Forza Horizon 6 marks the latest installment in Playground Games’ open-world driving arcade series, transporting its automotive festival to Japan for the first time. This new Forza Horizon arrives after a five-year gap since the previous entry, during a period when the franchise’s main series, Forza Motorsport, is on hiatus. However, this pause has allowed Playground Games to restructure various aspects of player interaction with the environment, blending free exploration with events that balance accessibility for new users. In our Forza Horizon 6 review, we’ll explore whether these new features, alongside the classic Xbox and Playground Games arcade driving structure, meet the technical depth demanded by franchise veterans, without sacrificing the accessibility that distinguishes this Forza Motorsport spin-off.
As is customary, the game’s campaign places players as participants in the Horizon Festival, a massive competition celebrating car culture in various international locations. The experience begins with an introductory sequence that traverses parts of downtown Tokyo and its adjacent rural areas. This introduction immediately immerses players in what awaits them in the game. The other characters primarily serve as guides through the ten regions that make up the Forza Horizon 6 map. These characters introduce the different categories of events, tracks, and tourist spots in the Japanese locales where Forza Horizon 6 is set.
A Guided Tour Through Japan
As we explore Japan and climb the festival ranks, we also encounter specific missions or events. In these, we team up with recurring support characters to perform activities such as transporting food or testing newly restored vehicles. These tasks are designed to showcase Japan’s diverse geography while introducing or tutorializing specific driving mechanics used as the Horizon Festival progresses. While the narrative weight is negligible, Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t require a deep story to shine. Its strengths lie in its graphics, controls, and customization freedom.
The handling system in Forza Horizon 6 strikes a balance between simulation and arcade styles. The game offers various configurations, some tailored for the genre’s purists. Its default setting allows players to feel capable of maneuvering even at high speeds, particularly excelling in oversteer and the constant use of the drift driving technique, which originated in Japan. This type of handling, while incorporating some simulation, feels more akin to late ’90s arcade games like Ridge Racer.
Stunts and Other Surprises
Furthermore, the world of Forza Horizon 6 is designed with low physical resistance for certain environmental elements. This means the vast majority of objects, such as fences, barriers, and even dense forests, can be driven through without significant vehicle deceleration or structural damage hindering progress. This facilitates smooth exploration and point accumulation through destruction. In contrast, urban areas like Tokyo implement segmentation that allows for the presence of pedestrians on the streets without the risk of impact, maintaining the atmosphere of a lively city and prompting players to drive more carefully to maintain their score streaks.
Among the new features in Forza Horizon 6 are the Horizon Rush trials. These involve obstacle courses with tight corners where precision is crucial, as the game often predetermines the vehicle. Touge races and urban street speed competitions are also included. Another new event type is the showcase spectaculars, where players compete against unconventional vehicles. A standout in this category is a race against a four-story mecha that uses thrusters to move on the road and in the air.
This is How the Progression System Works in Forza Horizon 6
Progression in Forza Horizon 6 is governed by the Bracelet system, which works by filling a progress bar through participation in festival activities. Each bracelet level unlocks new car categories and events that gradually increase in difficulty. Winning races yields the most points; however, simply finishing on the podium is enough to advance in the game’s early stages. This progression is complemented by Public Challenges, which include speed cameras, drift zones, and stunt jumps.
In parallel, there’s a progression path focused on exploring the map’s ten regions. These events provide access to more relaxed activities and convoy tours to enjoy the scenery, offering a break from time-trial competition. Instead of the traditional barn finds from previous installments, Forza Horizon 6 introduces Treasure Cars. As players explore the map, they receive a photograph of a car and must deduce its exact location based on the angle and visual references in the image.
As progression advances to higher levels, such as the Golden Bracelet, the amount of experience required increases considerably, which can lead to a feeling of slowness. However, Forza Horizon 6 monitors our driving progress and gradually suggests increasing the difficulty. As we advance through different difficulty levels, this increases the experience gained in each in-game event.
Customization Options and Additional Modes
The game offers a customization system that allows players to fine-tune their vehicle’s performance using credits earned through various activities. This system is deep and meticulous for some of the more casual players. However, despite not having the breadth of options found in the Motorsports series, the tuning options in Forza Horizon 6 for a game of its nature exceed expectations. We understand that customization options in simulation games can be overwhelming for a casual player. Nevertheless, in Forza Horizon 6, not only are these options introduced in a user-friendly way, but there’s also the option to purchase recommended parts or download tuning configurations created by other community members.
In Forza Horizon 6, players can acquire properties that serve as operational bases. These houses include extensive grounds where users can customize—in addition to the workshop— spaces using editing tools similar to those in track construction games. These creations, like tuning or cosmetic car customization configurations, can be shared online. Thanks to this, other players can rate them, and the original creator will be awarded extra credits. The photo mode remains present, integrated with a visual collection mechanic where capturing images of rival cars allows for the completion of a festival vehicle database. Furthermore, Forza Horizon 6 features notable quality-of-life improvements, such as a 360-degree proximity radar that indicates the position of other competitors, facilitating first-person driving.
It Feels as Good as it Looks
At launch, Forza Horizon 6 features a list of 550 licensed vehicles. While this is a considerable number, it represents a reduction compared to previous installments, meaning some player-favorite models may not be initially present. However, over time and with updates, the number of cars available in the game will increase. The vehicles are modeled with a high level of detail, including cosmetic damage such as zonal dents, paint scratches, and windshield cracks.
Regarding its performance, the PC (Windows) version of Forza Horizon 6 stands out for its excellent optimization and automatic adjustment tools for those less adept at customizing graphics settings. In our PC and Xbox Series S gameplay experience, performance was stable, not dropping below 60 FPS on PC and remaining stable at 30 FPS on the Series S.
The dynamic weather system and seasons, tied to the calendar, allow for transitions between autumnal landscapes with cherry blossoms and snow-covered mountains. The sound design is supported by a variety of radio stations covering genres like J-pop, J-rock, their Western counterparts, Hip Hop, and electronic music. The engine audio—even for someone without a trained ear—is what one expects from a game in the Forza franchise.
