Forza Horizon 6 Review – Tokyo Drift

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Forza Horizon is now a leading racing game, and it’s getting harder for the developers, Playground Games, to make significant improvements to a formula many consider flawless. After nearly five years since the last installment, Forza Horizon 6 is here, taking players to the highly anticipated location of Japan. With a fantastic open world that’s a pleasure to drive around, combined with the series’ reliably great handling and extensive car collection, Forza Horizon 6 delivers another exceptional open-world racing experience. It easily holds its own against previous games, even if it doesn’t drastically change the core gameplay.

It’s no surprise that the Japanese setting in Forza Horizon 6 is a standout feature. Series fans have long requested a Horizon Festival take place in Japan, and the game delivers on those expectations impressively. Playground Games has consistently created fantastic open-world racing environments, and they’ve done it again with this latest installment.

The game features all the classic open-world racing activities you’d expect: races, rallies, stunt jumps, speed traps, and drifting challenges. You can also collect new cars and, for those who enjoy a bit of extra exploration, find and destroy hundreds of collectible boards and mascots hidden throughout the game world.

Wow, Japan in Forza Horizon 6 is just breathtaking! Seriously, every time I turn a corner, there’s something new and beautiful to see – from thick forests and colorful fields to snowy mountains. But Tokyo? Tokyo is incredible. It’s the biggest and most detailed city they’ve ever created in a Forza Horizon game, and it feels so alive with all the traffic and amazing buildings. Driving past landmarks like Tokyo Tower and Shibuya Crossing is just… wow. It’s easily a highlight of the whole game.

The game features a huge and beautifully varied map that remains exciting to explore. Whether you’re discovering new regions, driving on unfamiliar roads, or simply taking in the scenery, the world feels fresh and engaging. As expected from a Forza Horizon title, there’s plenty to do. You’ll find classic open-world racing events like races, rallies, and stunts, plus opportunities to collect new cars and test your skills with speed traps and drift zones. And, of course, there are hundreds of collectibles hidden throughout the world, like bonus boards and mascots, just waiting to be found.

In addition to the open world, Forza Horizon 6 adds several new activities, many of which highlight the unique setting of Japan. These include guided Day Trips that help you discover the region, fast-paced Touge races down winding mountain roads, and even quirky food delivery missions where you drive a delivery truck – surprisingly, it’s one of the most enjoyable vehicles in the game – completing various food-themed challenges.

The game introduces Horizon Rush, exciting new obstacle course races with beautifully crafted and difficult tracks. Fan-favorite Showcase events are back too, and they truly deliver on their promise of spectacular moments. These events consistently stand out as the best part of any Forza Horizon game, and this installment is no exception. I especially enjoyed racing against a massive, robot-like machine – and that’s just one example of the incredible experiences Showcases offer.

Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t really change up the winning formula of the series, and as a big fan, I think that’s perfectly fine. Playground Games continues to deliver a fantastic experience with what they already do so well.

Beyond the races and challenges, like in past games, you can buy various properties throughout the game world. Forza Horizon 6 adds a new feature: you can build and customize these properties with a surprisingly detailed, fun, and simple building system. There’s plenty to keep you entertained in Forza Horizon 6 – even if you just want to drive around, listen to the radio, and take in the views.

One area where the new game feels a bit more restricted than the previous one is how you unlock content. While Forza Horizon 5 let you explore and progress very freely, 6 returns to a system where you earn wristbands to unlock events, making the overall experience a little more guided. However, if you’re already familiar with the Horizon series, you’ll still find plenty of freedom to explore the open world and play how you want, as Playground Games has kept that core element intact.

Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t really break new ground – it sticks to the successful formula the series is known for. As a big fan of that formula, I think that’s perfectly fine, especially since Playground Games continues to deliver it so well. However, if you were hoping for a radical reinvention of Forza Horizon, you won’t find it here. This game builds on what already works, making improvements and enhancements in a gradual way, rather than with huge changes. The game is packed with high-quality content and offers a ton to do, so it still feels fresh and engaging, but it’s not a reinvention of the series if that’s what you’re after.

Driving in Forza Horizon 6 is consistently enjoyable – it’s something Playground Games has always done well. The game features a huge selection of cars, and each one handles uniquely and feels great to drive. This makes tweaking and customizing your vehicles particularly satisfying.

Forza Horizon 6 doesn’t offer anything completely new, but it proves again how enjoyable the series can be when everything works perfectly – which it often does. It also delivers on the promise of its highly anticipated location.

Forza Horizon 6 is a stunning game, both visually and technically – which is expected, considering how consistently impressive the Forza series has been. It boasts beautiful graphics, incredible detail, top-notch sound, and runs almost perfectly (I played mostly at 4K resolution with a smooth 60 frames per second and rarely had any performance issues). It’s another technical triumph for the series. While it doesn’t drastically change things from Forza Horizon 5, that’s because the previous game still looks amazing after five years. The fact that Forza Horizon 6 improves upon such a high standard is really noteworthy.

Playground Games has delivered another outstanding racing game. The Forza Horizon series has consistently been the best in the genre, and Forza Horizon 6 continues that tradition. While it doesn’t drastically change the formula, it proves how incredibly fun the series can be, especially with its exciting new location. Any fan of racing games should definitely play this one.

This game was reviewed on Xbox Series X.

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2026-05-14 15:43