Forza Motorsport 7 Review in Progress

First impressions of Turn 10's gigantic racer.

By Luke Reilly

[Editor’s Note: Because Microsoft didn’t send out review copies until Wednesday, we’re still working on our review. We’re aiming to have it completed early next week, but for those of you who want our early impressions, here’s what Luke thinks of Forza Motorsport 7 so far.]

My first day and a half with Forza Motorsport 7 was spent doing much the same as I’ve done with every previous instalment: attempting to move through the solo campaign while allowing myself to become occasionally distracted by experimenting with interesting new car and track combos (and with more cars and tracks than ever, there are plenty of those). Overall, it’s a fairly familiar experience thus far, and one that hasn’t deviated much from the time-tested loop established by genre kingpin Gran Turismo back in 1997. Beating opponents, winning credits, and injecting those credits back into the next race by buying better parts and collecting new cars are again the core concerns. In other words, I can confirm that this is definitely a Forza Motorsport game.

Forza Motorsport 7 is drop-dead gorgeous and marches at a steadfast and decisively locked 60 frames per second under every circumstance.

The Forza Motorsport series’ key pillars have always been its technical strength and its sheer breadth of content, and they remain so here. As usual, Forza Motorsport 7 is drop-dead gorgeous and marches at a steadfast and decisively locked 60 frames per second under every circumstance. Also as usual, it’s arrived with a very respectable smorgasbord of the world’s most renowned tracks, as well as cars from all corners of the globe (over 700 if you go by the bullet points, though slightly fewer if you take out the pre-customised “Forza Edition” doubles). To me, the controller handling feels as if it’s been honed to convey more heft, but it’s not a drastic departure from the fun handling model of past Forza games. It’s still quite straightforward to hold satisfying drift angles, poising your car sideways on the throttle. I’m still testing settings across two different wheels for Xbox One and PC (IGN’s team in the US has experienced errors downloading the game on PC but my limited experience out of Australia on PC has been fine so far, with my save migrating from Xbox One to PC and back seamlessly).

It does seem like it’s pivoted just enough from Forza Motorsport 6 to establish itself as a worthwhile upgrade, however, and combined with the tweaks to the driving experience, the massaged sound, and the much-improved track atmosphere, this year’s edition already feels like the definitive Forza Motorsport game by any measure.

Forza Motorsport 7 contains a more linear and structured solo experience than previous games, but the biggest shift is how developer Turn 10 has doubled down on the car collecting. The cars are now arranged in tiers, and the more of them you have the further up these tiers you’ll be able to pluck cars from.

Forza Motorsport 7 functions just as well as a virtual car museum as it does a video game.

I think it works, considering that Forza Motorsport 7 functions just as well as a virtual car museum as it does a video game, and I can’t really find too much wrong with anything that encourages people to interact with cars they may not have ever heard of otherwise. I’m all for folks having their (Forza) horizons broadened. As someone who enjoys compulsively collecting, customising, and experimenting with as many cars as I can afford, having a collection system that rewards me for amassing a warehouse full of rides with access to higher-end and rarer cars is actually quite motivating.

For anybody who has previously maintained narrow, ruthlessly curated personal garages within older Forza games, the change may be a bit unwelcome; accumulation for the sake of accumulation, perhaps. It also does admittedly smack a little of Gran Turismo 5’s aggravating XP system, which locked cars you could otherwise afford from purchase until you’d reached an arbitrary level. Unlike GT, however, Forza Motorsport 7 still allows you to drive anything you want in Free Play, so nothing is ever totally inaccessible.

One of the most welcome changes I’ve found for now is the varied time-of-day track lighting. Unlike Forza 5 and Forza 6, where all tracks are snapshots of a certain time of day and temperature, Forza 7’s tracks take on a new look: one time through you’ll see baking midday sun, another an overcast dusk with the low sun glowing a deep orange behind the grey clouds. The weather isn’t always fixed anymore, either, and some tracks can be set to shift from dry to wet. The wet surfaces look absolutely stunning when the heavens open up but not all tracks support this stuff, though, and Forza Motorsport 7 doesn’t offer the same level of nuance in terms of dictating the precise time and weather scenarios for your custom races as Project CARS 2 does.

