Forza Horizon 4 Xbox One review: Simply breathtaking

There are few games out there that tin can truly define themselves as panel sellers, only for Microsoft, the Forza games admittedly fit that bill.

Two years ago, Forza Horizon three reaped the benefit of losing its last-gen shackles, bringing a huge, glorious recreated representation of Commonwealth of australia to the table. In 2022 we accept the Xbox One Ten, and once once more with Forza Horizon 4, Playground Games has delivered some other genre-defining racer.

Forza Horizon 4 is a racing game everyone tin can savour and anybody should play. Information technology is magnificent.

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Forza Horizon four fundamental details

Before jumping in with the full review, there are a few key details worth highlighting:

• Forza Horizon four is bachelor on September 28 to Ultimate Edition buyers who get four days early access.
• The regular edition of the game and the Xbox Game Laissez passer release are available on October 2.
• Forza Horizon 4 is Xbox One X enhanced supporting 4K resolution at thirty FPS.
• Xbox One X players take an optional operation mode which drops the resolution to 1080p at 60 FPS.
• HDR is available on both the Xbox 1 X and Xbox One S every bit well as the PC version for Windows 10.
• Forza Horizon four is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and will be available on Windows 10 at the same fourth dimension as the Xbox Ane.

Forza Horizon 4 complete car list

As e'er, Forza Horizon 4 comes with a ton of different cars to race around in. Way as well many to mention in a review, but luckily, we've compiled a full list of everything yous tin can expect to encounter.

Forza Horizon 4 complete car list

Welcome to the Horizon Festival

The cadre formula of Forza Horizon 4 remains unchanged from the previous 3 games. The action centers around the Horizon Festival, which this year has set upward army camp in the due north of the United Kingdom. The high-ascension, beaches and desert stretches of Commonwealth of australia are a long way from the very green, extremely rural, merely e'er picturesque setting for Forza Horizon iv.

To run into the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland recreated like this is awe-inspiring.

At first glance, it'southward like shooting fish in a barrel to dismiss the map as being smaller than its predecessor, and while it does feel that way, the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland is also a much smaller state. Instead of a wide, sprawling map, Forza Horizon four delivers something compact, simply incredibly dense, with over 500 roads to explore.

The Horizon Festival is centered around one site in this year's game, with the upgrade mechanics of Forza Horizon 3 completely gone.

Instead, Forza Horizon four has houses beyond the map for you to buy, which in turn unlock perks and fast travel points. 1 of the houses, for example, must be bought in order to unlock the in-game drone style.

The setting is utterly glorious, and while I may have a little British bias, to see my homeland recreated in this way is truly monumental. The sweeping country roads, the attending to detail you find on route signs, roadworks and things like traffic lights and road markings is incredible. It feels similar you're barreling down the British country roads, Playground Games has captured the setting perfectly. It's a tremendous homecoming.

Forza Horizon 4: Performance and visuals

Forza Horizon has ever been an incredible looking game, but the fourth installment is the first to launch with Xbox One 10 enhancements. This brings information technology closer than ever to the PC version, delivering 4K resolution alongside HDR (which is also supported on the Xbox One S).

Players are given the choice of ii different graphical settings. If you're looking for the highest quality 4K visuals, the "quality" setting is for you lot, with a small caveat that y'all'll be restricted to 30 FPS.

If you're playing on an Xbox Ane X use functioning way. You can thank me afterwards.

If you're not interested in 4K, you can swap out to the "functioning" setting, which drops the resolution to 1080p simply doubles the frame rate to 60 FPS. The first time a console version of Forza Horizon has been able to run at 60 FPS, and information technology's equally solid every bit a rock.

On the 24-inch monitor I've been playing Forza Horizon 4 on, I tin can't say I've noticed any real driblet in graphics quality between the ii modes. Personally, I'g much happier with threescore FPS, which delivers a silky smooth experience. Most importantly, Playground Games has given u.s.a. the choice to have information technology how we want it. More game developers should do this.

