Well, the time is finally here. After weeks of being meticulously put together by the folks over at Digital Foundry - the outlet's big Forza Motorsport vs. Gran Turismo 7 tech breakdown has officially landed.
If you've got the time, and the desire, we've dropped DF's in-depth graphics comparison up above. Be warned though; it's over an hour long and goes into incredible detail on how these two games stack up against each other. With that in mind, we'll summarise the breakdown here and pick out some key quotes on what Digital Foundry makes of the two titles.
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In short, both games have their positives and negatives overall - with Forza often putting forward a more 'subdued' presentation while GT7 typically looks brighter with colours that really pop. The overall look of the two games honestly comes down to personal preference in most cases.
However, the outlet does note that car models have the edge in Gran Turismo 7 overall - with PlayStation developer Polyphony Digital modelling its vehicles to the most minute of details. Cars still look very impressive in Forza Motorsport, but GT7 wins out here when you look up close. This helps contribute to DF giving GT7 the nod overall:
"After speaking with the entire DF team and based on the experiences of playing both games, we've decided that Gran Turismo 7 gets the nod as the more visually striking game of the two."
Even with a conclusion that slightly favours Gran Turismo 7, Turn 10 has done fantastic work with the tech behind Forza Motorsport. Digital Foundry was keen to end its comparison with a tip of the hat to both developers:
"Whichever you play, however, there's little doubt that both teams have poured their souls into creating these games. Creating something at this level and this quality is exceptionally difficult - even the smallest error is picked up on by the hardcore. Over the last two weeks, pulling these games apart, my respect and admiration for both Polyphony and Turn 10 has only increased and I cannot wait to see where they go next."
What do you think to the two games overall? Discuss Xbox and PlayStation's premiere racing titles down below.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 27
Both have good and bad but for some reason I feel like I’m watching paint dry with GT7. It has better presentation but dull racing IMO. I also prefer not having rolling starts like GT7.
Graphics are the least of Forza Motorsports issues. It's just so 'soulless' compared to GT7 in presentation - it's the small details in the UI and the flow from one race to another. Racing games are more than technical showcases and GT7 has an appreciation for car culture which FM just doesn't have - really disappointed in it.
Technically, it's concerning that a game 'next-gen only' is less impressive than a cross-gen release.
@outswimmingtheflood This quite nicely sums up my thoughts on the pair as well. On the track FM does a great job but GT7 has me hooked for the first time since the GT4 days. The challenges, rewards, dealerships, the way you move around the overhead map UI. It's all just so inviting in a way that FM isn't.
@outswimmingtheflood I was just coming to say something very similar. It feels that this version of Forza plays it very safe even to the point where it comes off dull in terms of presentation.
I love both but prefer Forza for its accessibility and generally shorter races. GT is more responsive with controls and looks a bit sharper.
Yup echoing other opinions, I like FM but it feels sanitised and a bit boring compared to the fun of Forza Horizon 5.
GT I used to enjoy but find a bit soulless too - it was addictive in the early days but other racers were just more fun to me.
Guess I'm more an arcade than sim racer given my love of the Horizon series...
Also given how much effort Horizon puts into the cars despite being more about fun and open world, how have Turn 10 not managed to at least match the GT7 level?
Honestly while I'm glad FM exists it does feel like Turn 10 are going more after the hardcore sim racers who've mostly moved on, than their fans who lived PGR and earlier Forzas - the lack of option for music irritates me and there's just a general lack of fun.
Honestly I think Playground are by far the better ForzaTech developers now, not just for how they push the engine to deliver beautiful open worlds but how they deliver fun and that addictive desire for "one more race", while FM I'm often feeling "thank god that race is finished"
Watched DF analysis yesterday, and I have to say I agree with almost everything said.
Somehow, GT7 looks better and more approachable (which is ironic as GT games usually are overwhelming with their large lists of menus, options, settings..). However, I feel like most visual concerns on FM side can be addressed with patches over upcoming months. There is no huge gap between the games.
