Forza Horizon is a departure from its predecessor, Forza Motorsport 4. While it keeps the physics that made the Forza franchise so popular, the addition of open-world gameplay creates a mash-up of a serious driving simulator and arcade racing game.
The story has elements typical of the arcade genre - players compete to become the champion of the Horizon festival in the wide-open Colorado countryside. The environments are beautiful; from country roads to twisting hairpin bends, they're varied enough to always keep the races fresh.
The game takes place in an open world environment, much like the very popular Test Drive Unlimited. Players can choose from a number of races and can start the race by selecting it on the GPS and driving to the start. One of the more interesting features is the use of the Xbox Smartglass app, which allows an iPad, iPhone or Android device to act as a touch-screen GPS. It works incredibly well.
The regular races in the festival are standard, generally point-to-point races. Performing stunts like near misses, power slides and precision passes unlock 'milestone events' that have strange race types associated, like racing planes through checkpoints. Most of these events have impressive prize cars attached.
There are also outpost events that reduce the cost of transporting to the 10 fast-travel points on the map. These include a speed camera event (go past a speed camera faster than a target speed), a photo challenge (take a picture of a vintage car with a landmark in the background), and a Stunt Run, where players need to display their best driving skills.
In true Forza style, the handling is exceptional, whether weaving through traffic or sliding along a gravel road. For those new to the franchise, it is important to mention that this is not a game where a player can mash the throttle - it requires a lot more finesse. Steering or counter-steering, tapping the brake and even using the handbrake become essential to traversing the sharp mountain bends. If the controls are too difficult, there is a plethora of driving assists to help.
The online gameplay is fun. The Rivals mode earns the player bonuses by beating the ghosts of friends who have raced the same stage, while the competitive game modes allow eight-player online racing. These include the traditional Forza Cat and Mouse and Virus races and are exceptionally well implemented. Unfortunately, the game suffered from lag and significantly impacted my gaming experience.
The mash-up between the typical Forza physics with a competition-based arcade game is a masterstroke. The result is a high-intensity racing game that is fun, skilful and beautifully created. It is definitely a must-play for racing fans.
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