I don’t think anyone could have ever predicted a game like Forza Horizon 5 releasing on PlayStation 5 even two years ago, but the impossible has been made possible, as the game is set to launch on PS5 on April 29 (or April 25 with early access). If you’re a PlayStation player unfamiliar with the Forza Horizon series as a whole, let me tell you: this is easily my favorite racing game franchise.
I’ve been a fan of Forza Horizon for a very long time, ever since the release of Forza Horizon 2. I poured hundreds of hours into the series over the years on Xbox, enthralled by its wonderful worlds and endless cars to collect. Regrettably, I ended up missing out on Forza Horizon 5 at launch for one reason or another, largely due to not owning an Xbox Series X|S. However, that changed with the PS5 release.
I only started playing Horizon 5 last week, and it’s been so challenging to put down. There are over 800 different vehicles to collect, and there is just nothing like the thrill of exploring and racing around the world in a Forza Horizon game. Grab your car of choice and allow me to welcome you to the lands of Mexico.
Welcome to Horizon
Forza Horizon is a spin-off series of Forza Motorsport developed by Playground Games. Instead of a realistic racing sim, Horizon took the Forza series in a new direction: arcade racing meets open world. Breaking free from the confines of tracks, each new Forza Horizon entry has taken the series to a brand-new location. Each game takes place during the Horizon Festival, a huge celebration of cars and street racing. The first Horizon game took place in Colorado, and since then, we’ve traveled to France, Italy, Australia, Great Britain, and now Mexico.
Forza Horizon 5‘s map of Mexico is 50% larger than Great Britain was in Forza Horizon 4. This region is brimming with all sorts of different biomes and places to discover, ranging from desert plains to volcanic craters. Horizon 5 retains the weather system introduced in its predecessor, with notable improvements that make it feel more detailed. Though Mexico’s climate tends to remain mostly the same throughout the year, Playground still did a good job at implementing this system. The dynamic weather truly makes the map a blast to explore, as things can change each time you open the game. Every season brings new challenges to face, and the environmental changes make exploration really enjoyable.
With Mexico’s abundance of deserts, there is certainly an emphasis on off-road races, I feel. That’s not to say that these are bad, but it is something you should expect going in. Rest assured, there are numerous areas where you can hit the gas with your Lamborghini or Bugatti — just be prepared to go off-road if you have to.
Forza Horizon is a series that absolutely anyone can pick up and have a blast with. This is by far the biggest strength of the series — anyone, even one with zero knowledge of cars, can have a wonderful time. You don’t need to have a competitive edge; if you wish to just focus on exploring and taking things slow, that’s completely fine! My favorite aspect of Forza Horizon 5 flat out is the ability to do whatever you’d like while going wherever you want. This concept hits harder than ever with the biggest map in series history.
The entire structure of the Horizon Festival has been upended to complement this, as you now slowly unlock bits and pieces of the festival across different hub points on the map. As you complete events throughout the world, you’ll unlock tickets that allow you to either expand an existing hub or establish a brand new one. These lead to what have been some of my favorite events thus far, often bringing you to scenic locations like Mayan Ruins with plenty of action to be had.
You might not think about a game like Forza Horizon 5 offering a story or some semblance of a narrative, but there are actually all kinds of plot threads that help you connect not only to the land of Mexico but to its people. Numerous locals will find their way into missions, and these often lead to some of my favorite moments in my time with the game. There’s been a special care placed on creating storylines that feel not only relevant but significant.
Two Expansions & Loads of Content Await
There is so much to do on this map to the point that it can almost be overwhelming. Even three years after its release, Forza Horizon 5 has yet to be beaten in regards to open-world racing. I’ve touched on the Horizon Festival expansions and events, but that acts as maybe a tenth of the events you have to explore and complete. There are multiple different kinds of street races scattered across the map, with new ones popping up constantly as you complete events. Choose between road racing, street racing, drag racing, dirt racing, and even cross-country.
Beyond races, you will find all kinds of collectibles hidden throughout the environment. My favorite of these is Barn Finds, hidden buildings that hold vintage, rusted-out cars. While this might seem like a worthless timesink, you actually will be able to have these cars repaired once you find them, and there is no other way to get these vehicles without finding them in an abandoned barn. The map will showcase a wide circle as a reference for you to drive through, but it’s up to you to explore and seek out where the hidden barns are located.
Every car also has perks that you can unlock by simply driving it. This is done through the Car Mastery menu, where you can spend points to unlock select perks for your vehicle. There are rewards for unlocking every one of the perks on a single car, but be prepared to grind for Skill Points to earn the points needed, as some can be as expensive as 25. Additionally, you can upgrade and tweak all of your cars as you’d like. If you’re looking to increase speed or handling, you can head over to the Test Track to try new upgrades before you commit to purchasing them for your vehicle.