There’s also the added shake and vibrating wipers and such in cabin view, which adds a bit of ferocity that’s probably been lacking from Forza.

But there are plenty of other adjustments I’ve been pleased to see, from the new ability to lengthen otherwise-short races (to give yourself time to chase down the top-tier AI) to the even more aggressive audio work, which sounds especially terrific and raw in the chase cam perspective. There’s also the added shake and vibrating wipers and such in cabin view, which adds a bit of ferocity that’s probably been lacking from Forza – particularly for those like me who tend to play from behind the wheel. I don’t doubt I’ll notice more flourishes over the coming weekend.

One thing I definitely can’t see myself warming to, however, is the new loot box system. Honestly, it’s just not a phenomenon I remotely understand. I’m keenly aware that somehow prize boxes have been successfully implemented in a range of hugely popular games (Overwatch being the prime example), but it’s just not for me. Fortunately, in the case of Forza Motorsport 7 you’re only exchanging in-game currency to purchase prize crates – there isn’t any way to acquire them with Earth dollars, at least for now – but it just seems unnecessarily nebulous to me. I can’t really see what it adds to the game, I guess.

I’ll be progressing further through the solo features and trialling multiplayer over the weekend. We’ll have our final review and video review for Forza Motorsport 7 up early next week.

Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter @MrLukeReilly.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

The Best Midrange Gaming Headset for 2017

Because your ears (and games) deserve the best.

By Josh Norem

Be sure to visit IGN Tech for all the latest comprehensive hands-on reviews and best-of roundups. Note that if you click on one of these links to buy the product, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.

Updated: September 2017

A high-quality gaming headset is one of the most overlooked improvements you can make to your gaming setup. Spending just a little bit of cash can get you a great PC gaming headset that's super comfortable and can really make a huge difference in games. It's a wise long term investment in your gaming happiness. Not only can picking up the best headset for gaming make games more immersive than you might have realized was possible, but they can allow for better communication between teammates as well. Whether you pick a wireless or wired option, you can't go wrong. Also, these days a lot of headphones include 7.1 surround sound, so you can have much better situational awareness, giving you a pretty sweet advantage over those chumps still using a cheapy headset.

Buying the right headset for your needs can be tricky though, as there are a jillion varieties. It doesn't help that prices range from $25 to $300 and they all pretty much look the same. In our opinion, the sweet spot for quality and features versus price is right around $75 to $100, so we gathered up five headsets in this price range and sent them to our experts. With their investigations concluded we can dutifully report their findings and share with your our pick for best midrange headset. These are our picks for best gaming headsets under $100:

The Best Midrange Gaming Headset

Kingston HyperX Cloud II

The Kingston HyperX Cloud II headset is best midrange headset because it's the whole package. Not only does it do job #1 quite well in that it delivers punchy, ear-tingling audio, but it has awesome features other headsets lack, and goes above and beyond what you expect from a headset for $99. For example, though it's a USB headset you can simply disconnect its cable from the included 7.1 surround sound dongle and connect it to any device with a 3.5mm jack, including an Xbox or your phone. "But wouldn't that look weird at a coffee shop?" you ask. Yes it would, so Kingston has designed it so you can remove the boom mic by just unplugging it - brilliant! It also features replaceable earcups in case the oval ones that come with it don't fit your ears, and it also includes a swank mesh bag to stow the whole kit in when you travel. Put all these awesome ingredients together and you have one righteous headset at a sweet, sweet price.

More Great Options

Maybe you don't like the looks of the HyperX Cloud II, or just prefer a different type of headset. If that's the case here are a few more options for you to consider:

HyperX Cloud Alpha

HyperX updated its original Cloud headset by infusing it with an all-new dual-chamber design that uses separate chambers to produce bass and mids and highs. It works too, as they sound pretty awesome and don't distort even when cranked to 11. They are sort of a lateral move from the Cloud II as they don't include 7.1 surround sound, so you'll have to give that up if you want the Alpha. It's not a bad compromise for gaming though, as stereo sound is always a bit punchier, and both headsets are all-day comfortable and cross platform too.

