Forza Horizon 4: XBox One Review

Forza Horizon 4: XBox One Review

Developed by Playground Games
Platform: XBox One

To be frank, the Forza series is one of the jewels of Microsoft's crown.

Its Motorsport and Horizon series have all been excellent in their various iterations - and it's no lie to say the latest version maintains the tradition of great racing and some truly gorgeous graphics which set it apart from other racers.

So it's no surprise that the latest doesn't fully mess with the formula - despite setting the action in Britain. Yep, Britain the home of winding roads, unending weather misery and potholes.

Except to say the Forza Horizon 4 version of Britain is very much like an Instagram version of the country - winding roads, stone walls, and rolling fields. But also in there, is a Britain that offers four seasons' worth of weather - and it's so wondrously executed that it seamlessly becomes part of the experience, like weather has in previous expansions of the Forza series.

Interestingly as well, this iteration sees the festival run by women and you can drive as a woman too - though once again, the near mute rendering of the lead is perhaps the series most head-scratching decision; the lack of reality of the lead makes them feel like a cypher more than anything.

But Playground Games have stuck to what they have always done well - the driving.

Sure, the progression element is the usual way of the game - win races, win influence, progress through the ranks. It's a "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" routine in many ways, but given the game's endless playability and ease of driving ability, this is a series that knows what its fans want and more than delivers.

Story missions see you work as a stunt driver, and others see building influence - all of which given the game's beauty and simplicity of execution are nothing short of a joy.

Seasonal weather adds much - from the way the game handles to the atmospherics of what transpires on screen, Forza Horizon 4 does a lot to embrace you and make you appreciate the series.

It's too early in the game's cycle to talk about its online functionality (untested at this time), but the main thrust of Forza Horizon 4 is still purely about entertainment. And on that driving front, it simply fires on all cylinders.