Forza Motorsport 2

Career mode does get tedious at times as gamers are beginning to find out as they reach Lv20-30. This is mostly due to a few factors, the most critical one being that as I have mentioned the game features 12 racing ‘environments’, of which 45 tracks are available. At the end of the day 12 environments is just not enough even though the layout of the tracks can be modified, you’re still seeing the same scenery/venues and that detracts from the game hugely. So far I’ve worked my way upto Level 22 and the tediousness of career mode is beginning to settle in, especially when most races are 5-6 lap affairs, which equates to approx 8-10 minutes depending on the track size. I won’t mention the hell that is Nürburgring…

In its defence though, there is a lot to do in career mode and there’s many types of races to take part in. There are manufacturer challenges where you get to race against cars of a specific manufacturer type no matter what make/model it may be. There are 100/200/350bhp type races where your car has to fit into a certain BHP (Brake Horse Power) range, as well as long winded Endurance races that consist of over 20+ killer laps. The race types are very varied, sadly seeing the same track venues (Leguna Seca…) rains in on the better part of it.

For those who just want to race, there’s an Arcade Mode, which is split up into 3 sections:

Exhibition - Compete wheel-to-wheel against AI drivers to unlock new cars and race series. Initially you have access to only a few tracks and cars. To unlock the next series of races, you must place in the top three in all races in the current series. To unlock cars in a series, place at least third in every race to unlock one car for that series, at least second to unlock two, or first to unlock all three. These cars can be used in Exhibition, Free-Run and Multiplayer.

Time Trials - Set the fastest single-lap time on a specific track with a specific car. Each time trial has a target time for you to beat, and when you beat it you unlock that car

Free Run - You do not unlock any cars in Free Run; instead you can practice as much as you want on any track with any unlocked car, or car from your garage.

The damage system in Forza is superb and it’s a wonder why we don’t see damage in car games anymore (take note PGR4). I wish developers would implement damage systems because they used to feature in so many games in the past until silly vehicle licensing terms came into effect with games like the last few Need for Speed titles. Forza 2 races can sometimes end up in hilarious scraps that end up with cars looking like they’ve emerged from a destruction derby. Vehicle damage is very realistically handled and key subsystems are affected if you crash or attempt to hit other cars so care and focus is required, especially when driving on narrow tracks like the Nürburgring, where a single slip up on a superfast straight can lead to your car and others being an utter wreck. Luckily the cars revert back to normal after a race.

Most of my racing experiences have been hilariously memorable for all the wrong reasons. My first car was a Class D standard factory specification Volkswagen Corrado, a car that I still adore. After winning about 8 races, I took all the winnings and made the worst mistake I could have ever done. I spent it all on engine mods (modifications) - something n00blets do. I then took to the racetrack for a test run. Behind me were the normal non-modded cars unaware of the power under my bonnet. The lights turned green and I slammed down the accelerator to see my car shoot off the line yay! Then came the first corner…I hit the brakes and yet the car with so much momentum and torque just kept going, I then hard locked the brakes to create an utterly huge skidmark on the track as I slammed into a tirewall sending my front and rear bumpers into the air. I actually winced at this moment while I was sat in my chair as I know it was game over, just 13 seconds after starting the race. I had put so many engine mods into the car that I had completely forgot that there was no way for the car’s handling to control all that newly added power.

Balancing is crucial and get it wrong like I did will result in many lost races. So now upon adding engine mods, I make sure that I leave enough money to widen the tires and change the tyre compound from standard to racing slicks so I have more grip for starters.

Cars in Forza 2 are divided up into classes that reflect their level of performance based on their attributes, such as weight, power, and grip. The 300 plus cars available in-game are split up into 6 production class groups and 4 race class groups as follows. Upgrading a car with modifications also upgrades its class rating so you will need to keep an eye on the parts you choose.

  • Class D   Standard production cars including the Ford Focus SVT and the VW Beetle
  • Class C   Sport production cars including the Audi S4 and the Nissan Fairlady Z
  • Class B   Performance production cars including the Porsche Cayman S and the Lotus Exige
  • Class A   High-Performance production cars including the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and the Ferarri 360 Modena
  • Class S   Ultra-High performance production cars like the Maserati MC12 and the Porsche Carrera GT
  • Class U   Unlimited-class cars including the Chrysler ME Four-Twelve concept car, and the TVR Cerbera Speed 12
  • R4   Heavily modified production cars and purpose build race cars including the Subaru GT300 Impreza and the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
  • R3   High end purpose build race cars including the Dodge Viper GTS-R, and the Nissan GT500 Skyline
  • R2   Ultra-High end purpose built race cars including the McLaren F1 GTR and the Chevrolet Corvette C6.R
  • R1   Prototype race cars including the Porsche 962C and the Audi R8

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