When it comes to gameplay though, GT7 is just in a class of it's own (only thing I don't appreciate is the insistence on rolling start).
Even with a conclusion that slightly favours Gran Turismo 7, Turn 10 has done fantastic work with the tech behind Forza Motorsport
Clearly not fantastic enough( to better a cross gen game) , but it's understandable since we are on PX😉.
Very disappointed with the downgrade since it was first revealed though, none the less it drives like a dream and I love it.
@Kaloudz How about those us interested in the technology used to bring these games to life, be allowed to analyse and discuss this?
If you bothered to watch this, you would see a lovingly crafted video made by someone who celebrates the ingenuity and passion that both teams brought to their games which gives great insight into how these games were brought to life. Its not a nit picking fan piece constructed to amplify trivial differences as you so erroneously try to suggest.
Trivialising this simply because its not providing you with the sound byte you want, says a lot more about you than it does about those with an interest in modern game engines.
Whilst both games can look very pretty, only one game feels like a good game to me, but that's not what this article or original piece is about.
Own gt7 and played Forza ...In motion can't say I have noticed a difference...on some still photos I think GT cars look slightly better and the tracks look better on forza...but Forza actual driving feels alot better to me
@StylesT Agree, Forza have a nicer feeling while driving and unlike GT7 it feels when you hit another car. In GT7 I do not feel if a CPU driver touch my car!
I love how Microsoft has the "most powerful console on the planet" and three years later, it has yet to prove that they have the "most powerful console on the planet."
@Kaloudz let’s be honest if it said that forza looked better you would be shouting it from the rooftops like you usually do
Visually I think they both look amazing in different ways and there are some things in FM that are superior to GT7 like crash physics and car deformation. Both studios deserve plenty of praise.
But the attention to detail in GT7 trumps FM, it is abundantly clear the GT7 developers are massive petrol-heads and sticklers for the most minute details.
I watched this yesterday and was genuinely shocked when John compared the tracks in game to IRL data from Google Maps and other sources. Things like the treeline matching in GT7 and even specific tree placements and types, to the design of rain grates and more. It's going well above and beyond what anyone should expect really. I feel for Turn 10 here as what they have done in this regard is really amazing, but just not AS good.
Unfortunately as a game experience is where FM falls behind, it's just not set up as well and they need to add plenty of content here. That's the most important difference and leaves plenty of room to improve.
This is all while GT7 is a PS4/5 game that came out March of 22. While Forza is a current gen exclusive that came out over a year and a half later.
@Kaloudz
'just to point out that one of two (or more) things have a minimalistic edge over the other? Geez...'
Your characterisation of what this piece is about is clearly intended to trivialise it, and shows you have not watched what you are attempting to belittle.
As for where this began, it clearly began when people started making similar consumer goods? Comparison of, for instance, how car makers use different technologies to bring similar models to market is a much read topic covered extensively, as people like to know how stuff is made.
Nobody has said you cant share an opinion on anything,. Except in this case, I think its unfair of you to trivialise an excellent piece of work without even watching it.
Im clearly suggesting that had the summery have concluded a slight advantage in Forzas direction, your attitude would have been very different. I see someone has already pointed this out and you hate being called out for it, but they obviously read this site like I do, and you comments often sound like they are coming directly from an MS marketting statement. 'outspoken against xbox' - Ive never seen it, I believe you are delusional on that point.
I dont intend to argue further, when its so clear you are uncomfortable having your motivations questioned.
Its not unreasonable to see value in the work John put into this piece and to object to you trivialising it as fanboy nit picking. Its clearly not, and surely you must accept its not an unusual interest and was not made to throw shade at anyones favourite plastic box.
Id rather end on a point of agreement. If Im choosing a game to drive cars, I would reject neither of these based on looks. But I am fascinated on how a cross gen GT manages to still compete and even beat the visual impact of Motorsport. I designed technical pipelines for AAA video games for two decades of my life - I can assure you my interest is not fuelled by getting a minor bragging point against your favourite box.
