Gran Turiswha?

When Microsoft first set out to knock Sony off their perch, there were certain PlayStation-exclusive series they knew they'd either have to steal or outdo to have a chance at winning gamer's hearts. Over the decade they've done a pretty good job of the former, with new Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and Tekken titles all on the way to 360 for the first time. Lips, Scene It! and You're In The Movies meanwhile have been solid answers to SingStar, Buzz and EyeToy respectively.

But Forza Motorsport 3 is even more important. It marks the first time Microsoft have taken the template of a Sony superpower and arguably bettered it. With the launch of Forza 3, Gran Turismo is no longer gaming's undisputed Real Driving Simulator.

Definitive

The features list alone is impressive: 400 cars from 50 manufacturers; 100 tracks; a dynamic racing calendar comprising over 200 events; Circuit, Oval, Drag, Drift, and Timed race types all on offer; market-leading customisation with the Livery Editor, Tuning Garage and Auction House; Xbox Live play and online leaderboards; plus painstakingly detailed HD car models. It's easy see why Microsoft's E3 presentation labelled Forza 3 'the definitive racing game of its generation'.

Of course, a set of bullet points and a catchy marketing slogan kind of misses something. Neither captures the sheer love of cars that developers Turn 10 have gone out of their way to embody with Forza Motorsport 3 - nor the way they've learned lessons from both their own past games, and the recent successes in the genre.

Handling is something past Forzas were always praised for, so there was never too much to alter here - but there is one significant change that helps make Forza 3 a more thrilling drive; drifting. It's now possible to send your car skidding through corners at more acute angles, without ever getting into OutRun-style arcade territory. When you get it right, it's a real joy.

Coupled that with the improved physics, AI which races and responds rather than simply following the perfect line, handling that's spot-on for each individual auto, and a whole raft of driving assists to turn on and off for a tailored experience, and you've got a game with that classic pristine showroom feel, control that apes the best bits of Gran Turismo, PGR and Need For Speed: SHIFT, and yet never feels anything less than altogether accessible.

Rewind and unwind

And then there's Rewind. Lifted wholesale from Race Driver: GRID and DiRT 2, it gives you the option to hit a button and rewind your race by a few seconds, so you never need succumb to the age-old frustration of one poor corner ruining your entire race. Hardcore driving buffs may not like it, but it's just one of many options to can use or ignore as you see fit - and to make it fair, those that do opt to take advantage of it will find their times marked with an icon on the leaderboards.

Those leaderboards are going to be a huge draw for Time Trial players who love shaving seconds off their laps, while single races are also in there too for quick fire play. It's the Season Mode though that proves the main draw. This is the real Forza experience, where you'll enter events, earn credits and buy new cars, all the while levelling up your driver XP and car level and accruing more and more motors to tune and cool-up with the garage and Livery Editor. And because the race events offered are always tailored to the cars you have in your garage, every player's path through the Season Mode will be unique. As singleplayer driving modes go, it's an absolute marvel.

Then there's the online features to consider. Calling these 'comprehensive' really wouldn't be doing them justice. From full-on races to more lighthearted modes like Cat and Mouse, high-stakes matchmaking to more casual affairs, there's no doubting the value for money of Forza 3 if you've got an Xbox Live Gold Membership. And that's not even factoring in the community aspects, with everything from Livery designs to tuning setups, replays and photos all there to download from other players, or upload your own if you feel especially proud. Given that these are ranked too, there's even an element of competition through creativity, which feels like a brand new standard in user generated content.

Top tier

I've gushed senseless so far, but there are a few flaws. The backgrounds can seem a little bland compared to some of the other games on the market ; car damage is not all that sophisticated; and most impactful of all, the impressive promise of 100 tracks is a tad misleading. There's 22 actual circuits in Forza 3, with the other 78 being different variations on those themes.

Still, when you compare these drawbacks to what Forza Motorsport 3 offers, they barely register. The upshot is that the game runs at a smooth 60fps, damage really isn't all that important to a game focused on blitzing the racing line anyway, and Season mode unlocks tracks in such a gradual, satisfying way that they never feel re-hashed.

Forza 3 is a huge achievement, and Xbox 360 owners can feel proud that their console can boast such a top tier driving game to rank amongst the greats not just of its genre, but of any genre in the whole of this generation. Full credit to Turn 10 for doing what they always strived for and creating a driving game to knock GT off its perch. All eyes are now on Polyphony Digital to see how they respond.

The real winner though, is us gamers. Long may the competition continue.

+ Handling that's thrillingly accessible, incredibly deep, and completely customisable.
+ The Season Mode and staggering online options make for a truly comprehensive package.
+ Brilliant community features and addicting user generated content.

- Backgrounds look a little bland.
- The promise of 100 tracks is misleading.
- You need a Hard Drive install to play it, such is the volume of content on the game's two discs.