Forza Motorsport 3

Ford Mustang vs. Chevy Camaro; BMW vs. Mercedes Benz; Foyt vs. Andretti; Forza vs. Gran Turismo. The racing world is filled with bitter rivalries, and the world of racing sim games is no exception. Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo have been jockeying for racing simulation supremacy for years, and now they're so alike that they must be defined by their nuances. The truth is, both games offer a truly excellent racing sim experience, with large car and track selections and true to life physics, but as GT has rested on its laurels, Forza has steadily improved, gaining legions of fans tired of waiting for their old king to return. Much like Forza 2, Forza 3 offers a large number of options for the player to let the game cater to their tastes. Traction control, anti-lock brakes, racing/braking lines, and transmissions are all adjustable, and give racing sim greenhorns a chance to learn the basics without instantly hurling their Ferrari into a wall. Experienced racers, though, will probably want to turn all these options off immediately and go straight to Advanced mode, as all the electronic safety nets and traction nannying can be maddening to a player familiar with real racing physics. Forza 3 also adjusts your experience and prize money according to your difficulty level -- turn off traction control and racing lines, and your driver level and bank account will grow more quickly.

Review: One size fits all

All will drive.

It's got rubber, but does it have soul?

It never ceases to amaze me that Gran Turismo sells as well as it does. Oh, it’s certainly well deserved, but as far as painstakingly authentic sims go, they’re ridiculously dense, difficult, and not all that accessible when compared to other game series that sell fifty million copies and move PlayStation consoles. ...