Razer Kraken Pro V2

Razer makes excellent hardware, and it's Kraken Pro V2 are no exception. Its Pro V2 set offers beefy 50mm drivers, a slick retractable microphone, and look all-business. Throw in Razer's full-featured Synapse software which includes virtual 7.1 surround sound, and you have a very well-rounded package for just $80.

Logitech Prodigy 433

The Logitech G433 are awesome because though they are designed to provide wired 7.1 surround sound, they include accessory cables that let you connect them to a gaming console or your phone and laptop, making them great for all your gaming needs. We're not too wild about the red, blue, or blue camo colors, but the all-black version is pretty sweet. They also sound great, have washable earcups, and are light and comfy.

Corsair VOID Pro RGB

Corsair just updated its VOID headset and added the Pro label to it, as it's been improved in a lot of little ways. Corsair claims it has better audio, a better microphone, and improved wireless range. It's one of the best wireless headsets at this price range, and it has Dolby 7.1 Surround Sound too.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Flashpoint's Iris West May Come from a Different Time Period

"I want my Iris West to be its own world."

By Alex Osborn

Kiersey Clemons, who will star as Iris West in Flashpoint, discussed her role in the upcoming DC film, hinting at the possibility of her character coming from a different time period.

Speaking to ET Online, Clemons said that "because of going back and forth past and future with The Flash, you don't even know what time period you actually meet Iris." According to the actress, they're still deciding how to develop her character and handle her relationship with The Flash/Barry Allen in the movie.

Clemons also discussed the status of the movie, saying, "We're in the process of still replacing our director. We just got a new script." Last year, director Rick Famuyiwa exited the project, which Clemons previously said she found "very upsetting," as his involvement was a major reason she wanted to do the film.

Reiterating comments she made earlier this year about differentiating herself from The CW's version of Iris, Clemons said, "I haven't tried to pull from her at all," adding, "I want my Iris West to be its own world."

While Clemons was expected to make her cinematic debut as Iris West in Justice League, her scenes have reportedly been cut from the film.

For more on Flashpoint, which is rumored to feature Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, check out our comprehensive look at all the major characters in the Flashpoint comics story.

Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @alexcosborn.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Marvel's Inhumans Is Still Bad Even With Extra TV Footage

Ten minutes of new footage won't save this sinking ship.

By Joshua Yehl

Marvel’s Inhumans debuted in IMAX theaters earlier this month, and tonight the show debuted on television. The IMAX version combined the first two episodes into a movie, whereas ABC ran the first pair of episodes back-to-back as a two-part premiere. It was revealed ahead of release that the TV version would have about 10 minutes of extra footage, so here’s a breakdown of what’s different and whether it changes the quality of the show.

Warning: this article contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Inhumans!

What’s Different in the TV Version?

The only noticeable difference is an extra storyline featured only in the TV version. Remember when Gorgon stomped on the moon rover with his hoof? It turns out that a glimpse of his hoof was noticed by a human scientist named Louise (Ellen Woglom), who was monitoring the rover’s camera feed. She works at a private aerospace company as their space and lunar expert. Spurred on by curiosity, she investigates what we know to be the Inhumans who live on the moon inside the city of Attilan.

Is It Worth Rewatching the TV Version?

If you saw Inhumans in IMAX and want to keep watching the show on TV, I would definitely recommend rewatching it from the beginning on TV. Louise is the focus of a subplot that will continue on through the rest of the show’s eight episodes, so if Inhumans IMAX watchers skip right to the third episode, they’ll miss her introduction and be wondering who the heck this scientist woman is.

Does the Extra Footage Make Inhumans Any Better?

Admittedly, Inhumans does benefit from having a human character who is learning about the Inhumans for the first time along with the audience, but the show is so poorly executed on every level that the inclusion of a gateway character means next to nothing. It certainly doesn’t magically redeem Marvel’s worst-ever TV show and suddenly make it watchable. If the superpowered good boy that is Lockjaw didn’t have that ability, then Louise certainly doesn’t, either.

For more on why I didn’t like the show, you can check out my full review of Marvel’s Inhumans: “The First Chapter.” Even after seeing the differences between the IMAX and TV version, I wouldn’t change a word.

Joshua is IGN’s Comics Editor. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

iPhone 8 Review

Share.

