Visuals, sound and a robust garage are still but one part of a larger equation. All of it means naught if the handling is bunk. Fortunately Forza 4 feels more authentic than ever. Turn in is sharper and the feeling of grip, particularly under heavy braking or aggressive cornering, is really well translated. The lock-to-lock steering rate has been increased dramatically and Turn 10 has added a simulation steering option (which removes the subtle steering assist that makes it easier to drift by interpreting your inputs and automatically modifying your steering angle accordingly). Forget slow and soggy steering rates; jerk the wheel in Forza 4 and your car will twitch and lunge ferociously.
"Arrrrrrrrggggghhhhhh!"
As far as the braking goes, it's been massaged in a bunch of ways. With ABS off you'll note there's a larger sweet zone before lockup. Turn 10 has also worked with how more subtle braking inputs are handled in order to improve how light braking techniques are represented, like trail braking (gradually releasing brake pressure past the corner entrance to keep weight transferred over the front tires for longer). These braking and steering upgrades, coupled with the tire data Turn 10 has gleaned from its Pirelli partnership, have worked wonders. With far better feedback regarding the loading and unloading of tires you get a better feel for your car's behavior, especially in stressful areas like corner entries.
The Fanatec wheel is the obvious choice for the hardcore but the bulk of players will be using a pad, and we have no complaints with the controls. Of course, if all this sounds like far too much to process Forza 4 still comes with a full set of driving aids that should keep even the world's worst driver on the asphalt.
Opponent AI has been tweaked too, meaning closer and ultimately more satisfying racing. In World Tour mode the AI is dynamic, becoming tougher the better you perform, making for more competitive racing.
"This guy's harder to pass than a kidney stone!"
Outside of World Tour there are four different AI settings (up from three in Forza 3). Crucially, Turn 10 no longer removes power from AI cars to slow them down for players on the lower difficulty levels. Underpowered cars made it easier for less-skilled players to keep up but allowed them to blitz the hamstrung AI on straights. This time Turn 10 emulates lower level AI by giving them less confidence going into corners, so they brake sooner and carry less speed through them (like an actual novice driver would). The key to outfoxing lower level AI is outbraking them, because all AI levels will be pedal-to-the-metal in a straight line. Combined with an increase in the amount of cars on track this ultimately means more doorhandle-to-doorhandle racing and less lonely laps way out ahead of the pack.
The best part about the whole thing is how Forza 4 incentivizes you to keep pushing, and how it lets you control this progression to a certain extent. The RPG style approach of Forza 3 has been enhanced considerably.
The speed to level 50 has been ramped up to give players new cars more quickly, and the overall level cap has been pumped up to 150. This way players will be rewarded for longer, rather than maxing out with plenty left to accomplish but nothing to be gained from it. This time around you'll be given a choice between a number of gift cars at every level up to level 50, rather than a predetermined one. Each set of choices is themed and gives you far better control of the cars you want to have in your garage.
Car leveling has been changed too. In Forza 3, once a car hit level five there was no longer any real incentive to keep driving it. In Forza 4, cars no longer level. Instead, the player builds manufacturer specific levels, called affinity levels. With this new system, if you race in a Ford, you gain Ford-specific XP. The same car, a different car, it doesn't matter as long as it's a Ford. Instead of five levels per car there are now 50 levels per manufacturer. Hitting level five will reward you with a 100 per cent discount on performance parts, and there are large cash bonuses up for grabs beyond that.
What's particularly satisfying about Forza 4 is that you earn XP (and credits) everywhere, not just in World Tour mode. Forza 4 is a hugely robust single-player game. The event list is enormous and the amount of cars you have at your disposal to tackle them is immense. Hop online, however, and things get even better.
And even more sideways.
We're not talking about the ever-impressive conventional multiplayer either, which by and large is quite similar to Forza 3, albeit with the return of user-hosted public lobbies. We're talking about Rivals mode, which is easily the most addictive part of the whole game. Rivals mode is basically a combination of events that allow you to play against your friends or other Forza players online, even when they're offline. Your rival will be represented by a ghost car of their attempt at any given challenge and you need to beat them. By beating your rival, you'll get bonus credits based on that rival's position on the leaderboard, and the size of the board itself. If your rival is in the top percentile on a well-populated board, their bounty will be significant. If you challenge and defeat a rival who also happens to be a friend or fellow club member, they'll receive a message inviting them to try and beat you again.
There are seven different Rivals tabs with a series of individual events in each. Some of the best Rivals mode races are the Track Days (trying to post a competitive and clean lap time while fighting a rival, constant slower traffic and the circuit itself is an intense racing experience) but beyond that there are Open Time Attacks (which allow tuning) and Spec Hot Laps (which don't), Autocross events, bespoke Top Gear challenges (including the "Reasonably Priced Car" challenge, one lap on the Top Gear Test Track in a Kia cee'd), Drifting and a stack more.
You can level up using nothing but Rivals mode, if you want. Indeed, we found it a great place for Forza 3 veterans to start. It's pretty unlikely Forza 3 graduates will be too keen on being forced to beetle around in any one of the uninspiring starter cars. Rivals mode will be a great place to become accustomed to the adjusted handling and build up some XP, credits and cars before heading back into career.
