The Forza 2 demo is avalible for download from Xbox Live.
“Turn 10’s multi-million dollar franchise got plenty right but, fails to deliver a driving experience that is enjoyable for noobs OR veterans and completely falls on it’s face when it’s time to get your slide on.“
A big name, next-gen driving game in HD? Of course every driver/gamer is going to stop his/her porn downloads to get a taste of the new Forza 2 Demo available on XBox Live. Produced by Turn 10, Forza 2 claims to be “the most complete racing sim available with unparalleled physics, realistic damage and photo-realistic graphics.” Forza 2 is set for release on May 29th.
Big textures, fancy shaders and fantastic poly- blah blah are now the norm. What big budget game isn’t expected to melt your console these days? Sadly, great looks don’t end with specular highlights or ass loads of instanced trees. Forza 2’s visuals follow current trends leaving the viewer’s visual pallet thirsting for feeling and life. I’m told that Turn 10 settled on this look because, “they wanted the drapes to match the carpet.” Yes, below the belt Forza 2’s game play is much like the look; life less, dead. The feedback that constitutes the relationship between game and player is almost non-existent and the combination of realistic and stupid vehicle dynamics will baffle you.
The sound design and visual appearance of Forza 2 are worthy of merit, but fail to add needed feedback to the driving experience. The lack of communication between car and driver requires the player to create a mental model of the vehicles behavior before they can achieve competent control of the car. This is clearly a major blunder in the game’s design.
Ignoring driver feedback puts the player in a state of constant reaction instead of anticipation. In racing, being able to anticipate and stay in control of your car is called “being ahead of the car”. If not for my years of experience with driving games, actual track time and keystrokes spent tooting my own horn; I’d probably be on some forum rushing to blame the physics. Nope, first and foremost it boils down to a failure to bond the user to the game. I found myself constantly “behind the car,” and in order to get “ahead of the car” I was forced to create the link between car and driver in my minds eye. I would prefer this model to be in my hands, ears, and eyes, but Turn 10 has failed to deliver. Maybe the forced feedback wheel will be better, but I will withhold judgment until I get a chance to try it out hands on.
When producing a next-gen title, it easy to burn through the millions of dollars; somewhere along the line, Turn 10 neglected to allocate a budget for expert driving consultation. Maybe all the “pro-driver budget” went to getting Ken Gushi and company to for the Speed Channel’s Forza Challenge marketing extravaganza.
The vehicle dynamics of Forza 2 are best described as pedestrian. The average player won’t be able to keep the car on course. Some might see this as a sign that Forza 2 is the most realistic driving game yet, but they are wrong. Difficult and frustrating are not equivalent to realistic. Common driving game shortcomings, such as; cars pivoting about their centers, inaccurate body roll, poor tire simulation and worst of all for you drifters out there, poor handling of oversteer, are flaws that remain in Forza.
Yes my friends, Forza 2 sucks at drifting. Forza’s vehicle dynamics are so dulled that drifting (not powersliding) becomes an arduous and often annoying task. In order to explain the torture that is Forza 2 Drifting I’m bringing back ‘Choose Your Own Adventures’.
You’re feeling randy as you approach a corner at full throttle and decide to get the car sideways by using the e-brake. Whoops, now you’ve either sent the car into a 180 or your e-brake action has produced no results and you find yourself speeding off the track in a straightwardly direction. Okay, that approach won’t work, let’s try the brakes. You’re approaching the corner at full speed as you turn in and hit the brakes. If you chose to roll with ABS off you’ll now find yourself headed in a straight line. Good thing you chose to keep the ABS and you’re now in drift. Too bad you’ve had to initiate late and have sailed off the course or better yet you’re in drift and have run out of momentum because you had to use the brakes. So brakes won’t work, how bout some momentum drifting? Try pitching the car with a feint motion and your car is probably headed backward into the dirt once again. Confused? Forza 2 doesn’t want you to be a true gangster of drift. Forza 2 is about real racing, racing real cars, cars really racing. If your will hasn’t been shattered by now it’s about to be. You’re heading for that corner at full speed once again and this time you feint, then pitch your car, hit the ebrake and brakes at the same time to maintain your angle and slow the car down, all while downshifting two gears. Woo you’re slidin’ fine now! But wait you thought that in drifting you could get on the throttle and ride the rev-limiter. Ohh no, in Forza 2 that’s a sure fire way to straighten out your slide. Okay, this is it, you’re gonna get it this time. You manage the 5-part technique of actually getting the car into drift and master the art of hardly pressing the throttle to keep from spinning or straightening out, you’ve managed to keep from transferring too much weight in the subsequent corners and finding out just how little steering angle your car can achieve. Time to congratulate yourself, you’ve just pulled off some amazing Forza 2 drifting. Only, when you go to check the replay you realize that you’ve just pulled off a Rhys Millen of a run - minimal throttle and minimal angle. Go cry yourself to sleep.
