© XBOX GAME STUDIOS
Accurate handling aids mean
your car almost drives itselfPut something suitable on
the radio and enjoy the viewsUh-oh! Dust cloud approaching- time to go looking for statues
Spot a cargo plane
and you know a car
is about to dropForza Horizon 5
HORIZON Great looking open
world racing and car collecting.
COMPROMISIN’ A few audio bugs;
multiplayer can be hard to access.
RECOMMENDED SPECS CPU, i5-8500 / R5
1600X. RAM,: 16GB. GPU, GTX 1070 / RX 590.
$60, http://www.forzamotorsport.net, Rated E9
VERDICTHaving made a suitably bodacious
entrance to the festivities, you’re left
with the map and the soothing voice of
your assistant. Entering an event means
driving there, and owning a car that fits
its regulations, although the game will
pit you against suitable opponents if you
enter in something overpowered, which
is much more likely than underpowered,
even at the beginning of the game.
You can also tune your car so it fits the
requirements for some events. Owners of
Horizon 4 get a few extra cars delivered
to their garages, and it’s fairly easy to pick
up a couple more rides within the first few
races—classic rally cars are just given
away, apparently. Chasing after specific
makes and models is all part of the game,
and barn finds return, asking you to
investigate out-of-the-way places in the
hope of discovering something sleek and
lovely under a sheet or some chickens.
Graphics in car games always look
great, but in this open world, with its
forests and dust storms, 3D spectators,and flocks of flamingos, the level of quality
is kept so high throughout is a testament
to both Playground Games’ skill and the
power of modern PCs.NEW HORIZONS?
The game inherits the seasonal structure
of previous games, changing conditions
and events almost in real-time. However,
not much is actually new. Aside from
the Event Labs, a custom race creator
that the community will need to get to
grips with, this is the Horizon 4 template
stretched over a new country with
different landscapes and festivals to
experience. That’s not a bad thing: with
the tweaks and streamlining the game
has received, it’s now extremely good at
being a Forza Horizon game.
Levels of handling accuracy mean you
can play it in a car that practically drives
itself, which feels appropriate for the laid-
back nature of the game, or as something
you and your expensive steering wheel
setup need to wrestle with.Likewise, the AI, which comprises
a mix of anonymous racers and your
friends’ Drivatars, puts up as much of a
challenge as you want it to. Add to that
the licensed soundtrack, the sunny days,
bright colors, and silly (but varied) driving
challenges, and this is a celebration of
the computer-powered car collection as
much as it is a racing game.
You’ll probably want to turn the damage
off (it’s fairly limited anyway) and just roll
around with something suitable on the
radio, enjoying this excellent world and
everything it has in it. –IAN EVENDENFEB 2022 MAXIMU MPC 91