Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 is developed by Playground Games, the studio that controlled the four previous installments of the series. It’s the latest Xbox Game Studios title to be released on Xbox One X, PC and Xbox Game. As expected, the fifth installment will be available on Game Pass from day one.

As the first game to be developed in the franchise with the Xbox X / S series in mind, Forza Horizon 5 is breathtaking and uses Microsoft’s shiny new console to rip you and your friends through a realistic replica of Mexico.

The virtual landscapes range from the jungle to the desert and feature dynamic weather mechanics first introduced in Forza Horizon 4. Here you are swept away by a thunderstorm when you drift through the sand dunes.

Playground Games says the game will feature the largest and most diverse open world in the series history. The studio promises a new level of detailed realism and cultural authenticity, using photography from the real world as a point of reference and commissioning artworks by local Mexican creators. Playground also touts the power of the Xbox Series X console, which allows it to display every little detail of the game down to the individual needles of a cactus.

Powered by the long-standing Forza Vista engine in the series, Forza Horizon 5 promises to make the cars and the dusty trails they ride look incredibly detailed. Whether you zoom through cities, wander around dormant volcanoes or race through rainforests, the game promises to be as diverse as you can crash.

It is a globetrotting game with which you can explore beautiful open worlds with a wide range of fun vehicles. Expect to cross jungles, deserts, urban sprawl and ancient ruins as you tear rubber in some of the most beautiful cars in the world.

The high-resolution textures make rocks and bushes appear photorealistic. The lighting is impressive and captures the various tones of the sun better than previous games which determine the appearance and feel of Scottish country roads. You won’t get the best performance or resolution on older hardware, but it’s great to know that the game works.

With each new entry in the Horizon franchise, the setting becomes a character of its own. The breadth, beauty and enormous detail of Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico are impressive, from individual cactus tips to eye-catching murals by Mexican street artist Farid Rueda.

At a time when racing games were seen as a niche feature and forced to compete with other genres for recognition, one cannot underestimate how big the series has become as console owners look to racing games with each new console release to showcase the power of the new consoles.