Now that the Demo version is available to everyone, we would like to put the microscope on one of the most important aspects in any racing simulation game, Damages & Crashes.

We all know that Forza is a racing simulation game and it’s far away from being anything near an arcade game so when we talk about crashes and damages systems we won’t compare the game with Burnout Paradise or anything like it.

After I played FORZAIII demo more than 10 times, something weird caught my attention in the damage system, and I will not hide that I felt a certain dissatisfaction with the size of development and improvement that happened since FORZAII.

FORZAII was characterized by the unique damage system it had at that time, but that was in 2007 and what was “unique” before is simply “Not enough” right now specially after we experienced games like GRID and DIRT 2 and they both offer a much deeper damage system than the one in FORZAIII demo, it’s obvious that FORZAIII improved so much in so many aspects, but I think they didn’t pay enough attentions to the damage system.

You can simply try to test the demo yourself, and I think you will probably notice the following:

- You crash head on into another car and all what you will see is paint scratches!
- You hit the rear right light in the car in front of you then the other one simply broke even you didn’t touch it.
- Any accident no matter how awful it is, can’t affect the length of the chassis.
- Lights sometimes survive a huge direct hit, while they may be broke in a silly indirect collision.

 
Well, don’t call me a GT5 fan, I think you better call me a disappointed FORZAIII fan who is affected by every minor fail in the game -not to mention that I didn’t notice any gear shifting animation- maybe it’s my fault because I thought the game will be just PERFECT, but simply it isn’t, and I can say that GT5 “Destructio Derby” footage are not that bad after all!

FORZAII Demo Damage footage back in 2007, I don’t think that FORZAIII improved alot!

 
FORZAIII Damage footage:
 

Now, Both are looking great and I can say they are the best racing sim out there, but let’s talk about these two predators, you might want to know what both games will have to offer before any racer lay down his money on a console and end up with a bad choice.

FORZA MOTORSPORT 3 :

Turn 10 did a great job on this 3rd version, the game contains 100+ tracks around the world including all tracks from the old FORZA games and more than 400 fully customizable cars and futuring larger tuning options for its racoholic fans. The graphics looks stunning with smooth 60 frames-per second and can be upscaled to fully 1080p for the hardcore gamers who like hig-end display, Forza community is growing bigger and bigger thanks to the variety of options that they bring to us like the online auction house, car modding and the ability to use your imagination to paint your vehicles the way you like with tons of new decals and art equipment. Lets not forget the improved damage model that allow the cars to flip and spin over with amazing damage details.
 
 

GRAN TOURISMO 5 :

Polyphonic Digital didn’t come empty-handed this time, the game will feature a new NASCAR mode with all its car models, themes and physics, pit crews, also a WRC experience with off-road circuits and fully functional rally cars, weather effects and realtime damage for all rally fans out there. The graphics still stunning with 1080p support for gamers who like to play hard, GT5 community will feature enhanced online functionality and many new improvements for online options. GT5 still offering a lot of unique super cars and a lot of real tracks around the world, and for the first time ever polyphonic digital is bringing a fully functional damage model to all cars “”whooooot”" yes thats true, finally about time, better late than never, now you can drive your FERRARI to a wall and see what will happen.

*** FORZA MOTORSPORT 3 VS GRAN TOURISMO 5 ***
 

Now, I wish it can be the judgement day for these 2 predators, both games has not been released yet, but FORZA3 will be in stores in October-31-2009 and GT5 is TBA… yeah we get used to that since all XBOX360 users are burning rubber in Forza Motorsport 2 and PS3 users still test driving their GT5 prologue (DEMO) which make me wonder if GT5 will really ever comes out!? Well let’s hope it will be released at the end of this year.

Both games look promising, I played both games Forza Motorsport 2 and GT5 prologue, I will combine this experience with the info that we all gathered about GT5 and FM3 from official sites and watching videos, gameplay, demos, previews and many more. Let’s make a comparison about the important things that can be the key of delivering a true racing experience:
 
* 1st-DAMAGE:

The damage in forza motorsport 2 is very impressive, and the new damage model in FORZA 3 looks much better than the old one, Well in GT5 (watching the vehicle in damage demonstration gameplay videos) as they run through a wall in high speed (yes you see the car is wrecked) but the vehicle still keeping the same speed, so its like playing GT5 prologue, you never use brakes to slow down on corners… just hit the wall and let it steer your car back to the road keeping the same speed, but only with a car wreck this time! Well you never see that happened in forza motorsport. I know they are not finished yet, but i hope they fix this problem and take it seriously before the game is released.

* 2nd-GRAPHICS:

The graphics, they both running 60 frames-per second supporting 1080p, they both look stunning, but I have to say that GT5 is still better looking because the colour tone is way more realistic than Forza Motorsport 3, Team forza did a great job on the new Forza Motorsport 3 ingame graphics, but they still need to enhance the colours.

 
* 3rd-SOUND EFFECTS:

The sound effects, I’m not talking about engine sounds, both games have a great similar engine sounds, I’m talking about the sounds that the tires make in braking, drifting, high speed corners… etc. Well in GT5 prologue the tire sounds rediculous, annoying and cheap especially when you lose control and the car spins comparing to the tire sound in forza motorsport 2, I hope they will fix it in the upcoming GT5.

 
* 4th- TUNING, MODDING CARS, CUSTOMIZATION:
 
We all know that GT is lacking many of these things, these are important things to every racer, and Forza Motorsport deliver these things with perfection, so SONY and Polyphonic Digital need to work hard to deliver these things in GT5 that I call them essentials in every racing game and to die-hard racing gamers.

* 5th- GAMEPLAY, ONLINE GAMEPLAY:

Well both FORZA MOTORSPORT 2 and GT5 prologue give a great feeling and can be fun in online racing (XBL or PSN) even offline if you don’t have internet connection. We all like to see a larger online options in GT5 and FORZA MOTORSPORT 3, they are equals and you can have fun with both games any time, try use the new Logitech G27 for GT5 and the new Fanatic 911 wheel for Forza Motorsport for better racing experience.

*Overall…
 

Let’s wait until those predators are released, then we start the hunt, we would like to see massive changes in both games, there will be one winner and we will find out soon, both games are looking impressive and every game do offer a lot of options.
 
Finally I hope this information helped many gamers before lay down their money for the wrong game.
 
 

Please be advised that the release date currently listed on the website, the 27th November 2009, is as given to us by the publisher / manufacturer or The Game.Should this release date change we will update the website accordingly, so it is worth checking periodically Play.com.

This date is given by Sony Compter Entertainment or by Polyphony Digital. This means that Gran Turismo 5 is finally able to play this year! November 2009, the race game where each race freak waiting to be released in the UK! Hopefully we will hear soon what Sony itself, here we have more information. Once we know more we’ll tell you, of course, as soon as possible to you!