Gran Turismo vs. Forza Motorsport : Comparison
“Both have cars, both have racing, so what’s the difference?”
That’s our job to tell you. For people unaware about these racing series, you should know they are probably the best racing simulations in account for realism. Gran Turismo is the PlayStation exclusive series and Forza Motorsport is the Xbox loyalist. They are not NFS-ish titles giving a laid-back and blissful driving. Gran Turismo is a completely settled franchise now whereas Forza Motorsport is a brand new series having only two titles till date.
Gran Turismo (from Polyphony Digital), the first “top PSX seller” title was out in fall of 1997 and was recognized not only for the extensively realistic driving simulation, physics based car realism and sound from real life cars but also for the maximum PlayStation power it was utilizing to give at-the-time state of the art graphics. And till date it has evolved into numerous titles just beside the “full” games which would feature some gameplay depicting only concepts of what they were building in their future releases.
Prior to GT 4, GT 4: Prologue was released, which was regarded as a teaser for the game. This helped them realize what people would expect from GT 4 and yet despite it was unexpected the GT 4 was then released with a vast number of around 700 cars and 50+ race tracks. Therefore all the GTs have huge number of licensed vehicles to keep you immersed in the game and whatever you think GT is like, you will not get bored of the content each (full) version of the game will offer.
And finally the game has stepped into the next generation console PS3 having scintillating graphics that you could easily mistake for a real footage if somehow you were browsing through your TV channels and one of them was showing the game footage (I kept looking for GamerTV but was irritated to see this game’s video wondering why in the world GamerTV is not coming on its time, only to be in awe few seconds later). The “full” next gen version of GT which is Gran Turismo 5: Prologue.is not released but its teaser is ready for people to get their hands on.
Forza Motorsport, GT’s now one of the main adversaries developed by Turn 10 came out on Xbox in May 2005, featuring around 231 cars at your disposal to race around real life circuits. The most esteemed feature in Forza was its physics engine and how it would vary the car’s performance impromptu of effects like damage or collision (which also we will discuss is dazzling) during The Race. So Forza was known for its realistic damage and collisions from the perspective of a professional driver or a casual racing gamer.
Like I said, in contrast to GT, Forza would vary three main features of the car you browse for in games (Top Speed, Acceleration and Handling) according to how much we have smashed our car during a race. Realism! It spawned a sequel in mid-2007 on next gen Xbox 360 also which was successful with nothing immense to show off but still having the Forza-essence which is good.
It will be too thorough to discuss series by series so here we will take a contrasting (or not) look at the latest next gen iterations of the series, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and Forza Motorsport 2.
PRESENTATION
Since GT 5 Pro is only a demo there is less course selection but still has a huge amount of cars, which might get problematic as its fun to change the area you are driving in more than the car you are driving. But the game is still fully fledged and can easily be stripped of its ‘demo’ tag. The characteristics of a car are a striking feature.
Every car is different, every! You will want to remember each and every detail & spec about cars and even when you have the best cars you will feel like giving your old one a try just because it had something unique (which every car does). The new and improved dashboard look is praiseworthy. It’s not a stationary picture in any sense, completely different dashboards for all cars which are exceptionally accurate and in motion.
So we will see everything different in dashboards when we go from all included Ferraris and Ford GTs to Skylines and Mustangs. The course selection is limited but a very good compilation so unless you feel like having more you won’t be disappointed with what you have got. The new interface is now having the first time introduced “My Page” just like having a profile page from where you will be able to do whatever you want do in the game.
The GUI is completely HD rendered and it’s an exquisite display all the way. This game is the first one to go online with plenty of race combos to compete in.
Coming to Forza 2, the feature in the limelight comes to be the any level combination you can get of cars, motors, parts and race tracks. You feel like doing “something” and you do the very exact “something”. The developers worked 24 hours as this is easily evident.
There are 12 different environments with 40+ racetracks which tend to get confessedly repetitive but not perhaps for a racing maniac. The list includes famous race tracks like Silver Stone or Laguna and what’s more, it also has fantasy tracks for the satisfying driving thrill of cars whose cost ranges in 100 thousands of dollars.
The interface is beautiful, bright and trouble-free to go through with plenty of options in racing. You can go online for an incredible number of options like car trading, car gifting and Microsoft sponsored tournaments. Oh yes, also free racing with opponents!
Winner: Forza Motorsport 2
CONTROLS
In Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, the physics and mechanics are state of the art. The car would drive as real as it would in real life. It would over steer-under steer exactly according how pathetically you drive and wherever the engine is placed in the car. As I said each car is distinctive. The characteristics of each car are clearly noticeable even if they are similar in internal design. It is all dynamics and the way you drive.
