Gameplay – Winner: Forza Horizon 5
I did initially toy with the idea of leaving this as a draw. After all, the gameplay is more or less the same between the two Horizon titles, but there are some much-needed improvements made in 5 that just give it the edge here.
For those unfamiliar with the series, Forza Horizon games are always based around the Horizon Festival, a roaming celebration of everything motorsport. You complete races and improve your reputation across the festival, unlocking more events as you go.
Outside of standard races, there are Danger Sign jumps for you to break the records of, average speed cameras to set off, drift zones to conquer and even hidden treasure chests to find every once in a while. There are XP boards, fast travel boards, online leaderboards, a Battle Royale-style multiplayer mode called The Eliminator, and much, much more.
My only grievance when playing Horizon 4 was that things felt like they were over all too quickly. The campaign seemingly petered out early on, leaving your self-drive to carry you through completing race after race. In Horizon 5, we’ve got a much more complete-feeling campaign, with expedition missions that require you to complete various objectives to open up new festival sites. There’s a Hall of Fame to break into and the massive endurance events make a return once again. Oh, and some of the Showcase events in Forza Horizon 5? Chef’s kiss.
Simply put, there’s just more of the same, great racing gameplay that’s become synonymous with the series in Forza Horizon 5, with a few new additions to boot.
