Forza Horizon 6 Review in Progress - Japan Was Worth the Wait

[Full review and score coming days after early access launch]

Developer Playground Games is back with another iteration of the Forza Horizon series, now set in Japan. In Forza Horizon 6, it's clear from the first few hours that they stuck with what worked in the last game, as this is yet another perfect home for car enthusiasts and those that just love to race. It's not too overly realistic, but also not too arcade-y. It's a perfect balance with accessibility for the player to tweak the experience towards either direction, resulting in one of the best open world racing games I've ever played.

Instead of starting as a legend of the Horizon Festival like in previous games, you and your friends are beginners in the event and must race your way to earning wristbands that grant access to other events, eventually reaching the famed Legends Island waiting at the very end. It’s a simple concept, as after the traditional wild intro race that transitions from one type of race to another, you are thrown into their take on a massive map set in Japan, which delivers a satisfying variety of race types. 

A Japanese Map Worth Exploring

Japan has always been requested by fans, and Playground Games didn't disappoint. The scale and detail of the environments is impressive in Forza Horizon fashion. I knew from the get-go that Playground Games is no slouch when it comes to visual fidelity. Their games always look amazing on both PC and Xbox. What's impressive is how optimized the game feels even on my low-range graphics card. I gave this a shot with an RTX 2060, now considered a budget card, and found no problems running the game at default high settings at 60 frames per second. Draw distance may take a hit at lower settings, but the environments and car details still look fantastic and buttery smooth during gameplay, even during a change in weather, with reflections and lighting and shadows delivering a photorealistic look even during day and night races. 

I can't attest to every single graphics card available, but it's good to know that those who haven't upgraded lately aren't left out or dealing with hiccups like occasional frame drops or assets loading slower than expected. There was barely any issue found when playing over 25 hours of the game so far, and it looks gorgeous either in motion or when parked to take in the sights. 

Their take on Japan isn't a full recreation of Tokyo, as it looks like a more compact version where you can do a few races within the city, then drive all the way to the mountainside to hit the always-snowy areas for some slippery races. The outskirts of the city have farmlands with hills and vertical landscapes that serve as perfect places for off-road rally races and drift competitions down mountains. There are also long stretches of roads for drag racing and other spots for online player gatherings and more. 

The game world is filled with collectibles like XP boards and Japanese food mascots to hit for overall points. There are hidden barns that host unique cars, and treasure cars hidden in the world where the player only has a photo as a clue to their location. The world is built for the festival, so the city and other locations are designed to fit the ongoing event — with barriers and borders set up so you don't find yourself driving through busy streets with pedestrians. It's mostly you, the car, and the road in front of you, and it was fun slowly exploring the map at my own pace. 

Racing That Meets You Where You Are 

As for the racing itself, Forza Horizon 6 is a great time. Its physics are more forgiving and lean toward an arcade feel compared to what you'd expect from something like Forza Motorsport. Certain races feel realistic enough to satisfy car enthusiasts tackling the game with a wheel setup, while casuals who want to sit back and launch their Lamborghini off a ramp 50 feet into the air and land on a metal shipping container can do exactly that. Car damage and how certain cars handle turns can be questionable at times, but it doesn't completely ruin the immersion. The benefits of early braking, drafting at key moments, and even drifting to take wide turns off-road feel great to pull off. 

Most cars feel distinct from one another. I've gathered a collection that I use based on the type of race or activity at hand. My staples have become the 2020 Audi RS 3 Sedan for city racing, the 2016 Ariel Nomad for off-road, or my 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR for casual exploration. The cars I gravitate toward are slowly expanding, and I'm slowly appreciating the differences between each one as after multiple sequential races, you start to notice certain changes and behaviours of a car, like how it handles the initial acceleration, or how it might struggle with offroad sections. 

Two Ways to Play 

There are two main types of progression in Forza Horizon 6. Most competitive races earn you Horizon Festival points to unlock the next wristband, while the other track is Discover Japan, activities aimed at exploration and more on the casual side. 

You earn points by exploring new areas of the map, participating in Touge and Street Racing activities, progressing through the Drift Club Japan events, or taking part in day trips where characters convoy to different parts of the map and offer a bit of a history lesson on car culture and the details of Japan itself. There are even food delivery activities, which is silly due to how fast these trucks go, and chained stories like Yuji's Auto, where you help Yuji tweak certain cars by test driving them before and after tuning. 

It's a joy to just drive around doing random things, which result in stumbling upon a hidden barn, figuring out how to reach that XP board, or attempting to get three stars on the various activities like speed traps, jump ramps, and drift zones. These are the moments when the music shines. The game has a mix of Japanese and English tracks that cycle through its many radio stations. The radio DJs of each station aren't awkward at all, as they convey genuine excitement for the ongoing festival, a staple throughout the game, as it’s all about the celebration of the event, and the fun of it all. 