The AI in past GT games was average. There was nothing significant about it but in GT 5 Pro it is slightly improved. Occasionally you will see other drivers making mistakes which might cost us too. They will try their best to win and stay smooth on the road. Nothing outstanding about it but still improvement is improvement.
Forza Motorsport 2 is on the perfect spot on the line between realism and arcade-enjoyment in car racing. In controls, it is more or less like GT, which is to say it’s just about completely realistic. Real tests on car drivers were done where some racer drove on a real track and then in the game with the same car and track to see how closely the record results matched.
The game features the driving assistance line just like in NFS ProStreet which would show you the best line for driving around curves including when to slow down and when to pick up the pace or rush. The AI is average.
Occasionally someone would swipe ahead from your side giving you a nudge (which leads your car exasperatingly off course) but during parallel driving they tend to back off showing cowardice. So the race is won slowly. But this game is surely not for the impatient types. One thing to note is that the upgrades in the cars makes things easier but don’t turn out to be table turning and if you drive smooth and perfect you will win any race with the stock car.
Finally to say, in both games you cannot say “Step on it!!” because you don’t have to “step on it”, otherwise it’s just bye-bye early from race for you. It’s all about feathering the accelerator and brakes with ‘love and affection’ around the ‘mean’ turns to stay ahead and win the race. If you prefer to be in speed throughout all the game buy an NFS.
Winner: Forza Motorsport 2 with a very low margin.
GRAPHICS
If I don’t talk about graphics this article would not probably be about gaming! GT 5: Prologue is easily the king of graphics. As mentioned before, it’s easy to mistake it for real footage when you run it at 1080p. It supports all kinds of modes 1080p/i, 720p whatever you have in your TV and the game rocks the PS3 potential.
You can go through the trailers online and see the stunning amount of detail in the game which may actually drive you off course a lot. The lighting is astounding. The unique dashboard in every car would show a lot detailed lighting effects as the car changes angles according to the sun or goes through a tunnel or a shadowed area whatever. Its graphics are closest to realism without a doubt.
Forza Motorsport 2 is however on the other hand, not up to the mark. It is clearly not sucking the Xbox 360 potential and aliasing and jagged lines are all over the screen. Modes supported are 720p and 1080i. The graphics section is clearly a turn down feature about the game otherwise probably making it best of the best.
The real time damage done to the cars is however paid attention to and the details are overwhelming. GT 5: Prologue also has similarly brilliant damage effects.
Winner: Gran Turismo 5: Prologue without a doubt.
SOUND
This genre of game or racing is not about the sound really but still GT 5 has state of the art engine sounds which are totally from real life cars and a decent soundtrack. There are no complaints about it. Forza Motorsport 2 has varying engine sounds, though it’s all only what you can expect from a racing game. The ambient noises can get irksome in Forza.
Winner: Gran Turismo 5: Prologue
OVERALL
Sorry to disappoint you all but there is no “Overall”. GT5: Prologue may be a decision for an average gamer but a must buy for GT fans and Forza 2 is a must buy for arcade driving lovers still looking for realism but a decision for someone who wants high-tech graphics. We were never supposed to conclude which game is better. Both are fantastic titles of the gaming industry and a must play for all avid racing gamers.
Stuff like state of the art graphics in GT5: Prologue and extravagant amount of detail in Forza Motorsport 2 (like even getting discounts from car companies) put both these games on the success list. Buy the game (if you haven’t already) for whichever console you own or get both if you have both X360 and PS3.
- By Anubhav Priyadarshi
You are actually comparing A demo to a full game…ha you must be seriously kidding…GT prologue is a Demo Froza Motorsport 2 is a full fledged game…I hope you know that…GT5 aint out yet….like I keep telling ya Anubhav your research is pretty weak…you should have done GT series Vs Froza motorspot Series…not just the so called Next generation versions…
This reviewer doesnt know what he is talking about: “GT 5: Prologue also has similarly brilliant damage effects…” No it doesnt have any damage yet…
And to compare a full game to a glorified demo, and say this is the “ultimate comparison” is laughable.
GT5 will be the best simulator, Forza is aimed at pleasing arcade loving americans who like to try to play simulator racing games.
Tho he does get something right: Forza does have shocking graphics compared to Gran Turismo…
GT5P is really the way to go if you’re looking for a racing simulator.
If you want arcade play, go with Forza.
Disagree with controls for one reason. X360 doesn’t support 3rd party wheels like the Logitech G25. GT5 wins the controls for that reason alone.
Also disagree with graphics. GT5 is the best game I’ve seen on any console graphically.