There are a couple of wobbles on frame rate, thankfully not during the gameplay in my experience so far. But the Forzavista mode suffers a piddling and when you lot're viewing cars in the garage at the Festival site at that place'south a little vehement. Neither touch the enjoyment of the game, and will probably get fixed in a hereafter patch.

The changing seasons bring their own suitably British weather.

Graphically, Forza Horizon 4 continues the loftier standards that the previous games accept set. The big new thing this twelvemonth is the changing seasons, so across but weather and day turning to night, the environment looks different during each of the iv seasons.

During autumn, you'll detect plenty of oranges and browns, leaves thinning on the copse and frequent showers. Winter brings plenty of snow, spring is fresh and sunny but with the traditional British rain, and summer is bright, clear and the best time for road racing.

The closer you look the more y'all'll capeesh the detail. Mud, snow, and sand deform effectually your wheels, leaving tire tracks behind. The light breaks through the trees and makes your cars coruscate as you drive past. As with Forza Horizon 3, the sky is a giant HDR low-cal source, and everything beneath it reacts in a realistic way.

Ii years ago I chosen Forza Horizon 3 a work of fine art. That more than all the same applies.

Forza Horizon iv: The Horizon Life

Horizon Life is the center of the Forza Horizon iv experience, and information technology'southward a little deeper and more complex than previous games. The basic idea of racing, completing PR stunts and discovering hidden parts of the map remains, but the way this game is structured shows it's been set up for longevity.

Prior to embarking on the main part of the campaign, players are guided through races in each of the four seasons, giving you a chance to experience everything Forza Horizon 4 has to offering before you hit the meat of information technology.

Forza Horizon iv is accessible to experienced, casual and totally new players akin.

Influence is fundamental to progression through these seasonal races, and it remains the key to leveling upwardly and unlocking new things throughout the game. But bated from global experience, there are a wide range of sub-categories, such as car collecting, skills and even Mixer, through which you tin earn both category and global influence.

No-i is locked out from whatsoever of the action in the game, though. You don't have to win every race. So long every bit you earn influence, you're rewarded, though naturally quicker progression is tied to better performances. But the most important thing is that Forza Horizon 4 is accessible to anybody. Not bad racers, coincidental players and total newcomers alike will all find a challenge, but never one that makes yous want to walk away.

Racing is divide into five master categories: Road, dirt, cross country, drag and street. On elevation of this, there are showcase events and new for this yr, stories, a series of challenges with different themes. In a very 2022 twist, one of these themes is a streamer, recreating her favorite racing games at the Horizon Festival, with a nod to legendary Microsoft title, Projection Gotham.

On top of all this, you still go speed traps and zones likewise as danger signs, though drifting has been split off this time into one of the Horizon stories. Bonus boards are also dorsum for both influence and reducing your fast travel costs, and as is traditional in Forza Horizon some are in utterly absurd locations.

Bonus boards aren't e'er easy to go.

Fundamental to Horizon Life is that there doesn't seem to be any true endpoint. Forzathon and Forzathon Live will continue to bring fresh challenges and unique rewards, there are already ii confirmed expansion packs and with all the diverse categories to level up, things to unlock and the multiplayer options, Forza Horizon 4 feels like a game that y'all could hands be playing for the side by side year or two.

The Forza Horizon four world is truly live.

This is also the first fourth dimension a Forza Horizon game has had a shared world experience. Drivatars are back, merely these aren't the only representation of other players you'll come beyond. Up to 74 players will share the same server at the aforementioned time. Everyone is ghosted so you can't crash into each other (until yous get-go a multiplayer action), and these are the people yous'll squad upward with for Forzathon Live events, for example.

The Forza Horizon 4 world is truly alive.

Forza Horizon 4: Seasons

Seasons are one of the biggest new features in Forza Horizon 4 and have a direct influence on the gameplay. In one case you lot've qualified for the Horizon roster and begun the Horizon Life, the seasons will change weekly for every histrion at the aforementioned time.

