Video Game Review: ‘Forza Horizon’ Takes Series Down New Roads

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionE-mail page to friendE-mail page to friendPDF versionPDF version
No votes yet

CHICAGO – I’ve spent hours driving around the varied landscapes of “Forza Horizon” and I’m still not 100% sure what to make of it. It’s undeniably accomplished in terms of what matters most to driving game fans — the mechanics behind the wheel — and shouldn’t that be all that really matters?

HollywoodChicago.com Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0
Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0

When you’re driving in a “Forza” game, the physics seem arguably more well-defined than any other game in this genre. You can sense how the car responds to the controls and elements like drifting, drafting, etc. feel more clearly defined than in any other racing game. And yet “Forza Horizon” never quite got its hooks in me. It’s a fun game that never becomes as addictive as the best racing games. I never minded the journey but never felt that itch to get behind the wheel like I did even with the new “Need For Speed: Most Wanted”. Like many “Forza” games, I admire “Horizon” but don’t love it.

NBA 2K13
NBA 2K13
Photo credit: 2K Games

One can’t deny the remarkable depth of setting in “Forza Horizon.” It’s an open world racing game in which you travel around varied landscapes in Colorado from snowy mountains to quaint towns to rolling hills. You have a map that highlights races for you around the universe of the game and there is a central racing hub where you can buy new cars and upgrade old ones with race-earned XP. It’s a remarkably rich world that even employs a day-night cycle and offers miles of back roads to be explored by yourself or with friends.

NBA 2K13
NBA 2K13
Photo credit: 2K Games

“Forza Horizon” places an emphasis on arcade-esque driving more than other “Forza” games. In past entries in the franchise, it felt like realism was amplified to an often-frustrating degree. If you bumped a fellow driver or took a turn too wide, you were screwed. There was little room for error. In “Horizon,” you gain upgrade discounts by crashing through billboards and can absolutely sideswipe a fellow racer without worrying about spinning out. As mentioned, the physics are still remarkable but realism has been sacrificed for action.

The structure is simple. The better you do in races that are found throughout Colorado means the unlocking of more races and so on and so on. The races are often barely distinguishable although there are some unique challenges and multiplayer opens up a new world of people with whom to compete. It doesn’t change the fact that there were large chunks of “Forza Horizon” in which I felt like I was running the same race over and over and over again. The game has a huge universe but a lot of it starts to blend together.

Part of the problem is the lack of distinguishing characteristics across the various cars. When you find a new car in “Most Wanted,” it opens up new races and instantly you can sense that you’re behind the wheel of a different vehicle. Upgrades and even all-new cars in “Horizon” often felt cosmetic to me. And the game often talks you through it. Run a race. Buy a car. Uprgade it as instructed. Run another race that feels awfully similar to the first one.

And yet even with these repetitive issues, it’s impossible to write off “Forza Horizon.” It looks great, has a giant world, offers a variety of gameplay styles through multiplayer or just exploration of the open roads — what more do you really want from a racing game? And Microsoft has made it clear that they’re going to heavily support the title with copious amounts of DLC. Perhaps my lack of excitement about some elements of “Horizon” are indicative of the genre overall. We could have merely hit a breaking point in racing games where I’m just frustrated with all of them and it’s not really the fault of “Forza.”

In the end, I’m curious to see how “Forza Horizon” does with fans who may feel it strays too far from the brand and if it brings new gamers to the franchise. I know I’ll pick it up and hit the roads again before long. I just wish I was a bit more excited to do so.

“Forza Horizon” was released exclusively for the Microsoft Xbox 360 on October 23, 2012.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker