FORZA 6 (demo)

If I need one reason to hang on to my Xbox One then Forza 6 has to be it.

I have played the Forza games from number 2 and the real reason that I bought an Xbox One was so that I could play Forza 5 and Forza Horizon 2. The Forza series is probably the best racing game that I have played and I've played a few.

Having seen the trailer I was intrigued by some of the new gameplays available - like driving in the rain. That had been done in 'Project Cars' but that game left me cold.

Racing through Rio in the 2017 Ford GT comes as the opening race and here I encountered my first taste of speed. This is not Forza as I know it - the speed is faster thereby forcing faster reaction when braking and cornering. To say that I wasn't prepared is an understatement - I managed first place but had to replay just to improve my time. I'm a bit like Britt in 'The Magnificent Seven' that way - I compete with myself.

The next scenario is a qualifying series of three races. Before that you get to choose your first car as in Forza Horizon 2 and race around a track very much in the manner of many first races which manages to lull the player into a mood of self-confidence.

The next race is set at night on the Yas Marina raceway and it is easy to get distracted by the scenery with the lights changing colour. Here you pick up your first mod pack. Yas Marina at night is raced on a cooling track which means that the tyres will lose traction. The first mod pack can boost your earnings or move your starting place higher or, best of all, a crew mod that gives your tyres that extra grip.

With two races down you get invited to an extra race - nothing like a bit of speedway in an Indycar on the Brickyard at Indianapolis. This is where it gets manic - this makes that opener around Rio seem like a walk in the park. This has real speed and it is so easy to misjudge - but this is Forza at it's best.

To the final race and it is Sebring in the rain. Rain that runs up the windscreen while the wipers work hard to keep the vision clear. Of course, the view can be changed but looking out through the windscreen is like driving through the real thing. Watch for the puddles and try to avoid otherwise you will be off the track - aquaplaning into a wall and watching 24 cars pass you by (that was not my experience but it can happen).

So with the qualifying rounds completed the demo opens up 'Rivals' mode at the start menu.

The game itself will boast about 460 cars and many race tracks around the world (but I haven't seen any for Japan like Suzuka which was missing in Forza 5). As for the races - there are 5 volumes to this game and they, in turn, have sub-divisions.

I pre-ordered my Forza 6 game back when it was first announced - so looking forward to the UK release date of 15th September (though I do believe that the USA will get it a couple of days before on the 11th).

The developers Turn 10 (for Microsoft) are celebrating 10 years of Forza - happy anniversary.