"Forza Horizon 5 Should Hit PlayStation: Review"

Put simply, there’s nothing on PlayStation 5 quite like Forza Horizon 5.

The Crew Motorfest? It's close. Embracing the festival vibe of Forza Horizon, Motorfest adopts a similar approach, making it more akin to the Horizon series than its predecessors.

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown? Unfortunately, no. While the Forza Horizon series owes much to the pioneering MMO racing of the original Test Drive Unlimited, Solar Crown's always-online nature without a dedicated solo mode falls short. Forza Horizon has offered seamless transitions between offline and online play since 2014's Forza Horizon 2!

Need for Speed Unbound? It boasts an impressive customization suite that outshines Horizon in certain areas, but its focus on high-speed pursuits and arcade-style racing sets it apart from a direct comparison.

No, the ultimate open-world racing experience is Forza Horizon 5, now available on PlayStation 5 for the first time. Its expansive and stunning Mexico map, the joy of drift-friendly vehicle dynamics, and a massive garage of over 900 cars, including cult favorites not found in other racing games, offer an unparalleled experience. PlayStation users are diving into this rich world, many experiencing it for the first time.

The reaction has been exciting to watch.

This influx of new players is something the team at Playground Games eagerly anticipated.

"Yeah, I'm super excited," says Playground Games art director Don Arceta. "For many, this will be their first Forza Horizon game. It's thrilling to think about their initial experiences, just as we remember ours."

Arceta is particularly interested in seeing what kinds of events and tracks PlayStation 5 players will create using Forza Horizon 5's extensive Event Lab tools.

"You’ll actually get some pretty good Halo content too on the PlayStation, with the event lab props!" he adds. "We now have over 800 props in the Event Lab, and the creativity from our community has been mind-blowing. I'm eager to see what PlayStation 5 users will build and the new creativity they'll bring."

The port to PlayStation 5 is technically flawless, matching the quality of its Xbox and PC versions. Considering the game's size and the fact that its engine was new to the PlayStation platform, this is a significant achievement.

"As you can imagine, given the series' history with Xbox, adapting it for the PS5 was a huge task," explains Arceta. "The PlayStation 5 version was developed by Panic Button, in collaboration with Turn 10 and us. They did an amazing job, ensuring the same high-quality experience on PlayStation as on Xbox and PC."

As a car enthusiast, I've always viewed the Forza series as the home of the most diverse and exciting car collection. No other racing series offers such a range of cars, from the well-known to the obscure. It's thrilling to think of a new group of players discovering their favorite cars in Forza Horizon 5, cars that other racing games simply don't offer.

For Playground Games lead game designer David Orton, it's the vast scope of Forza Horizon 5 that he believes will captivate new players.

"The breadth of Horizon is staggering," says Orton. "Players find what they enjoy most, and with so much freedom, they can make it whatever they want. We pride ourselves on giving players the agency and freedom to explore and engage with the game in their own way. Whether you're into road racing, Rivals, track racing, taking photos, or creating content with Event Lab, Horizon welcomes everyone and has something for all."

"For me, a victory would be hearing players say, 'I can't believe I've never played this game before,'" says Arceta. "The surprise is key. Once they're surprised, they're engaged and eager to learn more. I'm looking forward to their delight and hearing their stories."

Orton agrees, adding, "It's about players who've never tried Horizon before, perhaps due to platform differences or time constraints, jumping into this world and realizing it's a warm, welcoming place full of fun. When they say, 'Oh my goodness, how have I never played this game before? This is incredible,' that's a win for us. We're reaching out to a new cohort of players who may have never played a Forza title. There's an unknown element in how they'll react, but given our history of perfecting our craft, we're excited to bring this to PlayStation and welcome a whole load of new players."

If there’s any hobby more tribal than car culture, it’s the loyalty to video game consoles. For racing game fans, however, one significant barrier has been removed.

Let’s hope it’s not the last.