GAMEPLAY

Before starting racing, you have to create a basic character. It's not that in-depth, but you can choose a face, haircut, clothing, and a personalized number plate. The prologue does a wonderful job of showcasing the stunning nature of the cars, the game world, and what you can expect when you're unleashed into that open world. But let's talk about the main reason people play Forza the Cars.

The roster of vehicles is quite simply stunning, with something here for everyone. You can buy new vehicles, win cars in races, or head down to the auction house and buy a second-hand motor from other gamers. The customization is immense too, with an in-depth tuning system, and the ability to buy new parts, paint your vehicle, and add shapes, words, and icons to make a really stunning creation.

The variation among the cars in Forza Horizon 5 was a standout feature for me. Each vehicle felt unique to drive, and even the smallest customization, modeling, or tuning change had a noticeable impact. The game takes place in a stunningly realized version of Mexico, with an expansive map to explore and drive through. Simply driving around earns you points and experience that can be used to unlock perks for your favorite vehicles, so even leisurely drives are rewarding.

The map is rich with diverse environments, including rocky mountain peaks, dirt roads, breathtaking seafront vistas, landmarks to discover, and even a desert storm. With so much to do, collect, see, race, and explore, it can be overwhelming to decide where to go next to progress the game's Horizon component. Nonetheless, it provides exceptional value for your investment.

Sadly, multiplayer is only accessible via online play, and it is a little temperamental. It is a shame that we don't get that split-screen mode that we used to get. I really don't understand why they can't just have a slightly diminished visual presentation and add a split-screen mode for couch co-op because it would be so much fun. But whether you're playing against bots solo or online versus other players. it's a really fun racing game beautifully put together.

Graphics & Sound

Graphically, I would say Forza 5 is the first proper next-gen game on Xbox Series S that I've played. The technical performance was exemplary, and considering how stunning everything looks, I was expecting problems, but it ran as smoothly as silk. The cars look fantastic, and the game world is a beautiful place to explore, even if you don't really see the true detail when you're flying around it at 100 miles an hour.

The game features a photo mode and it's a good one. Perhaps it could be a bit more fun with border frame stickers but there are plenty of options in there to take some good shots. There's also a drone mode which is good if you just want to freely explore the map or just do still videos of your car.

As for the sound, the music is pretty good and suits the driving experience. However, the race voiceover can be a bit annoying, as well as the game voice constantly pestering you every five minutes. It seems like the game is designed for the generation that is used to constant visual and notification stimulation, like that of an Android phone.

Good and Bad

What's good: Well, it's a visually stunning experience with wonderful graphics and a clean and clear presentation. The car variety, customization options, and activities are immense. The open world is a delight to behold and explore, and the game has a great sense of value with a huge array of vehicles to unlock, activities to take part in, and so many things to do that will just eat up your time.

What's Bad: The map is beautiful but quite empty as if everyone has left town. There are a few too many screens in the menus that add unnecessary workload to your time, such as buying and selling cars, and there's no split-screen for local multiplayer.

Final Thoughts

Forza Horizon 5 is an amazing racing game that car enthusiasts will love. The game does an excellent job of keeping you engaged and interested, as even basic driving helps you accumulate experience and adds to your progression. The available cars are stunning, as is the level of tuning and customization available. Maybe for non racing enthusiasts, it may get tiring after a couple of weeks but those couple of weeks will be an utter joy. I was impressed not just by the way it was presented but also by the variety of things to do the volume of customization, and the activities that you can get into.

It's very difficult to find any sort of major flaws with the game itself. Maybe it is a bit unclear as to the main goal the map has hundreds of things to visit, and you kind of don't know where to go next or what busy work to take part in next. But driving is really good fun. The map is awesome and whether you're into cars or not. It's a game everyone should definitely try. If you're on Game Pass, it's a must-play