Game Review: Forza Horizon 4

When we previewed Forza Horizon 4 recently we were impressed with what we saw but couldn’t help but feel it was more of the same without any significant progress in the series.

We need not have been concerned, because Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios have churned out an exceptionally chiselled game that few could dislike.

Those familiar with previous Forza racing titles will understand that A) they are housed exclusively on Microsoft platforms (Windows and Xbox) and B) they come in two flavours; Forza Motorsport for the purist racer, and Forza Horizon for – in the words of the developer – those that want to have fun in cars with friends.

Forza Horizon is an open-world driving game that features the Forza music and car festival at its core and overwhelms players with events to take part in dotted all over the map.

The developers have refined this concept of objectives and together with changing seasons, which we'll get to shortly, it makes the ebb and flow of the game very pleasing. That said, the festival concept has been pushed to the background and there is no longer an option – at least in the open world – for ad-hoc races initiated by other players.

Everything else Forza Horizon fans have come to expect is here though, and much more besides.

One of the biggest changes you will notice is the emphasis on building an avatar and decking him or her out in gear and emotes that are showcased on the podium and at other important junctures in the game. Rewards earned in the game can also be applied to your avatar with new dances, clothing and even in-game quick chat dialogue.

But all this avatar nonsense is just window dressing to the real business out on the road.

Horizon remains on the arcade side of the driving spectrum yet there are plenty of dials to tweak and a whole host of tuning options, upgrades and body-kits for your garage of cars. In saying that, the driving model remains forgiving whether driving on gravel in a rally race, getting things sideways on grass during a cross-country bash or keeping the raw power of a hyper-car under control in a road event.

The cars have a weight to them, and are beautifully realised as always, both inside with the 3D cockpits and especially outside with many more options for paint and decals and wheels and wild body work.

Each car has its own upgrade perk tree, which not only enhances its abilities or rewards but means you can pick a couple of favourite cars and give them an extensive amount of love throughout the game. The end results are very satisfying.

Where the team at Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios have excelled is in the environments.

Set in the United Kingdom, the developers have condensed the country laneways, cobbled streets and iconic beauty spots into an enjoyable and vibrant landscape that's a delight to explore.

Our favourite spots are cruising past the ocean near Arthur's Seat and through the rolling hills of Astmoor, whilst the Llechwedd Quarry is just a right-pain to race through, particularly if you hit a ramp! Anything other than the precise angle through corners in this area and you'll plummet to your doom. Race over.

The other thing that needs to be touched on when talking about the map is the seasons. Seasons are huge in Forza Horizon 4, particularly the dramatic effect it has on the visuals and car response, making a once perfect bitumen road completely different to drive upon. When the snow comes things can get pretty intense and in some cases (the freezing of lakes for example) the once impassable becomes traversable.

In the beginning, your handy Horizon Festival director will guide you through a full year of seasonal events to get you started, and for the first 20 levels or so (measured by the Influence you gain during races) things are pretty guided.

After that you are free to roam around the map, repeating events or choosing challenges that align with the season that the servers are currently presenting. So, for everybody (at the time of writing) it is Autumn across the Forza Horizon 4 servers and after a week the season will change to, you guessed it, Winter.

The result will be a lot more races on snow, ice and the visual transition is striking.

AI opponents can be selected at a variety of levels to find a challenge sweet spot for those wanting to play offline but there is a new emphasis on the connected play with Horizon 4 with a host of modes designed to get us playing with friends and un-met rivals online.

The best one, we feel, given our testing period was limited with online interaction, was the Team Adventure mode where players group into teams for a five-race play-off, that can go down to the wire.

There are plenty of other multiplayer options with Horizon 4 and there is bound to be a way for you to connect with friends or rivals in some form that pleases your mood and available time. Some of them are time dependent, such as the Forzathon events that will attract everybody on the map to a point in order to be given a driving challenge.

There are so many numbers and stats in Forza Horizon 4. The numbers are constantly going up, especially influence and credits, the former unlocking different and new driving event types, the latter to spend on cars and many other things.

There are classic Forza Horizon diversions such 'showcase' events, where you take part in outrageous races, the best of which involve a giant hovercraft and the Flying Scotsman train. They offer some great eye candy but can be somewhat annoying as they are rubber-banded to your racing ability. Thankfully there are only a few of them.

There are also barn finds, where you'll find special or unique vehicles, and the discovery of them is made so much easier via a drone you can launch from your car. Just buzz around the area to locate the hidey-hole of a precious car and you're good as gold! I love that drone.

There is so much we have not covered here and Forza Horizon 4 has so much content on offer that normally we would sign off a review by saying "everybody will find something to enjoy with Forza Horizon 4".

We will go further and say, everybody will enjoy the entirety of what Forza Horizon 4 has to offer. It's a beautifully crafted game that rewards gamers the more they delve into it. Simply put, this is an extremely polished way for virtual racers who don't necessarily want the full challenge of simulation racing to have fun in cool cars with friends.

Forza Horizon 4 is now available on Xbox One and Windows PC