Forza Horizon 4

In the next several game reviews I'll write, you'll hear me talk about just how insanely busy this gaming season is this year. I'd even argue that it's a bit inappropriate given how barren summers tend to be and given how light the beginning of this year was. Holiday sales aside, it sometimes wont matter if your game is buried underneath 5-6 other AAA titles. Shadow of the Tomb Raider already seemed to suffer that fate, existing in a space between Spider-Man and "must-buy" games like Red Dead Redemption 2, Black Ops 4, Battlefield V, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Super Smash Bros. (just to name a few). 

It's the same situation that happened, more tragically, to Titanfall 2 several years ago where there were literally too many other shooters out that the game all but failed and left the franchise in a lurch. Luckily that game was an absolute classic so word of mouth drove some sales legs, but still scary and frustrating to think about a phenomenal game failing because it released at the same time as everything else. Same can be said for the film industry too.

We've come across a wild stallion,
alone in the forest!

Perhaps this rant is misplaced on the review of a well established exclusive like Forza Horizon 4, but I think it lends itself to another issue with too many games in one season; you move on from games a lot quicker. 

Rewind to 2016 -- another insanely busy gaming year, and probably one of the best I've ever experienced -- and Forza Horizon 3 earned one of my four (4!) perfect scores that year. It was easily the best racing game I'd ever played and, while not a revelation from its predecessor, packed enough content + the awesome setting of Australia into the game that it was nearly impossible to fault it. Personally, Forza Horizon games are ones that I'll likely always purchase. They're just so well-crafted and thought out that it's hard to deny the quality of having easy access to an awesome racing game when you need a break from typical game violence or online frustrations. 

Forza Horizon 4, set this time in the UK, remains the "king" of racing games fairly easily but it won't earn a perfect score from me this time. That shouldn't deter anyone from purchasing it and, spoiler alert!, it's still going to score damn high. But I can't deny that I felt as if I'd gotten my fill quicker on this iteration than I had previously. Part of that could be the temptation of other games, sure, but part of it is also the fact that, aside from a handful of small-scale changes, the Horizon series hasn't evolved much in recent years. Playground Games is likely going with the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it mantra" which is fair when the game is nearly-perfect, but it also lends itself to me moving on from it faster. I'm certainly not done with the game by any means, but I imagine it's several months before I devote substantial time to it again.

Aston Martin DB11. #dreamcar

What's most apparent in this Horizon series is that the remaining changes they can make to improve them are few and far between outside of getting experimental and/or taking it in a completely new direction. Outside of changing seasons (more on that in a bit), the only changes this time around are largely cosmetic and have a tendency to be frustrating too. You now have a Drivatar that, in classic 2018 fashion, you can outfit with clothes, emotes, etc. to "personalize" your experience. It's a concept that I've never really connected with and it fails pretty hard in Forza because...well..you just dont see your Drivatar all that much. It's funny to see them dance before a race or talk to someone in many of the chapter missions, but otherwise, they're in the car the whole time. It doesn't quite connect with this series, but it's unfortunately shoved down players' throats by having a wide array of unlockables for your character. Problem there? The unlockable stuff for your character now takes place on the same unlockable wheels as vehicles or credits. Far, FAR too many times I spun a wheelspin or super wheelspin (how Forza awards prizes) and was left with a "common" t-shirt. Or a useless emote. It's a small complaint about a concept that doesn't affect core gameplay in the slightest, but it's an example of trying to make a square-peg gameplay element fit in a circular hole.

I-70 in the winter months ^^

Other changes are far more tied to gameplay (and overall better) with more "story missions" and the changing seasons being the most significant. The story missions are my favorite add because they often create fun scenarios or references to pop culture that are as creative as they are fun. Things like driving a $5 million+ car really fast to a point or even a Crazy Taxi-inspired level are smart ways to shake things up for players. Seasons are also [mostly] a blast, but I found that their overall timing may need to be tweaked for future installments. Each one has a unique visual style that lets the player immediately know what season they are in and various ones will affect the way your car drives and which cars you should be driving. Fall and Spring were my favorites, mainly because of their beauty, and winter became my least favorite. Winter poses a gameplay challenge because you basically have to race in something with 4-wheel-drive. Sure I could race a Ferrari in the snow, but that's something that sounds fun on paper, is fun for about 2 mins, and quickly turns frustrating. What's difficult with these seasons is that they're all predetermined cycles in real time. Each one lasts 5-6 days (haven't narrowed down exact length) so while it's a really neat feature and even cooler concept, I also found myself holding off playing at certain times OR playing less at certain times. Best example I can think about is when I bought my first truly expensive car with the McLaren Senna and outfitted it to achieve the highest possible rating. The next season was winter so I basically had to wait a whole week to truly enjoy my purchase in "normal" driving conditions. Again, cool idea and it definitely adds some spice to the gameplay, but the execution needs some work.

