Forza Horizon 5 Xbox One X Gameplay

Forza Horizon 5 is a racing video game set in an open world environment based in a fictional representation of Mexico. The game has the largest map in the entire Forza Horizon series, being 50% larger than its predeccesor, Forza Horizon 4 while also having the highest point in the Horizon series. The map was described by creative director Mike Brown as one of the most diverse Forza Horizon maps the team has built. The map contains an active caldera volcano, jungles and beaches, ancient Mayan temples, and towns and cities such as Guanajuato.

Players can explore the open world freely, though they can also compete in multiplayer races and complete the campaign mode. Both the cars featured in the game and the player character can be extensively customised. Players are able to create custom liveries and tunes for cars, and perform engine swaps, drivetrain swaps, or install body kits on certain vehicles. The game is the first in the franchise to support ray tracing on cars . Just like Forza Horizon 4, Forza Horizon 5 is a cross-gen game that is also being released on Xbox One consoles, but it's still a big leap forward for the open-world racing franchise.

It's definitely one of the best-looking games you can play on Xbox Series X|S consoles today, featuring the largest open world ever seen in a Forza game. It's also an excellent casual game for players who aren't really into racing games, and it remains far more accessible than the pretty demanding Forza Motorsport series. Create your own expressions of fun with the powerful new EventLab gameplay toolset including custom races, challenges, stunts, and entirely new game modes.

Customize your cars in more ways than ever before with new options such as the ability open and close convertible tops, paint brake calipers, and more. Use the new Gift Drops feature to share your custom creations with the community. It's already been 3 years since the release of Forza Horizon 4; a game that I couldn't put down as I was constantly impressed by its awesome scenery, changing seasons, variety of events, and massive world.

Forza Horizon 5 has now been launched for us racing fans to dive into and it definitely doesn't disappoint. For starters, the map is 50% larger than the one in Forza Horizon 4 with an increased assortment of locations to race in such as a desert, jungle, swamp, town, beach, and ruins. Each of these areas is quite distinct in not just their visuals but also weather effects, their affinity to certain types of vehicles, and unique landmarks to enjoy. It's all presented beautifully with great detail such as groups of people hanging out in the city as the sun sets or that you must dodge lightning strikes as you work your way through a tropical storm.

Forza Horizon 5 is akin to a "car-lovers sandbox," and lets you play however you want. While there is a story and full-blown campaign with the Horizon Adventure, Expeditions, and smaller Horizon Stories, it's still up to players how they progress and what path they take. All in all, the focus of Forza Horizon 5 is the vast arsenal of cars, the wide variety of races and events, the sheer level of creative freedom available, and the deeply integrated online multiplayer gameplay. Forza Horizon 5 will be chock full of beautiful vehicles, stunning vistas, and a brand new open-world, set within Mexico. For racing fans, this release looks to be something very, very special. Sadly, there are no ray-traced reflections in regular gameplay, in any mode you choose.

Considering this a highlight feature for the consoles, it's slightly disappointing. Sun bounces off a shiny car's exterior as I've never seen in a racing game before, and I spent far too long just gawping at how fantastically well all the vehicles had been recreated – both inside and out. However, Forza Horizon 5 is on another level on Xbox Series X and it's one of the few games where I prefer the 30fps quality mode to its 60fps equivalent.

The increase in fidelity and the more graceful LOD transitions combined with the upgraded visuals elevate it significantly beyond performance mode. True, it's not 60fps but the motion blur is the best I've seen in bridging the gap. Of course, it is possible to play this game at full frame-rate with Series X's mixture of high, ultra and extreme settings - and that's where the PC version comes into play. We'll be reporting back on our testing and experiences there soon. This consists of a series of mini-multiplayer games strewn across the map.

One of these mini-multiplayer games is called "Piñata pop" where the Horizon Festival's cargo plane drops piñatas. The goal is to pop as many piñatas as they can with the help of other players. It also introduces the "EventLab", a toolset in which players can create custom games, races, and more depending on their personal preference. According to Brown, it is an AI assistant that tracks the current statuses of players, helping them to link with other players online and play together. Forza Link can also link players' GPS systems if they accept the invitation from another player. A new Forza Horizon game always comes with at least a handful of new features and improvements over its predecessor, but Forza Horizon 5 delivers even greater amounts of content to players.

The extra year of development Forza Horizon 5 got over previous entries in the series clearly helped things along because there is a lot about which to talk. Not only has Playground Games baked in significantly more content into Forza Horizon 5's base game, but it's also given the community a way to add essentially infinite new events and races to Forza Horizon 5 over time. FH5's online features have seen significant improvements to more completely connect players all around the world. Even when FH5 players have gotten through the majority of content in the base game, Forza Horizon 5's multiplayer is grander and more accessible than ever before, with a nearly endless amount of content to explore.

