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Forza Horizon

It's no PGR 4, never will be, but it's something that has its own identity, and all it requires from you is to push the gas pedal and drive off into the horizon.
Forza Horizon Game Cover
67%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
music, stability
80% User Score Based on 13 reviews
Critic Score 86%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Xbox 360Xbox
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Forza Horizon Game Cover

About

Forza Horizon is a single player and multiplayer open world racing game. It was developed by Playground Games and was released on October 23, 2012. It received positive reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

Forza Horizon is an action racing game set on the epic open roads of Colorado with a thrilling music festival backdrop. Combining stunning graphics and cutting-edge music with legendary Forza authenticity and a superb collection of cars to drive, Forza Horizon is an open-world automotive playground that puts a spotlight on speed, style, and the freedom of the open road. This is where cars belong!

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Forza Horizon screenshot
Forza Horizon screenshot
Forza Horizon screenshot
Skip User Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 13 reviews
gameplay5 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • Forza Horizon 3 offers stunning graphics and a beautifully rendered open world set in Australia, providing a visually immersive experience.
  • The game features extensive customization options, allowing players to create their own races and challenges, enhancing replayability and player engagement.
  • With a diverse car list and dynamic weather changes, the gameplay is both exciting and varied, catering to different racing styles and preferences.
  • Some players find the car handling to be inconsistent, with issues such as cars spinning out unexpectedly and AI opponents being overly aggressive.
  • The storyline and character interactions are often criticized as cheesy and lacking depth, detracting from the overall experience.
  • Certain gameplay mechanics, like forced off-road sections and the need for constant online connectivity, can be frustrating for players seeking a more traditional racing experience.
  • gameplay
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in Forza Horizon 3 is praised for its extensive customization options, particularly through the Horizon Blueprint feature, which allows players to create their own races and challenges. While the game offers a diverse and engaging experience with stunning graphics and a wide car selection, some players feel that it can occasionally be too easy, and the presence of annoying drivatars detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game is considered a standout in the racing genre, providing a unique and addictive gameplay experience.

    • “Long story short, Forza Horizon 3 offers a much more diverse and customizable gameplay experience than any other racing game out there.”
    • “Other than that, Forza Horizon 3 has a great gameplay experience that is unlike any other.”
    • “This game also brings in some new gameplay features, such as the incredible multiplayer modes where you can make your own Horizon festival, set up your own races and challenges, and then invite others to your festival.”
    • “I found Blizzard Mountain difficult enough without the added gameplay mechanic.”
    • “My only complaint about the gameplay is that it sometimes gets to be too easy.”
    • “You only get to see the back of your mechanic who helps you with barn finds; I feel like it takes away from their character and from the overall interactions.”
  • graphics
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game have received high praise, with users highlighting the impressive visual quality and stunning environments, particularly in Forza Horizon 3's depiction of Australia. The ability to customize vehicles with detailed decals and kits further enhances the graphical experience, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the enjoyment and immersion of the gameplay.

    • “While you would think that Hot Wheels tracks could never be graphically impressive, Playground Games has definitely proven that wrong.”
    • “Graphically, the game looks amazing and the control is simple to maintain, once you get used to it.”
    • “With the setting being beautiful Australia, incredible graphics, customizable gameplay, and a vast and diverse car list, Forza Horizon 3 is well worth the $40 Amazon asks for it.”
  • music
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game features a diverse range, from classical to techno, enhancing the overall experience, especially during free roam. However, some players find the soundtrack lacking and repetitive, with specific gameplay mechanics that can hinder skill point accumulation due to AI interference.

    • “The music sounds great, ranging from classical to techno.”
    • “Helpful hint: sign up for the classical radio station early, as their songs are longer. Listen to that station during free roam.”
    • “When they play a 'skill song', quickly find a farm and trash the crops (or palm trees) by drifting and plowing through them to rack up skill points more quickly.”
    • “The soundtrack is poor and lacks variety, making the gameplay feel repetitive.”
    • “There are no weather effects like rain or snow, which makes the single-player experience feel bland.”
    • “The AI convoy 'buddies' can be frustrating, as they deliberately crash into you, disrupting your skill point accumulation.”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been criticized for frequent glitches, including random freezes, crashes to the main Xbox screen, and issues with disappearing cars from the garage, which persist even after updates. While the driving mechanics are well-received, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems.

    • “And there are lots of glitches in Horizon 3.”
    • “The game freezes up frequently, randomly closes/sends you to your main Xbox screen, and occasionally it removes half the cars from the garage as if you never had them (last one was fixed by rebooting the console).”
    • “Even after a recent game update, it still glitches/freezes up.”
  • story
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game is perceived as underwhelming, with a cheesy narrative that lacks depth and relies heavily on luck rather than skill for progression. While the feature of choosing races adds fun to the experience, it does not significantly enhance the overall story. Fans of traditional Forza games may find themselves disappointed with this iteration's storytelling approach.

    • “The tasks and challenges you're required to complete to advance the main story seem to depend far more heavily on luck than on any amount of skill.”
    • “While it's a cool feature, I did feel like it didn't make as big an impact as I'd hoped story-wise, but experience-wise, it does make it a lot more fun to choose your own races.”
    • “Cheesy storyline; if you're looking for a traditional Forza game, you'll be disappointed.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players highlight a particularly emotional moment in the game where the protagonist expresses intense excitement and nostalgia over discovering a barn find Holden, showcasing the game's ability to evoke strong feelings and personal connections.

    • “There was a part in the game where he becomes incredibly emotional over a barn find Holden.”
    • “The game's storytelling made me feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
    • “I was moved to tears by the heartfelt moments woven throughout the narrative.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players highlight the game's exceptional driving mechanics and stunning car designs, noting that the variety of difficulty levels and tuning options contribute to a virtually limitless replayability.

    • “The driving is beautifully done, the cars look amazing, and the difficulty and tuning options offer limitless replayability.”
    • “Every playthrough feels fresh thanks to the diverse challenges and customizable options available.”
    • “With multiple paths and outcomes, I find myself coming back to explore new strategies and experiences.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users have noted significant issues with optimization, particularly highlighting a frustrating stuttering and high-rev behavior when starting from a standstill, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.

    • “The ridiculous stuttering and high-revving when starting from a standstill is just absurd.”
    • “The optimization issues make the game feel unpolished and frustrating to play.”
    • “Frequent frame drops and lag during gameplay really detract from the overall experience.”
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86%Critics’ scoreBased on 5 critic reviews
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Skip Game News

Amazon Backs Out of Publishing Open-World Driving Game from Ex-Forza Horizon Developers

February 26 on ign.com

Amazon's gaming walkback continues as it ends publishing deal for a new racing game being headed up by former Forza Horizon creative director

February 25 on pcgamer.com

Amazon ditch publishing duties on ex-Forza Horizon devs' story-driven open-world racer

February 25 on rockpapershotgun.com

Amazon continues its games cull, dropping driving game from Forza Horizon devs

February 25 on videogameschronicle.com

Launching a new studio with former Forza Horizon and Codemaster devs is like "taking the best singers from the best boy bands in the world," says studio head

February 14 on gamesradar.com

Fable’s Albion is Smaller Than A Forza Horizon World, But Still “Massive” With “Tons to Explore”

January 23 on gamingbolt.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

Forza Horizon is a open world racing game.

Forza Horizon is available on Xbox 360 and Xbox.

Forza Horizon was released on October 23, 2012.

Forza Horizon was developed by Playground Games.

Forza Horizon has received positive reviews from players and positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its music.

Forza Horizon is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 5, Forza Motorsport 7, Forza Horizon 4, The Crew and others.