One of the most crucial moments in any gamer’s life is when they choose between a PlayStation and an Xbox/PC. Traditionally, this choice has never been easy (unless you have deep pockets, of course) as consoles from both Sony and Microsoft offer distinct benefits and exclusive games. However, of late, there has been a crossover in this regard. Some of the most popular games from Sony, such as Marvel Spider-Man series, God of War, and more, have launched on PC, while some popular titles from Xbox, such as Sea of Thieves and Hi-Fi Rush, have landed on PlayStation 5. Now, it is time for one of the biggest (if not the biggest) titles from Xbox to come to PlayStation – Forza Horizon 5.
Some of you might be thinking that the launch of a 2021 game on PlayStation 5 (that too at full price) couldn’t be that big of a deal, right? Wrong! This is a watershed moment for gaming as Microsoft is ready to release one of its most coveted first-party games directly on Sony’s rival console. In the case of Sony, the company has released its first-party games on PCs but not on Xbox consoles. Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of exclusivity and have longed to play the Forza Horizon series for years, and finally, I can play it on the console of my choice. So, in my humble opinion, this is a big win for gamers.
Now that we have the broad context out of the way, I would like to share that we were provided the early access review copy of the game by Microsoft. The game will be made available on PlayStation 5 starting April 25th for Premium Edition (Rs 6,599) owners and April 29th for Deluxe (Rs 5,399) and Standard Edition (Rs 3,999) owners. Now, let’s jump right into the review.
Hola Mexico! – Largest and most diverse map in the series to date
Forza Horizon 5 is set in a fictionalised version of Mexico, and honestly, it would be hard to express in just a few words how much is on offer here. To give you a relative idea, this map is 50 percent bigger than the one used in Forza Horizon 4, which already had a lot to explore. The terrain even offers you great elevation, and as a result, offers some tracks with incredible views throughout.
Much like the real-world Mexico, this fictionalised version is also geographically diverse. So, you get everything here – from an active caldera volcano, beaches, and jungles to even ancient Mayan temples. The additional layer of realism is added by the dynamic weather system. Perhaps the most visually stunning weather effect in this game is seen when you enter sandstorms. When your car is engulfed by these sand particles, unlike real life, it is a mesmerising experience. As the weather is dynamic, you can experience a wide range of conditions even in a single race. This means you can start the race with clear skies but end it while drifting through torrential rain.
Gameplay – Don’t fix if it ain’t broken
The game doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel in this space. The car handling in this game is exceptional and a marked improvement over almost any other rival racing series in the industry. The Forza series has developed a reputation in the market with its authentic car sound and car handling, and it is on clear display here.
Much like the previous entries in the Horizon series, you get the open world experience where you can choose to take part in events as you please. You can enter festivals, take part in multiplayer races, go through the campaign mode, or choose to freely explore the map and unlock the cars you want by earning credits.
The Horizon Adventure campaign is split into chapters that unlock new festival sites across Mexico, each with a different racing theme—street, off-road, cross-country, and more. To unlock new chapters, you need to complete challenges, take part in races, and earn accolades. It’s a refreshing, non-linear structure that encourages exploration and experimentation.
Build Your Garage
The game offers more than 800 cars right now, and it doesn’t take long before your garage starts to fill up. Vehicles can be acquired in several ways: through race wins, seasonal rewards, barn finds, Wheelspins (a slot-machine-style loot system), or simply purchasing them from the in-game Autoshow or the player-driven Auction House.
One of the more rewarding systems is the “Car Mastery” skill tree, unique to each vehicle. As you drive, you earn Skill Points, which can be spent to unlock perks like XP boosts, instant credits, or even rare cars. It’s a clever way to make you invest time in each car, turning even your less-used rides into progression tools.
Modes – Choose your own taste
Whether you’re a competitive racer, a casual cruiser, or someone who just wants to jump sand dunes in a trophy truck, Forza Horizon 5 has a mode for you. Here’s a rundown of some core gameplay options:
Horizon Adventure: The main campaign lets you unlock festival outposts by earning Accolades through racing, stunts, and exploration. You choose which chapters to pursue, tailoring the journey to your style.
Horizon Realms: This mode gives players the chance to explore a hand-picked collection of some of the community’s favourite previously released Evolving World updates.
Rally Adventure: Set in Sierra Nueva, this expansion focuses on intense off-road rally races with co-driver callouts. It’s all about technical terrain and high-speed dirt action.
Hot Wheels: A Hot Wheels-themed expansion with sky-high orange tracks, loops, and gravity-defying stunts. It offers pure arcade joy, but is still grounded in Forza’s physics, which makes it all the more awesome.
Hide and Seek: In the Hide & Seek game mode, one player is designated the Hider, while others are Seekers. The Hider’s goal is to blend in with traffic and escape, while Seekers must find the Hider and stop them.
Rivals: Time trials where you race ghost data of others across specific routes. Precision-focused and ideal for leaderboard climbers chasing perfect laps.
The Eliminator: This is a ‘battle royale’ version of the game, and the goal of the mode is to be the last man standing with up to 72 players facing off against each other.
Horizon Solo: Offline mode with AI instead of real players. Great for exploring, relaxing drives, or completing tasks at your own pace.
Graphics and sound – Peak immersion
Despite being a 2021 game, Forza Horizon 5 looks absolutely gorgeous on PlayStation 5. At the risk of sounding repetitive, I would once again say that every visual element in this game looks pleasing to the eyes, and in 4K resolution, it is a sight to behold. Whether you’re in middle of a sandstorm, driving through a puddle in the jungle, or battling your way through torrential rain, this game needs to be seen in person to truly appreciate the experience it offers.
Verdict
Forza Horizon 5 is coming to PlayStation 5 with tons of content. From massive expansions to a wider selection of cars, you name it, and it has it. And we are talking about a game that was already spectacular to begin with. Unfortunate as it is, the racing game genre is a dying breed. Be it Need for Speed or the Burnout series, we’ve seen some of the best racing game series vanish over the years. In such a dire situation, the Forza Horizon series is one of the very few to have survived, and despite the lack of competition, it continues to deliver in a big way. Simply put, if you are into racing games, there is no better game on PS5 (or elsewhere, for that matter) right now than Forza Horizon 5.
Editor’s Rating: 9 / 10
Pros
- Excellent gameplay
- Wide selection of cars
- Stunning graphics and brilliant sound
- Tons of modes to play
- All expansion packs are available
Cons
- PSN + Microsoft account link mandatory
More info
Developer: Playground Games
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, and PC
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
