rumble through the MS wheel wasn't consistant with what was going on on the road, more a generic vibration. Wasn't in sync. Handling on the dirt...thing like you're play FM4 on stock tires. When one of the challenges tranfers to pavement think like you've just put race tires on. There's a differnece, but not so much as a dirt /pavement difference like there should be. This may translate differently on Fanatec wheels , I dunno.
The music is fucking aggrivating. Period. And I like alot of techno and stuff. After the first 30 seconds I was done with it...The D-Pad changes radio stations, but i never explored that option i just turned it off. Demo forces some movie scripts while loading , hopefully those can get skipped in the game.
Rival events are here just like in FM4 and after you finish a challenge you are offered a rival event , but it runs the exact same course and you get the exact same after race commentary , regardless if it was the challenge or the rival..Gee I know i was fster then then the plane chick, but of course I'm on the podium..there was only 2 of us??? but no mention of you beat you rival in audio format. That will get old.
Same menus as 4 just different look so that familiarity will help. similiar gameplay. Wins races , unlock cars, or win them. So that part is the same as well. No option for tuning in the menus nor replays, at least in the demo.
Damage is fully rendered, but no effect to the car while racing. Yes i rolled the viper, wiped out a pickup head on and stll beat my insane rated AI on expert mode. Bonus points for wiping shit out, destruction, drifting, burnouts , drafting, perfect shift and other shit apply.
Overall is a good looking game , just like FM4...but it will be a used copy or bargain purchase for me. I enjoy the hell out of the NFS or HP series for some occasional arcade fun , so this will be right up there with them and thankfully you can mute the damn music I played the Demo once, have gotten my footage out of it and honestly don't feel any urge to play it again. It definately didn't WOW!! me. 1.57 GB Download took like 20 minutes on my internet hardwired to the box.

Just my 2 cents so far....

[Jarhead]

I downloaded the demo and ran it last night also. It was just what I expected after watching all the marketing videos and previews. I was expecting an arcade racing game on the open roads and that is what it is. I have the LCE version pre-ordered and will be picking it up day one.

Yes the physics are leaning towards arcade. There is no tuning of the cars, only upgrades in the full version, so they made the physics to appeal to the masses, especially the controller users. When I compare it to the TDU series, it is definitely a step forward. TDU1 was barely ok, but TDU2 took a step backward. At least in this game I can feel what the car is doing by the feedback I'm getting in the wheel.

I like these kind of games. A good way to waste some hours when I have nothing else going on. My life is very simple with plenty of time for playing games or whatever else I want to do to waste time like watching TV, riding my bicycles, or drinking and BBQ.

I can see myself wasting plenty of hours on this game when it comes out. If you accept it for what it is and enjoy that kind of game, you will like it. If you are looking for a hardcore racing game with simulation physics, don't get this game.

[Knight of Redemption]

It's a pass for me, I am now sold on Sim racing and arcade style just leaves me cold, for a break I play FPS horses for courses. Maybe a bargain bin buy in a moment of madness

[smokey]

ya knight same as i cant bring myself to play GT5 anymore

[Kelly G]

As I sold my XBox and everything with it, I don't even have to concern myself with the game! Between rFactor, Skyrim, and now BF3, I have no probs getting my game freak on.

[zero7159]

I agree with Jarhead's assessment, its an awesome "simcade" racer. I also agree with several of Spaz's comments, particularly with regard to grip. I would add that the force feedback with my CSR Elite wheel is strong and smooth, possibly even better than Forza 4. The dirt doesn't feel as good as Dirt 2 or 3 on PC, but nothing else does. I also am disappointed that there is no triple screen support, but at least that saves me from having to buy three copies of the game, and having to swap discs in three drives before playing!

Jarhead makes a good point about expectations, but I think what he says applies to Forza 4 as well. We had this discussion on Monday night. I don't think Forza 4 or Forza Horizon are steps back for the Forza series, which I have played at least weekly since Forza 1 was released in 2005. Each game in the Forza series has been a Day 1 purchase for me, and the series has only gotten better with time. Rather, I think the competition, particularly PC sim racers, is stiffer today, than ever before. iRacing, rFactor, Project CARS and other PC sims are better today than ever, and the expectations have gone up. So, its perfectly natural for many of us to move away from Forza in search of a more hardcore sim racing experience. Forza has never been, and will never be a hardcore sim racer, because their target audience is more broad than the target audience for iRacing and rFactor. Like Jarhead says, if you are looking for hardcore sim racing, don't bother with Forza Horizon (or Forza 4 for that matter). But, if you are interested in a good "simcade" experience, then Forza 4, Forza Horizon and GT5 are good options. I have never enjoyed Forza 4 more than last night, its only gotten better with time for me. Part of the reason for that is my expectation for the game.