A great, fast phone, but without the shiny newness that made the early models feel special.

By Dan Stapleton

If it appears as though Apple is no longer trying to surprise and excite us with its annual iPhone revisions… it’s because it’s not. Now that the main iPhone has become the standard smartphone rather than a luxury item, Apple has reserved its real ambition for the upcoming iPhone X and its edge-to-edge screen. That leaves the iPhone 8 as an incremental upgrade over the iPhone 7, which was itself an incremental upgrade over the iPhone 6s, and the 6 before that.

The fact that you could easily mistake the iPhone 8 for its three-generation-old ancestor at a glance doesn’t mean it isn’t a great phone, because it absolutely is. By nearly every measure it’s the most powerful phone out there, and it matches or beats most of its competition with a high-quality camera (by smartphone standards) and a pocket full of excellent features. What it lacks in razzle-dazzle, it makes up for in high-quality construction and tested dependability.

“

There are a few telltale signs that this isn’t last year’s phone.

When you get up close, there are a few telltale signs that this isn’t last year’s phone. The back of the iPhone 8 is glass instead of aluminum, giving it a subtle but beautiful glossy look and more traction against your fingers. The downside is that it’s more expensive to repair than past iPhones if you break it – a case is recommended. It still has the solid Home button of the iPhone 7, which replaces the physical button press with a simulated click created by a sharp, short vibration. (That takes a little getting used to when coming from a 6S or older, but soon feels natural.) You’ll also notice that this is the second generation of iPhone without a headphone jack after its controversial removal from the iPhone 7, and if that’s a dealbreaker for you, the deal remains broken. Though Bluetooth headphones are great, it’s still a pain when you want to plug into both power and audio and can’t, even with the included adapter.

The base model iPhone 8 is $50 more expensive than the iPhone 7 was at launch, but that’s justified because it comes in 64GB for $699 instead of the cramped 32GB offered in the 7. That price is competitive with the Samsung Galaxy S8. For the high end, Apple skipped straight to 256GB for $849, dropping the middle-of-the-road 128GB option. But, as usual, there’s still no MicroSD slot for expanding storage – an area where most Android devices continue to have an upper hand.

But one of the big steps up this year is the processing power, which Apple claims is comparable to a Macbook Air. That’s definitely worth some bragging rights, and it’s impressive to cram so much power into such a small package. But when you have all of that in the palm of your hand, what do you do with it? Right now, outside of video editing and exporting on your phone, there’s not a lot that can take advantage of it. The iPhone 7 is already more than powerful enough to run anything on the App Store, so nothing makes the 8 break a sweat. What you’re really getting here is future-proofing: the iPhone 8 gives you a high degree of confidence that it’ll handle anything developers throw at it for the next several years. That said, when the iPhone 8 is under stress you can feel it. The top half of the phone can get uncomfortably hot.

The iPhone 8 (left), iPhone 8 Plus (center), and iPhone X (right).

For the moment, though, the day-to-day experience of using an iPhone 8 isn’t drastically different from the past couple of generations of iPhone. Some applications will open slightly faster, but it hasn’t been a night-and-day difference compared to an iPhone 6S, and there are still roughly the same number of small hitches when scrolling through applications like Twitter or your web browser of choice.

“

Display improvements this year are subtle.

The iPhone 8’s screen is the same 1334x750 resolution as it’s been since the iPhone 6, which is hard to complain about at 4.7 inches. The display improvements this year are subtle, including marginally brighter colors, but the most noticeable difference is that it automatically adjusts to the color to match light in the room to be easier on your eyes, similar to Apple’s Night Shift for Mac or the third-party Fl.ux utility for Mac or Windows. It’s a nice effect, especially in low light. But this is still can’t match the quality of an OLED screen, as found in high-end Android phones like the Galaxy Note 8, and soon the iPhone X.

The camera is another area with incremental improvements. Photos from the rear camera are the same 12-megapixel resolution as the iPhone 6s and 7, but a larger sensor captures more detail. Its contrast is stronger and has improved dynamic range (HDR is always on, but you can access a non-HDR version of your photo if you like), which gives better results when shooting scenes with both light and darkened areas. It also produces more accurate color than the 7, though it tends to oversaturate blues and reds slightly, and the strong contrast can create some haloing. All in all, it’s one of the best smartphone cameras for a 4.7-inch phone you can get.

