The most important part of any racing game is functionality. For those who want to jump right in and race with very limited video game racing knowledge you can add a line that is green, yellow, and red to help know when to go, slow down, or brake. The line also changes. For instance, if it is red and you slow it�ll change to yellow and then green. The line can be shut off when it becomes too annoying. There isn�t much assistance when it comes to the computer�s AI. If you do something dumb like crash into a wall, get spun out by hitting an opponent, or try to cut a corner and hit some soft dirt you can fall behind fast. Even if you catch the sixth and seventh place drivers you may never get back into the top three.

Also, the AI will adjust to your aggressiveness. If you are sliding cars off the track trying to make fast corners expect some retaliation back. And if you do take on some damage there is a component called telemetry that tells you about your car and the damage or wear.

Forza 2 comes with a few different playing modes: arcade, head-to-head, and career. Career has the most depth. You start small and build your way up, earning money and buying parts or a new car. You can go through a lot of different circuits but it�s all about winning. And winning does come down to your driving prowess. Upgrading your car can also help bypass the competition.

GRAPHICS: The cars look great�especially in the showroom. There are some issues with anti-aliasing during the race, but most everything looks spectacular in hi-def. The crashes don�t always seem to be as realistic as one might expect. A head-on collision into a wall at 50 mph doesn�t sheer the front of your car off. In fact, there have been occasions where I was able to back up and continue racing. Of course, there were other occasions where the axel no longer functioned.

The tracks are decent. The walls and fans are mostly generic. The only time you�d be able to see much of the track is if you are using the hood or bumper cams.

AUDIO: The soundtrack is made up mostly of electronica and that seems to serve the game well even though I turned the music off. The cars on the other hand screech and purr like the beasts that they are. When it comes to the overall sound effects you won�t be let down�even if the game is more visually appealing than auditory.

THE WRAP-UP

PARENT�S TAKE: Forza 2 is great for kids � of most ages. The biggest issue for really young kids is the difficulty even at the novice level. My 10-year-old son picked the game up at the novice level while my 6 year old had a tough time understanding that she was going in the wrong direction and how to master corners and speed.

FINAL WORD: Even when hitting the walls and heading into traffic, Forza 2 still offered the kids lots of high-speed excitement. As a fan of racing games, Forza 2 ranked at the top for me. There are so many cars, tracks, and cool modifications to choose from that an hour of play quickly turns into five hours. Forza 2 is a must buy for anyone with a need for speed.