Forza Horizon 5 preview: practice with picturesque speed

Motorheads and professional drivers from around the world have come together in Mexico for the fifth Horizon Festival. Radio station infomercials eagerly reference emerging careers and bizarre challenges strewn across the far reaches of the country. Empty streets, save for the occasional family vans or commercial trucks, are indicative of national fervor. So where are the locals and tourists? Well, the general public is gathering en masse at various points of interest, waiting for you, the enigmatic “superstar”, to arrive and fire the starting gun.

Forza Horizon is all about the player’s agency. The fifth installment keeps this design philosophy alive with another impressively large car catalog, countless activities, and extensive customization options for your avatar and vehicle (s). The opening cinematic is as spectacular to play as it was to see during the Gamescom exhibition with roaring engines and gorgeous visuals enhanced by robust game performance / quality modes. In the end, I spent around 90 minutes with a preview version of Horizon 5. While I only got a chance to enjoy a small portion of its many features, I was stunned by the vastness of the sandbox, the high-caliber graphics that the La franchise is known for the general playability / accessibility of controls. Forza had never looked or felt so good.

After getting an airdrop in Baja California, I selected my nickname, created my character (prosthetics were a great addition, although I would have liked to see more options for disabled players), and got on my Stingray Coupe. The ride feels as responsive and fluid as you’d expect. Vibration patterns and varying degrees of “car feel” infuse each roadster with personality. The Jeep Gladiator and Ford Bronco are heavy machines, but several features, such as traction control, are markedly different; their cars really feel alive. This level of detail is not new to the Forza series, but it is much more commendable in the latest Horizon entry as the list of eligible vehicles grows larger and larger.

At the end of the preview, I had only gotten a small collection to choose from, but each wheelset was perfect for different situations. My Toyota GR Supra took me to first place in paved track racing, while my Ford Escort was adequate for messier off-road displays. AI opponents, however, don’t settle for losses. You will have to learn the trends of your vehicle, how soon to brake in sharp turns to avoid catastrophic crashes, or when it is better to simply step on it to create distance, to remain constant in competitions. You might even decide to stop by the shop to tune in to your favorite cars and get that added bonus. Manually upgrade multiple parts – what’s more important: your engine or handling? – or have the festival team select the settings for you based on a specific compilation.

Racing is not the only activity Mexico has to offer. To earn accolades (or challenges) and unlock Horizon’s adventure chapters, I raced through the open world, completing a host of minigames. PR stunts like “Speed ​​Zone”, “Speed ​​Trap”, “Trailblazer” and “Danger Sign” forced me to maintain incredible speeds or soar high in the sky after launching myself onto manufactured ramps. Your competition is tagged with stars, three of which are the highest and earn you a large amount of XP and SP (skill points) that you use to purchase benefits for each vehicle. The benefits tend to be experience modifiers and from what I could see from my time with the preview version, the best part about leveling up is activating the “Horizon Spinwheel” to win prizes like currency and rare cars.

Traveling to each parallel race or activity was wonderful because the beauty of Mexico is incomparable. Dynamic weather effects such as raging sandstorms added a new level of intensity to exploration, and each visually diverse location was unique with a minimum of secrets to uncover. Narrative rhythms, also known as Horizon Stories, take you to exciting points of interest as they characterize the game’s cast. For example, while accompanying Alejandra to an abandoned garage on top of a dusty viewpoint, she recounted her family’s relationship with the “Vocho” or Volkswagen Beetle and the Mexican cultural change that catalyzed the iconic compact car in the 1950s. Meanwhile, I took note of the cactus-speckled deserts we left behind and the colorful and colorful communes we traversed.

Even with the small amount of content I experienced, Forza Horizon 5 is huge. Much of the map was empty in this preview build, but I still braved distant jungles and mountain ranges, imagining the number of PR Stunts, Horizon Stories, and races I’ll be participating in on launch day. Additional modes like the festival playlist and auction house weren’t available yet, but just knowing that the full game will have a ton of content, including in-game seasons and campaign progression, makes the trip to Mexico is even more attractive.

Forza Horizon 5 will launch on November 9 on Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, and PC.