Audio design is also a treat, as you can hear the power of each car as the pistons fire off when shifting gears, or how the engines wind down as you make a hard brake for a tight turn. Whether it’s overrevving or hearing that another car is right behind, I appreciated the detailed sound design to the point where I adjusted the audio levels so as to not overwhelm the car sounds, as they enhance the overall experience.

Whichever path you focus on, it always results in rewards that fuel your car collection. Cosmetic rewards aside, you will regularly come across new cars or credits. There’s even cars for sale at a discount out in the world, so it's never too difficult to have the right kind of car. 

The One Thing That Stings 

Despite the generosity, there's one feature I wasn't a fan of: VIP status, a bonus for those who own the premium edition of the game that simply doubles credit rewards in each race. The game is generous enough on its own, but earning more than double compared to players who paid for the standard edition still doesn't feel great. There's also an option to buy a Treasure Map that instantly reveals the locations of every mascot and XP banner on the map, something I was never keen on in any game, but to each their own. 

You’ll Never Run Out of Things to Do 

The variety in Forza Horizon 6 is key, as there's always a new race nearby that's different from the one you just finished. After finishing a race in the city, the game will recommend nearby races you can mark and follow with the built-in GPS, or fast travel to if you've been there before. The gameplay loop is easy to embrace, as it can be addicting, and thankfully the world map isn't intimidating at first glance, as it slowly populates the more you explore and unlock wristbands, which function as progression tiers that open up more races and activities. 

Difficulty is also varied, with six presets for the AI you race against. I adjusted the difficulty whenever I found myself winning too comfortably and noticed real differences in AI behavior, with tighter cornering and more risk-taking visible at higher settings. The challenge is there for those who want it, and I appreciated that. I had races where I genuinely struggled to hold first place with a particular car, then tuned for better top speed on a track with long stretches, and that adjustment blew me to first place, easily.

For fun, I spent a few hours with tire and car damage active and the brake guide turned off. These little adjustments to craft a specific experience are available at any time, including the option to disable the rewind feature, a Forza Horizon staple that lets players roll back a few seconds if they miss a turn or find themselves flying off a cliff. This feature makes it more inviting for newcomers, as your first time playing a specific track will be less likely to result in a devastating loss.

Car customization returns, so you can create unique designs and color combinations to your heart's content. New to this entry is the ability to customize your garage and city home, allowing you to showcase your favorite cars and decorating the space with everything from ice cream stands to dinosaur statues. Players can also visit other players' garages and homes, a feature I didn't spend much time with, but one that seems like a fun addition for the creative types. 

Not Done Yet 

Forza Horizon 6 is such a flexible racing game that I understand why many will cling to this entry in the franchise. It's a massive game. By the second-to-last wristband, the world map was so packed with activity icons that it was hard to see which ones I’d completed. There's so much to do that I had to pace myself, as reaching Legends Island requires completing most of the Horizon Festival races and activities, which starts to feel like a grind when playing solo. I'll note that I barely touched the online features, which come with their own set of Horizon points that contribute toward the next tier. But I won’t mark it as a problem, as I do appreciate that after doing so much of the game, there’s this endgame goal waiting for players that are committed.

This is why I won't be putting a final score on Forza Horizon 6 just yet. I have not experienced the online features in a natural setting. There were scheduled online events for reviewers, but I opted out since it felt like too much of a controlled environment. This game is designed to have players roaming the world together, organically meeting up for a quick time attack or parking to show off their current car. I did a handful of Rival races where I attempted to beat another player's best time for a given track, but that was the extent of it. I didn't even get to experience the Horizon Stunt Party, an in-world event that encourages nearby players to gather and register. When I tried to join, there was barely anyone around. 

Then there's Legends Island itself, said to host the famed Goliath races and other endgame activities tied to the final wristband. As of this writing, I have yet to reach it, and I'd like to before making a final verdict. At this point, rushing would do the game a disservice, as this is a game best experienced at your own pace. 

From where I'm currently standing, this is a fantastic open world racing game that is easily a must-buy for all types of racing enthusiasts. The balance and accessibility are spot on, and the amount of content here means completionists will have a field day. 

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Verdict: Highly Recommended (Score TBD)

PROS

• Nice balance between realism and arcade racing

• Visually stunning take on Japan with varied locations

• An open world filled with activities

• A satisfying gameplay loop and progression that urges you to keep on going

CONS

• Paid bonuses like more credits

• It can come as a grind for some players to reach the endgame content

What I’ve Played 

• 30 Hours played so far

• Reached the purple wristband and I’m 8K away from earning the last wristband

• 4/78 stamps collected in Discover Japan

• Reached account level 96

• Currently own over 100 cars

*This review is based on a Steam review copy provided to the reviewer

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About the Author - Carlos Hernandez

Carlos Hernandez is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Too Much Gaming, where he writes about video games, reviews, and industry news. A lifelong gamer, he would do anything to experience Final Fantasy Tactics for the first time again and has a love/hate relationship with games that require hunting for new gear to improve your character.