Cue "I Believe I Can Fly"

What I-70 looks like in the summer time ^^

Other than those gripes, which are certainly small potatoes, Forza remains basically perfect. The racing style remains an addicting, yet challenging balance of arcade and realistic simulation. This time around I upped my difficulty level and decreased the assists which led to a much more balanced experience than winning all the time in Horizon 3. There are distinct styles and differences in how cars drive too that alter the challenge throughout - with a spread so wide that it keeps the game as interesting as you want it to be. Want to drive around in a super car for 4 seasons straight? Chances are you'll be able to, but you'll struggle in areas. Want to switch it up between off-road, rally, speed, and an even-balance vehicle? You'll find the game has considerable legs. The game allows you to race 90% of all races (outside of the story missions) with any vehicle you want. This is both a blessing and a small curse because the game doesn't have a "recommended" car type for most races so until you become familiar with the types of races you're doing, you'll likely have some frustrating experiences of racing with the wrong car. 

Speaking of cars, Horizon 4 continues this series' trend of having, flat-out, the best selection of cars ever. There's no heavy leaning of any one manufacturer here and there's a plethora of cool vehicles all across the spectrum. Even the first DLC pack, that I happily paid for, featured 10 awesome James Bond vehicles, some even with gadgets. It's that attention to detail that creates a damn polished game. Especially with the seasons; raindrops in the spring, rustling leaves in the fall, and snow flakes in the winter, make your car appear against the environment different. Anytime I got a nicer new car, I usually had 30-60 seconds of jaw-dropping adjustment where I rotated the camera and stared at it in glorious motion. 

Just a leisurely stroll through the forest

#dreamcar in a better color

The graphics expand FAR past just the vehicles with the entirety of the locale always looking consistently pristine. Day, night, rain, snow, or shine these graphics are still some of the best you'll ever see, though that's really nothing new for racing games. Playground Games continues to outdo themselves with their environments and, while it doesn't contain the personal connection I had with Australia, the UK countryside is still a blast to explore. The map is decently varied and there are enough fun locales to discover. One area where I think this series should go next is an expansion of the overall map (which would mean they need to toss the utterly nonsense fast travel system) and include key locales. Australia didn't include Sydney, likely because it was too large of a city, and similarly the UK doesn't contain London. I think those are HUGE misses, even with the map being a blast otherwise, and larger maps seem like an enticing next step for the series.

Paired with the incredible graphics is some equally impressive audio. For starters, the sound effects, which are always spot-on in the game, continue to be perfect and LOUD. I tested playing this game on some higher volumes and I imagine the neighbors in my condo complex thought I was revving a exotic car right in my own living room. The music is also a wonderfully curated selection of songs that are just perfect to drive to. They're high-energy and moving, equal to the kinetic spirit of whatever you're driving at the time. As is the case with most soundtracks, one wished they would do periodic updates to the playlists, but again, maybe an innovation for next time. 

Real life picture or screenshot? I'll let you decide

Forza Horizon 4 continues this series' reign above the driving genre nearly effortlessly. Not all of its changes are as perfect as the core gameplay and I think the next one really needs something new to bring to the table. BUT...it's hard to see any stiff competition on the horizon and given all there is to do and experience and drive in this game, maybe the mantra of not fixing something that isn't broken is the right one. 

CONS

• Cosmetic additions to one's Drivatar are kind of pointless. What's worse is they're unlockable and take up space that would have been offered to credits/vehicles
• Seasons are great, but the timing and implementation of them maybe needs work
• Would be nice if each race had a "Recommended" option to see exactly what types of vehicles would be best for the track
• Paying to Fast Travel is nonsense
• Less of a Con, but I wish some game would have updating playlists for their music -- at least for the first year of release or something

PROS

• One of the best driving games around because of its stellar mechanics. Near-perfect balance of arcade and sim
• The seasons are awesome to see and experience, with each one being highly unique visually and from a gameplay perspective
• Addition of various types of "story" missions. These are creative and loads of fun
• An awesome Halo mission
• Incredible and complete list of cars for purchase. Some truly special gems in here with a lot of variety
• Most of the non-racing stuff is great, though some of it I didn't get super into. The decal art, auctions, tuning, etc. is all beefy
• Consistently feel like you're upgrading and leveling up. Scratches that itch well
• Gorgeous map of the UK countryside. Good variation overall
• Jaw dropping graphics and attention to detail. Runs just as smoothly too
• Amazing sound detail from both an effects and music perspective
• Fun, deep, challenging, and always beautiful, it's hard not to [continue to] love the Forza Horizon series

Rath's Review Score | 9/10