In the end, Turn 10’s multi-million dollar franchise got some things right but, fails to deliver a driving experience that warm the cockles of this drifters heart.
Read more on Forza 2
Review of the Full Game
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Our XBox Live GamerTag is gchandler, we don’t drift, but meet us on Nissan Speedway and we will beat you. We also have some sweet stickers that we can hook you up with.
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For those PC gamers out there searching for the ultimate drifting experience in a REALISTIC driving SIMULATOR, try http://www.liveforspeed.net
You wont be let down. :D
Comment by Axle — May 31, 2007 #
Ok you are way off base dude, did you play the full game yet or are these observations from the demo?
I have been playing the full game for the last two days im ranked like 15th on time trials. I have never played a racing game where I feel I know exactly what the car is doing and when. I mean I was able to take a bone stock AE86 and tandem with some people online. It wasn’t easy but then the real car isn’t easy either.
IDK but with all my auto-X experience and drifting experience I feel it is the best and most fun racer Hands down.
Comment by Piner — June 1, 2007 #
Long story short = Fired, not hired?
Comment by c.b.leslie — June 1, 2007 #
This review was based on the demo, we are now cracking away at the full title. The demo is clearly set to “Arcade Mode,” but the full version of the game still sucks at drifting.
Just because you “can” drift, does not mean that the game is “good” for drifting. You can drift in GTA III, but it is horrible.
Same story here.
We will put up a second review of the full game in a day or two once we have a chance to get further into it.
BTW our XboxLive handle is gchandler.
Comment by Geoffrey Chandler — June 1, 2007 #
pshhhhhhhhh this game rules for everything..i’ve really been enjoying it
the stock cars drift like stock cars, which is actually kinda fun
one of the first cars I played with in the game was the ae86 which I added a small turbo and it actually handled a lot more ae86-like than in forza one
but hey..i’m a huge forza 1 drifting fan, I can’t wait to get my hands on a camaro in this one :D
Comment by cfrost — June 1, 2007 #
this game is soo good. it is really realistic and driving is spot on. thumbs up turn 10. ignore this article its complete crap.
Comment by 21sr — June 2, 2007 #
I’ve been playing since Wednesday. FM2 is not so much a car simulator as it is a RACING game. And drifting, fun as it is, is pretty far from racing.
I like the game a lot, but I worry that the career mode is pitifully short compared to GT4, for example…I’m already what appears to be about halfway through FM2’s career mode.
On a related (drifting) note, I also got to see the Formula Drift event at Summit Point yesterday - my first drifting event. Pretty cool, but it’d probably be a whole lot more fun to DO it than watch it. :-)
Comment by TAZ — June 3, 2007 #
It’s far too easy to drift in forza 2. Considering it is a sim, it wont be easy for everyone. I’ve been drifting in games since GT3, I moved on to GT4 then Forza 2. Add me on xbox live and I’ll teach you if you want. I might even build you a drift spec. machine ;) my gamertag is : Boosting 20lbs
See you one the track(free drifting lessons!)
Comment by Boosting 20lbs — June 4, 2007 #
Boost 20Lbs, sorry that lag was so bad, thank for trying to school us in the ways of drift.
