Loading screen
There was a 64 GB install, have I mentioned how much I dislike modern consoles? Anyway, as the game loads, we are greeted with this beautiful Porsche 911 Picture. If I could afford to blow money on any one car, it would be a 911 GT2RS.
I received the game from Amazon on Friday September 29th, as I pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition. I spent roughly 15-20 hours playing Friday through Monday, and am very happy with my purchase. The graphics looks great, the game plays very well.
Of the tracks I have raced on so far, I really like the new Dubai track and am especially excited that they brought back Maple Valley Raceway. I had been playing Forza Motorsport 3 and 4 recently, and realized how much I had missed ripping around that track. They also made a few changes to a couple of the tracks, Brands Hatch and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, with the addition of Barriers on a couple spots I used to cut corners and get ahead of other racers, but that's cool with me.
The newest addition to the game series this iteration, is the Driver suits. I was skeptical about this feature as I stated in my unboxing. I wasn't really sure how this would work in the game as 98% of the time, all you see is the car unless you are racing a convertible or open cockpit race car, However I reserved judgement until I actually had played the game.
You see your driver on the pre and post race screens as well as the winners podium after a race series has been completed. Of course during the race you also see your driver through the windows if you use the camera views to see them.
Pre Race
Post Race
I do like how they show the front of the car pre race, and the rear of the car post race.
Podiums at the conclusion of a race series.
And, I guess this is where the driver avatars would be the most wanted for a multiplayer game, I personally don't really find it necessary for single player. I don't play multiplayer in the Forza games, as there are just way too many assholes online than normal, decent, competitive players. For every one great person to play and race against, there are 50 that are not, and just not worth my time. I would hope they don't add the showboating and trash gesturing that can be found in Call of Duty, Doom, Etc.. But since I don't play online, I guess I don't really care.
Here is how far I made it, in the time I played from Friday to Monday night
Another thing that was upgraded in this game, is the weather. Forza Motorsport 6 brought us racing in the rain, and I actually really enjoyed that. The puddles on the track pulling the car one way or the other, or making the car hydroplane off the track. In Forza Motorsport 7, there is now " dynamic weather" Which means the weather changes while you are racing. It can be a nice clear day, then the clouds roll in and then it is raining. I like the addition of thunderstorms, with thunder and lightning included. I found myself racing a night race, and while racing the weather slowly changed to dawn with a sunrise, very cool.
On to a few complaints
While on the subject of weather and rain, I have the same complaint I had with 6. When you are racing with the in cockpit view, and you look in the rear view mirror, or behind you, there is no rain in the rear view? They did a great job with the rain animations on the windshield, but seem to have not followed through with it rear view mirror, or on the back or side windows.
One of the cars I was happy to see return from Forza Motorsport 4, is the 1986 Dodge Shelby Omni GLHS. My father is a Turbo Dodge man, and owns a GLHS, his is the 87 2 door model (Which I prefer myself), so of course I am going to buy and race this car all that I can. However, the same issue is still present from Forza Motorsport 4 as well. When you go into the paintshop to tint the windows, all the decals disappear? I like to tint the windows on all my cars (Including my real life cars) and want a factory paint appearing GLHS to race with tinted windows. but, alas I still cannot.
The 1987 Pontiac Trans Am GTA. I have owned a Third Generation (1982 -1992) Firebird for the last 28 years. My first car was a 1983 Trans Am, and my current version is a 1990 Firebird Formula (Blog HERE) I have for Autocrossing and Road Racing, I also had a couple of V6 daily drivers, an 84 and 87 Firebird. So of course the GTA is my favorite car in Forza. I do wish it was a Formula, but hey, at least I have a Thirdgen Firebird to use.
Here is a quickie paint job I threw together for this game
One thing that I have noticed, is the Taillights have gotten progressively better and better looking since the GTA's introduction in Forza Motorsport 3. I swapped a set of 85-90 Trans Am/GTA taillights into my Formula, so am very familiar with these particular lights, and it is nice to see them get better looking over the newest incarnations of the games. It was one thing that bothered me in Forza Motorsport 3.
However, I noticed while playing last night with the in cockpit view, which reminds me another addition in this game is of a 2nd in cockpit view, it moves closer to the windshield, you can still see the top of the speedometer, but not the rearview mirror, steering wheel or drivers hands. Anyway back to the GTA, there is no odometer or trip odometer on the speedometer, when was this removed? and why?
And a few things I have wanted to see come to Forza
While in the cockpit view, when you look out the sides or the rear, you currently just see a screen of the track. Forza has modeled the interiors of the cars included, just go into the Vista mode and you can look all around the interior. I would like to see the top of the door panel and the door frame out the sides, and the rear window and some of the surrounding trim when looking out the rear. I think this would be a nice detail, not make or break, but just would be neat.
Windshield Banners. Just a strip across the top of the windshield, with the dimensions pre-set by Turn 10, so that someone couldn't cover the while windshield, we want some realism here.. I see people who replicate some real world race cars, and they end up putting what would be on the windshield banner, and put it up on the leading edge of the roof. Just a thought.
I have lots more ideas for Forza Motorsport and Horizon, if someone from Turn 10 wants to hit me up? Maybe they can bring me out for a week and go over a few ideas? How awesome would that be!
That's what I got for now. Maybe I will do an updated review after playing more, but for now, after the first weekend, these are my thoughts. I also made a couple videos for my YouTube channel
My first 3 hours of playing
and a 100 Mile Endurance Race
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