Forza Horizon 6 Review: Pedal to the metal towards excellence
, by Enzo
Since its debut in 2012, Forza Horizon has established itself as the benchmark for open-world racing games. While other franchises have attempted to draw a line between simulation and arcade racing, Playground Games has always preferred to bring both approaches together in a formula that is immediately accessible, yet challenging enough to satisfy even the most passionate car enthusiasts. Following a fifth instalment praised for its vast Mexican map and outstanding technical presentation, the studio faced a considerable challenge: delivering a meaningful evolution without compromising a formula that was already close to perfection.
With Forza Horizon 6, Playground Games takes its renowned automotive festival to Japan. A destination the community has been requesting for years, and one that is deeply intertwined with car culture. Mountain roads, neon-lit metropolises, peaceful countryside, coastal highways and winding mountain passes provide an incredibly inspired playground. But beyond this change of scenery, does this latest instalment actually manage to reinvent the experience?
Japan manages to take the formula to new heights
From the very first miles, Forza Horizon 6 makes an impression. Its map ranks among the most ambitious in the series, not only in terms of sheer size, but also thanks to its verticality and environmental variety. Players can travel from a vibrant metropolis filled with neon lights to traditional villages nestled deep in the mountains, before heading towards coastal roads or sun-drenched forests. The one notable limitation is the presence of just a single major city, somewhat isolated from the rest of the map, which bears a striking resemblance to the city featured in GTA V.
The real achievement, however, lies in how cohesive the entire world feels. Each region has its own visual identity and naturally influences the driving experience. The iconic mountain roads are perfect for extended drifting sessions, while urban sections favour explosive acceleration and high-speed runs. Meanwhile, forest trails and more rugged paths provide excellent playgrounds for off-road disciplines.
The changing seasons also continue to bring genuine variety to the experience. Sakura season completely transforms certain landscapes, while heavy rainfall and snowfall noticeably affect vehicle grip and even alter the appearance of lakes. Without fundamentally changing the gameplay, these environmental shifts reinforce the feeling of exploring a living, breathing world. Another welcome addition is the ability to fast-travel instantly to any discovered location, without having to complete a region's collectibles as was required in the previous game. Map exploration is further supported by a dedicated logbook featuring its own challenges, separate from the main story and offering exclusive rewards.
Content and progression: still masive
As with its predecessors, Forza Horizon 6 is absolutely packed with activities. Road races, rally events, championships, speed challenges, drift zones, speed cameras, jumps, story-driven missions and community events come one after another, barely giving players a moment to catch their breath. In fact, the map can become so cluttered with icons that it is almost overwhelming. If you're not a fan of this kind of visual overload, you'll want to start filtering the icons displayed on your map pretty quickly.
This sheer abundance of content might seem excessive, but Playground Games handles the progression pacing rather well. New activities unlock gradually, regularly introducing fresh objectives. Another small but welcome change is that players are now required to select a vehicle belonging to the appropriate class for each race, encouraging them to experiment with a wider variety of cars. In the previous instalment, it was perfectly possible to enter a high-speed circuit race in a 4x4, or take a Ferrari straight into the sand dunes.
The garage is equally impressive in terms of sheer scale. From iconic Japanese city cars to the most exclusive hypercars, alongside competition vehicles, electric models and classics from the 1980s and 1990s, the selection pays tribute to automotive history. Fans of JDM culture will be particularly delighted, with an especially generous representation of Japanese manufacturers.
One of the most common criticisms levelled at previous instalments was their sometimes excessive generosity. Prestigious cars were handed out far too quickly, diminishing the sense of achievement. Forza Horizon 6 addresses this issue rather effectively. Rewards are still plentiful, but the rarest models now require a greater investment of time and effort. This more measured progression makes every new acquisition considerably more satisfying. Credits also retain genuine value throughout the adventure, encouraging players to think more carefully about their next purchases rather than simply collecting vehicles for the sake of it.
The driving experience is better than ever
If there's one area where Playground Games truly excels, it's driving feel. Forza Horizon 6 isn't trying to become a full-blown simulation, but instead further refines its balance between realism and accessibility. As always, players can still plough straight through the countryside in their vehicles. Quite literally. Most trees will crumble beneath your magnificent driving prowess, and the majority of obstacles will conveniently move out of your way as you approach. However, don't expect to drive straight through buildings or concrete walls. Even this game has its limits.
Every car, or at least every vehicle category, comes with its own clearly defined characteristics. Older vehicles require greater care when braking, while modern prototypes feel practically glued to the asphalt. That is, at least, if you know what you're doing, as plenty of players will inevitably end up in a ditch (or on a neighbouring planet) after failing to anticipate a corner properly. Even so, the game remains welcoming to newcomers thanks to a wide range of fully customisable driving assists.
