Forza Motorsport

The engine roars into life and tires screech as you're off the mark and competing against your rivals to be the best. This is Forza Motorsport for the Xbox, and come this April Xbox owners and racing fans worldwide will be tearing up the streets in one of the most anticipated Xbox racers of all time.

Developed and published by Microsoft Game Studios, Forza Motorsport is the first fully customizable driving simulator for Xbox. It will feature authentic handling and damage physics, lifelike graphics, and realistic tuning options, bringing the automotive experience to life. Players will be able to show their masterpiece cars via the online racing world on Xbox Live. They will also be able to compete against up to eight racers simultaneously or can trade, buy and sell their favourite cars online. Racers online will be matched together evenly so that the competition will be similar in terms of skill level. On top of all this, there will also be downloadable content including new cars and tracks to keep your game fresh.

"Forza Motorsport is a title we are getting amazing feedback on from people who are really passionate about the world of cars and auto racing," said Shane Kim, General Manager, Microsoft Game Studios. "The ability to customize your cars, the amazingly realistic physics and of course the ability to experience all of this online is quickly making this the one 'must have' racing sim."

There will be over 200 models of cars from automakers such as Nissan, Honda, Ferrari, Porsche, Tommy Kiara, Mazda, Mitsubishi just to name a few. All of these cars will be able to be modded endlessly, from paint schemes, decals, engine upgrade, turbo kits, engine swaps, body kits, rims, spoilers, side skirts, fender flares, and hood scoops from more than 150 aftermarket partners. You�ll also be able to install alternative engines, suspension kits, bold-on superchargers, brakes, rims, racing slicks, along with fine-tuning gear ratios, fuel-mapping, forced induction pressure, tire temperature and pressure, and ignition timing.

Cars will handle realistically, via an advanced physics engine which will simulate authentic car performance. Vehicles will incur damage (yes, you heard right; damage) and wear, which will in turn affect your car's performance. Advanced tire and suspension models will respond to heat and pressure changes as well as weight transfer and aerodynamic load.

Camera effects such as blooming, lens flare, heat shimmer, light rays, depth of field and haze complement the in-game reflections, lighting and shadows which will all play a part in the on-track appearance of your car. The actual tracks will feature unique road textures, surface irregularities, persistent oil and skid marks, and scraped walls delivering an incredible sense of speed. Racing will take place on such famous tracks as the Nurburgring Nordschleife, Laguna Seca, Tsukuba, as well as the streets of New York City, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.

You can visit the Forza Motorsport website, at www.forzamotorsport.net. Keep it locked to NZGamer for more on this great title closer to the release date.