One of the plus sides of almost never finishing computer games is that when I’m stuck between releases I can go back and play a game I’ve left behind. Normally I just get sidetracked before I can finish out the game. Sometimes, as is the case with Forza 2, there’s just too much to do to “complete” the game in a reasonable amount of time. At least for someone of my skill level.

I had forgotten how amazing Forza 2 is. It really holds up well against anything I’ve bought recently, and I was dragged back into the leveling system almost immediately. There are so many cars, so many tracks... there is just so much STUFF. This game is a real gem. Despite my limited ability, I really got into this game when it came out, and I even got into painting cars for a while. Not long enough to get any good at it, mind you.

The beauty of Forza 2 lies in the way it embraces people who know nothing about cars and perhaps not a lot more about racing games, but like playing video games in general. A lot of people talk about the racing line, a guideline alternating in colour between green, red and orange to indicate good braking technique. That’s just part of it though; Forza 2 feels welcoming to people who aren’t sure where to start when it comes to tuning up a car’s suspension without alienating people who are really, really into that kind of thing.

It’s gotten me really excited for Forza 3, a game I had somehow forgot about until recently. Forza 2 is one of the few games I really got into playing online, and it’s the main draw for the sequel. The first two Forza games did a fantastic job of integrating a single player career with online play. If Forza 3 can bring this to another level, I will be hopelessly addicted.

There is one drawback, though, one that reminds me why I stopped playing the game: it gets tense. In most racing games I cheat the system disgracefully by amassing enough in-game finances to buy cars that blow the opposition away, at least on straightaways, and grind my way home. This is possible in Forza 2, but I find myself in situations where one small mistake effectively ends my involvement in the race. This, allied with my own fragile psyche, results in lots of spinning off the track on final laps. Most of my “replaying” of the game has involved learning and relearning how to take each corner of a particular track. This hasn’t stopped my enjoyment of the game. I am in video game fail heaven and I love it.

One of the plus sides of almost never finishing computer games is that when I’m stuck between releases I can go back and play a game I’ve left behind. Normally I just get sidetracked before I can finish out the game. Sometimes, as is the case with Forza 2, there’s just too much to do to “complete” the game in a reasonable amount of time. At least for someone of my skill level.

I had forgotten how amazing Forza 2 is. It really holds up well against anything I’ve bought recently, and I was dragged back into the leveling system almost immediately. There are so many cars, so many tracks... there is just so much STUFF. This game is a real gem. Despite my limited ability, I really got into this game when it came out, and I even got into painting cars for a while. Not long enough to get any good at it, mind you.

The beauty of Forza 2 lies in the way it embraces people who know nothing about cars and perhaps not a lot more about racing games, but like playing video games in general. A lot of people talk about the racing line, a guideline alternating in colour between green, red and orange to indicate good braking technique. That’s just part of it though; Forza 2 feels welcoming to people who aren’t sure where to start when it comes to tuning up a car’s suspension without alienating people who are really, really into that kind of thing.

It’s gotten me really excited for Forza 3, a game I had somehow forgot about until recently. Forza 2 is one of the few games I really got into playing online, and it’s the main draw for the sequel. The first two Forza games did a fantastic job of integrating a single player career with online play. If Forza 3 can bring this to another level, I will be hopelessly addicted.

There is one drawback, though, one that reminds me why I stopped playing the game: it gets tense. In most racing games I cheat the system disgracefully by amassing enough in-game finances to buy cars that blow the opposition away, at least on straightaways, and grind my way home. This is possible in Forza 2, but I find myself in situations where one small mistake effectively ends my involvement in the race. This, allied with my own fragile psyche, results in lots of spinning off the track on final laps. Most of my “replaying” of the game has involved learning and relearning how to take each corner of a particular track. This hasn’t stopped my enjoyment of the game. I am in video game fail heaven and I love it.

I was thinking about borrowing my nephew's copy of Forza 2. I've been in the mood for speed and free/borrowed is for me.

I  was reading about Forza 3 yesterday and remembered I had Forza 2 hidden away. I'd only completed 2 races then never got back to playing it. Not for any particular reason other than there was so much else to play and I hadn't touched the career mode. Started that today and realised there's a lot of fun to be had.
 
Are you looking forward to the time rewind feature in Forza 3, or will that take the edge off those tense races?
 
Nice article btw.

ive actually been taking last 2 months away from Forza 2 so i can refresh my racing batteries and not get burned out so fast when ill be playing it 24/7 atleast till mw2. Forza2 has been the game that my 360 has seen the most of i also  did career mode twice -1st time just to unlock stuff then a 2nd time to better my ranking on the tracks n overall career rankings 
 
being in a racing clan myself i have seen many folks come an go they dont put enuff time into it to get faster cuz u cant expect to be the fastest in the game right from the start. they also seem to get overwhelmed when it comes to the tuning aspect but luckily if you happen to run wit some friends that can tune cars like i do all ya gotta do is ask and they will share a tune wit ya, well most folks will lol. 
 
dont forget Forza 3 Demo coming this Thursday on the 24th about a full month before the actual release of the game :D    

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Oh man, I did the same thing and pulled out Forza 2.  My brother got it used with the Marvle Ultimate Alliance game and he never used it.  I decided to pull it out just because of how exciting all the stuff they are doing with Forza 3 sounds.  But in my experience Forza has been one of those titles to drop in price pretty fast.
I am so amazed by what people have done with the custom painting and wonder if i can come up with anything close to what is in my head.  I have been playing Forza 2 because I just want to get a feel for the game so i can be into Forza 3 when it comes out.

I think Forza is a good product on a technical level, but every time I tried to grind through the extensive career mode, it just reminded how much more I liked the games that blended simulation and an "arcady" feel. Like the PGR series pre-PGR4. 
 
I'm sort of dancing around getting Forza 3, but I'm afraid I'll probably lose interest in the game after a few hours with the career. And since I'm not skilled enough at the game, and not interested enough to get better, the online portion has little appeal for me.