There are those who love cars and those who are plain indifferent to them. No matter which camp you belong to, you will probably become a dedicated car nut when you start playing Forza Motorsport 2 for the Xbox 360.
Forza 2 is touted by Microsoft as an advanced car simulator. But it's really more a labour of love by those who love the smell of burning rubber, the roar of huge engines and dollops of car wax.
It is the dedication to detail that will entice anyone to keep playing.
Forza 2 contains over 300 of the most popular metal beasts from the 1960s to present.
These include the BMW M3 E46 Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427, Ferrari Risi Competizione F430GT, Honda Mugen Integra Type-R, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, and the Toyota Do-Luck Supra special edition.
Most impressive is the sheer accuracy of the 3D modeling and the realistic handling of the cars as you drive them through the 45 available tracks.
The game plays fine with the normal Xbox 360 controller, but you really should invest in the $249 Xbox Wireless Racing Wheel to understand what 'simulator' really means.
Every nuance of each car and track is communicated beautifully through the wheel's force feedback system.
The force feedback lets you anticipate any mishandling at scarily tight turns.
Upgrading your vehicles with third-party parts is a big part of Forza 2, and it goes way beyond the superficial upgrades in games like Need For Speed or Juiced.
There is a staggering number of manufacturers offering their wares here - HKS, Mugen, Momo, Yokohama and so on.
Forza doesn't talk down to non-car geeks and during every upgrade, you'll be taught how to modify for maximum results.
CUSTOMISE YOUR WHEELS
Slap on any combination of paint jobs and customised decals to your hearts' desire.
Newbies can hit the tarmac with the help of a dynamic green or red line that changes colour to tell you when to brake or floor the accelerator.
On the Xbox Live online marketplace, you will be able to trade your cars, as well as show off your best screenshots.
By the way, Forza 2 has an incredible screenshot feature that even professional car photographers will salivate over.
There are plenty of details like gravel, damage modeling and high-definition visual effects to make one go wow.
You don't need a driving licence to appreciate fast cars, and with Forza 2, you don't even need to leave your couch. Forza Motorsport 2 will be available on 29 May.