Comment by gchandler — June 4, 2007 #
that’s ok, I usually get lag on my end also(my friends say I lag occasionally also). I assumed you had a microphone so my bad. Maybe I can post some pics. or better yet search for races with 75 laps and people running imports. Most if not all matches setup this way have drifters. =)
Comment by Boosting 20lbs — June 5, 2007 #
I’m sorry that you suck at forza 2. Learn2Play
Comment by Mike C. — June 6, 2007 #
ok dumb ass, have you tryed tuning cars specificly for drifting? or are you trying to drift with stock settings? cuz i spend plenty of time tuning and have no problem drifting. leard how to play, learn ho to drive, learn how to tune, then speak you opinion, i tryed to drift in the demo too and couldnt but in the full version i can with tuning
Comment by firebat666 — June 9, 2007 #
At this point I’ve drifted in the full game and the demo. Drifting in the demo was tedious at best but I was able to accomplish linking the 3 corners on both ends of the track. In the full game (career mode) the vehicle dynamics are drastically different and drifting is almost hard not to do in some cars. It’s still not perfect but it’s very easy and pretty rewarding. To my point, drifting should be as easy in a stock car as it is to drift that stock car in real life –in Forza 2 that is not the case.
PS: If anyone wants to talk crap about how they are such a great Forza drifter they are gonna have to pony up a Video from now on.
PPS: If anyone wants to discredit my opinions as a driver please post your resume.
Comment by David Padron — June 9, 2007 #
or maybe we could just play the actual game?
we’re discrediting you because you haven’t actually played THE GAME
so before telling us to ‘pony up’ a video, try to ‘pony up’ racing experience of the REAL thing, not a demo
Comment by Jinkins — June 10, 2007 #
what?
Jinkins…you’re an idiot…
Comment by whatisthis? — June 10, 2007 #
jinkins sucks !@#$…
Comment by watchagonnado? — June 10, 2007 #
my name explains everything….
always remember class!
READ BEFORE YOU TALK!
Comment by jinkins_sucks_!#@$ — June 10, 2007 #
i just bought f2 2 weeks ago and i just got online last week. within a day i found a car i can drift with and figured out how to tune it. it happens to be a 4wd bently gt but i still can “get er dun”. i think this author should have played the game more than a few time but played it for more like 2 weeks.
Comment by Beermonkey9417 — June 17, 2007 #
Is everybody here on retard pills?
The article does not state that you can’t drift in Forza 2, it says that the feedback to the user and the feeling are wrong. The title is not “No drifto in Forza 2, oh my!” it is “Forza 2 Drifting Sucks at Drifting.”
I personally have unlocked almost the entire game, and spent considerable time playing it. I like driving the HKS EVO and the GT-3 Porsche. Both cars like to get the rearend out and can drift a bit, but I would hardly call it Hariguchi style gangster do drifto.
The original Forza Motorsport is a much better game for drifting if that is your thing.
Comment by Geoffrey Chandler — June 17, 2007 #
I’m sorry but your review baffles me.
How could you be so wrong?
Comment by dan — June 17, 2007 #
To be honest I couldn’t really care about drifting, I do however know Forza 2 is superb.
Comment by dan — June 17, 2007 #
this review sucks, iv had this game for a week n i love it
sounds like someones holding a grudge!
and who writes a slating review of a DEMO?
Comment by Gazz — June 18, 2007 #
what retard wrote this?
Comment by Brent — June 20, 2007 #
I hate when people complain about games they cant play, this isnt need for speed most wanted. Nothing pisses me of more than when someone comes to my house plays forza two takes a turn at 150 hits a wall and says this game sucks. Have u ever drifted in real life, pulling your e brake takes skill or u will in your case do a 180 and drifting is about throttle control not some dumbass pulling the e brake.I really doubt u drive a real car cause this game gets it pretty close.
Comment by Mr.vega — June 21, 2007 #
http://www.davidpadron.com/driver/highscore/
Comment by DriftLive.com — June 21, 2007 #
I have played the demo myself where you cannot do anythiung and drifting is hard as hell. Some of you guys may have done it, but it is extremely hard for the average racer as the article says. I have tried drifting in the demo, not the game, alot of times and almost accomplished it. But it is really hard. So people please, give the guy a break. Dont say “You cant say you’re opinion, you just suck”. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and no one can say otherwise.
Comment by Agrees wth article — June 23, 2007 #
This is crazy, drifting has to be done with lightweight cars. the demo cars are pretty damn heavy..
mod the car to make it light weight and it is easy as sin! ae86 and the silvia are extremely easy to drift in.
get some skill and stop whining.
