Japan is the star, and the driving has never felt this responsive.
Disclosure: Xbox and Playground Games provided OnPoint 4 Gamers with a review copy of the game.
Playground Games just went nuclear. Forza Horizon 6 might be the best Horizon game they’ve ever made, and it isn’t close. An insane sense of speed, one of the most jaw-dropping open worlds in racing history, and pure driving joy from start to finish. It isn’t perfect, but the few misses barely dent it.
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Visuals and performance: Japan is breathtaking
The cars look incredible, with every reflection, material and lighting effect rendered in rich detail. Third person feels wide and cinematic. Switch to the cockpit and the immersion jumps to another level: dashboards, gauges, the stitching on the seats, and light playing across every surface. My favorite touch is the windshield reflecting your hands on the wheel as you turn. It’s small, but it makes first-person driving feel special.
Japan itself is the star. The draw distance is unreal, with vistas stretching across mountains, forests and coastlines. Cherry blossom fields blanket whole hillsides in pink, misty forests give way to snowy peaks and dramatic coastal roads, and then there’s Tokyo, massive and lived in. The day-night cycle transforms everything. Tokyo at night in full neon hits different than the same streets at golden hour. I played across Xbox Series X, PC and the ROG Ally X, and it runs great on all three.
Story: The one you write behind the wheel
There’s a light scripted story. You’re invited to the Horizon Festival in Japan to become a Horizon legend. But the real magic is the story you create yourself: late-night runs through glowing Tokyo, barn finds at sunrise, spontaneous races with friends, random detours that turn into memories. Horizon gives you the stage and the freedom, and that player-driven storytelling has never been executed better.
Gameplay: Refined to near perfection
This is where Forza Horizon 6 truly shines. The driving feels more responsive and precise than any previous entry, especially in third person, and blasting through forests in first person feels incredibly real. You can now smash through hundreds of trees and bushes without constantly getting stopped dead, which keeps the flow going and makes the world feel reactive.
Exploration is what keeps pulling me back. The world is packed with collectibles that make you veer off the main road, the same feeling I got hunting secrets in Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Treasure Cars are one of the coolest additions: you get picture clues and match them to real locations to find hidden cars you keep for free. Random cars parked around the map can be bought at a big discount as you drive by, and I’m completely addicted. The deals are too good to pass up. Your festival guide, Anna, constantly suggests smart things to do, so you’re never left wondering where to go next.
The main Horizon events are a blast. Racing a gigantic mech is one of the most over-the-top moments in the series, and the Discover Japan activities, including some hilarious food delivery runs, add great variety. One of my favorite loops is taking the lowest-class car in my garage, upgrading it into a supercar, then starting fresh next session. The rival system with your friends list is pure addiction fuel.
Online co-op is easy to jump into and fantastic. Racing each other, finding crazy shortcuts and climbing mountains with a friend was some of the most fun I’ve had in a racing game in years, and progression counts for each player so nobody gets carried. Car meets and other social features are in and look like a great addition once the world is fully populated.
Sound
Playground poured serious work into the audio. The car sounds are some of the best in any racing game. High-end cars sound aggressive and ferocious, with deep exhaust notes that rumble your speakers. Inside the car it’s raw and intimate, every shift and turbo spool right there. Outside, it’s loud and cinematic. The audio is a big reason the sense of speed is so ridiculous. Voice acting is fine, and the soundtrack fits the energetic festival vibe.
Where it falls short
Visual customization feels limited. Coming to Japan, the tuning mecca, I wanted way more body kits, wild spoilers and aftermarket parts. That’s a missed opportunity. The new Estate is fun to build out, but it’s missing basics like snap tools. And garages still feel like showrooms rather than places to hang out. Project Gotham Racing 2 through 4 let you play arcade games in your garage and made it feel like your space. Playground is heading in the right direction, but I want more.
Verdict
Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It makes the wheel significantly better in almost every way that matters. The graphics and driving are phenomenal, the exploration is addictive and the fun factor is off the charts. Limited visual customization and an Estate and garage that haven’t hit their potential are small knocks in the grand scheme. Forza Horizon 6 is the best open-world racer ever released, and it’s included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Playground has outdone itself again.
Image: Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios
More on OnPoint: Gears of War: E-Day Review: The Coalition Built a Showpiece With a Heart and Minecraft Dungeons II Review: Finally, a World Worth Living In.
The verdict: Amazing
Forza Horizon 6 is the best open-world racer ever released.
Pros
- Stunning cars, cockpits and a breathtaking take on Japan
- The most responsive, precise Horizon driving yet
- Addictive exploration, Treasure Cars and discounted roadside finds
- Superb car audio
- Fantastic, easy online co-op with individual progression
Cons
- Limited visual customization for a Japan-set game
- The Estate lacks basic building tools like snapping
- Garages still feel like showrooms
Platform played: Xbox Series X, PC and ROG Ally X
Where to buy
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