Forza Motorsport 7 Demo

Back when the console wars were raging, gamers liked to argue about exclusive franchises that made their chosen platform superior in some way, and there weren’t that many options to choose from. Xbox fans had Halo in their corner, while PlayStation supporters carried the God of War series on their shoulders. However, there was also a racing game duel going on, namely between Forza and Gran Turismo.

Forza Motorsport 7 is the latest installment in the popular racing sim series, and just like with the previous episode, this one is available on the PC as well. That may not sound like much, but it actually allows Forza to overcome Gran Turismo in terms of visual quality, mainly because the PC version features high-resolution textures and 4K resolution support, although you can also get it if you happen to own the Xbox One X.

If you are not familiar with the franchise, you should know that the game leans more toward the simulation side of things, so it’s not exactly Need for Speed in terms of car control and physics. On the other hand, this is not iRacing or Assetto Corsa either, so don’t go in expecting convincing tire models or an ultra-realistic driving experience. Instead, Forza 7 walks a fine line somewhere in the middle, which should make it perfect for less serious racing fans who want to enjoy it with a gamepad or a less expensive wheel.

As such, most of the cars respond to your input like in a sim, but you do not need to worry too much about grip limits, camber, tire pressures or various other similar things. The cars are not easy to keep on the track, but you don’t lose control over them after a small mistake, especially if you also decide to activate some of the driving assists that make your job considerably simpler.

Forza Motorsport 7 excels in terms of car variety, since you can actually collect and drive more than 700 different models from the most renowned manufacturers on the planet. Granted, not all of them are available in the base version of the game, but it’s nice to know that you can always get more if you somehow get bored of the ones you already have. You are not limited to a specific type of vehicles either, because you can drive GT cars, street cars, prototypes and even trucks.

The track collection is impressive as well, especially since quite a few of them are laser-scanned versions that provide perfect recreations of the real thing. From Sarthe to Nordschleife, there are plenty of iconic circuits included with the base game, as well as quite a few street routes that impress in terms of beauty and attention to detail.

Speaking of which, the graphics are definitely a strong point for the game, because it’s difficult to deny the fact that Forza 7 is probably the best-looking sim out there at the moment. The 4K resolution and the high-quality textures make it difficult to tell whether you are playing or watching an actual race sometimes, and every car is as detailed as modern technology allows.

There are also weather effects to take into consideration, but unfortunately they are not dynamic like in Project CARS 2. Hence, you can choose whether you want to race on dry or wet, as well as day or night, but once you have made your choice there’s no evolution except for the scripted scenarios that play out the same every time.

In the end, Forza Motorsport 7 is definitely a game worth having if racing is your thing, but more so if you are not particularly keen on realism when it comes to the actual driving. The fun is in the experience itself, not to mention the fact that you can spend many hours trying to expand your garage by collecting the hundreds of cars included in the base game or the extras.