I don’t play racing games outside of Mario Kart and i liked MotorStorm on PS3. So i don’t have the ability to comment on GT and Forza. However i will say i expected Forza to have more fan luster than it did. I won’t say it’s a dead game release for 2023, but i don’t think from the sounds of fan’s that it moved the needle much and that is concerning.
This also doesn't 'compare' whether all that 'extra' work on Physics like the tyre contact points etc has had any major difference in the way the cars feel when driving.
I'd likely accept that 'Forza' perhaps has sacrificed some 'visual' elements if they traded the resources required for those in a meaningful way that separated the games in the way the cars feel, handle etc.
I must agree that as a 'game' with the aim of giving players a great Single player and/or MP game that celebrates 'Motorsport' and 'Car Culture', something that can go from Casual to hardcore Sim and still bring players in, GT7 is a better Package. Some of that maybe down to maturing from Launch where Forza felt 'light' to begin with and hasn't yet really matured as a Game - but Forza does feel 'soulless' and somewhat less fun, more grindy and not really what I want/expect from a Forza game.
@S-Bacc yes he talks about FM having better crash mechanics details etc etc
@Kaloudz Your quite right of course, it seems unlikely further discussion (or arguing a point) will achieve anything and Ive clearly annoyed you. My heads been full of a cold all week and the heat in my head is clearly spilling into my coms - I didnt intend to annoy as that helps nobody, so I will appologise to you for jumping to conclusions as to your motivations, my bad.
I would still urge you to check out some of Johns published videos on DF if you ever have time, particularly his Retro videos and histories of games like quake. I genuinely believe they are accomplished and important pieces of work that help chronicle some games history. I think you might value and appreciate them yourself.
Adios
Hopefully in another 6 months Forza will be a bit more fleshed out. I've put some hours in and the game is good, but there's barely anything to do. I've put it down for now(waiting for Nordschleife).
In GT7, when you open up the map fully it's the exact opposite. There's loads to do. So Gfx and sound aside, there isn't much to compare just yet. In my opinion it's not even close.
@Sveakungen i wish I couldn't feel it when a car collides with me in FM, what with the amount of times it happens. The AI is dumber than Jedward and people online play like we're all racing around in dodgems.
I just watched the video as someone who’s not interested in playing either game but likes to see the differences and to me GT7 looks better. FM cars look completely flat compared to GT7, I think that’s the main issue, the paintwork and detail in GT7 is a step above. Also those track and trackside textures on FM are rough, like really bad.
I can’t comment on how either feels to play or which is more fun but from a graphical standpoint GT7 looks better to me.
I didn't care to watch it. I did watch the sound test one by someone else with similar cars side by side and that was interesting of differences there.
To me gameplay comparison is the most compelling. FM6 and GT7 are similar in some areas and GT7 improves those bad FM6 features for the worst.
FM8 is better than GT7 in gameplay but it's also just as bad in others.
Graphics/lighting/textures/reflections (I mean lighter then darker always throws me off of what looks better than how it's actually scaled of better) and well some car models make GT7 more compelling then the noticeable FM8 ones that people would go yep that's an upscaled Lancer from FM1 when GT stopped doing that by GT6 I think pretty sure.
FM kept their cars around still too long. I know cars take a lot to recreate but even still.
Even besides the well physics differences being their own thing of whichever someone prefers. I haven't liked GT physics models since GT3 & 4. GT5 & 6 were fine, playing Sport again oh I hate the way it feels it's awful no matter a low or high end class car I hate it. It's playable but I don't have fun rolling starts not being fun either and opponents being a pain of response too I just find the games boring. I found Sport boring when I first played it and powered through it from time to time.
7 has it's moments but other than VR being a factor I still hate it's campaign it sucks. It's better than FM6's even stronger linear approach GT7 is fairly flexible but still. GT7 at times is a worse FM6 for me.