- thom
Comment by thom — June 24, 2007 #
man… i never read a more stupid review.
sorry to say, but even in the demo (that sucked btw) you can drift totally badass.
check out the project blackjack demo drifting videos on youtube… and maybe you’ll start to understand that drifting takes a little more than e-brake abusal and a lead foot.
you have my email. connact me if you care to,
cause i wont watch this bullshit-page again.
Comment by TmP — July 2, 2007 #
As best I can tell all the drifting online done by Project BlackJack is done in the first Forza Motorsports Game. TmP, did you even read this review?
Even with all said, the fact that the front wheels are being sawed back and forth in the BlackJack videos, demonstrates that the game needs to be tricked into drifting. Spend some time watching some well executed professional drifting and you will notice that steering inputs are smooth and deliberate. These cars may be drifting, but they are far from gangster.
Comment by Geoffrey Chandler — July 2, 2007 #
you guys suck, basically you are in a drifting website, and you say you dont drift, but its because youve played too much friggen GTA and drifts too much there, so now, this super realistic game just ruined your so called skills, so, what could you do? you’re not skilful enough to drift in the game, and then you blame to game…
Comment by duh — July 5, 2007 #
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CapHwrDsdQ
that should shut you up
Comment by Bru Bri129 — July 8, 2007 #
and by the way. The wheels look different because we are using controllers. Look at BLKJTak Fuji for example. He uses a wheel, its not twitchy and looks just like a real drift car. Or you could use no or little negative camber and there you go.
here’s on of mine from fm1, or you could check all my videos.
Comment by Bru Bri129 — July 8, 2007 #
Oh.. Amazing.. not.
What they don’t teach in video game drifting school is what gangster is.
Here’s an example: http://www.driftlive.com/dl/2005/12/23/nobishigue-kumakubo-qualifying-runs/
I’m definitely impressed by the skills that you guys have being able to tandem like that but none of it is gangster.
Comment by DriftLive.com — July 8, 2007 #
David Padron obviously just sucks at this game. His claims are simply untrue, if you actually know how to drive.
Comment by David Padron Sucks — August 2, 2007 #
DriftLive sucks. Drift411 is WAY better. This guy based his whole review off a DEMO where you can’t TUNE or CUSTOMIZE your car parts. I bet he was using a RSX or something too the bunch of retards. F*ck you DriftLive@SUCKS.com
Comment by DriftLive Sucks — August 2, 2007 #
This guy probably had the assists on…..lol
Comment by Kericke — August 9, 2007 #
So obviously some of you guys ae never really had a car sideways around a cornerbefore because forza 2 really does not allow you to have the ability to get ahead of the car. In real life drifting you have more ability than any game has ever offered. Not to be hypicritical but forza 2 is a fun way to pass the time. But nothing puts a smile on my face more than being out drifiting for real.
Comment by Mick — August 14, 2007 #
Forza one i thought was the best racing game in the world but now 2? First of all i wasnt even gonna get xbox 360 i thought it was crap but i only got it for forza 2. forza 2 has the best racing graphics and has alot of personal features that would let you and your car be one. I know that sounds cheesey but for me thats for real.
Comment by Pphamp2 — August 15, 2007 #
you just dont know how to drift….its a racing sim..you have to know how to set up a real car, in order to do it in forza…
Comment by luke — August 21, 2007 #
FORZA DRIFT SUCKS@!!
Comment by Naticon — September 9, 2007 #
listen ‘naticon’ f you, it rules
Comment by takumi — September 30, 2007 #
dude are you tottally out of your mind? what the HELL where you on when you wrote this review lol.
Ever think that omg could it be, you SUCK at drifting? wow didn’t think about that did ya?
dude forza 2 drifting rocks i bet you love pgr 3 drifting lol that shit is so easy man it takes no skill the game seriously does it for you man….forza 2 takes actual “skill”….learn to drift on forza it takes a lot of skill dude but when you have skill its pretty easy and it’s really fun so shut-up about forza 2 drifting you dumb basterd.
Comment by Forza 2 drifter — December 19, 2007 #
Understeer and Drifting are not the same thing.