In video mode the difference is more pronounced: this camera can record in 4K up to 60 frames per second, up from 30. It can also capture 240 frames per second in 1080p for slow-motion video, where the iPhone 7 was limited to 720p. But of course, if you’re really after the best quality smartphone photos and optical zoom, the iPhone 8 Plus’ dual-lens camera is the way to go.

Battery life in the iPhone 8 is up to the same all-day standard as the iPhone 7, even though the battery is slightly lower capacity. It’s easily survived a full day of moderate use, including around an hour of gaming time, with room to spare. While it’s obviously not as long-lived as the larger and heavier iPhone 8 Plus, it’s likely to be sufficient for most people.

“

It’s extremely convenient to simply plop your phone down on a nightstand to charge.

Charging up again is an area where the iPhone 8 has added a meaningful new feature: It’s the first iPhone to use the Qi wireless charging standard. That means you can pick up a charger for around $15, and it’s extremely convenient to be able to simply plop your phone down on a nightstand at night instead of fiddling with a cord or dock connector. It even works through a case. But keep in mind that this is a feature that’s been available on competing Android phones since 2012 – Apple is finally catching up here.

Wireless charging is slower than with a cable, but if you’re in a hurry the iPhone 8 supports fast-charging technology that pumps the battery up to 50% in 30 minutes. That’s impressive, but not cheap: that feature requires a heavy-duty 30W power adapter and a USB-C to Lightning adapter, which Apple will charge you around $75 for. (You can save a little money by buying third-party accessories.)

Most of the other new features are part of iOS 11 and work on the iPhone 6S or later, not just the iPhone 8. Most notable among them is the support for augmented reality, or AR. Right now it’s pretty gimmicky – you can do things like place virtual Ikea furniture in your home and then view it from any angle by looking through the phone – but now that millions of iPhone users have hardware that can do it, AR is the kind of fertile ground where a killer app could spring up at any moment.

iPhone 8

The iPhone 8 is Apple's eighth-generation smartphone device.

The Verdict

The iPhone 8 represents a healthy update in key areas over last year’s model, making it a reliable go-to phone with nearly all of the expected features. In fact, it has more power than it knows what to do with right now, which at least makes it feel future proof. Its camera also makes meaningful improvements in stills and video, and the wireless charging is a long-overdue addition. But the iPhone 8 also feels routine when placed next to its older siblings, and without a must-have feature it’s tempting to consider the iPhone 7 to save money or the iPhone X for what looks like a more exciting upgrade.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Nintendo Blocks Its YouTube Affiliates From Livestreaming Its Titles

Nintendo Creators are warned to avoid livestreams of Nintendo titles.

By Sam Stewart

Nintendo has announced new policy that restricts livestreaming of its games on YouTube.

The announcement was originally made in an email to members of its Nintendo Creators Program, which gives members rights to monetize videos of Nintendo games on YouTube as long as they meet specific guidelines.

It would appear that these rules no longer extend to YouTube Gaming Livestreams, which the email says "fall outside the scope of the Nintendo Creators Program."

To add to the confusion, Nintendo points out that Nintendo Creators are free to create a second account to livestream its games on, or otherwise remove themselves from the Creators Program and register their videos for manual review.

No doubt these changes were prompted by some high profile YouTube Gaming Live incidents, which Nintendo hopes to avoid being attached to its titles.

Nintendo's Creators Program, which you can read more about here, has drawn plenty of ire in its short existence. However, as we reported on back when it launched, it is also incredibly popular.

Sam Stewart is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Let's block ads! (Why?)

What Is and Isn't in FIFA 18 on Nintendo Switch

Ultimate Team is included, but League Battles and The Journey are gone.

By Jonathon Dornbush

FIFA 18 marks the long-running soccer franchise’s return to Nintendo systems after an absence since 2014. But the return of EA’s series, now on the NIntendo Switch, isn’t without its drawbacks.

