The road is bottled up at the end of 2021 on Xbox consoles. Indeed, these last months will be worn by the two most emblematic exclusive licenses of the American brand. And before the big return of Master Chief, the engines are about to roar in Forza Horizon 5. Since the saga has been adored by critics and racing game fans alike since its debut in 2012, we weren't expecting less than excellence for this fifth big start. Did the Playground Games teams manage to meet the wishes of the Forza community? This is what we will try to see in this test.
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View PriceRead ConclusionForza Horizon 5
- Mexico, magnificent and with varied landscapes
- Gargantuan content
- Onion gameplay
- The atmosphere of the Horizon festival (and its music)
- Clipping sometimes pronounced in performance mode
- Indented news
- Dialogues not always exciting
Test conducted on the Xbox Series X version of the game, using code provided by Microsoft. We also spent a few minutes with the title on Xbox Series S and PC. Forza Horizon 5 will be released on November 9, 2021 and will be included day one in the Xbox Game Pass. Premium Edition buyers will be able to play starting November 5.
For those who have lived in a cave for the past ten years, remember that the Forza Horizon franchise is the arcade counterpart of Forza. Announced in June 2021 and launched barely five months later (a real rarity in the gaming industry), the new opus from the British studio quickly aroused the enthusiasm of license lovers and novices alike. Because, and this is a particularity of the series, the game is aimed at both experienced pilots and beginners wishing to get lost in the heart of a huge playground.
Long live Mexico!
Let's start with the real star of this Forza Horizon 5! After Colorado, the area straddling Spain and Italy, Australia and then Great Britain, it's Mexico's turn to host the famous Horizon festival. This gigantic playground is at the epicenter of the first minutes of the game since the introduction allows us to browse different environments aboard superb cars. After the certainly sumptuous, but noticeably dull map of the previous game, Forza Horizon 5 revives a certain exoticism of the most appreciable. The 11 biomes to discover are simply incredible and perfectly interconnected. You go from one area to another with exemplary fluidity, whether by road or by cutting across fields. Because as usual, Playground Games has crafted a completely open and extremely large map. Crossing it from side to side easily takes several minutes and certain races magnify this feeling of gigantism.
If the construction of the card itself borders on perfection... well, its filling is also of excellent quality. Every corner hides activities to complete or panels of experience and fast travel to break. Going off the beaten path, barn treasures (i.e. old abandoned cars) can also be unearthed. Quite classic extras, but the exploration remains exhilarating. The only downside to note concerns the fairly discreet fauna. We too rarely come across pink flamingos, wild dogs and other donkeys, which are nevertheless present in large numbers in the trailers released before the game's release. Thus, some places may seem a little empty... But nothing dramatic to report since we rather tendency to spin at high speed without stopping too much at a specific place.
Unparalleled beauty
But what would this great open world be without a worthy achievement?! Again, Playground Games does not disappoint! On Xbox Series X, Forza Horizon 5 is superb with its breathtaking panoramas and a display distance rarely equaled in a video game. The attention to detail hits the mark on both the environments and the impeccably modeled vehicles. The title also allows itself to run like a charm with a solid 30 FPS in quality mode and constant 60 FPS by favoring performance. Impossible to omit the meteorological effects such as sandstorms, storms or the wind which show a striking realism. In addition, thanks to the season system, the appearance of the world will change every week. And what about the sensation of speed aboard a vehicle launched at 300 km/h on Mexican roads?! A pure delight!
Alas, like any self-respecting open-world, the copy cannot be perfect. In the case of Forza Horizon 5, the main concern is materialized by elements (trees, poles, bushes, etc.) which have the unfortunate tendency to appear at the last moment. The phenomenon is accentuated by launching the performance mode which necessarily comes to crop some graphic aspects in order to maintain a stable framerate. It is important to specify that these few imperfections do not have a major impact on the experience. Finally, the aesthetics of the menus has not changed one iota and it is easy to navigate between the different sections. There is no need to dwell any longer on the beauty of the game since it was already not the slightest doubt during our preview.
Quid des versions Xbox One et PC ?
We were also able to launch Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox One S. On this console, Full HD resolution at 30 FPS cannot be exceeded. Inevitably, concessions are required on a machine that is technically limited today. The graphic quality is at half mast with less detailed textures and backgrounds which sometimes hurt the eyes. It must be said that the impressive display distance of the title does not really help. The aliasing is also intended to be quite pronounced on the sets and the physics of several elements (such as the corn plants by rolling over them) has been revised to the bare minimum. Loading times are inevitably longer and above all more numerous. However, everything is still playable without too many concerns in terms of performance and the modeling of the cars is extremely correct.
On PC you would expect the superior version (as they say in the industry), and it is indeed the case… during the 3 minutes of play before it crashes. Indeed the game suffers from untimely crashes at the moment, and we were not able to pass the introductory race. The problems are known to the developers and we bet that a patch will resolve the situation by the time the title is made available to the public. We were still able to run the integrated benchmark tool on our configuration (RTX 3080, i9).
