Forza Motorsport 5’s launch was undoubtedly the most controversial period for a series that had up to that point been on an enviously steep ascent. Turn 10 Studios quickly addressed two of the prominent issues that struck a nerve with the player base: the reduced rewards and heavily advertised pay-for-leveling mechanics. Problems continued to linger for a time with the new cloud-based Drivatar system, as the collected data led to a reckless, ill-behaved AI. This rocky period cast an unexpected shadow over the fifth entry for many that took a while to shake. Forza Horizon 2 did wonders to rehabilitate the franchise, however, by offering much more balanced rewards, improved Kudos-style scoring system, and noticeably improved AI. That trend of refinement continues a year on with the latest in the main line, Forza Motorsport 6.
From the outset, Forza Motorsport 6 sets a different tone from its predecessor. The entire external leveling mechanic has been completely excised from the series, and in feeling like one of the older entries, the series feels new again. The gorgeous visuals, dramatic music, and streamlined interface return, as do some of the established elements, including dynamic rivals, the ability to rewind time, reward spins for cash or rides when leveling, and event races. Longtime fans will once again find a series of customizable assists ready to ease them back into the driver’s seat, such as suggested race lines, automatic braking, and cosmetic tire wear. As players become familiar with the mechanics, they can slowly work their way towards a more sim-oriented experience, taking on the task of braking, adjusting for damage, and determining the best routes for themselves to earn additional cash and experience. The gradient system for each assist allows for a wide range of styles, offering players the chance to keep it fast and loose-ish or formal and rigid. The game will never be a hardcore sim or drift-heavy, nitro-boosting arcade racer, but it does ably cover the wide ground in-between those extremes to offer an outstanding experience that combines the best of both.
The Forza lines, Horizon and Motorsport, are slowly but noticeably separating with their latest respective outings, despite their similarities in assists, tuning, and vehicle customization. The former, though toning down the original’s party atmosphere, continues to adopt a more freewheeling attitude, with a Kudos-style scoring system that marks points for borderline reckless driving and an open world that encourages exploration. The latter has comfortably adopted the role of the older sibling, rewarding players with a staid ‘Perfect Turn’ instead of flashy text and running combo modifiers. The progression system is also much more subdued, with players making their way through the five-volume Stories of Motorsport. Each volume encompasses a different theme (Super Street, Sport Icons, Gran Touring, Professional Racing, and Ultimate Motorsport) and is introduced by an unskippable, pretentious intro that leads to several multi-race series—a far cry from making one’s way to a town filled with revelers before zipping around the countryside. The thematic differences aren’t merely superficial, as they influence the game’s design. Drive too reckless in Motorsport and players won’t find themselves rewarded but infuriatingly adrift in grass, as they angrily press the rewind button and curse that same daredevil spirit that’s encouraged in Horizon.
At the franchise’s heart lies a fantastic racing system. Both lines benefit from a foundation of tight controls, huge vehicle libraries (over 460 here), expansive tuning and cosmetic customization options, and a massive player base. As each release expands on the basics, the subsequent entries benefit from those improvements. In the case of Forza Motorsport 6, players will see a bit of Horizon in the less traditional Mod cards, inclusion of rain, and the enhanced Drivatar system.
Mods come in the form of three card types—Boost, Crew, and Dare—and are equippable in three slots. There are limitations, however, with some cards useable only once and a general restriction of one Crew and one Dare simultaneously. Cards can be won as a prize during a ‘spin’ after the player levels or purchased in packs with in-game credits—no real money is harmed in their acquisition—that range from 12,000 credits for a Base Pack to 300,000 credits for a Premium Pack. Mods come in varying degrees of rarity, and they can also be sold back. These are completely optional, but I found them to be a fun way to boost my affinity with a particular manufacturer, gain a little extra experience for passing opponents, or taking on a challenge, such as competing with a weaker engine or reduced grip, to keep me on my toes.
Rain was introduced in the Storm Island downloadable expansion for Forza Horizon 2, and it returns in Forza Motorsport 6. Weather isn’t dynamic, however, and is restricted to certain tracks. I’m of two minds on this. On one hand, I would’ve liked to test my skill against the wild unpredictability of nature, to see if I was capable of holding onto the lead or gaining position in the midst of a sudden storm; on the other hand, this approach reinforces a more track-focused view, of players honing their skill based on specific conditions. The danger of standing water is very real, though, and presents a significant challenge if taken lightly. Those heightened moments of tension give a glimpse at what’s possible with the engine’s implementation of the elements, and I hope to see them play a bigger, less-predictable role in the future.