Ummm forza kina has the better sound, the sound IS recorded from each seprate part of the car on its own so you can put on another exhalst and be able to hear that diffrence, you can hear every wheels contact or lack of and the suspentune. also the music rocks.
o and GT has elevator music
<– 360 fanboy… hmmmm wonder why that is
forgot to mentune forza phsics engine totaly rules GT have always been crap see the top gear of GT vs real life? lol forza tryed this with the real drivers in the right cars set ups and tracks and were running identical times
think this is abit of a fanboy rant u dont seem to have played forza much
Since when did GT:5 Prologue (the better of the two games) have damage effects?
I have it and I don’t see any damage…
“GT5 Prologue also has similarly briliant damage effects”….. did you even get to play the game ??????
How can GT5 Prologue win in the sound section, if contrary to forza, you cannot customize your soundtrack??
“The AI in past GT games was average”…..”The AI in forza 2 is average”….. are you kidding me ???? that’s an insult!! Even Porche Challenge for the original PS1 had better AI than GT4. There is a good reason why I quit GT series for Forza series….
“Forza 2 is a must buy for arcade driving lovers still looking for realism”… Do you get to chose your tyre pressure in GT5 Prologue?? Do you even walk out with a single scratch after hitting the wall at 300 KM/h ???? Do you get a real-time telemetry like in forza??
“In GT5 Prologue every car is unique” …… is it me or are GT series physic engines based on Nissan cars………….
Does any of you who have a driving licence have any ideia what would happen to yor car if you crashed at 60 KM/H ???
When you have a crash…… what happens to your car ???? I would expect a “real driving simulator” to at least “simulate” reality !!!
Any one here who claims that GT5 prologue is a racing simulator…… any one really, I’ll give you a serious advice:
Play GTR 2 on PC……. and open your horizons!!
Well, just to let everyone know, GT5:p is getting a patch rumored to come this fall for damage, so we should expect it in the full version of GT5.
IMO, you should try this again when the actual “GT5″ is out, not this “demo” version.
From,
Chris.
GT 5P = Sim and Forza II = Arcade ?
i love so much, crazy people in the World.
GT5 P no Damage, no Voice Chat, No own Lobbys, no Track or Car Choice online, bad Engine Sound, no Backlights, no Brake marks, ugly Sound from the Tires and and and but it is alreday Sim.
Sorry but who is now Crazy ??? Graphic is not all but i know, kids love good graphic and simple Gameplay and you can found all of this in GT5 P and yes i have and play both Games. I hope GT5 Final will do it much more better than GT 5 P.
All I can say is, I play GT5p with driving force pro GT steering wheel and love the driving physics. As mentioned its a pre game to the full version just to keep fans happy.
GT5 is a game for fans, simple as this. My first gt game was on my ps1, LOVED IT!
gt2 was just a dream for me, gt3 was on my ps2 and I loved it to! gt4 was my favourite.
GT5 prologue graphics blew me away! I was in heaven! Forza2 on the xbox is a classic game. Its an excellent game in its own right. Graphics on Forza2 are great but not in GT5 league. Both games have different driving styles.
Forza2 is a complete package. GT5 feels like 5% of GT4 on ps2!
I will only judge GT5 when I get the complete package..
ps They should tone down HDR lighting in Forza2, I reckon they use too much of it.
I think both GT and Forza are great games. I have not played Prologue yet because i’m waiting for the full game to come out. I have played the HD demo and the physics were just like GT4 which after playing Forza 2 are outdated. The only reason I ever purchased a Sony console was for GT, so GT 5 needs to step up the reaslistic handling. It needs to give you feeling with the car, which I can say Forza 2 has done. The graphics are obviously better in GT 5 but Forza is too fun to have that held against it. GT 5 NEEDS damage. The sounds of racing games are very important, Forza has good sounds not great. Better than the previous GT’s though, but that makes sense since it is on a more powerful console. GT has always had lo-fi sound and the tire screeching overpowers everything. Both great games.
Xbot guys will never undertand, GT Prologue is a demo not a full version, and forza 2 is full game, i hope u will shut ur RROD when the full GT5 comes out, and to the the guys who says this is there this is not there for them agian this is a demo sony gives us an oppurtunity to test drive the game to make necessary improvements, i think people should play GT5:P before making stupid comments i just feeel sad for them. or is it they just cant stand watching a game so good is not on their RROD.
Gran Turismo: Prolouge destroys Forza Motorsport in everything. Gran Turismo is the best selling racing game in the world and Polyphony Digital works with all car makers they record everything from tire break engine all of it. Wait for GT5
I will have to agree GT5P is a demo, but come on, do you think that they would release the game with the title, and then change it for the full, NO! GT5 would contain the same engine as GT5P. It is a Prologue like a book, just an intro. Polyphony is just finishing up on cars and tracks.