Create your own expressions of fun with the new EventLab gameplay toolset including custom races, challenges, stunts and new game modes. Xbox gavean extended gameplay of "Forza Horizon 5" during E3 2021, showing off some of the locales, different modes, and social aspects. One of the biggest changes to the gameplay is the Horizon Arcade, which allows players to queue up to play wacky mini-games and challenges. The infamous battle royale racing mode from "Forza Horizon 4" returns, meaning that fans can still participate in the chaos of The Eliminator. In this chaotic mode, cars fall from the sky to engage in races, with the loser of the race being eliminated from the competition. "Forza Horizon 5" brings back the seasons mechanic from the previous game, which changes the weather and the environment on a weekly basis, shifting between the four seasons.

I played Forza Horizon 5 on both my Xbox Series X and Series S consoles over the past week, and I'm happy to report that performance is excellent on both consoles. Players get to choose between Quality and Performance modes, and I think that Forza Horizon 5 is one of the rare racing games that don't feel too uncomfortable playing at 30FPS. Forza Horizon 5 features a number of robust multiplayer modes that are part of the base game.

You race against other players or participate in cooperative challenges. Horizon Arcade allows you to take part in various mini-games such as smashing objects or jumping over cars, while Horizon Open lets you band together for a low-stakes competitive experience such as seeing who can drift the longest. Some will prefer the expanded frame rate and see that as a necessary trade-off, but we have to say that the 30fps quality mode still plays very well indeed and you get the maximum visual effect, to boot.

Although there's still no local multiplayer, the online mode is quite seamless and can be toggled via the main menu. When playing online, you'll see other players driving around the map just as in the previous title. When joining an event with online players, the experience remains mostly seamless and avoids bogging you down in menus as it instead has you drive from one location to the next which helps maintain the feeling of realism. In order to replicate the Xbox Series X quality graphics mode on PC, gamers should at least have an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super.

But in order to enjoy the PC's biggest advantage, higher frame rates, a more powerful gaming PC is required. With reduced settings equivalent to the Xbox Series X performance mode, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super was not entirely able to hold a steady 60 fps at 4k resolution. PC gamers who would like to play Forza Horizon 5 on these settings should have at least anRTX 2080. Additional technical details, including further explanations of the hardware requirements and recommended settings of Forza Horizon 5 on PC are included in the video embedded below. This is a Forza version of Halo's Forge, allowing players to create their own game modes and races down to their core rules. The example shown featured players driving through bowling pins and up giant treadmills, all while trying to rack up points.

For example, driving a Toyota Supra is easier than a Ferrari Portofino. Usually when it comes to open-world racing games with countless vehicles, like Burnout Paradise Remastered or The Crew, they tend to feel quite similar if you've tried enough. While I've yet to collect many more cars, the hundred or so that are in my garage each have their own quirks. Learning when to accelerate, when to brake, and what terrain each vehicle works best on is a worthy pursuit.

As you use each vehicle more and more, you level it up and this accelerates the rate at which you earn XP from participating in various activities like drifting or races. Some could even find it a little unoriginal, as the racing elements feel more an extension of the last game than something new, but considering it's already the best feeling experience out there, we think it's essential. The game just plays beautifully, especially across the multiple track types and biomes. Even just haring around the slice of Mexico outside of set races is a joy, with spectacular views and scenery to take in. Plus, with an extended career campaign that includes new expedition story missions and more characterisation, there's more than enough new to make Horizon 5 an upgrade.

In one of several extensive videos featuring Forza Horizon 5, Digital Foundry concluded that the quality mode on Xbox Series X mostly matches the maxed out settings on PC. But at a native 4k resolution, the Xbox Series X only manages to output 30 fps with these settings. Therefore it looks like the PC settings in Forza Horizon 5 do not provide a lot of headroom when it comes to visual quality, also because raytracing is only active in photo mode and can't be activated for regular gameplay. Microsoft makes a big deal of accessibility, including in its flagship events, and its Xbox games are continuing in that spirit. If there's one thing that brings Forza Horizon players together like nothing else, it's the sheer level of creative freedom afforded by the games. Forza Horizon 5 is the most customizable and inclusive Forza Horizon yet, with nearly infinite replayability thanks to new player tools and features.

Players have control over their cars, in-game characters, races, and even full-blown unique events you can't find anywhere else. While the story or plot in a racing game may not be the most crucial element for some players, it can still add a lot to the experience for those who do appreciate it. Forza Horizon 4 was gently criticized by the community for its lackluster story and general lack of direction for players, so Playground Games went back to the drawing board for Forza Horizon 5.

FH5 takes players on a journey through the Horizon Adventure to have their name added to the Hall of Fame, and the drive there should be pretty wild. Playground Games has delivered their latest masterpiece with Forza Horizon 5, which features the series' most diverse map and largest car list yet. Forza Horizon 5 somehow fulfills its ambitious promises to be the best open-world racer right now, and one of the best racing games in general. A toolset that allows players to create their very own races, game modes, and game play experiences – allowing to customize everything – right down to the fundamental rules of the game.

