The Forza Horizon series is back once again with a sixth entry, and Forza Horizon 6 is flying the flag not just for its namesake franchise but also for the larger Forza brand in general.
Forza Motorsport‘s decline has put even more focus on Forza Horizon 6, which brings the series to Japan, one of the most requested destinations from the community, and rather than shy away from the limelight, the latest Playground Games title will leave an impression on the racing genre for a long, long time.
Konnichiwa, Japan
After burning rubber in the United States, Australia, the UK, Mexico, and elsewhere, the Land of the Rising Sun is the setting for Forza Horizon 6, which seemed to be the perfect canvas for Playground Games to paint on ahead of launch, and the result is exactly what many have dreamed of.
From curving mountain roads to the packed centre of Tokyo, Forza Horizon 6 is an exploration masterpiece that often throws up breathtaking results. Whether it’s the sun rising over Mt. Fuji in the background or burning rubber leaving smoke trails across Shibuya Crossing, the results are Banksy-level impressive.
The Day Trip Stories will give you a general overview of the different regions featured, but it’s down to you to unlock all the secrets hidden away. After close to 25 hours of playtime, I’m still seeing sights that blow me away, and I’m yet to experience Autumn or Winter in the game, outside of some brief online play sessions.
Of course, racing still plays an integral role in Forza Horizon 6, but only if you want it to. Like its predecessor, the game revolves around what you want it to, and if your preference is to capture the perfect vista using your favourite car and barely step onto the grid for a race, that’s entirely possible.
Personally, I love a bit of everything, and the ability to go from a full-throttle race to a calm drive through the towering snow walls at the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route in a matter of minutes will never be beaten. And if that’s not enough, there’s also the usual Forza Horizon craziness—like racing a giant mech and zooming around a rocket launch.
Operation Progression
While I loved both Forza Horizon 4 and 5, the progression was significantly lacking. While the ability to complete every event in just a handful of cars may have appealed to some, it didn’t strike a chord with me, and I’m glad to see Forza Horizon 6 adopt a more linear progression path.
The aim of the game is wristbands, with each variant unlocking more races and Horizon Stunts for you to challenge yourself on, while the Explore Japan system, providing Stamps for increased levels, means there’s a more staggered approach to unlocking all the houses, Barn Finds, and more spread across Japan.
While this is a major improvement, I still find Forza Horizon 6 to be too generous. There’s only been a couple of races where I’ve needed to buy a brand new car for, and my garage is bursting with over 100 different vehicles, many of which I’m yet to touch, earned from progression rewards and, my least favourite feature of all, Wheelspins.
I’m sure there’s a crowd that loves having packed garages, regular freebies, and every car you could dream of ready in your collection, but I’m certainly not that audience. Instead, I belong to the group of players who want to feel like every car I get is earned, and I want an easy way to customize them before I add them to my collection.
And therein lies another problem, as, unless I’ve missed something, cosmetic changes to your car, like wheels, bumpers, and spoilers, can only be added in the Forzavista mode, which slows down the process significantly. Additionally, there’s no way to quickly switch between front and back cosmetics and wheels, resulting in an approach that seems more complicated and lengthy than it needs to be.
These are just minor criticisms, though, and I’m aware that there will be a large chunk of players who disagree with me entirely. But the good news is it doesn’t detract from the brilliance of the title.
Forza Horizon 6 Review Verdict
I’ve spent hours getting lost in Japan, searching out every new mascot to obliterate into pieces, hunting down every XP board, and dissecting Treasure Car clues in a way that Sherlock Holmes himself would be proud of, and I want more and more.
The preview period included just Summer and Spring seasons, and I can’t wait to see how the map transitions with Autumn and Winter. I’m eagerly awaiting the start of the first Festival Playlist to give me a fresh checklist of things to tick off. Add to the fact that Forza Horizon 6 has two pieces of DLC later down the line, and the opportunities for fun are endless.
Japan has always been at the top of my bucket list of destinations to visit, but perhaps the greatest praise of all I can give to Forza Horizon 6 is that it has expanded my list of desired destinations even further. For now, though, this is the perfect place to experience the beauty that Japan has to offer.
Not only is Forza Horizon 6 in pole position as the best racing game on the market right now, but it also sets a bar so high for competitors to follow that it might be impossible, and the future of the Forza franchise, after the rollercoaster that was Forza Motorsport, looks set to reach new heights.
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Forza Horizon 6
10