My two cents, take em or leave em.

[Seahawks1Fan]

Well said guys. Thanks for the reviews. I'll probably download the demo this weekend just to see what's its all about.

[Dan W.]

Tried the Demo, If it's anywhere near the final version. I think I'm gonna like it. It's already better than TDU2 in the feel of the cars and graphics. I just hope there is more to it then what is represented by the demo.

[spazsterian]

Its with your statement lawyer that I've decided not to do a review of the demo online. I can take the game for what it is..a fun waste of time arcade on the console...but it not worth my time to play. FM 4 left too bad a taste in my mouth to be fair and objective in my review. Right now turn10 is still on my radar and its a good thing I don't own heat seeking missiles. And due to that bias it really not fair to the guys at playground who worked hard on this title.
My love for stock car racing has been well nourished now on the PC and its various sims...i feel there is really no point in my reviewing the title in depth. I have better avenues in which to apply my currently limited time to.

[F1Fan07]

I tried the demo earlier today. It's not for me... the game is loud, the UI graphics are too in your face and the gameplay is forced. Speaking of gameplay... the usual Forza weaknesses appear to be there in the AI... you can usually pass them in traction limit situations and if not then just shove it up the inside on a corner and barge through.

Racing against an airplane? Really? It felt like I was in a scripted cutscene and that the plane was timed to get to the gate a fraction after me just to boost the excitement.

I can see the appeal of this to other people. For me though, the racing itch is scratched by the PC and it takes a pretty special driving game to make me ignore the other game genres I have available on the Xbox.

[Jeff H.]

Nope, not even going to download the demo. I'm done with Forza (no matter what suffix they put on it). The only thing that is good for me is the occasional cat-n-mouse get drunk and play an arcade game kinda thing.

[Deleted]

yeah i tried it the day it came out. kinda cool for that kind of game. i'm got going to buy it.
i sold off all my forza stuff and gave away all the in game stuff i had. i guess i just out grew the games. i will miss the people i raced with.

[Dan W.]

Well, I bought it. But I'll buy just about anything that has racing in it. The open world thing is kinda cool, handles and looks way better than TDU2, but not near as open or large as TDU2, that was a bit disappointing.

Well they released the Rally exp. pack. So I had to go get it, and I'm damn glad I did. The Rally Exp. is very challenging and fast paced. Cars handle really well, (Some of the guys working on it are from Codemasters, so that was expected) but it made buying this game worth it. If you have the game, I recommend the Rally pack as a must have.

If you like Rally that is..... ;D

[Jarhead]

I got a chance to run the Rally pack yesterday as well. It is a lot of fun and well worth it if you have the game and like rally type racing.

Shame they didn't incorporate the roads used on the Rally pack into the game map. What they did was take some of the existing roads and changed the surface to dirt and added elevation changes. No free roam in the Rally world, you can just run the races.

Multiplayer is fun. It is incorporated into the existing multiplayer. I ran some private races with some friends. It's head to head racing (sort of). You can see the other drivers on the track, but they are ghosted so it is still you against the course. But if you are behind someone, the dust trail they kick up really limits your view of the track, so it really pays to get a good start and get out front.

[zero7159]

I also ran the rally pack last night and it is outstanding. Jarhead's description is accurate. I will add that I could not tell that the rally tracks were based off of existing tracks. They have an incredible amount of "rally" like detail, including dirt (of course), rocks, trees, elevation changes (sometimes dramatic) and tight turns, including plenty of hairpins. They also have incorporated rally style racing, where you do not race against others. Rather, you race against the clock. My only worry about the rally pack is running out of content. I hope that Turn 10 and Playground Games plan additional tracks. There are plenty of cars, particularly because you can modify any car in the base game to run rally as well. The rally racing is tough. I am playing on "Medium" skill level, yet I had a hard time finishing in the Top 10.

One other note I would add concerns the physics and force feedback. Again, like with the base game, they are excellent. They are not pure sim, like Richard Burns Rally, but they also are not pure arcade physics. You definitely can spin the cars. The force feedback with my Fanatec CSR Elite wheel is amazing, very strong and I can feel what the car is doing, particularly during turns and slides.

In short, anyone who is a fan of rally and Forza should get the rally pack. I have played all of the leading rally games, including Richard Burns Rally, Dirt 1-3, Colin McRae and WRC 3 and this rally pack is right up there as one of the better rally games out there.