Forza Horizon 6 review: Does open-world racing get better than this?

I am one of those insufferable people who went to Japan one time and then made it my entire personality forever. Something tells me there are some of my kind among the developers of Forza Horizon 6.

When the opportunity to review this game came up, I was excited by the possibility of visiting an open-world modern day version of Japan in video game form. Going into Forza Horizon 6 for the first time, one key question was on my mind: Could this game help me recapture the joy I felt visiting the real Japan?

Certainly, I wasn’t disappointed by the stunning visuals on display: from the gorgeous vistas of Fuji-like mountains to the cramped alleys of old fashioned towns, via stunning cityscapes and familiar landmarks like Tokyo Tower, it did bring back some of that happy glow that I felt when immersed in the real thing.

That being said, it is somewhat odd to revisit a recent travel destination to find it has been transformed into a giant playground for racing cars. To find the Shibuya Scramble, a crossing famed for its mobs of selfie-stick-wielding tourists, now totally devoid of human life, did feel a little odd.

Part of what makes Japan so unique is its people, and, of course, you don’t see much of them in a game like this that is all about speeding around in a fleet of cars, jumping into races, racing into jumps, and generally having a great old time from behind the wheel. Not being able to step out of the car and grab a pork cutlet was slightly heartbreaking, but I can hardly blame the game for my cravings.

In fact, the more I played the game, the more I forgot about my original Japanese angle and landed on another key question instead: Does open-world racing get better than this?

Genuinely, I struggled to find any qualm with the game that it hadn’t already anticipated and solved in advance.

For example, when I first started playing, I found myself losing control of my car far too regularly, spinning out or flipping over and having to rewind. But I soon found some of the most robust difficulty options in recent memory, and after a few minutes of tinkering, all of the controls were simplified down to my level and I was having a wonderful time.

Another example: I did worry near the start of my playthrough that, for a story-loving gamer like me, there wouldn’t be enough narrative to cling onto.

However, the more I played, the more I found different mission types that offered a bit more in that regard. I found what I was looking for in the Visit Japan tour guide missions, where you’re guided through points of interest and also given little history lessons about Japanese cars and landmarks.

Okay, one final example: At one point I got a little bored of simply driving around and doing races. Once again, I rummaged around for different things to do and found a selection of food-delivery missions. Having an objective made all the difference, and there was a surprising amount of humour in those missions too.

Indeed, this is a rare review when I genuinely can’t think of any negatives worth mentioning, hence the five-star score at the top of the page.

Whether you’ve got 20 minutes spare or a whole evening, you’ll find something fun to do here. And when you hit one of the big show-stopper moments (you may have seen one in the trailers featuring a giant mech), your jaw will genuinely be on the floor.

If you’ve ever enjoyed a racing game, you’ll likely get a kick out of this one. And I can’t wait to see what DLC and brand collabs it could get in future.

Turn 10 Studios have mastered the art of creating these giant sandbox environments, stuffing them with varied things to do, and letting you loose in a staggering array of different vehicles to just have fun. Tune the radio to your favourite music genre, start your engines, and let yourself enjoy it.

To answer my own question, open-world racing doesn't get better than this. If you love that genre of racing game, you'll love this.

Personally, I couldn't ask for anything more from this game. But, for the record, I am gonna keep looking at flights to the real Japan.

Forza Horizon 6 launches 19 May on PC, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox Game Pass. Early access starts 15 April if you buy the Premium Edition. We reviewed on Xbox Series X.

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