The short answer to the question you've already asked yourself is yes, Forza Motorsport is better than Gran Turismo 4. Microsoft has taken note of all that's good about Sony's monster, analysed everything it's lacking and come up trumps. You'll have to forgive me comparing the two throughout this review but not only are they both similar games, they're also the two big headline exclusive racers for their respective consoles. So to not compare them would, quite frankly, be rather rude.

Forza is a racing simulation game and the developers have gone to some trouble to make sure this title stands out as being something different from other top car games on the Xbox; they worked closely with the developers of Project Gotham Racing to ensure this offering was an opposite alternative to what has so far been hailed as the best Xbox racer.

The list of cars is huge, with over two hundred to drive; there are also over thirty tracks for you to burn around. All the ones you'd expect are there; Nurburgring, Laguna Seca, Susuka…. It's not all out and out racing tracks though, there are also a good number of city streets at you're disposal.

Each of the cars, once purchased, can of course be modified; clutches, turbos, exhausts, body kits, spoilers, paint jobs, customisable logos and much more are all available for the right price. The level of detail you can go to in creating your car is fantastic; you really feel like you've made the machine your own. Once it's finished and you're proud of it, you get offended and upset if somebody bumps it or if one of your competitors in the same make and model has managed to have a little more creative flair than you. It's nothing short of incredible.

So how do you go about getting some wheels and getting some cash? As the game begins, you are asked to choose a region as your home base and whichever region you choose determines the cost of cars available to you initially. Japanese cars cost more in Europe while American cars cost more in Japan, so you need to choose wisely. Think about the first car you'd like to own and choose the region it comes from, as you'll have a lot more cash to play with in the early part of the game.

Once you've picked a region and a car you're set up and ready to play in Arcade Mode, Career Mode, Multiplayer, Time Trial or Free Run. Arcade mode is a simple racing fix; you don't have to buy any vehicles, just pick one you like and compete against similarly levelled opponents to unlock more cars and events. Not only does this option give you a nice instant burst of pleasure but it gives you a chance to test drive something you might be considering buying. The rewards are great too; it's definitely worth having a few races in this mode before moving onto Career so you can get a feel of a wide variety of vehicles, build up your car collection and get used to a few of the tracks.

Career Mode is the heart and soul of the game, with menus that are incredibly easy to navigate and before you even begin a race, the attention to detail the developers have gone to in making the whole thing as intuitive as possible becomes apparent. Rather than Gran Turismo's clunky checking out a race, going back to the garage, scratching your chin whilst you figure out which car to pick, choosing one, trying once again to join the race, realising the car you've picked is slightly wrong and going back to the garage again, what we have here is a simple and effective system. As you choose a race you can be instantly transported to your garage where the cars you own that are eligible for the race are displayed. You can then use the compare option to see which one best suits the track before picking the perfect one and hey presto, you're ready to race. It's perfect in every way. Throughout the career you have several difficulty options from amateur to pro and the choice of normal, point to point or endurance races. Once you've picked your race and your car it's drive time.

The graphics are a joy to behold; the cars look fantastic, the tracks are reproduced to a fine level of detail and the draw distance is impressive. The whole thing powers along at fantastic speeds without a hint of glitch or slowdown and the only minor gripe I have with the presentation is that the whole thing seems a little too computer drawn, rather than photo real. Even though Forza's graphics are technically a lot better than Gran Turismo's, I actually prefer the look of Sony's game. Nevertheless, you will not be disappointed.

The sound as you play through the game is absolutely breathtaking through a good Dolby 5.1 set up. The engines growl, the tyres scream, you can hear the competition gaining on you and from which side they're approaching. You can even hear them behind you bumping each other as they mess up a tough corner - it's great. Another really nice touch is the crowd noise; as you approach the spectators you can hear their cheers grow slowly louder and it gives you goose bumps as they roar when you pass by in first place - yet another example of a small detail going a long way to enhance your gaming experience. Unfortunately the game's soundtrack is pretty poor but thankfully the developers had the foresight to let you use your own soundtracks, so if it's not your cup of tea just rip your favourite driving music onto the Xbox and use that instead. You can also quickly change between soundtracks at any point in the race.

The game plays really well, but bear in mind that this is a simulation, so you can't go tear arsing around every corner as you would in Burnout or Gotham, because once you're off the track you've pretty much lost the race. You can't approach it like you would in Gran Turismo either, bouncing off the competition and using the barriers as brakes because your car takes damage. One wrong knock and not only will your speed and handling be impaired for the rest of the race but you'll have to fork out for the repair from your winnings. If you're going to take risks in this game, you have to bee sure it'll be worth it in the long run. There's no disputing that Forza takes commitment, practice and patience but the rewards are worth it and I challenge any racing simulation fan to deny that this is exactly what they are looking for.