EA has previously disclosed that FIFA 18 wouldn’t be feature-complete when compared to the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, as well as that it’s not running on EA’s internal Frostbite engine. With the game now out, and headlining one of Switch’s most-packed release weeks yet, we have a clearer picture of what is — and what isn’t — included in the Switch version of FIFA 18, as well as some explanation from previous EA interviews about these features’ respective absences.

With that in mind, read on for a list of what’s missing compared to FIFA’s other versions, which IGN has already reviewed on Xbox One and PS4.

The Journey and the Frostbite Engine

Ahead of FIFA’s showing at the E3-adjacent event EA Play, a FIFA 18 trailer confirmed that The Journey: Hunter Returns, the latest FIFA’s story mode, would not be available in the Switch version. Additionally, the game would not be produced in EA’s Frostbite engine, used for a number of its games including Star Wars Battlefront, Battlefield, and, well, FIFA 18 on other platforms.

The absence of The Journey is, according to EA, due to the absence of Frostbite on the Switch version.

“The Journey is powered by Frostbite. When we looked at the platform and its unique features, we made the choice of custom-building the game,” producer Andrei Lazarescu said during E3.

But Frostbite isn’t being used because EA couldn’t get it to run, according to Lazarescu — the company just felt a unique engine would better suit this iteration.

"It's not that you can't get Frostbite on it. It's just that we felt this custom-built engine would build the better experience,” he said at the time.

As Lazarescu explained at the time, EA looks at the Switch version as a “completely different FIFA experience on a completely different platform.”

Squad Battles and Weekend League

FIFA 18 on Switch does have the Ultimate Team mode, however plenty of recent additions to the series' mode like Squad Battles and Weekend League are unavailable. Squad Battles tasks players on other platforms with playing a set of games to earn points and climb leaderboards, while Weekend League offers weekend tournaments with great prizes.

In a more recent interview, Lazarescu explained "If you look at the history of Ultimate Team on the likes of Sony or Microsoft—I think it's a seven year history if I recall correctly. If you throw everything from the get go to a completely new player base, you might not get the desired result."

Essentially, EA did not want to overwhelm new players when others have gotten used to them progressively over the course of years.

Echoing the belief that the Switch version is meant to be a different experience, Lazaercu said EA views the Switch FIFA as a more social iteration.

Online Play With Friends

Looking to go head-to-head with your pals in FIFA 18 online? Unfortunately, you can’t, according to Eurogamer.

While the Switch version supports online play, there’s no matchmaking function to use your Switch’s friend list and match up with a friend.

Of course, while the Switch does have a built-in friends list, it currently lacks an expansive online service, as Nintendo delayed the Switch’s paid online network to 2018.

Transfer Negotiations, Release Clauses, Some Player Formations

While FIFA 18 does have a career mode, some tweaks have also been made here as well. Transfer negotiations, as well as release clauses, are not available on the Switch version.

And, as reported by Kotaku UK, some player formations have been removed from the game as well. Whereas EA has explained the absence of modes wholesale, there is no current explanation for the slimming down of these options in content that does exist.

Reduced Presentation

Also reported by Kotaku, the actual environmental detail of the game has been reduced as compared to other versions. It won’t affect the pure gameplay necessarily, but fan chants and lighting are reportedly less complex than on other platforms.

So, how does FIFA 18 play on Switch?

Of course, if you’re looking to see what an actual, full match of FIFA 18 looks like, IGN has you covered:

But fear not, FIFA on Switch may see enhancements in the future. Lazarescu recently said “ think we are going to see more FIFA on Switch in the future.”

So What Does FIFA 18 on Switch Include?

As mentioned about, FIFA 18 does offer Ultimate Team, albeit missing some features, a Career mode, online and local multiplayer, Kickoff, and Local Seasons. Ultimate Team will include Icons, allowing players to experience soccer legends with Ultimate Team's Stories mode.

FIFA 18 on Switch also supports a split Joy-Con mode, so players can compete 1-on-1 on a single Switch without extra controllers needed.

For more discussion about FIFA 18 on Switch — and everything else released for Nintendo's console this week, be sure to check out the latest episode of IGN's podcast Nintendo Voice Chat.

Jonathon Dornbush is an Associate Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Let's block ads! (Why?)