JVFR
JVFR
Bis repetita
The player therefore embodies the great superstar of the Horizon festival. After having used the roads of the United Kingdom, our crazy (or crazy) driver is about to demonstrate all her talent on the American continent. Once our avatar has been created through fairly rudimentary customization options, the adventure can begin. The goal of the game is simple since you have to chain races to earn credits and reputation points. Over the victories, the festival will develop new antennas and will eventually spread throughout Mexico. Additional events will be unlocked over time. Road races, dirt, cross-country, street or drag events, there is something for everyone. The iconic rallies, danger signs, speed cameras, trailblazers and drift zones are also making a comeback. There are literally dozens of activities!
JVFR
Among the timid novelties introduced in this Forza Horizon 5, we have the right to (small) new stories in the company of uncharismatic characters. Note also the arrival of expeditions. The concept of the latter is to go to a specific place in order to accomplish rather classic tasks such as taking a picture of such a statue or recovering objects. If there is reason to be overwhelmed by this colossal content, we are not forbidden to rail against the cruel lack of inspiration on the almost anecdotal additions mentioned above. The Forza Horizon recipe has clearly not been revamped despite the three years that have passed since the release of the fourth installment. But why change a formula that works so well?!
JVFR
Once again, it is excess that prevails during this edition of the Horizon festival. 526 vehicles to collect, 1876 distinctions to obtain, 56 landmarks to discover, 250 signs to destroy, 578 roads to survey... The lifespan is certainly crazy! To this story of big numbers is added a connected and social dimension of the most complete. It is possible to share our creations online, to offer gifts to other players and to distribute kudos. We can also challenge the drivatars and challenge the pilots around via the Link function. All without forgetting the seasonal championships and the multiple customization tools provided by the EventLab. This is used to create circuits, challenges, stunts and even entire game modes. There is something to be won over in the face of so much generosity.
JVFR
Comme à la maison
This familiarity in the content of the game is also found at the level of the gameplay. The vehicles are controlled with ease since it is the arcade side that prevails. But by rummaging through the options, it is widely possible to make the gameplay more demanding. Power steering, traction control, stability, gearbox (automatic or manual), trajectory indications, damage impact on driving and AI difficulty are all aspects that can be settings. The more assists are disabled, the higher the bonus on earned credits. And the game even goes so far as to offer us to move to a higher difficulty if the tests ultimately prove to be too easy.
JVFR
Overall, the sensations are present controller in hand. The maneuverability is imperial despite the alteration of the car's behavior depending on the road surface. Forza Horizon 5 is a kind of compromise between arcade gameplay and more traditional simulation. Ultimately, it's the player who decides... And it's probably the best option to satisfy the greatest number.
JVFR
Everyone is having a blast at Horizon
Let's end our overview (no pun intended) by acknowledging the unique atmosphere that emerges from Forza Horizon 5. An atmosphere supported by the high quality music broadcast on the radio and via this festive facet that emerges from the festival every minute spent on the road. Admiring the hot air balloons and fireworks in the distance, hearing the noise of the crowd or the roaring engines are all elements that make you want to spend our days and evenings on the roads of Mexico. And if the conversations between the characters are sometimes a bit painful (the fault of a dull Spanish dubbing and uninspired dialogues), this does not impact the general copy too negatively.
JVFR
Forza Horizon is fun without the fuss, it's benevolence and it's one-upmanship without interruption! We have a good time, the hours go by at the speed of a Mercedes-AMG One and we are never bored. This is the main quality of the license and the fifth game ticks absolutely all these boxes without ever disappointing.
JVFR
Forza Horizon 5: JVFR's review
Forza Horizon 5 spontaneously does what we expected of it. Its seductive plastic captures our attention from the first minutes and the more than generous content will probably delight pilots in need of sensations. It's a game that is aimed at everyone without the slightest distinction and that has only one obsession: to deliver maximum fun in a festive atmosphere. We chain the tests until more thirsty without ever sulking our pleasure. Few games are able to convey such emotions and Forza Horizon 5 does it wonderfully!
In itself, the progression has changed little since Forza Horizon 4 and the novelties are fishing by their banality... But it must be recognized that the pleasure of play has not disappeared and that the attention to detail of Playground Games always makes its small effect. We can definitely say that Forza Horizon 5 is on the podium of the best racing games of all time. It's an absolutely must-have Xbox exclusive!
Forza Horizon 59
Forza Horizon 5 lives up to expectations. If the risk taking is minimal, the pleasure of the game is maximum! With its exceptional content, sumptuous graphics, welcoming gameplay and unique atmosphere, Playground Games' game instantly becomes a must-have.Most
- Mexico, magnificent and with varied landscapes
- Gargantuan content
- Onion gameplay
- The atmosphere of the Horizon festival (and its music)
- Graphically superb!
The lessers
- Clipping sometimes pronounced in performance mode
- Indented news
- Dialogues not always exciting
