Outstanding!
To strain my already-worn metaphor a bit more, Forza 3 again mimics the venerable VW in safety. Sport and racing game sequels aren't generally noted for their daring, and Forza 3's improvements are mainly logical progressions. More, better, and faster are the bywords; it's certainly the definitive game in the series, but no more or less the "definitive" racing game than previous iterations.
The rewind function -- something so obvious and integral that it belongs in every racing game's feature list from now on -- acknowledges the well-known truth that second place is unacceptable. For too long, final-lap foul-ups have necessitated a restart, and the begrudging consumption of more time. A do-over is a satisfying solution to the problem.
Perhaps more key than the instant replay, though, is the chance to memorize and perfect your approaches. Track imprinting is an important facet of the rewind feature, too often overlooked by sim nuts enraged by the inclusion of this supposed get-out-of-jail-free card. Nothing sears a difficult corner into your mind like forcing yourself to repeat it to perfection. Rather than crippling the game's difficulty, rewind seems likely to toughen up unskilled drivers far more than any of the other assists. Strangely, however, the ability to rewind doesn't "kick in" until several seconds after being given the green, so when competitor A.I. is most aggressively seeking its line, you won't be able to easily undo a spin-out or damaging tap.
Rewind dysfunctions aren't the biggest letdown: Forza 3's cockpit cam is precisely the kind of thing I expressed distaste for in my Shift review. You are not a human driver in a Forza cockpit but a camera, immobile and disinterested, mounted far too close to the windshield. Your driver's hand will never flick to the shifter to change gears; his head will never swivel to the apex of an upcoming turn. What should be the most thrilling viewpoint from which to experience a racing game is instead a frustratingly confining obstruction in the form of half of a steering wheel and a bit of dashboard.
For a game so dedicated to all things automotive to slip in the cockpit is seriously disappointing, and part of what I see as a larger problem with presentation. Despite the improved sense of speed, races can still feel lifeless. Even in top gear, the Stig would have no trouble sipping Earl Grey from the bucket seats of any given F3 supercar: Shift may have overdone the effects of high-speed locomotion, but Turn 10 again undersells the experience with little but a subtle camera quiver to indicate triple-digit MPH. Simulating cars and their guts obviously has to take precedence over simulating the occupant, but a bit more attention to the driver would likely go a long way. Some of the game's casual-friendly additions (hello, auto-brake) make the lack of pizzazz all the more puzzling. With games like Shift and Dirt 2 on the scene, what incentive is there for a casual racer to spring for a dead-serious sim -- even one defanged by driving assists?
Take my nitpicking as just that: Nitpicking. Forza 3 does better what the Forza series has always done well. Cars feel heavier, handle wonderfully, and are less jerky at low speeds. Livery editing is as functional and addictive as ever. The new drift and drag modes are fun (if somewhat barebones).
One of the car culture factoids that appear in the game's loading screens celebrates Volkwagen, citing the German manufacturer's engineering acumen and competence. It's a coolly rational kind of compliment that fits Forza 3 as well as it does the auto maker. Forza 3 is a brilliantly engineered, if somewhat cold, racing game.
Check back soon for GameSpy's Consensus report, where we aggregate the opinions of top reviewers from around the web.
