Video games: 'Forza 4' is an adrenaline rush

Like other racing franchises, "Forza Motorsport" is faced with the daunting task of trying to wring every bit of speed out of a familiar formula race, win and repeat. The changes in "Forza 4" I find most exciting don't alter this setup dramatically, and yet with just a few tweaks "Forza 4" feels like a fresh experience. It's reinvigorated, and every turn is infectious and alluring.

Much like last year, you can race through "Forza's" career mode by either choosing races specifically laid out before you or picking from the all-encompassing Events List. The difference is that in "Forza 4" the races you choose for your career path are specifically designed around whatever car you've selected from your garage. This lets you steer the career mode to your liking even more. Don't like the races before you? Change your car and new options will conform to your choice. Unlike most racing titles that cement how you progress, this lets you choose between investing in one car and upgrading its car class or sample from the many cars you've unlocked through the game's very generous leveling system. Letting you pick from rewards such as increased driver XP, manufacturer affinity XP, or a random payout is also a nice way to customize your ascension. Creating your career path in these ways is great, and the fact that the game still takes you around the globe in a set order of locations (nicely introduced by an announcer) while changing the specific tracks at those locations paces the mode, provides interest, and avoids track replication.

"Forza 4's" refined career structure is reinforced by a badge and title system that rewards you for achievements in the game ranging from reaching career milestones to good racing, which is monitored by performing Race Feats. These are things like passing and taking turns correctly, drifting, drafting, etc. Badges and titles you win can be put on your online profile. In fact, that game's seamless transition between online and offline is a powerful motivator to experience all aspects of "Forza 4." Whether you're creating rivals through the game's endless list of challenge races, sharing the cars you won offline with your online car club members, or simply earning credits through online races that you can spend on cars for your career mode, the game feels like so much more than a list of cars and tracks.

"Forza 4's" actual racing is no less impressive than how the game itself is structured. The wide variety of car types feel distinct from one another, the tracks and background environments look fabulous, and the driving itself is demanding and really conveys a rush of adrenaline. My favorite race is the Fujimi Kaido mountain track. As you navigate the tight switchbacks, altitude changes and car traffic with Mount Fuji in the background, it's easy to lose yourself in the moment.

Fuijimi Kaido's one-on-one races highlight some of the different racing disciplines that keep the game fresh. Similarly, drag racing, the Top Gear bowling pin challenges, the technical Autocross cone obstacle courses and multi-class car races (where high- and low-end cars race simultaneously on the same track) as well as various online modes such as Tag or the team-based Cat and Mouse give you lots of options.

Racing games have always strived to strike that balance between being a virtual showroom for car lovers (see the well-done and informative Autovista mode for that) and being fun, compelling experiences. "Forza 4" successfully bridges this gap and is the racer you've been waiting for.