The first thing I noticed about Forza was a very simple thing:
God damn this shit is harder
Why? Because the xbox controller was wonky in my hands compared to a sleek PS2 controller for starters. On top of that, I had total control over how much gas or brake was used instead of just the standard button. I could control acceleration/decleration once I got the timing of it down. The problem was/is, quite frankly, it's too large a learning curve from a GT enthusiast.
I grew up on Gran Turismo 2, didn't really play 1. I thought GT3 was good and all, but 2 has always been the ultimate racing game to me. The car selection was massive and the driving style realistic (for its time). 2 still remains one of the best games I ever remember playing. I devoted SOOO much time to it and I still remember the shitty car I made a beast:
Mitsubishi Eclipse RST baby. Candy Apple Red with all the bells and whistles the game had available.
Now I see what Forza 3's trying to do and I appreciate it. I've been hearing about GT5 for so long now that I've started to mute it out thinking the game will never come. I've seen screenshots and heard about the prologue and all that good stuff, but where's the meat? Where's the release date? Where's the approximate release date? At E3 2007 they called for a 2008 release date, half way through 2009 there's nothing new to be reported. If you traveled to IGN right now and looked at the release date, it's TBA 2009. Forza, on the other hand, is noted as October, 2009.
Now don't get me wrong, some things are worth the wait and I believe GT5 will be one of those things. But it's been YEARS in development now and nothing is solid. The Forza line improved drastically from 1 to 2 and I expect the same out of 3. I like the concept of having a very easy mode with full automated braking so you can just press the gas and go around the track. My 6 year old nephew will have a blast with the game just like I will with all the easy features turned off. It's just as easy for him to have a career profile and avatar as it is for me to. That's appealing to me. I also like how you can make the AI drivers "sweat" with the new pressure feature. Driving aggressively will finally pay off in a game.
So, I'll take Forza because I know it's coming. I'll probably be driving around circuits and unlocking achievements while you guys are talking about how badass GT5 is going to be. And by driving around circuits and unlocking achievements, I mean on Forza 4.
