Over the last few months I’ve poured well over a hundred hours into Forza Horizon 5. As someone who thrives on mastering every nuance, I came to this game hungry for deep driving challenges, slick handling, and a living, breathing open world. Playground Games delivers an ambitious vision of Mexico that hits many high notes—but it isn’t without its small missteps.
Overall Impressions
Forza Horizon 5 opens on an enormous map packed with deserts, jungles, coastal roads, volcanoes, and cities. Right away I was struck by the scale and variety—you could start your run on a sun-baked highway, chase dust storms through the valley, then find yourself drifting through a neon-lit plaza. The Festival atmosphere, complete with dynamic weather and seasonal events, keeps things fresh. Compared to Forza Horizon 4’s U.K. setting, Mexico feels wilder and more. What falls flat for me are the drawn-out character cutscenes; the hosts and NPCs can feel wooden, their banter dragging on when I’m eager to drive. Overall, though, this remains a best-in-class arcade racer with heart.
Gameplay Mechanics
The core handling model strikes a precise balance between arcade freedom and realistic feedback. As a controller player, I appreciate how the tuning menu lets me sculpt understeer, tweak suspension travel, and fine-tune gear ratios. One user noted turning sluggish cars into “tuned monsters,” and I can confirm that the depth of customization rewards anyone willing to dig in. Drivatar opponents adapt to your style, making repeated runs still feel unpredictable. Photo mode, Drivestyle perks, and Horizon stories add layers of objectives beyond straight races. My one nitpick: some of the long rally-raid journeys between points can feel like busywork if you’re chasing leaderboard times.
Story and Characters
The narrative is minimal—your character arrives as a Horizon newcomer, earns reputation, and eventually leads the festival. Along the way you meet hosts like Esteban and Riana, whose backstories show up in optional Horizon Stories. Unfortunately, most of the dialogue lacks warmth. I’d far rather skip a cutscene than sit through another segment of hollow chit-chat. That said, the occasional story mission—such as stealthily tagging murals or challenging a supercar convoy—breaks up the driving with a sense of real purpose. I just wish the execution felt less perfunctory.
Visuals and Graphics
This is where Forza Horizon 5 absolutely shines. Playground Games used detailed photogrammetry to scan Mexico’s real landscapes, producing rocks, foliage, and architectural details that feel lived-in. Rain beads on the windshield, tire smoke curls realistically, and at dusk the volcano glows a molten orange. On Xbox Series X and high-end PCs I hit 60 fps in 4K, while ray-tracing mode on Series S adds brilliant reflections—though at a lower frame rate. Every time I load into a new region, I find myself pausing to soak in the scene. Hats off to the art team for making a racer that doubles as a virtual travelogue.
Sound and Music
The soundtrack flies between indie rock, electronic, and Latin beats. Switching radio stations on the fly keeps my audio experience as diverse as the terrain. Engine notes ring true from V-8 muscle cars to supercharged performance, and environmental effects (thunderstorms, wildlife calls) heighten immersion. Voice acting for the hosts is professional, but their scripts rarely rise above cliché. For me, the rush comes when the tires howl in a rainstorm, not from reading dialogue. Still, the mix of SFX and music complements the game’s festival vibe perfectly.
Difficulty and Replayability
Forza Horizon 5 caters to all skill levels. You can lean on driving assists or chase every little competitive edge. My pro-level runs often involve disabling ABS, locking in a custom tune, and shaving milliseconds off drift combos. Seasonal Championships and weekly challenges push me back online, while the custom route creator and community hot-laps keep the leaderboard hungry. One heartfelt user review spoke of racing against their late brother’s gamertag—that sense of personal stakes exemplifies why the Horizon franchise resonates. My only concern is reliance on online servers. Offline play is supported, but some features vanish without connectivity. I’d love a deeper solo career mode in a future update.
Trivia and Behind-the-Scenes
Playground Games grew from a 140-person studio to over 500 staff for this project. They collaborated with Mexican cultural advisors to ensure authenticity in landscapes and festival design. A mid-cycle update added full cross-play with Steam, bringing Horizon to players who’ve long been stuck on PlayStation. And turn-by-turn multiplayer modes—like the new Eliminator battle royale—are testaments to their live-service vision.
Final Thoughts
Forza Horizon 5 nails the adrenaline, cars, and world-scale spectacle that I, as PlayerProX, demand from a top-tier arcade racer. Minor flaws in narrative pacing and dialogue keep it from perfection, but if your priority is jaw-dropping visuals, deep tuning options, and an ever-evolving festival of driving thrills, this game earns its status among the best. Whether you’re chasing leaderboard glory or simply cruising for the pure joy of speed, Forza Horizon 5 delivers in spades.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
