TheXboxLife

I can understand the obsession some gamers develop with Gran Turismo, it really is a fantastic game. Great graphics, there is customizability to it, plenty of tracks, all around it’s a great game. Forza Motorsport 3, on the other hand, is the most realistic simulation ever portrayed to a true, gearhead, pedal throttling gamer. It is safe to say Forza 3 is the greatest racing, car enthusiast game of all time. Why though?

It beats out competitors because of the easy amount of accesibility it offers. The interface and gameplay simply is not cluttered with burried menu options where you spend more time figuring out how to play the game than actually playing. The on-screen surface control, racing and assist options are right there in front of you. You are never penalized for using the assist option, but you do lose some cash towards your final score. The gameplay itself is also revolutionary.



Unlimited rewind is a great option. It’s helpful to be able to replay the entire track with different angles and options. It’s not just rewind. A great implementation is that the developers have become one with the gamer.

No one likes to break. It’s true. Especially when so many games today have you punching the accelerator until your thumb goes numb. The adjustments made to the “Auto Break” really help the player. It’s a great stepping tool to learning how to play the game your best, and also how to handle difficult turns and scenarios.



What needs to be understood about the absolute amazingness behind this revolutionary option is that it does it for you. That’s right, Forza 3 adjusts to your style of play to help you. The Magic Hat will be drawn, and it’ll place you in a race and class to further your learning on how to pedal and break.



Of course you will still be presented with unique, unlockable cars that you will progress through your season to get. They all will still carry their own individual handling differences, which once you master one, you move onto the next. The progression of the game is great.

So wheres the drawback? It’s in the XBOX 360, literally. If you don’t have a HD, you’re definitely in some trouble. Forza 3 comes with 2 discs, with over 100 cars and over 20 races on the 2nd disc, but it takes up about 2GIGS. Even with the HD, you’ll be losing load time which can become frustrating…but get over it.

Forza 3 is the best racing game of all time. Clearly it offers a challenging, yet extremely rewarding gaming experience. It’s also fun!

10/10

If you thought Ubisoft’s Assassins’ Creed was full of stealth kills and awesome environments, then surely the millions who enjoyed the first will undoubtedly become obsessed with Assassin’s Creed 2.



The new game takes place in Renaissance Italy, Circa 1476, with you playing as the character Ezio Auditore de Firenze, whom is related to the first game’s character Altair. The story develops with Ezio becoming involved in the war between The Assassin’s and the Templar. You will be given missions of “hits” which will take you all over Italy, including such cities as Venice, Florence, Tuscany and Rome. Don’t worry gamer, there will be plenty of people for you to shank, punch, flip and kill.



Improvements made from the first game are seen immediately when traveling through Venice. Here, Ezio becomes very aquatic, being able to sneak around the city through the water. This environment will also come in handy when hiding from enemies. Scaling walls is also much improved, as Ezio is almost tarzan like, swinging and jumping from building to building. Game developers also included “white cloths” throughout the environment giving the player a much more strategic way of planning their next move. This way, when you’re on the run, you’ll be able to map out your escape in advance, which makes roaming around the cities much easier.

Where the game really gets new and improved is in the combat zone. Ezio is a master of blades, staffs and spears, with each weapon having it’s own special attack. This definitely brings some new flavor to the game, especially because Ezio is able to disarm his opponents, grab their weapons, and slaughter them. When without a weapon, Ezio is also equipped with two hidden blades, while Altair only had one. If you get good enough and time it just right, Ezio can take out two opponents at once in a single quick move.



Another improvement to the game was the computers AI. When fighting multiple enemies, you’ll have different fighting styles thrown at you. It’s definitely more challenging then the first game. What’s also great is Ezio, when without a weapon, has fists of fury with massive combos and head butts that will literally flip your opponent to their demise.

Throughout the game you’ll be able to make “sneaky attacks”, coming out from your hiding spot to gauge an enemy with your uber stealth skills. Be careful though, because making too much noise will up your notoriety system, which won’t allow you to blend into the crowd as much. When this happens, Ezio will be given different missions that will allow you to lower it. This will be done by bribing, killing witnesses and taking down “WANTED” posters.

Overall, this second installment is vastly improved and non-repetitive, unlike the first game which would get boring with the continuous “get a mission, kill, get a mission, kill” and so on. In Italy you’ll be enjoying missions that will change on the spot, which keep the game interesting and fun. The designers also did a fantastic job capturing the imagery and architecture of the Renaissance period in Italy. Also, be on the look out for Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous “flying machine”, which Ezio also gets a chance to play with.



The game will surely be a huge success, and a lot of fun for Assassin’s Creed fans. In the meantime, I’d check out some Renaissance history to prep you for this vastly improved game play and environment in Assassin’s Creed 2.