Forza Horizon 5 Reviews
Forza Horizon 5 checks all of the boxes that it should, but it is let down by a lack of innovation. You are racing the same types of races, with the same types of cars, across a map that looks different but doesn’t feel different. Developer Playground Games has leaned on what it does best, and that makes for a fast and fun experience, however, wherever the series takes car-lovers off to next, it will have to look much further into the horizon for inspiration.
Overall, Forza Horizon 5 is easily the champion of racers. The variety and freedom on offer, from the vast quantity of activities to vehicles and the different biomes of Mexico, all create the most enjoyable racer I have ever played. The Showcase events feel epic and are greatly complimented by the games’ gorgeous visuals, especially the dynamic weather system that adds an extra layer of excitement with dust storms that can engulf you and the tropical storms that you can see rolling across the sky for storm chasers to seek out. Whether you’re a racing enthusiast or not, Forza Horizon 5 will have you belted in for a complete joyride!
Forza Horizon 5 epitomizes what a modern racing game should be about. It delivers endless fun, and that is extremely rare to have in a game.
No question about it, Playground Games have redefined the genre with Forza Horizon 5. Visually, mechanically, and everything else in-between. This is a remarkable achievement in every sense of the word and a truly incredible video game that’s the most accessible next-gen title to date. When Microsoft talk about how Xbox Game Pass will alter the landscape of the industry and is more than just a selling point for a console, Forza Horizon 5 backs up every word as its flagship title.
Forza Horizon 5 offers the familiar action we've come to expect from the series, but better than ever. Mexico is the coolest, most varied location in Forza Horizon to date and it won't get boring to race through it anytime soon. The game offers enough entertainment to keep you entertained for quite some time. At least until the next Forza Horizon game. If the annoying server problems are also solved quickly, almost nothing stands in the way of making Forza Horizon 5 the most successful game in the series!
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Forizon Horizon 5 is a closet embodiment of perfection for an open-world racing genre. Undoubtedly, the game is a graphical showcase with a performance to match. There is a ton of content and subtle changes made under the hood are meaningful and improve the quality of life immensely. From the map design to the revamped progression system, there was a lot of love spent on Forza Horizon 5. It is the quintessential open-world racing game and nothing comes remotely close. It is a clear game of year contender that should have the competition sweating.
We all knew that Forza Horizon left its competition behind already. Forza Horizon 5 confirms that although there are a few things that should have been better.
Review in German | Read full review
Forza Horizon 5 is a masterclass in arcade racing. There is no equal out there. Burnout has all but disappeared; Need for Speed has fallen from its once-lofty heights, and The Crew is hardly a competent competitor. Playground Games have proven that their formula is still king, offering up countless hours of racing bliss as the live service seasonal format unfolds. As long as you aren’t looking for a more simulation-bound experience like Forza Motorsport, you simply cannot do better than Forza Horizon 5.
Forza Horizon 5 is the gold standard of open-world arcade racers and a game packed with value and enjoyment wrapped in a glossy next-gen packaging that will hook you visually and then charm you with its many activities. If you have an Xbox Series console, this is THE game that you've been waiting for.
Despite a few minor quibbles, Forza Horizon 5 is a triumph for its series, taking everything the last several titles set up so well and making a bigger and better game than its predecessors. Any fan of racing games needs to check it out now, and even if you’re not usually into the genre, you may surprise yourself with how well it pulls you in. Forza Horizon 5 is a taste of gaming nirvana that is not to be missed.
Forza Horizon 5 is everything you love about the franchise, only bigger, more refined and much better looking. Everything that was good has been kept, like seasonal changes, dynamic weather and colossal amount of content, hundreds of cars, nine difficulty levels and several tweaks that make the game fun, whatever your skill level. This title particularly draws attention for its setting in Mexico, which brings a greater degree of familiarity to us Brazilian players than all the maps seen in the series. Its technical excellence and virtually endless amount of content make FH5 a must-have experience for anyone who enjoys racing games.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Forza Horizon 5 is a fantastic experience in every possible way! The game looks absolutely stunning, from the different biomes you ride through to the design of the cars, everything was developed carefully with one of the best games of 2021 as a result. If you like racing games even just a little bit, this game will probably grab you and suck you into the Forza universe!
I definitely think Forza Horizon 5 is this year's GOTY,and while I don't know if they'll give it the award eventually, I think it's enough to be for driving fans and for the gaming community in general. The first two days playing it, because it was a more past version, I found several striking bugs, which although they did not stagnate my experience, made it less enjoyable. However, the study itself already warned us that during the review, all these failures were well located, and through an update they would be solved. And so it was, the game comes to the launch like a shot.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
It’s a difficult one, because other than the superb setting and proper top-tier graphics it could be argued that there hasn’t been a massive amount of innovation since our jaunt to the United Kingdom in 2018. But the simple fact is, that the formula Playground Games have crafted is near perfect. I said in our Forza Horizon 4 review that it was the greatest racing game ever made. Well, the best just got better.
Forza Horizon 5 manages to make a great experience... even better, taking us to a beautiful, exotic location that perfectly highlights all the virtues of the series. I highly recommend the game to everyone, even if you don't like racing games, just to admire its phenomenal graphics.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Even as a game that feels more iterative, and less like a next-generational step, Forza Horizon 5 is still the best racing game you can play and the first must-play Xbox Series X|S game to be released since the launch of the console.
Overall, Forza Horizon 5 somehow raised an insurmountable bar to new heights. Playground Games continued to show off their prowess with game development and their striving to make a game that is fun for every type of player in every aspect of gameplay. Regardless of if you’re a racing fan or not, if you have Game Pass, Forza Horizon 5 needs to be the next game you play. You never know, it could be the jumping-off point into a new genre that you never knew you’d click with.
Forza Horizon 5 is the ultimate car enthusiast’s power fantasy. It’s a game that just wants you to go bananas and appreciate the beauty behind motoring, by offering every single tool, event, car model and online functionality available.
Forza Horizon 5 is simply one of the top arcade racing games ever released!
Review in Greek | Read full review
I won’t lie: Forza Horizon 5 is just reiterating what made parts 3 and 4 great. But at the end of the day, good sequels just keep the core game intact while adding way more to draw both driving veterans and newbies alike. With a gorgeous new setting and racing scenario, a ton of places to race and trash, and refined controls for both joypad and driving wheel users alongside accessibility options aplenty, Playground nails it once again and with more feeling.