Forza Motorsport 2

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Authenticity gives way to the 360's best racing experience to date

Words: Chris Antista, GamesRadar US

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Right around the time we were firing our hundredth missile from a hood-mounted launcher ,while Nitrous boosting through a hollowed out volcano, we got to thinking: Is this all there is to racing games? Well luckily, Forza Motorsport 2 has just shot a resounding “Goodness, no!” across our Xbox 360’s bow that proudly proclaims there’s still greatness to be achieved within the confines of this hyper-realisitc world of ours. Because as far as accurately guiding vehicles around an asphalt track, Forza 2 's painstaking authenticity glistens without peer.

First and foremost are the controls; the game has made phenomenal use of every analog aspect of your controller to create one of the most realistic driving experiences on any console, anywhere. Something about having gas and brake mapped to the left and right triggers makes it feel more like stomping on a pedal than pressing a button or waggling a stick ever could. Oh yeah - there's also that sweet 360 steering wheel if you want to plunk down a few more dollars.

Casual divers need not cower in the face of Forza 2’s daunting realism. The Suggested Line feature - see the red triangles in the screen above? - pin-points the best way to brake and accelerate while carving out turns, proving to be a far better driving instructor than that awful high school gym teacher who publicly mocked your lack of pubic hair. There is a lot of information to soak in via on-screen text. Every facet of your vehicle is there to behold, (even a Rarity gauge for the collector in all of us) and you can soup up nearly every aspect of your preferred ride, from the engine knick-knacks, right down to the rubber compound of your tires. For newbies it can be intimidating at times, but racing enthusiasts will likely dive right in without their helmets on.