Forza Horizon 5: A Masterful Iteration or a Missed Opportunity for Innovation?
Forza Horizon 5, the latest installment in the beloved racing franchise, takes players to the vibrant and diverse landscapes of Mexico. While it builds upon the solid foundation laid by its predecessor, Forza Horizon 4, the question remains: does it offer enough innovation to justify its place as a new generation title? While Playground Games delivers a stunning visual experience and refined gameplay mechanics, the lack of substantial change leaves some yearning for a bolder leap forward.
A Familiar Yet Captivating Journey Through Mexico
Forza Horizon 5 embraces the "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" philosophy. The core gameplay loop remains largely intact, offering a familiar yet enjoyable experience for returning players. This may disappoint those seeking a radical departure from the established formula, yet it allows for a seamless transition for seasoned Horizon drivers.
Mexico serves as the vibrant backdrop for this latest chapter, offering a breathtakingly diverse world to explore. From lush jungles and pristine beaches to historic cities and sprawling deserts, the 11 distinct biomes provide a visually stunning and varied environment for racing. Dynamic weather phenomena like dust storms, torrential rain, and lightning strikes enhance the immersion, adding a layer of unpredictability to the races.
Technically impressive, Forza Horizon 5 showcases its graphical prowess with stunning visuals. The vibrant colors of Mexico come alive, with impressive draw distances and realistic lighting effects adding to the immersion. On the Xbox Series X, players can choose between Quality mode (4K 30fps), prioritizing detail and ray-tracing, and Performance mode (4K 60fps), delivering a smooth and responsive gameplay experience. However, the game’s massive download size – 103GB on PC and Series S/X, and 116GB on Xbox One – can be a deterrent for those with limited storage space.
Refined Gameplay Mechanics and a Familiar Feel
Playground Games has meticulously refined the driving mechanics in Forza Horizon 5, building upon the excellent foundation established in previous entries. The handling feels more responsive and precise, offering both arcade accessibility and depth for those seeking a more realistic simulation experience. This combination allows for easy pick-up-and-play enjoyment while providing ample room for player improvement as they progress through the game’s challenging AI and PvP modes.
Car selection has been streamlined with the introduction of a "recommended cars" list, which provides players with an idea of which vehicles are best suited for specific events. This helpful feature encourages experimentation and makes the process of selecting the right car for the job a breeze.
The Evolution of Multiplayer and the Absence of Ranked Adventure
Multiplayer remains a central focus in Forza Horizon 5, with Playground Games making significant changes to the competitive landscape. The controversial Ranked Adventure mode has been removed, citing its tendency to create a toxic environment. The developers have opted for a more relaxed and inclusive approach with Horizon Open, which emphasizes accessibility and enjoyment over hyper-competition.
The co-operative Horizon Tour now offers a casual and laid-back experience, addressing the frustration of teammates quitting mid-match. The remaining players are now better rewarded for persevering, encouraging teamwork and a more enjoyable multiplayer experience.
Horizon Arcade, the rebranded Forzathon Live, offers a collection of 12 co-operative minigames, providing a break from the traditional racing format. These games, ranging from piñata smashing to speed record breaking, offer a light-hearted and fun experience. The new Forza Link system aids matchmaking by identifying players who are close to your current location and event, speeding up the process and encouraging social interaction.
The Campaign: Expeditions and Familiar Events
Forza Horizon 5’s campaign offers the usual mix of road racing, dirt racing, street racing, and cross-country events. However, the introduction of Expeditions, a story-driven adventure mode, provides a welcome change of pace. These guided adventures, often involving a non-player character partner, take players to unique locations like active volcanoes and Aztec ruins, unlocking new festival sites and offering opportunities for exploration and discovery.
While Expeditions provide a fresh perspective on the game’s world, the implementation of optional collectibles feels lackluster and could have been more engaging.
EventLab: User-Generated Content Takes Center Stage
EventLab, Forza Horizon 5’s new user-generated content feature, empowers players to create their own custom races, stunts, and challenges. This powerful tool allows players to shape the game’s experience, fostering creativity and extending its replayability. Players can insert objects, design unique routes, define car classes, and even manipulate race parameters like gravity and torque, leading to truly unique and hilarious outcomes.
Users can share their creations with the community, building a vibrant and diverse pool of user-generated content that adds a layer of depth and longevity to the game.
Diversification and Enhanced Customisation Options
Character customization has received a much-needed boost in Forza Horizon 5. Players can now choose from a wider range of options, including racial diversity, gender pronouns, and voice choices. A significant addition is the inclusion of prosthetic limbs, promoting inclusivity and representation for individuals with disabilities.
Livrery creator has also been expanded, allowing for greater customization of vehicles. The new Gift Drops feature enables easy sharing of custom creations with other players, encouraging collaboration and community engagement.
Forza Horizon 5 excels in its accessibility features, offering high-contrast modes for color-blind players, screen reader support, text-to-speech and speech-to-text options for voice chat, and comprehensive subtitles for both cutscenes and gameplay. These features ensure that the game is accessible to a wider audience, reflecting Microsoft’s commitment to inclusivity.
A World of Its Own, but Lacks Innovation
Forza Horizon 5 delivers a stunning and polished experience, but it lacks the groundbreaking innovations that might have defined it as a next-generation title. The game’s adherence to a familiar and successful formula, while reassuring for returning players, could be perceived as lacking ambition. The absence of significant changes, especially in the face of competitors like Need for Speed’s struggles, leaves a sense of missed opportunity for a more ambitious leap forward.
While Forza Horizon 5 is a fantastic game in its own right, its lack of significant innovation creates a bittersweet experience. It’s a testament to the series’ strength, but also serves as a reminder of the potential for greater risk-taking and innovation in the racing genre.
Here is a summary of the pros and cons of Forza Horizon 5:
Pros:
- Breathtaking visuals and diverse environments in Mexico.
- Refined driving mechanics that cater to both arcade and simulation players.
- Streamlined car selection process with "recommended cars" option.
- More relaxed and inclusive PvP experience in Horizon Open.
- Enhanced co-operative gameplay with the Horizon Tour and Horizon Arcade.
- Engaging Expeditions mode offers a new story-driven experience.
- Powerful EventLab allows for extensive user-generated content creation.
- Improved character customization options with inclusivity in mind.
- Comprehensive accessibility features promote a wider audience reach.
Cons:
- Lack of significant innovation compared to previous entries.
- Expedition collectibles feel lackluster and repetitive.
- Massive download size can be a hurdle for players with limited storage.
Overall Rating (out of 10): 9
Final Verdict: Forza Horizon 5 is a fantastic driving game with a stunning visual experience and refined gameplay mechanics. While it lacks the groundbreaking innovation of other next-generation games, it delivers a stellar experience for returning players and new racers alike. It remains a must-play for any racing game enthusiast, but its lack of ambition might leave some longing for a bolder leap forward.
