Forza Motorsport 5

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Game Information
Name: Forza Motorsport 5
Genre: Racing (Simulation)
Release Date: November 22, 2013
Developers: Turn 10 Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Modes: Singleplayer, Split-screen, Multiplayer online
Platforms: Xbox One
Content Rating: E

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Overview
The fifth installment of the Forza Motorsport franchise, excluding Forza Horizon by Playground Games, Forza 5 delivers the same simulation racing experience Forza games have been delivering for over 12 years. This go-round, the development team was presented with the opportunity to become the flagship racing game for the new next-gen console, the Xbox One. Launching with 200 cars and 14 race circuits, which is significantly lower than it's predecessor Forza 4, which released/shipped with around 500 cars and 27 race circuits.

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Gameplay
Turn 10 Studios never disappoints when it comes to delivering one of the most realistic racing games available to die-hard car fans. Forza 5 doesn't let the franchise down. Bringing itself into the next-gen market, Turn 10 was able to take advantage of the better tech and hardware the Xbox One would deliver. It certainly shows too. The racing itself is very good, in fact, is great.

There's one thing though. One simple thing which could easily be cured by future DLC releases. There's not much to do in reality. You got the singleplayer and split-screen, and without dumbing this game review down, is pretty self-explanatory. Then you stumble across the multiplayer in Forza 5. Previous games, such as Forza 4 and Forza Horizon, offered racers numerous gamemodes to choose from. To name a few: Cat-and-Mouse, Infected, and Car Soccer. These games provided some enjoyment aside from the monotonous trigger squeezing of actual racing.

The lack of online gamemodes available at launch greatly reduces the feeling of wanting to return and keep racing. They are the basic gamemodes every racing game offers on the market today. There is hope though rest assured. Turn 10 Studios is notorious for monthly DLC drops, and by reactions to the game's lack of online options, the Forza Motorsport forums have been flooded with complaints/concerns of the lack of these features. Knowing the nature of Turn 10 Studios, they're listening to their fans. The gamemodes will return, and we will start to see Forza 5 evolve into the proper racing game it was destined to be.

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Controls
The controls are just like any Forza Motorsport game. Unlike other racing series', Forza offers a Manual Transmission w/ Clutch. I personally love this. It gives you a greater feel of being connected with the supercar you're streamlining around the circuit. As I'm sure in past Forza games though, using a Simulation Racing Wheel would be pure ecstasy on Forza 5. The controls aren't much different than previous games, and with help from the incredible graphics, I have no doubt using a Racing Wheel would amplify anyone's driving experience.

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Graphics
What's to say about it? Everyone's seen the trailers revealing Forza 5's graphics. Xbox One practically boasted about this game pre-launch for months. The graphics are almost unreal. Just like real cars, paint isn't perfect. So, to keep up with the realness of the racing game's greatest simulator, why should the paint be perfect here? You can actually see carbon-fiber underneath the minute layers paint on many of the supercars. It's downright beautiful.

Autovista is a returning feature, once again allowing players to get as close to their idolized cars as they'd like. Accompanied by the voices of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, the hosts of Britain's most-watched auto show, Top Gear, you really get a feel of how these cars behave outside of your television.

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Ratings (Personal)
Gameplay: 6/10
Controls: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Overall: 8/10