It's worth mentioning that Forza 3 alumni will be rewarded with a bunch of gift cars immediately based on what driver level they reached in Forza 3 and what cars they had in their garage. With the far more flexible World Tour mode offering events based on the cars you want to drive you won't have to bother with a starter car if you'd rather not.
And why would you?
"Arrrrrrrrggggghhhhhh!"
As far as the braking goes, it's been massaged in a bunch of ways. With ABS off you'll note there's a larger sweet zone before lockup. Turn 10 has also worked with how more subtle braking inputs are handled in order to improve how light braking techniques are represented, like trail braking (gradually releasing brake pressure past the corner entrance to keep weight transferred over the front tires for longer). These braking and steering upgrades, coupled with the tire data Turn 10 has gleaned from its Pirelli partnership, have worked wonders. With far better feedback regarding the loading and unloading of tires you get a better feel for your car's behavior, especially in stressful areas like corner entries.
The Fanatec wheel is the obvious choice for the hardcore but the bulk of players will be using a pad, and we have no complaints with the controls. Of course, if all this sounds like far too much to process Forza 4 still comes with a full set of driving aids that should keep even the world's worst driver on the asphalt.
Opponent AI has been tweaked too, meaning closer and ultimately more satisfying racing. In World Tour mode the AI is dynamic, becoming tougher the better you perform, making for more competitive racing.
"This guy's harder to pass than a kidney stone!"
Outside of World Tour there are four different AI settings (up from three in Forza 3). Crucially, Turn 10 no longer removes power from AI cars to slow them down for players on the lower difficulty levels. Underpowered cars made it easier for less-skilled players to keep up but allowed them to blitz the hamstrung AI on straights. This time Turn 10 emulates lower level AI by giving them less confidence going into corners, so they brake sooner and carry less speed through them (like an actual novice driver would). The key to outfoxing lower level AI is outbraking them, because all AI levels will be pedal-to-the-metal in a straight line. Combined with an increase in the amount of cars on track this ultimately means more doorhandle-to-doorhandle racing and less lonely laps way out ahead of the pack.
The best part about the whole thing is how Forza 4 incentivizes you to keep pushing, and how it lets you control this progression to a certain extent. The RPG style approach of Forza 3 has been enhanced considerably.
The speed to level 50 has been ramped up to give players new cars more quickly, and the overall level cap has been pumped up to 150. This way players will be rewarded for longer, rather than maxing out with plenty left to accomplish but nothing to be gained from it. This time around you'll be given a choice between a number of gift cars at every level up to level 50, rather than a predetermined one. Each set of choices is themed and gives you far better control of the cars you want to have in your garage.
Car leveling has been changed too. In Forza 3, once a car hit level five there was no longer any real incentive to keep driving it. In Forza 4, cars no longer level. Instead, the player builds manufacturer specific levels, called affinity levels. With this new system, if you race in a Ford, you gain Ford-specific XP. The same car, a different car, it doesn't matter as long as it's a Ford. Instead of five levels per car there are now 50 levels per manufacturer. Hitting level five will reward you with a 100 per cent discount on performance parts, and there are large cash bonuses up for grabs beyond that.
What's particularly satisfying about Forza 4 is that you earn XP (and credits) everywhere, not just in World Tour mode. Forza 4 is a hugely robust single-player game. The event list is enormous and the amount of cars you have at your disposal to tackle them is immense. Hop online, however, and things get even better.
And even more sideways.
We're not talking about the ever-impressive conventional multiplayer either, which by and large is quite similar to Forza 3, albeit with the return of user-hosted public lobbies. We're talking about Rivals mode, which is easily the most addictive part of the whole game. Rivals mode is basically a combination of events that allow you to play against your friends or other Forza players online, even when they're offline. Your rival will be represented by a ghost car of their attempt at any given challenge and you need to beat them. By beating your rival, you'll get bonus credits based on that rival's position on the leaderboard, and the size of the board itself. If your rival is in the top percentile on a well-populated board, their bounty will be significant. If you challenge and defeat a rival who also happens to be a friend or fellow club member, they'll receive a message inviting them to try and beat you again.
There are seven different Rivals tabs with a series of individual events in each. Some of the best Rivals mode races are the Track Days (trying to post a competitive and clean lap time while fighting a rival, constant slower traffic and the circuit itself is an intense racing experience) but beyond that there are Open Time Attacks (which allow tuning) and Spec Hot Laps (which don't), Autocross events, bespoke Top Gear challenges (including the "Reasonably Priced Car" challenge, one lap on the Top Gear Test Track in a Kia cee'd), Drifting and a stack more.
You can level up using nothing but Rivals mode, if you want. Indeed, we found it a great place for Forza 3 veterans to start. It's pretty unlikely Forza 3 graduates will be too keen on being forced to beetle around in any one of the uninspiring starter cars. Rivals mode will be a great place to become accustomed to the adjusted handling and build up some XP, credits and cars before heading back into career.
It's worth mentioning that Forza 3 alumni will be rewarded with a bunch of gift cars immediately based on what driver level they reached in Forza 3 and what cars they had in their garage. With the far more flexible World Tour mode offering events based on the cars you want to drive you won't have to bother with a starter car if you'd rather not.
And why would you?
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