Forza Horizon 6 review highlights an expansive open-world racing experience set in Japan featuring Tokyo and Mount Fuji over 600 cars stunning visuals and improved gameplay while noting lack structured progression and overwhelming freedom for new players overall review

By Aditya Deshbandhu

Hyderabad: Over 300 hours is the total amount of time I spent playing Forza Horizon 5 in 2021 and 2022 as I drove through the many biomes and regions of Playground Games’ representation of Mexico.

From the Porsche Taycan to the Bugatti Chiron, and from the game’s Lamborghini collection to the Hoonigan catalogue, there was an endless variety of cars and a seemingly endless number of challenges to experience both speed and control. After my time with Horizon 5, I thought no driving game could come close to it; however, my 20 hours in Horizon 6 have me seriously reconsidering that assessment.

Horizon in Japan is not only bigger and brighter, but also doing its best to capture the spirit of automobile racing in Japan.

I would like to begin my early review of Horizon 6 with two words: Mt. Fuji and Tokyo. For fans of racing culture, I don’t need to say any more. For everyone else, the joy of driving a classic Nissan “Hakosuka” (the 1971 Skyline 2000 GT-R) is one of the greatest pleasures in a racing game, and in Horizon 6 it is available as a barn find in the Nangan region.

Driving up to Mt. Fuji and through the streets of Tokyo in Horizon 6 is an unparalleled experience. Similarly, drifting with classic JDM cars or driving off-road among the cherry blossoms is a thing of sheer beauty. This is by far the most beautiful driving game, and with over 600 cars, we are all going to spend a lot of time here.

In comparison with other racing games, Horizon 6 perfects its strengths. The world is more expansive, more diverse in terms of terrains, the car list is endless, and the number of challenges is larger than ever.

However, the game also has its weaknesses, as it remains a largely unstructured experience that will intimidate new players due to the lack of direction in terms of progression. Not everyone wants to drive around Japan, and some would prefer a focused narrative that takes them from one event to the other – that is lacking here, despite the integration of the color-based wristband system.

As is indicative of its many strengths, this is a very serious contender for Game of the Year. Irrespective of the other games launching this year, I am sure we will all keep coming back to Horizon’s Japan many many times. Till then, I am off to drift with my Nizzan Fairlady, see you next week!

Sneak Peek

Title: Forza Horizon 6

Developer: Playground Games

Game Type: Single Player, Open World Racing Experience with elements of simulation

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, and Microsoft Windows at launch. PS5 launch later in the year.

Price: Rs.5,499 on Steam, and Xbox Store, free to play on Game Pass on launch day.

Verdict (all scores out of 10)

Innovative Gameplay: 8.5

Game Handling & Quality: 9.5

Value for Time: 9.5

Value for Money: 9.5

Overall: 9.25

What Stands Out

• Forza’s Japan shines in its sheer beauty, the re-creation of Tokyo, and the immense number of cars.

• The open-world experience is so much more expansive than Mexico, both in scale and possibilities.

Fails to impress

• With a game so vast and activities happening everywhere, this is not a focused racing or narrative experience. For newcomers, it can all get a bit much despite the new wristband system, considering there is no fixed order in which events are to be completed.

• Nothing else, this is the finest driving game I have played to date.