Let me just clear this up right away. When it comes to cars I’m nearly clueless. Sure I could maybe recognise a Ferrari or a Porsche but ask me the model and I’ll give you a blank stare before trying to change the subject entirely . So why is it you ask am I reviewing Forza 2, a game that couldn’t appear to be any more for the racing fan than any other title out there? Beats me, but I have to say I’ve enjoyed the title much more than I thought I would .

Forza is a racing title similar to that of the Gran Turismo in that realism and simulation are the focus here. You’ll find exact computer animated replicas of cars from all over the world and real tracks too. Racing a certain amount of laps beating your opponents is the best and simplest way to describe Forza 2 and if you’re expecting something groundbreaking here then you won’t really find. What you have here is a solid playing game with an endless list of things to do.

Those who love their driving games to bend the capable abilities of a four wheeled vehicle need think long and hard about if this is for them. You cannot drift around corners at breakneck speeds only tapping the brake to slide around with ease, doing so will guarantee you a body breaking crash. Here your finger will need to always be hovering over the brake trigger. You should pay attention when one of the loading screens displays driving slower is often the way to win races.

While it may sound like newcomers will be turned off by Forza 2, you can only admire the attempt taken in this game to appeal to a wider audience. While it can’t be denied that Forza 2 is very much for the car simulation enthusiast, that isn’t to say it can’t be enjoyed by newcomers too. The way you play is customisable in nearly every way you could imagine. Aren’t confident enough with your driving lines then turn on the guide, want damage off then you can, you can make it as tough or as easy as you like and whatsmore the increasingly confident you get with your settings, the more cash you rake in.

There is so much to do in this game, I constantly find new things every time I load up the disc. Arcade mode offers a series of races against other drivers as well as a handful of tracks to perform your best lap on via a time trial option. New cars are your reward for beating opponents and times proving quite the challenge especially with the final few races.

Then there is the main career mode. First off you select your continent from Asia, Europe and North America. Choose wisely as only the manufacturers that reside in your chosen area will provide you with cars and discounts. This mode is where you’ll spend most of your time making your way through increasingly difficult races and tournaments. While it may seem like standard stuff, the real fun comes in the form of upgrading your cars, collecting new ones and customising paint jobs to give your ride a nice unique look. As you win cups and medals you’ll rake in the cash and upgrade your driver level ranking unlocking more sponsors and vehicles. Being presented with cash rewards and bonus cars adds great incentive to continue playing as you’ll often want to keep playing just to see the next ride you acquire.

The amount of cars in the game is staggering. Around one hundred to two hundred would have been impressive enough but here you’ll find over three hundred! Ford, Porsche, Toyota the list goes on and on I can guarantee it will definitely take a long time to grab them all.

Multiplayer is expansive and even after the long gap since the games release there are still countless people online willing to race you on any of the games tracks. And if you aren’t up for racing other people online straight away the gift and auction options are simply an amazing inclusion. Have a car you want to send a friend as a gift for his birthday. You can. And if you’re particularly proud of a modified car of yours then you can post it on the auction option where others can bid on it and earn you some extra cash. As if racing in singles and tournaments wasn’t enough, the transfer of cars and an eBay like inclusion are just icing on an already bulky cake.

The customisation I feel deserves a separate mention as it is so much fun to do I’ve found myself spending over an hour just changing the paint on my Mustang. You can make the designs as simple or as complex as you like. I started with simple flames but have now moved onto much tougher looks. Of course you can improve any aspect of the car too changing speed, handling and braking but the real glory comes in not just creating them but even better taking any created car online to show them off to the world.

As far as driving games go, I’m very impressed. While the customisation and depth is definitely there for diehard fans of simulations, there are also the useful additions that make it a little more accessible for people like me with little to no knowledge of cars, racing and tuning. There is a ton to see and do and after playing this actually has be excited when the third one makes its way onto the 360.