Featuring fun, approachable arcade-style racing gameplay and beautiful locales, the Forza Horizon series has been one of my favorite franchises since it left the starting line. The most recent entry, Forza Horizon 5, is my favorite racing game of all time, thanks in large part to its stunning re-creation of Mexico, full of diverse biomes and varied activities. While that is a tough act to follow, Forza Horizon 6’s Japan plays perfect host to the series’ next evolution, which moves the franchise forward without straying too far from the racing line.
Forza Horizon 6 Video Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gIQfV6Sn10
True to the series pedigree, Forza Horizon 6 puts you behind the wheel of an ever-growing garage, ranging from everyday vehicles to the fastest supercars on the planet. Using these, you compete in an impressive spectrum of events centered on the Horizon Festival and the broader Japanese racing culture, with cars, cosmetics, and currency doled out in masterful fashion. And with the innovative Drivatar feature, where the opponent AI learns and emulates the behavior of your friends list, you get the feeling of racing against friends, even when you’re playing solo.
I had an absolute blast, whether I was competing in Horizon Festival events like traditional circuit races and sprints or Discover Japan events like unsanctioned street races and winding touge battles, both solo and with other players. Even more than 30 hours in, I still have many activities I haven’t completed. And with Japan serving as a stunning backdrop to all these events, Forza Horizon 6 injects cultural touchpoints to aptly play off the setting.
As you progress through the Horizon Festival storyline, you earn points to unlock special events that serve as set-piece checkpoints in the broader festival narrative. These often consist of flashy courses full of stunt opportunities and spectacle, but my favorite was one where you race across the countryside against a literal stories-high mech. And even better, once you complete these, you gain access to additional events, creating a rewarding loop.
Similarly, the Discover Japan line lives up to its name with tours of certain regions, complete with a guide who gives you facts not only about Japan and its culture, but the cars it produces. Though inconsistent voice acting sometimes pulled me out of these excursions, I loved learning about the vehicle I was driving or the area I was speeding through. Discover Japan also has an extremely fun food delivery minigame, which requires you to meet certain conditions and gain promotions as you go. It’s a great way to explore Tokyo and earn extra money, even though I was rarely strapped for cash.
Those moments and quest lines are memorable standouts, but when I look back on my hours spent in Forza Horizon 6, I most recall my time simply getting from point A to point B. Playground Games’ incredible rendition of Japan constantly encouraged me to veer off course in the name of discovery. I couldn’t help but smash through collectible regional mascots or seek out hidden Barn Find and Treasure Cars across each of the 10 regions. And with Japan’s endless beauty and range of biomes, I never tired of what was showing on my screen.
Driving through Shibuya Crossing or cresting over a hill to reveal Mount Fuji in the distance always feels special. Playground Games captured the beauty of these iconic locations, and the size of Tokyo, the series’ largest city to date, is an accomplishment, even though it falls well short of the seemingly endless sprawl of the real-world city. And though I’m in love with the map, it is disappointing that cities like Kyoto and Osaka are absent.
There’s always a moment early on in the Forza Horizon games when everything just clicks. Though that moment came a bit later for me in this sixth entry, by the time the game opened up, revealing its broad collection of offerings, I was absolutely hooked. Even for a series built on delivering approachable racing action that appeals to both newcomers and hardcore players, Forza Horizon 6 impresses at each turn, delivering one of the greatest racing games of this generation.
