Forza Horizon 6: XBox Series X Review

Developed by Playground Games
Published by Xbox Game Studios
Platform: XBox Series X

The Forza series has been the jewel in the crown of the racing franchises that have graced the next gen consoles.

From the arcade racing impressiveness of the Forza Horizon series to the more serious Forza Motorsport, the genre's been exceptionally well served with its mix of appreciation for fast cars, great driving mechanics and solid gameplay.

Now, the latest Forza Horizon heads to Japan, a brand-new venue for the racing. With over 550 real-world cars and a penchant for Japanese architecture and culture, the latest game has a lot to live upto.

And in fairness it does. But there are signs that the franchise is starting to coast on its best and not entirely reinvent the wheel for each new iteration.

Despite that, the game looks incredible.

Whether it's racing through the blossoms of Japan or soaring through the streets of Tokyo, Forza Horizon 6 sparkles visually. Cars glisten in the sun, water drips off the screen when you race through puddles - it's all exactly what youd' expect from the franchise and it delivers in many ways.

But there's really little new in the game mechanics here - you can drift and draft through races, smash through boards, slam into walls and rewind, building up points and earning rewards - it's all excellently presented but slightly familiar to anyone who's played a Forza Horizon game through the years.

That said, the Forza Horizon series continues to offer the very best of an arcade simulator - but unless things radically change in future (and not just locations), this franchise is in danger of losing some of its pole position placement.