Tuning enthusiasts will also find the excellent mechanical customisation depth that has become one of the franchise's trademarks. Tyre pressure, gear ratios, differential settings, suspension and aerodynamics can all be adjusted with precision, or simply downloaded from the creations shared by the community.
Creativity and multiplayer: still setting the standard
One of the biggest strengths of Forza Horizon remains its online experience. The shared world works just as well as ever. Players naturally encounter one another across the map, spontaneously take part in various events or meet up at designated car parks, and can join their friends in just a matter of seconds. Once driving in a convoy, another noticeable improvement is that driving skill scores are now shared between players, further reinforcing the game's cooperative spirit.
Weekly challenges, seasonal festivals and special events ensure a constant stream of fresh content. Every week brings new objectives, exclusive rewards and community challenges. The EventLab race editor has become even more comprehensive, allowing players to create particularly elaborate events combining obstacles, specific objectives and entirely customised tracks. This level of freedom guarantees an almost unlimited lifespan, thanks to the creativity of the community.
Visual customisation also remains one of the serie's greatest strengths. Body kits, wheels, paint jobs, vinyls and community creations allow players to turn almost any vehicle into a one-of-a-kind machine. Once again, the game offers extensive creative tools, including the ability to design highly detailed vehicle liveries and share them with the wider community, where other players can download and apply them with a single click. The option to gift cars to other players, often aimed at helping newcomers, also makes a return.
A truly outstanding technical showcase
From a technical standpoint, Forza Horizon 6 once again demonstrates the expertise of the British studio. The vehicles feature an exceptional level of detail. Bodywork accurately reflects its surroundings, interiors are packed with intricate details, lighting effects constantly show off the cars at their best, and, above all, the sense of speed is superb.
Performance remains exemplary, even during races featuring large numbers of competitors or the most explosive events. Loading times are remarkably short, making exploration particularly enjoyable. The various radio stations offer a diverse selection of music, while every engine boasts a convincing and distinctive sound profile. The roar of an American V8 never sounds anything like the metallic growl of a Japanese straight-six or the unmistakable whistle of a turbocharged engine.
The environments receive the same impressive level of attention. Forests are particularly dense, urban centres are packed with detail, and mountain panoramas regularly deliver spectacular views. Weather effects also play a major role in the game's visual success, particularly during heavy rainfall. The only noticeable shortcomings concern character models, especially facial animations.
There’s a catch: evolution rather than revolution
Despite all its strengths, Forza Horizon 6 isn't without a few minor problems, the biggest of which is difficult to ignore: its reluctance to take risks. The overall structure remains remarkably close to that of the fifth instalment. Returning players will immediately feel at home, which is both a strength and a limitation. In other words, anyone who failed to connect with previous entries is unlikely to find anything here that changes their mind about Forza Horizon 6.
The AI has improved, but it's still far from flawless. Some opponents continue to take rather unnatural racing lines or benefit from occasionally surprising bursts of acceleration. Nothing particularly frustrating, but noticeable enough to remind us that there's still room for improvement. The introduction of the driving line's autopilot feature, and especially its almost constant availability, is another questionable decision. Many players admit to relying on it regularly, turning what should be an occasional assistance feature into a genuine alternative way of playing.
Another issue is the largely forgettable narrative. The various characters, who are rather poorly modelled to begin with, serve little more than as guides directing players towards available activities. A handful of sequences attempt to deliver emotional moments, but struggle to leave any lasting impression. Finally, the menus can sometimes feel cluttered while still managing to lack essential information. At the very least, finding exactly what you're looking for isn't always straightforward. Updates have already begun addressing some of these issues, but there's still work to be done.
Tested on PC. See our rating policy here.
9.5/10
It comes as little surprise that Forza Horizon 6 is excellent, almost to a bewildering degree. An enormous amount of content, outstanding gameplay, cutting-edge visuals, an exceptional setting and a successful multiplayer experience are just some of the highlights. The game is rock-solid from start to finish, continuing to propel the Forza Horizon franchise towards success at full throttle. It's difficult to fault Playground Games for refining a formula that continues to dominate the genre. The lack of risk-taking and the absence of voice acting in certain languages are shortcomings we can forgive (though certainly not forget) when faced with such an impressive level of polish. The various additions and improvements to driving, progression and presentation further reinforce the series' strengths, making this latest instalment one of the highest-rated games of the year.
- + Beautifully recreated world
- + Driving remains as enjoyable as ever
- + Plenty of content, as always
- + Impressive map verticality and biome variety
- + Huge vehicle roster with excellent models
- + Extensive customisation options
- + Online activities remain incredibly fun
- - Forgettable narrative
- - Menus can feel cluttered and aren't always easy to navigate