For those who remember the early days of Forza Motorsport 5, the Drivatar system evokes memories of homicidal maniacs. Frequently, opponents would rather jerk their wheel into the player rather than even think about actually competing in the race. In a surprise to no one, an AI system that relies on the actions of real people resulted in some ridiculously brutal drivers that ruined races. Fortunately, the system has found its legs, and the players represented now are much more responsible in their drive to victory; that is, they actually strive for it and would prefer to stay on course and get ahead of the pack rather than go on a rampage. They will still occasionally pull a move that seems needlessly combative, but there is now an option to reduce their aggression, which works wonders. Whatever intensity is lost by engaging it is made up for by the sanity that is gained by not attempting to strain in the vain hope of reaching one’s hand into the television to crush BiGDippEr9182. I was also surprised to find that I rarely placed first. Unlike previous titles, I struggled to maintain at least third in many instances, with one driver clearly in the lead. This is a mirror of the traditional single-player experience, where the player dominates and leaves everyone behind, with second and third jockeying amongst one another while hopelessly behind the lead. This proved to be a nice change of pace; it was nice having to fight so much for position.
Of course, some races will be heavily in the player’s favor if they are proficient with that series’ vehicle type. The main campaign’s volumes consist of several multi-race series, with each focusing on specific car types—American Muscle, Supercars, etc. —so the player is bound to find one that fits their play style. However, I found just as much enjoyment in hitting my stride as I did in struggling with and overcoming the odds in an unfamiliar or difficult type. It’s easy to become frustrated, though, and to take a breather from the stress of progression, I would take part in one of the many events. These are unlocked during Stories and include one-off races that range from Top Gear-inspired challenges, such as knocking over bowling pins, to more traditional trials, including passing a certain number of cars within a lap limit, re-racing famous moments, and getting the chance to drive prototypes. If those weren’t doing the trick, there were also rival races against a ghost car in multi-event challenges to top the local and online leaderboards. These vary from using rides customized by Turn 10 to navigating around traffic cones, taking part in monthly challenges, beating a rival’s drift score, and working through time attacks for each of the classes.
When the Drivatars aren’t enough, players can always hop online and take on the massive pool of real drivers. New to the series are Leagues, which are scheduled races amongst those in the same Driver Division. Divisions take into account player skill, and as players progress, they are allowed to take part in higher-level divisions once those are open on the calendar. Player temperament is also supposed to be taken into account, matching like-minded players together rather than shoving an aggressive driver among those more inclined to dodge collisions; people being people, the results aren’t always what are expected, but as with the Drivatar system, I’d expect it to gradually improve over time. The game is so new that more time will be needed to determine how well the mode functions in general, but it’s an interesting addition with plenty of potential.
Regular multiplayer is engaged through hoppers. Players are able to select the races they wish to take part in through a variety of options: by class type, options for unlimited drift or drag, an exotic showdown, virus (an infection is spread through collision), or tag. Class availability has been fluctuating some, strangely, which I’m putting down to launch-period jitters. An introductory class is helpfully available to ease players into the online environment by turning off collisions. Also, if the player doesn’t have a viable ride, they can rent a suitable one. Actual players introduce an element of randomness that makes races all the more exciting, but given the tendency for some to cause mayhem, also all the more enraging. Fortunately, there’s a robust single-player component waiting when it’s time to take a break from the real world.
Overall: 9/10
Forza Motorsport 6 is a fantastic, reassuring return to form after the rocky release of Forza Motorsport 5. The addition of Mods that add cash and experience bonuses, adjust vehicle specs, and offer challenges switch up the gameplay, while showcase races, rival challenges, and multiplayer, including Leagues, add variety to the lengthy tournament. As with the previous entries, fans of pure arcade or pure sim racers will find the game’s extremes coming up short of their expectations, but for everyone else who wants to explore that wide range in-between, there are few racers as enjoyable as Forza Motorsport 6.
(This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher.)