For a series hitting its sixth official release, more isn’t more enough, especially when last generation installments eclipsed the raw numbers on offer in this newest game.
I can’t say conclusively this is the best-looking driving game on any console — I’ve seen good things in PS4’s Driveclub — but I am comfortable asserting that it’s the most comprehensively good-looking one, because it’s such a huge game.
The jaggies that marred Forza 5’s cars are mostly gone, and tracks appear to have been reworked for environmental realism: you’ll experience clouds of dust floating across the tarmac at Laguna Seca, flocks of birds in the distance, and rain effects that will trigger your instinct to reach for an umbrella.
As far as I can tell, every drivable car can be opened in Forzavista — Forza’s free-look mode that lets you walk around each vehicle, get inside, work knobs and buttons, and take photos — and there are 460 of them at launch. (In all likelihood, there will be many more to come with DLC.) I’ve been driving a silver 1973 BMW 2002 Turbo for much of my campaigning during the review, and the lifelike detail keeps impressing me every time I see it drive by before or after a race.
Driving generally feels more dynamic and engaged than it did in Forza 5. Cars feel more “alive,” and I get the impression that Turn 10 put some effort into improving the Drivatar AI — the feature that turns your Xbox Live friends into realistic-acting driver bots — because there were definitely moments that felt like I was battling human opponents when I wasn’t. (Happily, the game will let you turn off “aggressive” Drivatar behavior if you don’t ascribe to the philosophy that rubbing is racing.)
Forza 6 also adds destructible tire barriers, a real-life feature of many tracks that has a substantial impact on the game. Instead of simply bouncing comically off walls as you normally would in a racing sim, the tires absorb energy and slow you down, which can take you out of contention even if you have car damage turned off.
Speaking of track design, Forza 6 has a wonderful selection of 26 locations, many of which have multiple configurations and can be run both forward and reverse. (Microsoft notes this is more tracks than any previous Forza title.) Fortunately, Nürburgring made the cut this time, but there are still a few notable tracks from previous Forza installments that are missing: Mugello, Suzuka, and Twin Ring Motegi, to name a few. The fact that Forza 5added the ‘Ring through an update gives me hope that we’ll see additional tracks as DLC, but we’ll see.
Perhaps no single feature of Forza 6 is more hotly anticipated than the addition of nighttime driving and weather — egregious omissions from 5 — and they’re good. (There is nothing more terrifying than running the ‘Ring at night with nothing but your inadequate headlights to guide you.) The rain effects are phenomenal, particularly the standing water, which simulates realistic hydroplaning at speed and has a dramatic effect on how you drive.
Most of your time in the game, at least at first, will probably be spent in the Career mode, which is a staple of any racing simulator: it’s where you learn the ropes and win some cash and your first few cars. The problem with Career mode here is that there’s very little flexibility in how you attack it. You have to advance in the exact order the game prescribes, instead of being able to jump around depending on what kind of series you’re in the mood for.
Still, these are minor quibbles in the scheme of a truly magnificent game. It is beautiful, extremely deep, and has enough modes and features to keep you entertained forever. (I haven’t even mentioned the multiplayer modes, including Forza 5’s “Rivals” and full-fledged leagues that are matched to your skill level.) If you liked Forza 5, you will love 6. Heck, even if you disliked 5 there’s a good chance you’ll like 6, if for no other reason than the fact that it’s the new standard-bearer for graphics realism on the Xbox One.
Verdict: If you have even a passing interest in cars and you own or are planning on buying an Xbox One, you should have Forza Motorsport 6. There is no debate beyond that. It’s that good.
