Forza Motorsport 7 Preview
Over the years Forza Motorsport have slowly but surely established themselves as the king of racers. The franchise has been around since the days of the original Xbox console and faced some stiff competition in the early going. Yet lately, it appears no other racing game even comes close to what the Forza series offers. Turn 10 continues to refine an accessible racer for newcomers but also stays true to that sim experience those gearhead diehards absolutely love. While at E3 2017, I had a chance to get a behind the scenes demo of Forza Motorsport 7 on the Xbox One X and let’s just say if there is one reason to pick up an Xbox One X on launch day Forza 7 is a pretty damn good one.
Given Forza 7 was one of the few Microsoft exclusives announced at E3 2017 this year, I went in with high expectations. More cars, more tracks, and better visuals are all par for the course. Those should be a given, right? If the franchise was going to blow me away, I want more. And that is exactly what I got.
_________________________
“From a tech perspective, this is without question the game you’ll want to show off to your friends went you fire up your Xbox One X in surround sound on your 4K TV.”
Of course, the most noticeable improvement to the game is the visuals. It’s a 4K stunner! Forza Motorsport 7 looks ridiculously good as the realism is unreal. Granted, I get I am watching (and playing) the game on the best 4K monitors around and on the world’s most powerful console (sorry, I had to throw that in) but the graphical fidelity and realism was remarkable. Everything from the cars to the tracks and the dynamic weather system, Forza 7 shines in 4K and High Dynamic Range. It was hard to play the game and not be distracted by the visuals. The Dubai course alone featured glorious vistas and scenery. Yet even the cars, right down to every little scratch mark featured glorious detail. From a tech perspective, this is without question the game you’ll want to show off to your friends went you fire up your Xbox One X in surround sound on your 4K TV.
What good is a slick looking racer if the game isn’t fun or handles like a beat-up Chevy? Just like Forza 6, or more recently Forza Horizon 3, handling and gameplay are not an issue. For gamers like me, there are plenty of assists to help you succeed and for the sim diehards, you create an amazingly authentic driving experience. Forza 7 offers a remarkable amount of feedback and precision right through your controller. Even when playing the game on a racing wheel, which I did at E3, the intensity ramps up and you truly feel the power of those cars.
During my playtime, the AI was aggressive and had no qualms about cutting me off if I attempted to overtake them on the inside. Likewise, if I was too late on the break, I would go spinning into the dirt. Bottom line, I enjoyed the races I played and without question, I feel like this is the best Forza gameplay experience to date.
If you like cars and lots of them, Forza Motorsport 7 features an impressive lineup of rides. If you thought over 400 cars were impressive, Forza 7 will feature somewhere in the range of 700 vehicles. It seems like a ridiculous number and where do you even start when trying to collect all 700. Yet, if you like a lot of options and variety, Forza 7 has the largest collection of Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis yet in the franchise.In addition to a massive lineup of cars, Turn 10 is also upping the ante with more tracks. We were told 30 locations have been confirmed for the game with many old familiar faces returning. Mugello and Nürburgring highlight some of the veteran courses from the series but the new Dubai track is an absolute stunner.
_______________________
“With over 700 cars and 30 locations, Forza 7 will offer an unprecedented level of depth we have yet to see on an Xbox console.”
Forza 7 features a new dynamic weather system which is amazing but is best experienced on your own. You can expect the weather, including the gusts of wind, to change as you race. It is just one more level of realism added to the game.
It’s safe to say Forza Motorsport 7 will be generating crazy high review scores when it arrives this October. It runs smoother than ever before and in 4K the game has never looked better. With over 700 cars and 30 locations, Forza 7 will offer an unprecedented level of depth we have yet to see on an Xbox console. Turn 10 once again has a winner on their hands as they continue to evolve and improve their storied racing franchise.
