PLAYED ON: Xbox One S
I've been a fan of racing games since I was a kid. Be it NFS, Assetto Corsa, F1 series or even Asphalt games on mobile. I just enjoyed playing them. But I was never familiar with the Forza series before, nor Horizon or Motorsport. When I saw the launch and gameplay trailers of Forza Horizon 4 in 2018, I got myself an Xbox as soon as I graduated in 2019 just to play that game (I couldn't afford a gaming PC at the time). Even though I haven't written a review of Horizon 4, just a quick note, I loved the game. It was the best racing game I've ever played (until now).
Now fast forward to the present time. Forza Horizon 5 was announced at E3 2021 and I was hyped (obviously)! And to be honest, this was my most anticipated game for 2021. Even though I have Xbox Game Pass, I just couldn't wait to play the game. Hence, I pre-ordered the Premium Edition and played it as soon as the early access went live.
Please note: I haven't got the newer generation of Xbox nor a gaming PC with an RTX graphics card. I played this game on my Xbox One S. So I won't be sharing any graphical comparisons or reviews on that bit.
Also to clarify, don't compare this game with any other racing franchises because the Horizon series is completely different. Most players compare this with PlayStation's Gran Turismo. Well, both are different series. Yes, you can compare the Forza Motorsport series with GT but not the Horizon series. Anyways, time for my review.
A lot of elements have been brought up from Forza Horizon 4, which is actually a good thing and more new features are added as well. The graphics are great as usual and, I don't know if it's just me or not, but I have always felt comfortable while driving in-game. It just clicks for me. After getting an Xbox, I've played so many driving/racing games but I've never ever felt so comfortable in all those games while driving a car as compared as in Forza. The controls just feel right.
I had so much fun roaming around this beautiful Mexico and loved every biome available on the map. But this time around, they've added a new 'campaign' like structure where you have to earn accolades points to move forward. And earning these accolades are very simple, just race as much as you want! To be honest, it felt as if the game pushes and motivates you to race and win. I really enjoyed it.
The map is good, the cars sound great but the graphics aren't much improved this time around. I felt Forza Horizon 4 had somewhat similar graphics. The only improvement now is that you can run the game on 60fps on your Xbox. This doesn't ruin the game though. It is still an amazing game!
The hourly Forzathon Live events from Horizon 4 have also been replaced by the newly updated Horizon Arcade. It is similar to Forzathon Live, a live co-op event, where everyone contributes to a common goal, but there’s a greater variety of events this time around. Also, you can now gift and receive cars from your friends! It's an amazing feature where you can always a gift great car to a friend who is new to the game 😄
CONCLUSION:
If you love racing games, then you should get Forza Horizon 5 asap! The map is bigger, you can roam around in different biomes as before and the cars are amazing. Well, if you've played atleast Forza Horizon 4, then you might know what I'm talking about. But if you are a casual gamer, then I would suggest you try this game via Xbox Game Pass, else, this game is definitely worth your time and money 🔥
TSHC SCORE: 9.5/10
Other Ratings:
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