On Xbox Series X and Series S consoles, loading times are almost instantaneous, which is really convenient when you want to use the map to teleport yourself to another location. Compared to Forza Horizon 4, the game's menus have also been simplified and it's now easier to browse your car collection or check your progression in the game. It's also easier to see the other online players on your server, though you can still opt for the "Horizon Solo" experience and play the game offline. Until the release of Forza Horizon 4 three years ago, Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios used to alternate with a new Forza Motorsport and a new Forza Horizon game every year. However, the transition to a new console generation has affected this well-oiled release cycle. As a result, Microsoft's next-gen Xbox Series X and Series S consoles only had two "next-gen" racing games at launch, an updated version of Forza Horizon 4 and Codemasters' Dirt 5, which I personally found quite disappointing.

No racing game is complete without deep customization and Forza Horizon 5 lets you modify everything from your car, car horn, clothing, and character. When you first boot up the title, you're allowed to make your own driver. There are more options here than Forza Horizon 4, but obviously it's not on the level of a role-playing game.

The character creator lets you choose one from a number of different backgrounds, equip prostheses, and select pronouns, even though they're a little limited. You can choose between Performance and Quality graphics settings, both of which are 4K. The former is limited to 30 frames per second, and looks a tad prettier. The 60 fps Performance mode is superior for most racing games, though, including this one. In my tests I found that - generally speaking - there are three tiers of graphics fidelity on the consoles. Xbox One is at the base of the pile, as you may expect, but still gets the job done.

Xbox One X's graphics profile at dynamic 4K is broadly equivalent to the Series machines in their 60fps modes - but each version has its own plus and minus points. In some areas, Series X's performance mode seemed to deliver improved ground detail over Xbox One X. Elsewhere, Series S's textures didn't look as detailed as Xbox One X's (and resolution is lower at a dynamic 810p-1080p). Series X performance mode matches One X's 1600p-2160p DRS Plus profile - however, I do want to stress again that resolution changes are difficult to track by eye. It's also nigh-on impossible to find any drops from the target 60fps in the Series console performance modes. But sometimes a game can be so pretty that it helps you appreciate an experience that you would normally feel mild about.

For example, I'm not the biggest racing game fan in the world. When I do enjoy a racer, it's usually a more arcadey experience like Ridge Racer Type 4 or the more recent Cruis'n Blast. Playing Forza Horizon 5 on a phone might not be ideal if you're a more competitive racer. If I did that while playing on my phone, I don't think I'd keep up. Of course, if you do run out of events, you can always create your own. Forza Horizon 5 includes a new EventLab feature for user-generated content.

With it, you can create all manners of races, stunts, and challenges. EventLab in Forza Horizon 5 allows you to insert objects, fashion a route, set car class and more. You can even define all sorts of rules, be it handing points for hit objectives, changing car torque or gravity to mess with racers, or upending race parameters for an added dose of fun.

Once you're done with your blueprint, you can use it to give your event a name, take it for a test spin, and then publish it for the community to enjoy. The ability to link up with other players for races also returns, allowing you and your friends to work through all of the events in the Horizon Festival together. The campaign features numerous race types and characters, rewarding you with story beats as you dominate the Horizon Festival. "Forza Horizon 5" will also feature the brand-new EventLabs, player-created maps that can range from custom races to obstacle courses. Forza Horizon 5 is the best game in the series and another essential release from PlayGround Games, and it sets a pretty high bar for the upcoming Forza Motorsport 8 from Turn 10 Studios.

In many ways, Forza Horizon 5 can feel like more of the same, but the graphics are truly stunning on Xbox Series X and the gameplay is still just as addictive as ever. Playground Games has definitely cemented its place as one of the best studios Microsoft acquired in recent years, though we'd love to see the studio try something a bit different and take more risks with its future games. There is no denying that the fourth edition of the driving series is rightfully considered as one of the greatest racing games ever made, leaving a lot of pressure on Forza Horizon 5 to shine on the brand new consoles.

Forza Horizon 5 is an arcade racing game and I played it on the Quality setting most of the time. Even at 30 FPS, it's a very responsive title that stands out on a 4K display. I'm a stickler for the highest resolution and graphical settings so that's how I chose to experience Forza Horizon 5. However, it's up to you to decide what you want to prioritize. Expeditions are new, for example, presenting challenges and optional goals that are more role-player-like than in most racing titles. Your avatar will complement the cast of characters you meet and hear over the radio.

They will also now refer to you by name, as chosen at the start of the game from multiple options. It all enhances the feeling that you are doing far more than heading from A to B and earning cash with which to buy new cars. When it comes to gameplay, Forza Horizon 5 feels less groundbreaking.