When you first start you're helped around the course by a racing guide, which shows you the perfect line and changes colour if you're going too quickly. This is an excellent tool as you struggle to come to grips with the realistic handling of the cars and gain knowledge of the courses through the early part of the game, although it can stay indefinitely and it's too easy to become reliant upon it. I switched it off after the first couple of laps and the game was a lot more enjoyable; I was actually racing rather than playing some kind of quick reaction puzzle game. Sure, I couldn't go around as quickly any more but the game was a lot more enjoyable and satisfying. The other problem with this is that it can't be blocked whilst playing online, so unless you're setting up your own private game with trusted mates and agreeing not to use it, there's a good chance you could be beaten by somebody who's not as good at the game as you are. It's annoying and I'm hoping there'll be some downloadable content to fix this soon.

The AI competitors are fantastic, even better than in the TOCA series and that's saying something. They want to win and they'll take whatever risks or gambles are feasibly necessary to do this. They play dirty and you need to keep your wits about you. Unlike Gotham, where they all seemed to work as a team to bring you down, here they all have their own agenda and bump and squabble amongst themselves as well as with you. If you don't have Xbox Live, playing Forza is as close as you'll actually get to how it feels to race against real people. When you win a race in this game you really feel proud of what you've achieved and you're also constantly rewarded for your efforts, whether it be with new cars, more tracks or even establishing relationships with parts manufacturers to get better deals on upgrades. There's always something to play for.

Another nice addition is the Drivatar; in Gran Turismo 4 they brought in B-Spec mode, where you instructed a computer controlled car to do your race for you. The Drivatar is a slightly different slant on this. What happens in Forza initially is a series of tests on various types of corner. From your results the computer determines your driving style and will eventually be able to complete a race for you. This isn't an easy option though, as like the main game it takes a lot of time and patience to train your Drivatar up to a competent level. It's particularly useful if you're in a class of race where the car's handling isn't you're cup of tea and in endurance races. It would have been nice to have a manual override option though, so you could jump in yourself and help out from time to time. Endurance races are tough and boring to play but they are even more boring to just watch without being able to dip in and out of them. Be warned - using the Drivatar considerably reduces the purse in a race.

Multiplayer? Being a Microsoft title it is naturally spot on, being everything Gran Turismo should have been and more. All the usual options are here; quick match, optimatch and so on. But there's also the addition of being able to buy and sell cars online, an excellent way of getting a much higher price than you would for trading it in. You can also start or join a car club, which is almost like a friends list within a friends list, where your club's statistics are tracked as a group.

I've already mentioned the main gripe I have with Live play (the racing guideline) but it's worth mentioning that it's probably not the best idea to wander onto Live before you've got a nice selection of cars and plenty of skill on the track. Everybody on there is good and most of them have cars tuned up to the max. It's tough but at least it's fair, unlike Gotham where you'll find cheating idiots waiting behind just to slam you into the last corner and steal first place. This doesn't happen here because everyone's too proud of their wheels and doesn't want to mess them up. If you don't have Xbox Live, the two player split screen option is good and doesn't compromise the overall quality of the graphics and feel of the game. System link is also available for those who enjoy hooking up with friends in person. Rounding the modes off is Time Trial, where you attempt to crack some target times with predetermined tracks and vehicles and the Free Run option, which gives you chance to brush up on your skills.

Throughout the entirety of the game (if you're connected) your times are automatically uploaded to Xbox Live, so you can see how you compare to the competition. You can also compete against one of the best players' ghosts in Time Trial or Free Run and see how they did it, another wonderful feature.

Forza Motorsport puts a strong, confident tick in each "Requirements of a great driving game" box, raising the bar for realistic racing simulators. It looks and sounds great, plays like a dream and it's massive. It can be tough, hard work and tiring though. I'm not condoning adultery with the following analogy but it's the best way I can think of getting my point across; Forza Motorsport is like a wife - it looks pretty, you know what you're getting, you're in it for the long haul but it can become a little irritating and boring at times. So what you need to complement it is a bit on the side, something a bit more edgy and dangerous, something that'll provide you with some quick thrills for when the monotony sets in. And with Midnight Club 3, Burnout 3 and Project Gotham Racing 2 all giving a great arcade fix, there are plenty of Xbox mistresses to choose from!

Reviewed by Mark Hayhurst for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).