Forza Motorsport 4: Under pressure to deliver, it does, and then some

FOR most of us, owning a collection of the world's finest cars will remain a distant dream.

Unless our numbers come up on EuroMillions, staring out at a driveway (which is presumably in front of a ridiculously large mansion) to see a number of classic speed machines parked up just isn't going to happen.

That's why we need things like the Forza 4 series, which make our dreams come true for a few hours of button bashing at a time.

With a series of impressive television adverts currently doing the rounds, Forza 4 is hitting the shelves attached with a great deal of hype.

It was under pressure to deliver, and luckily it does, and then some.

For starters, it looks absolutely superb.

There are hundreds of cars in this game and every one dazzles the eye – flicking through the game's car showroom can take up an hour or two in itself.

Every minuscule detail of every car seems to have been included, right down to things that you may feel are insignificant.

No stone has been left unturned and it's no wonder that the game has been billed as a car lover's virtual dream.

There's everything from the humble Vauxhall Corsa to the lightning Bugatti Veyron, and everything in between, so if you can't find something to like you've probably got the wrong game.

So what about taking these beauties to the track? Again, you won't be disappointed.

One thing that is noticeable is how smooth the handling of the cars are, it really is a joy to take them round the track.

The circuits, like the cars, also look absolutely sublime, from roads that twist through the Alps right down to the Top Gear test track.

A number of varying difficulty settings mean everyone can find their level – from the beginner's mode where the computer helps you with braking and steering, right up to the toughest setting where you feel even Sebastian Vettel would struggle.

You can simply take your pick of cars and storm around a track, or try career mode, where you work your way up from humble beginnings to that collection of the finest cars we all dream about.

Here, tuning up your vehicles can be key, and again the attention to detail is staggering.

Every part of a car that has ever been invented seems to be here and once again you can find yourselves consumed by a racing game while not doing any racing.

In short, Forza 4 is pure pleasure – stick it in your Xbox and the hours will drift by in no time at all.

We might not get that collection of cars, but this will put us pretty damn close.