So with all the hype comes great scrutiny and we here at Loot Ninja are no different, we take Forza, flip up it’s hood and poke around until satisfied.

Presentation and Graphics: The game supports 720p graphics, which looked very crisp on a high definition display. The game runs at 60 fps, which is impressive, but unfortunately does suffer from some jaggies like the demo. (but this can be overlooked when you look at the beautiful backgrounds) The presentation of the game is terrific and the car editor functions are outstanding. You can fully customize any car in the game from aerodynamics to engine to pure paint job. I also like that your current car is displayed in the main menus as you choose races. Forza 2 does great as far as presentation goes. 4.5 of 5

Sound and Music: The music in Forza is decent, but I typically just mute the soundtrack, plug in my iPod and turn up the FX sounds. Nothing beats a nice engine rev in 5.1 surround sound with a little bit of Jay Z going in the background. You can actually here the fans cheer as you rev by them. 4 of 5

Gameplay: Let me just say that this is no Burnout, Forza is the Gran Turismo of the Xbox 360 and stands up well to it’s opponent. Controls are tight and there will be a learning curve on how to handle the three different drive trains, FWD, AWD and RWD. Each car handles differently and can be tweaked and tuned to handle and perform to your satisfaction. In the early offset you will need to learn how to brae into turns and gas out of them, holding down the gas will only lead to constant spin outs or bouncing off the walls. The AI in this game is no slouch either, they have definitely adopted the mantra of “rubbing is racing” and they will try to put you in the wall. 4.5 of 5

Online: Forza offers full online play via Xbox Live along with a Forza Website to view your results, photos, auctions and forums. Uploading your custom designed cars is simple and takes just a few seconds to get to the website where you can download them and take anywhere. With the ability to stack up to 1,000 layers together you can get very intricate designs. 4.5 of 5

Lasting Appeal: The game provides a lot of depth with just the game alone and then add in the customization options and you will be hooked. You could spend easily a few hours creating custom paint jobs alone and then tuning your car to perfection. Then factor the online play and bragging rights of beating people with your own customized car and the ability to auction them off. 4.5 of 5

Final Word: Overall solid game, worth the money and time. Take it from me, I am not a huge fan of the simulator race genre, but this game has me hooked. Bravo to the Forza crew and their efforts.

Overall: 4.5 of 5 (I am reserving the full 5 for a later time)

1 = Not worth the bandwidth.

2= Demo is enough, not worth your money.

3= Game is good, depending on the price, seriously consider picking it up.

4= Worth your money. Should provide some good times for quite awhile.

5= Buy the game. Lock your door. Pick up a case of beer. This could take all night.