I will say that I used to be a fan of the Gran Turismo series, but since I have played FM2, the realism of the crashing and modifications to the cars, and playing online, and soundtracks.
FM2 is hands down, well almost on the table, the better of the two. I hope that GT5 is better than the so called “demo”.
Let’s get this straight.
FM 2 is a full game and GT 5:P is a super demo.
All I am going to distinguish here is the handling charcteristics. Under these conditions. Using the crappiest tires or stock tires [N1 tires for GT:P and Stock tires (Keeping the default tire pressure) for FM 2] on pure STOCK cars with manual transmission and without any driving aids on. Using the normal controllers.
Now, this may seem like a weak way to compare these two games but people never seem to observe the weight transfer charcteristic (The feel and effect of a car swaying or whiping from side to side and front to back. Basically the transfer of the vehicle’s center of gravity being thrown around in all areas of the vehichle.) and the amount of time it takes for the driver’s inputs to affect their car in both games.
I know, I already stated that both of these racing games are on two different levels. Full game vs. demo but I must point out these two characteristics to make clear what game is close to a simulator in terms of handling because I believe the handling category makes the driving simulator.
FM 2 does have weight transfer (More so than FM 1) but its display and feel of it is close to GT 4′s version of weight transfer. It’s there but it’s kind of significant. Now the amount of time it takes for the car to react to the driver’s input doesn’t feel right. I say this because of the fact that all of FM 2′s cars react quickly to any movement I make on the Xbox’s 360 controller’s joystick. As if the weight of the car doesn’t really affect the time it takes for my car to react to my actions.
GT:5 P on the other hand, also has weight transfer but the significance of it is greater than all the other GT games before it. Especially compared to the FM series. The feel of the weight transfer feels similar to what I would feel in real life. A HEAVY metal chassis being shifted around on suspentions and tires. I say this because when I give my inputs with the Playstation 3′s controller’s joystick. I notice that the cars in GT 5: P react progressively, which means it takes longer for the car to react to my actions. Due to the weight being shifted around and the force that is being applied during the actions that I make while racing. It’s not so twitchy like in FM 2.
So… if you think about it… in real life do cars react right away or progressively to anything a driver does to his/her car? Especially at high speeds?
The answer is progressively. Don’t believe me?
Then explain to me why majority of the drivers on the road crash their vehicles when they end up fishtailing or when they spin out on the road?
There’s another BIG reason besides the loss of traction between the tires of the car and the road or the lack of driver’s experience in such situations.
The amount of time it takes and the kind of reaction the vehicle’s center of gravity makes as it reaches the area of the vehicle that it’s being thrown into. Hence, that is the reason why cars fish tail or spin out all over the place be. That is the other BIG reason why cars act like they do in those dangerous moments.
I already knew GT5P would kick Forza 2′s butt graphically. In GT you cannot make a car look as awesome as you can in Forza with all third party parts, spoilers, wings, wheels and designs you can add on. That’s why I would always choose Forza over GT. But – just wait til Forza 3 comes out. Then we’ll talk graphics again .
U DO REALISE, forza 2 came out ages ago,, and there is a forza 3 coming out wich is said to have some of the best graphics on any engine. so shut your mouth u crappy ps3 fanboys.
and also, hav u heard a little race pro going round?? YES simbin r making a game EXCLUSIVEly for 360! and it is going to be the closest to driving a real car we are going to get in a very long time!
anub , you should not be reveiwing games your retarded . forza 2 is a FULL SIMULATION , gt 5 is a SONYMUTATION . gt 5 has no damage glowing unrealistic roads gt 5 is all “ARCADE” . A real race track isnt all pretty and shiney , the track is covered in skid marks walls are scared up .
Only little kiddish arcade fans enjoy sonys unrealistic “crapola” .
Although I think the majority of these posts came before FM3 was a reality…I must say HA! I was a loyal GT user. I bought my PSX for GT1, a PS2 for GT3 etc. I bought a X360 because I saw FM & was impressed. FM2 blew mw away & now I await FM3 (less than a week away) – hehe. The demo for FM3 is mind blowing and the game will kick serious butt!! At the end, it’s too bad it took Polyphony Digital SOOO long to get there stuff together. I’m not going to but a PS3 for GT5. Besides…if history holds true, I might be playing FM4 or 5 by the time GT5 even makes it to the public. sigh, big sigh for PS3′rs
Both games are ulta realistic
but it depends which console you have.
PS3 – Gran Turismo
XBOX 360 – Forza Motorsport
For people who like realistic driving experiences, both games will not dissapoint.
I have played both GT5 and Forza 3