Racing simulation; a genre that is ever growing and gaining more and more popularity amongst the gaming community. With more people venturing into the world of auto sports, it's no surprise that Microsoft is getting into the business with Forza Motorsport, and doing it well. With over 230 cars, from 45 top manufacturers, and tracks like the Nurburgring, Leguna Seca, and Tsukuba Circut, Forza is definitely about serious business.

Our initial impressions were great. Not only did FM look like a masterpiece, it played like one as well. The physics in this game are great, by far the best seen on the Xbox, and definitely provide stiff competition for other driving simulators. Things like tire pressure, track temperature, and wind all have positive or negative effects on your car and the way it handles. This is something that hasn't been seen in a console racer yet, and it is a much welcome feature. Forza displays an excellent tire model that accurately represents life-like tire wear, as well as an outstanding suspension model that caters to each car, and represents them very nicely.

FM features many modes, all of which have their own treats and special features. Arcade mode is your basic racing mode, where you can select from any stock car available from multiple classes, and race against the AI, or another player. Career mode is much more in depth, and is where the game really shines. It features a nice break from the traditional game of earning money through racing, and introduces a more level-based eligibility system. You will gain levels as you progress throughout the game, and the more you progress, the more events are open for you to choose from.

Aside from racing, you can also tune and customize your car. With literally thousands of different combinations at your fingertips, it's hard to make two cars look alike. Another great feature making its way into FM is the all new "Drivatar" technology. Basically it's AI that learns from you. You train the Drivatar through several different tests, and it learns how you drive, and picks up your style. Through more experience, it can become a very good driver, as well as an opponent. Drivatar is useful not only for learning, but you can also use it to complete some races you don't feel like participating in, such as endurance races. Overall, career mode is very beefy, and we can't wait to get our hands on a final version to really get into it.

The online mode has some amazing new things that are definitely welcome in the car community. You might expect that FM only has online racing. However, there is much, much more. You can show off your customized rides in many ways, from selling them to other players, to building online car clubs and communities of up to 100 members via Xbox Live. It is also possible to acquire rare cars online from other players, who may have a different region as you, which adds to the realism of the FM universe.

Visually, FM is stunning. You might initially think that a game running at 30fps couldn't look too impressive, but Forza definitely ups the ante. The car models are beautiful, and the track environments are gorgeous. All of the car models are very accurate when compared to their real-life counterparts. From the headlights to the tail lights, it's almost mind numbing to see all the little details that are put into each car model. Each track features impressive high-res textures, which give it an amazing look, and everything comes together very nicely. Another nice touch is the tread you can lay down during a violent spin out, or the trading of paint that you may become all to familiar with in the early stages of the game. In nearly every aspect of the word, FM is shaping up to be impressive.

It doesn't stop there, because anything that looks good, has to sound good too. FM does just that. With accurate sounds for each and every car, you'll learn to love the high pitched scream of the Honda Integra Type-R, or the throaty snarl of the '69 Chevy Camaro SS. Even beyond car sound, the tire sounds are also impressive, with a squeal that can send a chill down your spine if you aren't too careful. Also nicely done are the crash sound effects. While not extremely true to life, they are definitely convincing, but hopefully you won't hear them too much.

Overall Forza Motorsport is shaping up to be a nice contender for other driving and racing simulators, namely Gran Turismo 4. Keep your engines idle as we keep you posted with updates and features on Forza Motorsport.