I'm not nearly as much as a gamer as I used to be, so it's a big deal when I go out and rent or buy a new game :) Anyway, I rented Forza Motorsport this weekend and played it a bit. As far as racing games go, I've been loyal to the last three generations of the Grand Turismo games on PS2, so much of my evaluation of Forza is in comparison or contrast with GT.

Likes:

• XBox Live integration. Instantaneous leaderboard updates, auto clubs, etc etc etc.
• Paint and decal customization. This is sweet. When I first started playing I thought for sure that customizing your car's appearance would come at a cost, but it's completely free in the game.
• Damage. The GT games have no damage visualization whatsoever. Seeing my front hood crumple up for the first time was a joyous sight.
• Sound effects. I really like the sounds of the engines, crashes, bumps, brakes, and roads. Much more realistic than GT.

Dislikes:

• The soundtrack. I don't know what it is specifically that bugs me. The classic rock feel? The thin sound of the snare? I don't know. Minor detail.
• Hrmmmm. I think if I played it more I'd find some more, but otherwise I can't think of any others.

Other characteristics like graphics, the feel of driving, car upgrades, equipment tuning and adjustments, and career mode were on par with GT. The feel of driving was different than GT, but the attention to detail was there (e.g. how the controls reacted to oversteer/understeer, etc).

Overall it has some nicer features than GT, but I'm on the fence about buying it. I could tell after a few hours that I'd get a little bored with it after a while. I haven't played GT for a while for that reason. The XBox Live aspect of the game seems like a lot of fun, but I just don't see myself interacting very with very many other gamers. There's one guy I know who plays Forza a lot. I've just never really been the type to make friends on XBox Live.