There is also an emphasis on player-built content in the form of Event Lab. This is most comparable to something like Forge in the Halo series, and I promise you it is just as spectacular. Halo assets are here to use in your creations, after all. You can create custom tracks and modify absolutely everything you wish, even to the point of placing rocks. It’s truly a creator’s dream, and I think PS5 players are in for a treat with this mode in particular.
As a player on PS5, you have access to all of the maps that Xbox and PC players have created thus far, which is amazing. There are some incredible creations that blew me away, with an extensive amount of detail that almost makes these tracks feel official in some capacity. If you ever get tired of Mexico and want to see something fresh, Event Lab is the perfect way to transport to another world.
Since its release in 2021, Forza Horizon 5 has added two DLC expansions: Rally Adventure and Hot Wheels. I had the opportunity to check out both of these in my time with Forza Horizon 5 on PS5, and I think both add a solid amount of content to the world. Rally Adventure focuses mainly on a new map called Sierra Nueva, which has quite a few environments packed together that you can race across.
This expansion is much windier than some of the roads you’ll find on the main map, which is perfect for the new Rally races. These races essentially have an NPC flying above on a helicopter, sharing directions just before you reach them. It’s all about drifting, driving off-road, and getting to the finish line as fast as you can. I think the rally mechanics can get a little tiring if you run them all back-to-back, but it’s a refreshing change of pace from the races you’ll find in the base game.
The other expansion, Hot Wheels, is exactly as the name implies: there are giant orange tracks everywhere. This expansion sets you up to rank up through different ranks, starting at Rookie Rank and ending at Legend Rank. As you earn more medals in Hot Wheels Academy, you’ll slowly rank up, unlocking better and faster cars along the way. There are a few life-sized Hot Wheels cars added to the game, but you can use any car you want on the track. This map is sitting in the skies above Mexico, which leaves a beautiful view below.
Numerous track types are also scattered across the Hot Wheels map, like ice tracks, gravity tracks, and even air tracks that boost you to 400mph. This expansion feels completely out of this world, and it’s such a joy to play. It really leans into the arcade side of Horizon, and it’s hard not to sit with a huge smile on your face while racing down the huge slopes. While this isn’t the first rodeo for Hot Wheels with the Forza Horizon series, I would expect that most PlayStation players never got a chance to experience Forza Horizon 3‘s expansion since it is delisted. Even if you’ve already experienced the prior Hot Wheels DLC, this is still a great time with loads of new ideas and features to discover.
Finally, there’s the new addition of Horizon Realms. This is a new feature that is launching across all platforms for the very first time alongside the PS5 release of Forza Horizon 5. Essentially, Playground Games has brought back 11 of the best limited-time Evolving World locations in addition to a brand-new Stadium Track, so players can revisit these areas and take in the scenery. You have two different options for each of these areas: Skill Mode and Free Mode. In the former, you drive around for a limited time to rack up as many skill points as possible before the clock hits 0. In Free Mode, you can just drive around and explore the area. To me, this did not necessarily feel like a huge piece of new content, but it’s yet another addition that makes Horizon 5 feel even bigger than every other racing game on the market.
Not A Reinvention, But A Refinement
Really, my only major complaint with Forza Horizon 5 is that, largely, the game doesn’t do too much to innovate from its predecessor. Forza Horizon 4 made huge strides from Forza Horizon 3, offering new dynamic seasons that fundamentally change the world as time passes. You could also choose to travel the world and pass by other players or play by yourself for the first time.
Forza Horizon 5 makes numerous minor tweaks here and there that improve the overall experience, but don’t come in expecting a revolutionary new entry – this is a refinement of everything that makes Horizon great. That isn’t a bad thing whatsoever, as that formula is fantastic, but outside of the massive map, the series did not take any revolutionary steps forward with this entry.
On PS5, the game runs excellently, with a gorgeous 4K30 mode with pristine visuals and a speedy 60FPS performance mode that was my go-to for a smooth playing experience. I ran into no bugs or performance issues whatsoever amidst my playthrough, making this feel like a perfect port overall. Panic Button, who was responsible for the port, went above and beyond in incorporating PS5-exclusive features like the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the DualSense controller, which feel great and are appreciated.
Going for Gold
Simply put, Forza Horizon 5 is a blast and a must-own game for any racing fan. The beauty of the Horizon series is that you make your own adventure. The definition of fun in Forza Horizon 5 depends on you and your preferences. Wish to become number one in every race across the map? You have that option. Want to drive up the side of a mountain with an Aston Martin instead? Go for it! This freedom is what makes Horizon unlike any other racing series out there.
It is seriously incredible to see what Playground Games put together in Forza Horizon 5, all in one package. I could not imagine a stronger series debut for any game on a platform, as you can easily spend hundreds of hours in this game without getting bored for even a second. While Forza Horizon 5 doesn’t necessarily innovate much from its predecessors, it is absolutely a must-own title on PlayStation 5. It may be the best racing game available on the platform.
Disclaimer: Microsoft Corporation provided Final Weapon with a PlayStation 5 copy of Forza Horizon 5 for review purposes.
