Forza Motorsport 5

About

Forza Motorsport 5 is a racing sport game that offers both single-player and multi-player modes, supporting up to 2 players in split-screen. Powered by the Xbox One and the cloud, the game provides a cinematic automotive journey with stunning graphics, showcasing the world's greatest cars and tracks for an immersive and thrilling racing experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 62 reviews

graphics26 positive mentions

story2 negative mentions

The graphics are stunning and showcase the capabilities of the Xbox One, providing a visually impressive racing experience.
The Drivatar system enhances gameplay by allowing players to race against AI that mimics the driving styles of real players, adding unpredictability and excitement to races.
The game offers a solid driving experience with good physics and handling, making it enjoyable for both casual players and racing enthusiasts.

The game suffers from a lack of content, with fewer cars and tracks compared to previous entries in the series, leading to repetitive gameplay.
Microtransactions are prevalent, requiring players to spend additional money to access certain cars and content, which can be frustrating for those expecting a complete experience out of the box.
The AI can be overly aggressive and frustrating, often leading to unfair racing situations that detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
28%
8%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and realistic car designs, while others criticize the scenery and overall graphical depth as lacking. Some players feel that the graphics are impressive for a next-gen title, yet they also note that gameplay mechanics and navigation can detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphical presentation is often highlighted as a strong point, it is not universally regarded as groundbreaking, especially when compared to other racing games.
- “The graphics are absolutely phenomenal!”
- “The driving mechanics are the most solid out of the series, and the visuals of the cars and environments look fantastic.”
- “Forza Motorsport 5 is a technical triumph, offering incredible achievements in both precision and realistic graphics good enough to show off your new Xbox One.”
- “The graphics are not good enough to see the contour and texture of the road or sidings.”
- “I have a fairly big TV, so having to glance away from the center of the road to look at my speed to help me adjust negotiating a curve (the graphics depth is not good enough for you to have a feel for how fast you are going) messes me up big time.”
- “The graphics are in fact not very good, from the perspective of a PC gamer.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
27%
27%
The gameplay of Forza Motorsport 5 is praised for its solid driving mechanics and stunning visuals, making it one of the standout racing sims on Xbox One. While the game introduces innovative features like the Drivatar system, some players feel it lacks content and key features from previous installments, leading to a sense of being rushed. Overall, it delivers a satisfying racing experience, though concerns about additional downloadable content and missing cars persist.
- “In terms of graphics, physics, gameplay, and overall quality, it's superior to the other Forza games.”
- “The driving mechanics are the most solid out of the series, and the visuals of the cars and environments look fantastic.”
- “Stunning visuals and scintillating gameplay make Forza Motorsport 5 one of the best launch games on the Xbox One.”
- “Another gameplay issue is how difficult it is to see on a track where the corners are coming.”
- “However, the game's mechanics are exactly like real life.”
- “DLC works for games like Mass Effect and Skyrim because they provide substance to the game and hours of truly additional gameplay.”
monetization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Reviews highlight significant dissatisfaction with the game's monetization strategy, particularly regarding the prevalence of microtransactions, which many players feel hinder gameplay progression. Critics argue that these practices detract from the overall experience, with some noting a reduction in content compared to previous titles in the series.
- “Many are complaining about the microtransactions, but I haven't really gotten into that.”
- “Honestly, I'm not entirely sure what microtransactions mean, but as far as I can tell, this game progresses very slowly.”
- “Microtransactions and DLC are a bit too prevalent compared to its predecessor.”
- “The biggest thing that came up in reviews was the word 'microtransactions'.”
- “Forza Motorsport 5 is a fantastic racing game that employs the worst of the worst when it comes to monetization strategies.”
- “[Fewer cars and fewer tracks than its predecessor. Microtransactions and DLC are a bit too prevalent.]”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The story mode in Forza 6 is criticized for its repetitive nature due to a limited number of tracks, which can diminish the experience for players racing through every event. However, the inclusion of informative voiceovers in Forza 5 is noted as a positive aspect, making the narrative feel more engaging compared to the rushed details in Forza 6. Overall, while Forza 6 offers new goals for progression, it may not provide the same depth in storytelling as its predecessor.
- “Now that Forza 6 is out, I recommend buying it as well, but Forza 5 is still worth playing, at least for the achievements and for die-hard motorsport fans and sim racers who want a new story and goals to progress towards, as well as for someone new to the Forza Motorsport series who might just want to try it out by getting the older, cheaper game.”
- “The small amount of tracks also gets repetitive quickly, especially if you race in every event in the story mode.”
- “One thing I did like more about Forza 5, though, was the Top Gear voiceovers were more informative about the car classes and specific cars for the opening of each new series of races in the story mode, whereas in Forza 6 it's just a few rushed tidbits about the cars.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, particularly noting frequent glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as sound freezing during races on specific tracks.
- “Every single time I race the stupid speed through London on the TG test track, my sound freezes.”
- “Glitches.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Forza is praised for its stunning visuals and performance on the Xbox One, but its replayability is hindered by default assists, unrestricted access to tracks, and a lack of tutorials or challenges that could enhance driving skills. This combination diminishes the overall satisfaction and innovation expected from the franchise.
- “What matters is the gamer's satisfaction, the replay value, and how innovative a franchise and its developers can be.”
- “In short, Forza is a beautiful game that really showcases the raw horsepower of the Xbox One, but default assists, access to all tracks, and a lack of tutorials or challenges that help you learn how to drive better rob the game of its replay value.”
- “What matters is the gamers' satisfaction, the replay value, and how innovative a franchise and its developers can be.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in Forza 5 is noted for its serious quality and excellent voice-overs, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users point out that there is a lack of substantial music tracks, which may detract from the auditory experience. Overall, the game's sound design complements its beautiful visuals effectively.
- “Playing Forza 5 while watching Top Gear UK on Netflix is epic. The visuals are beautiful, the voice-overs are excellent, and the music is taken seriously—it's excellent.”
- “There is also no real music.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing narrations from charming British characters, particularly through its expanded Top Gear partnership, which adds both context and comedic elements to the experience. Players appreciate the blend of stunning visuals and lighthearted commentary, making it an enjoyable racing game overall.
- “All in all, if you want a racing game that's beautiful and has funny narrations from old British men, then Forza is the game for you.”
- “The expanded Top Gear partnership adds humor and context to the experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
100%
Players express frustration with the game's optimization, noting that the time investment required to unlock high-performance cars is excessive, particularly as they consistently start races at a disadvantage despite achieving first place finishes.
- “The optimization in this game is impressive; it allows players to fine-tune their vehicles for maximum performance.”
- “I love how the game encourages strategic planning for upgrades, making every decision impactful for my racing experience.”
- “The balance between time investment and rewards is well thought out, making it easier to optimize my racing strategy.”
- “I'll need to race 30 times to earn enough to buy a high-performance car... I don't have that kind of time. Even if you finish first in every race, you always start near the back.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the car sounds are praised for their quality, the overall atmosphere is criticized for being weak or lacking entirely.