Rather than showing the optimum line, it sticks resolutely to the correct side of the road and daren't direct you into oncoming traffic - which makes it function more as a route-finder than a signal of the fastest way around. Offline Modeįorza's trademark racing line returns in Horizon, though its appearance isn't totally welcome. The level of feedback when driving is so acute that it's easy to forget the series' trademark 60 FPS has been halved for Forza Horizon in service of its open-world vision - in the hand, this feels as smooth as Forza ever has. The front-engined, front-wheel-drive Volkswagen Corrado that's gifted at the start of the campaign requires a more forceful touch if it's to be snapped out of its natural state of languid understeer, something that's perfectly possible to do with a pad. Explore other parts of Forza Horizon's garage, however, and there's nuance that allows it to run so much deeper than other, lighter racers. Take off the assists and shift to the bumper cam and you've got an experience that's sim-minded, and one that's instantly reminiscent of the previous Forza games.ĭrive an American muscle car - the Viper that graces the cover, for instance - and there's a tendency for tail-out moments, the rear breaking away forcefully with only the slightest encouragement. It's told in little flashes of welcome influence, from Burnout Paradise's world of secrets to Project Gotham's score attacks and Grid's sense of meaningful progression.Īrcade racers all, but where that Forza influence comes in isn't just in the level of polish (which is layered on in lovely, thick coats) or the succession of real-life cars (which are available in the droves, and seem to include some of the esoterica that Forza has sometimes skipped out on). Be thankful that it does.įorza Horizon's about that most American of dreams - the promise of the open road - but its accent is unmistakable.

It's a slightly forced one at times, but there's still an understatement and refinement to the Forza Motorsport series that belies the game's American roots.įunny, then, that when the series turns to the big, wide American landscape for the open world racer Forza Horizon it does so with the British inflections of Playground, a studio formed from veterans of Codemasters, Black Rock and Bizarre. When the Washington-based Turn 10 makes Forza games, it does so with a European accent.

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