Comment by DriftLive.com — December 19, 2007 #
this guys an idiot. i have no clue what the heck you are talking about when it comes to making a picure in you head or something. when i read this i dont even know what you trying to say. i heard this game is pretty much the opposite as you described it. your stupid.
Comment by robbie — December 31, 2007 #
I guess none of you really understand this guy.
In Forza 2 you can’t hold a full drift trough a corner with countersteer. You have to center it to let the angle get right again, then countersteer. In real life you chuck it into the corner, countersteer and adjust the countersteering just a bit with simoultaneous throttle control. This can’t be done in Forza.
Try GT HD and drift there. That’s basically as close as it gets to reality.
Comment by utROlig — January 3, 2008 #
Drifting in Forza is a learning Experience. He Doesnt say you Cant Drift, He just says you cant Pull off the Ideal drift, which i agree with. I Can Drift on Forza 2 and its Fun and i can tandem on there too. i have some Vids on youtube if you search niggad18. i dont agree with the drifting in Juiced 2 or Need For Speed Pro Street or even the PGR series. it seems they change their drift Handling Engine with each game. NFS Underground was my favorite style. But Forza 2 is awesome and it takes some getting used to and hopefully they will give us a lil more control as far as Drifting goes with any Future Forza Series Game releases. Also how is the Driving wheel? havent heard anything about it. if anyone wants to drift with me on forza just send me a Friend Request. XSumFrickinPimpX
Comment by XSumFrickinPimpX — January 9, 2008 #
Worst game review I have ever read. This reviewer is CLUELESS!
Comment by Forza2 Super King — March 6, 2008 #
OMG, don’t be so useless. Turn off TCM and STM u f**ckin noob, ill f**k u up with my Tommy Kaira Skyline GT-R R34 Drift Tuned, AWD Ownage.
“Our XBox Live GamerTag is gchandler, we don’t drift, but meet us on Nissan Speedway and we will beat you. We also have some sweet stickers that we can hook you up with.”
Nissan Speedway is the easily track ever that requires barely any skill, whenever my little cousin (8) wants to play I put him on that and watch him own. The fact that your challenging people on that course proves to me that your useless, u FAIL.
Comment by CrazySkill — March 21, 2008 #
You probably think that rocking the wheels back and forth is drifting. You probably also think that AWD is drifting. You problem is that you have no clue what drifting actually is. Most Forza “Drifters” are 16 year old fanboyz that have no idea what an actual drift is. Colin Frost is the only exception.
Comment by DriftLive.com — March 21, 2008 #
forza for me is actually one of the only games i can drift easily in.
Comment by loser — March 22, 2008 #
OK, Forza 2 might be handle “realistically”, but that does not equal “enjoyable”. When I play a game, I want it to feel like a game - I don’t want to imagine that I’m some hotshot racing hero sweating behind the wheel, fighting the car and track every inch of the way. I suppose real racing is (more) like that, but Forza should be about entertainment, not soul-killing dullness. For instance, I refuse to believe that a 200 000 dollar car would not only handle like a piece of soap in a bathtub, but also lose the ability to accelerate and/or reverse the INSTANT it hits any surface except the road. Spinning just a teensy bit off-road is more often that not equal to losing the race, and that’s not entertainment in my book. Call me noob all you want, it’s only an insult if said noob is aspiring to be something in that particular field - which I’m certainly not. Oh, and while you’re at it, could you please return the 20+ hours I invested TRYING to like this piece-of-shit, lame-ass, statistic-crunching, number-wanking lifeless excuse for car nerd porn? Thank you!
Comment by frasse — April 23, 2008 #
first off…… nobody is going to read a post that long
second off….. its awesome people are still replying to this
third off…… driftlive is the best website on the internet, better than grandtruensmo.net
and lastly
this shit is bananas
b-a-n-a-n-a-s
Comment by cfrost — April 25, 2008 #
hmmm check out my channel for some sweet Forza 2 drift videos
Comment by Piner — July 12, 2008 #
hmmm check out my channel for some sweet Forza 2 drift videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1qVsD5u2EY
Comment by Piner — July 12, 2008 #
maybe if u were actually good at drifting in the game it would be fun, just like in real life you cant just jump into a full out drift car and expect to be sam hubinette it takes practice.
Comment by joe — July 19, 2008 #