With the recent release of two big racing games, here is an in depth look on which game is a green light to buy. In this two part article, we’ll examine these racers in three categories: single player, multiplayer and extra features. So strap on your seatbelt and let’s take a ride through the 360’s latest top racers.
Forza Motorsport 2 is a simulation racing game offering extremely accurate physics with extensive upgrading and tuning. In this simulation racing game, you are allowed to visually upgrade your car with body kits, an extensive unique vinyl system and performance upgrades. In FM2, developed by Turn 10 Studios, performance upgrades are stepped up from the first game allowing you to change surpassing details of the ride, including the drive train. You can modify your car by changing every little detail, like down force, camber angle, tire pressure and of course fine tuning the engine like a real street mechanic.
Since Forza is a sim racer its damage modeling is extensive, but more in the performance area then visual. Most people, including myself, are disappointed in the visual damage which has set levels of damage offering much less then advertised. On the other hand you can completely ruin your car, performance wise, breaking or damaging each part. The Physics seem to be worse than the original over-stressing the effect of driving off road and sometimes seeming to extreme or almost random. The lack of a cockpit cam is rather disappointing but perhaps understandable considering the 200 or so cars in the game.
DiRT is more of a arcade racer and has some of the best graphics I’ve ever seen on the 360 and more forgiving performance damage but better visual damage where every crack and bump affects you. This game is a much different than the previous Colin McRae game that is much more arcade like and lacks some of the things most rally games have including weather effects which is surprising, and while it has hill climbs there are no descents which would easily have been added in by reversing the climbs. DiRT offers more camera angles giving you two cockpit cameras with one allowing you to looks all around the inside which sadly is the only cam you can do that with. I had though a completely controllable camera where you can rotate 360 degrees around the car was a standard feature but apparently Codemasters doesn’t think so. I don’t know the exact number of cars in the game but its around 50 with various types of cars. There are normal rally cars, CORR Buggies, Rally raid T1 and T4 cars which are huge trucks and SUV’s. (more…)