That brings with information technology non just a modify in the weather condition and the overall hue of the surround only changes in gameplay. Vehicles comport differently in the snow to on wet mud or dry roads. Braking distances change, how much and how often y'all go sideways will exist afflicted. Driving a powerful rear wheel drive motorcar on snow becomes pretty challenging.

Everyone drives in the same season at the same time

Seasons also bring their own individual races and championships. Throughout my review menses, Horizon Life has been in Autumn, and so there's plenty of wet weather condition racing. Autumn also has limited fourth dimension seasonal championships and a seasonal befouled find, as will winter, spring and summer respectively.

The seasons changing on the shared earth for anybody at the same time is a very clever, very effective idea. Whether single actor or multiplayer, grinding your race series or taking on a Forzathon Live challenge, everyone is having the same experience at the aforementioned fourth dimension. Something not experienced in a game like this before. And I really like the idea.

Forza Horizon 4 rewards teamwork

This isn't quite in the same vein as Ubisoft's The Crew, but it's got similar ideas. An engaging multiplayer feel is tough to accomplish in a racing game for a multitude of reasons. But Playground Games has taken steps it feels will make Horizon 4's multiplayer something to enjoy for a long future.

Instead of going it lone, y'all'll be taking on team adventures, either with a matchmade lineup or with your actual friends. This, in turn, means if your own skills aren't the highest level, you can still win and move up in the ranked leagues. The idea is solid, but only time will tell equally to how successful it becomes. But at that place's no shortage of reasons to play.

The shared world feel also brings in teamwork. At any point, you lot can invite players on your server to convoy or race together. Forzathon Alive events volition pop upwards throughout your time in the game which you can either join or ignore, with unique rewards on offer by amassing Forzathon credits.

Too, the pre-populated races tin can exist enjoyed as part of a team or even in a PvP situation. Some of the seasonal challenges even mandate that you're in a squad to complete them.

If you don't know anyone who plays, no problem. There's a server total ready to become.

You tin play Horizon Solo, offline, simply the very best feel comes when you're connected to Horizon Life. If you don't know people who play the game, that'due south less of an issue here than always before. Players are easy to find, and with integration with the Xbox Clubs platform for in-game clubs and teams, yous can always be connected to folks who love the game equally much equally you.

Forza Horizon 4: The bottom line

Equally information technology stands today, Forza Horizon four is the all-time racing game you lot can get on the Xbox One. As ever, it's non trying to be a simulator, merely the combination of existent-world vehicles, not entirely arcadey physics and a big open playground packed full of entertainment is hard to beat.

Forza Horizon 4 tin be summed upwardly with a single discussion: Masterpiece.

Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios are the poster kid for smashing games on the Xbox One. Forza Horizon 4 is beautifully presented, exquisitely detailed and a shine, reliable performer. The 60 FPS style on the Xbox One 10 is the icing on the cake.

There are small-scale niggles, and that's basically all they are. The Forzavista mode needs some tweaking to steady out the frame rate, and the initial loading time is still fairly long, but when yous're in the menstruum there's actually aught to option error with.

Pros:

• Utterly cute.
• A huge amount of vehicles.
• Engaging and challenging open world.
• Interesting approach to multiplayer and shared earth activity.
• Xbox One X enhanced with optional lx FPS fashion.
• Actual season changes add together fresh challenge and unpredictability to races.

Cons:

• Initial loading times still quite long.
• Forzavista style a piffling janky

The truthful tale of Forza Horizon 4 hasn't yet been told, either. It's clear to run into this game has been set up for the long haul, and Playground Games has already promised a constant stream of post-launch content to go along players engaged, and chiefly, entertained.

Forza Horizon 4 can be summed up with a single word: Masterpiece.

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This review was conducted entirely on the Xbox I Ten with a copy of Forza Horizon iv Ultimate Edition provided by Microsoft. The game launches on September 28 for early on admission, with the regular edition and Game Pass subscribers joining on October ii.

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