21 November,2021 08:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Jaison Lewis
Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 4 was an institution with all the DLCs and the simulated seasons. The game was comforting and fun to play. It is one of the few games that I always have installed and ready to go. After playing Forza Horizon 5 for a while now, I think I might be ready to shift my loyalties to the new version of the game.
The game treats you like royalty from the start. As soon as it is launched, you are transported to its Mexican landscape and you are airdropped in with a car. During the first few minutes of the game, you get to experience all the varied landscapes and the types of races available on the map. It is a brilliant introduction to the game. You are, of course, gifted a few cars to get you started. These cars can be upgraded with skill points giving them the ability to earn experience faster and chain accolade points better. New cars cost credits and the great part is, Forza is not stingy with the credits. However, if you are one of those completionists, you are going to have a tough time getting all the cars in the game, simply because there are so many. Speaking of easy credits, the Willy car hack is a great way to earn credits and new cars. All you have to do is buy a cheap Willy Jeep which costs around 40,000 cr and then upgrade till you get the Super Wheelspin. Once you are done with using the Super Wheelspin, gift the Willy away and buy another one to repeat the process. I managed to amass a huge collection of cars and wealth in a short amount of time using this method.
Horizon 5 has various race modes and under each, there are different types of races scattered all over the map. The map is also huge; according to some estimates online it is around 100 square kilometres. Every inch of the map is gorgeously detailed, with volcanic mountains, dusty deserts and swamp areas loaded with flamingos and mangroves. Not to mention huge stretches of tarmac that will have you driving aimlessly for hours. Add a beautifully detailed car to the mix and you are in heaven. Each car has distinct handling and feels different depending on where you are driving it. You can still switch cars on the fly, which is great when you want to match the terrain you are driving on. There are also fictional cars and cars from varied eras all stacked in the game. There are more than 500 cars to unlock in total and if the developers keep adding to the game you can expect plenty more additions with DLCs and car packs to come in over time.
The multiplayer aspect of the game is also well defined; you can race against random online strangers you meet on-road or you could participate in online races. Players can also create their events where other players can take part. It is pretty well thought out. The game also has varying levels of difficulty and upping the difficulty increases the amount of experience you can earn from every race. It is a nice way to incentivise players to increase their skill level.
I don't have much in terms of negative comments on the game. I did notice a few skipped frames here and there, but it didn't harm my experience in any way. It is also refreshing not to have micro-transactions forced on you. The progress on this game is very linear and you can only get your level up by putting in the time and playing the game. For Forza, I will probably end up forking out for the DLCs in the future which will expand the scope of the game just like it did with the previous version.
Very rarely does a game get it all perfect. Forza Horizon 5 is one of those rare gems. It builds well on the success of its predecessor, but adds a lot more variety in both the campaign and the types of races available. Not to mention, the game looks gorgeous while doing so. Recommended for anyone who loves car racing titles. The fact that this game is free on day one for Xbox Ultimate subscribers is just icing on the cake. However, if you want to own it outright it isn't that much more expensive than any other game.
