Game Review: Forza Motorsport 6

For the developers at Turn 10 Studios the release of Forza Motorsport 5 must have been somewhat nerve wracking. That particular game was the flagship for the launch of Microsoft’s new entertainment console, the Xbox One.

As with any new hardware launch, a lot hinges on the accompanying software.

We loved the game. Not only did it give us an updated way to take on Mount Panorama at Bathurst with a variety of powerful speedy toys, but we also witnessed the birth of the Drivatar Artificial Intelligence — an AI with the personality of our friends, digitising the way they play racing games.

It was a great innovation; it gave a great deal more personality to the 'code' driving the CPU cars on a gorgeous array of tracks that showcased Microsoft’s new console hardware.

Well, flash forward almost two years and Turn 10 now has a few more 'Forza' titles under its belt with the Forza Horizon franchise and subsequent download content for both Horizon titles as well as Motorsport 5.

Horizon has been established as the crazy fun arm of the Forza line, and now with the release of number 6, Forza Motorsport concentrates on simulation of the real-world sport of motor racing.

However, it was always going to be somewhat of a challenge for the developers to improve on Forza Motorsport 5. Being a Microsoft Studios development team means the code creators did not face the same struggles with the new hardware platform of the Xbox One as other third-party developers would.

So, Forza Motorsport 6 feels more like content expansion than it should for a full-blown numbered release. Menus are polished and streamlined; the stable of cars and -- more importantly — tracks is expanded significantly. There are 450 vehicles (more than double the previous game) and nine new tracks.

The Drivatar AI gets the subdued – and therefore improved – coding approach found in the Horizon series, so while there are unpredictable things that can happen during a race, you should not experience the over-the-top swerve-ridden races of the early days of Forza 5.

This version of the game also changes up the conditions, some racing is at night and some tracks have the option of a heavy dose of wet weather.

Racing in a downpour is a real experience here, different from most similar titles before it. We have seen games that go to great lengths to simulate water on the road, modelling speed, tyre type, grip levels and even aquaplaning where applicable. Forza Motorsport 6 has water effects that are far more dramatic.

Hitting a large puddle (of which there are many) at speed — particularly with only the left or right set of tyres — will have a significant effect on the car's handling. At best it will reduce speed radically — at worst pull the car off-track and out of control.

Puddles need to be respected. Unlike the Storm Island gravel and mud bashing content of Forza Horizon 2, wet weather racing on a track in Motorsport 6 means a complete change in racing strategy.

Motorsport 6 still features the Forzavista option, allowing you to customise your rides, “walk” around them and get inside to inspect the interiors. It also carries over a certain element of ‘luck’ as each level of experience gained on the track results in a “spin” of the wheel to win in-game cash or cars.

You can spend your money on vehicles or try the newly added feature of mod-cards. Another random new element allows mod-card packs. Each packet contains a random assortment of modification cards.

Cards can be applied into a limited set of “slots” prior to a race; some cards provide one-off bonuses such as experience point or brand affinity boosts to the race result. Some provide challenges such as restricted cameras or assists or extra car weight in order to gain a percentage boost to winnings.

Other cards are specific to certain tracks, allowing for specialised mechanics or bonuses to your car during an event at the location.

Mod-cards add a moderately interesting new layer to game and car set-up as well as a collectible in-game element for further investment in the franchise.

The cards also give you something further to spend your hard-won cash on, meaning it may take you longer to build up the $600,000 required for a Falcon, Commodore or the opportunity to apply carsales.com.au livery to a Nissan Altima.

Two of the three Top Gear hosts return to introduce some of the racing categories in the game (we will let you guess who is missing), and The Stig as well as the show’s iconic test track feature in challenges throughout the game.

On that front, Forza 6 features a kind of career mode known as “Stories of Motorsport” that takes players through a wide range of circuits and racing styles sure to test and excite fans of tarmac tussles.

The racing remains tight and now up to 24 cars can be in on the action. If anything the physics model has been further improved over the past game (wet weather driving really allows this number crunching to be showcased) and Forza is still a delight to look at.

There has been much added to this new game (including the poster-boy 2017 Ford GT) but whether there is enough for fans of Forza 5 to make the jump is a personal decision.

The new wet weather effects (both physically and visually) were more than enough for us. The night driving, extra cars on track and boosted car and track numbers were icing on the cake.