FM8 has it's differences for sure. But enough compelling ideas over me wanting the car builder in WRC 2023/or Sega GT Dreamcast no.
I take features over whatever cars are in the game. To me are they great yes, but they are still characters to me to use in events and if the events aren't fun which Forza made class focus ever since 5 I haven't enjoyed them compared to GT's changes but still consistency in areas especially events restrictions are still good and varied besides the progression/UI/other elements changing over the years. Still less strategy in GT7 due to the progression being forced a certain way but I mean it's still got more than Forza' car classes but the weight is just not there of excitement for car classes then deeper strategy of old GT games or other games covering similar aspects.
I mean if I played a strategy game or a RPGs (any limited weapons, limited maps, limited this and that power ups) only Halo match but I have to be stealthy maybe? Or 1 shot only, or something arbitrary that is more fun a more boring match with it's open or less open approach because it's barely offering anything of a strategy.
Car classes to me is nothing progression in Forza games it's just boring, nothing exciting happens, nothing testing me with the game. Guns/cars stats are fine but if I'm not tested to use them why should I bother playing the weight is weightless/soulless.
There is a reason why even if Ride 4 was hard it's improvements over Forza Motorsport 1 & 2's region system made it more exciting to me just as much as WRC 2023's car builder in a Sega GT sort of way. It's not because their old games it's the features are exciting when the genre was kind of getting boring/less focus on cars/advertising and more on actually making the games fun again.
Rally is it's own limits but still fun with enough things going on in the stages to make a fun stage, challenging stages fun modes, fun tracks in a circuit racer, fun fantasy/realism depending on how bland or intriguing they look (why some GT7 tracks look lifeless or just generic locations then the fantasy of the past and more cough like a forest not on a Mountain track and less like a forest on a forest track, Grand Valley changing is something but I don't know what to say about it, it is a Valley I guess still even if a different track so it lives up to it's name besides the changes being odd and kind of working)....
The cars, the rally groups are classes yes though but still the mechanics/PR of WRC 2 2010 was fun to me. The additional content in MotoGP16 or should I say Valentino Rossi: The Game with not just MotoGP bike content but the rally, the dirt bikes something you'd expect to get a rally game for or a MX vs ATV or maybe Ride 3 for.
Content/progression/features are exciting besides the cars. I can love the characters/cars in a game but if they are boring they aren't compelling enough especially if how they are used isn't exciting. They are just entities/beings in the game and nothing more. What we do with them is fun.
Didn't even need to watch the video to know that GT7 (cross gen) looked better and played better. Forza is more arcade-y but I'm glad I watched it because it's a great video and it's clear a lot of work went into it.
As a big racing game fan, I have always been disappointed in the new Forza Motorsport. I have come to like it more than I did when it launched, but it's still a game I have no real interest in owning (sticking to it as a Gamepass game) and I still think the graphics aren't as good as they were made out to be. GT7 just looks better and cleaner to me, with more attractive lighting and paint effects, everything just looks more real and accurate.
Heck I know this has been gone over before, but I think it's ridiculous how I can compare Forza 7 to the new Forza and say it looks better in some areas.
Some interesting takes here; my personal opinion is that FM looks as amazing as I wanted it to, and whilst that might not be quite as impressive as GT7, on PS5, it still looks fantastic to me.
However, looks aren’t everything. I definitely appreciate the amount of depth of gameplay that GT7 has; I own it on PS4, so have enjoyed seeing what it has to offer. Yet, I still find myself enjoying races more on FM. It just drives better, for me, and I just have more fun with it. Yes, there’s much more to do in GT7, but it just feels a little boring and (as others have said) soulless.
Forza Motorsport is much more straight forward and direct into the action, and that suits me down to the ground. It also just feels and plays better, for me.
Having said that, if I should end up with a PS5 in the future, I also look forward to giving GT7 another go, to really appreciate the finer points of what this article is all about, but for now, I’m over the moon with what Turn 10 have given us, with Forza Motorsport.
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