Forza Horizon 6 Is The Most RPG-Like The Series Has Ever Been

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As a gamer, I keep hearing about how RPGs let you reach the end of the story your way, and it’s not just because the genre’s gotten so open. Some games are pretty linear – you go from point A to point B, filling the time with leveling up and side quests. But others really push you to forge your own path, letting you decide what your adventure looks like, no matter what happens. Ultimately, though, it always feels like my choices matter, and that’s what’s cool.

And to my surprise, it’s amply apparent in Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 6.

It’s understandable if you’re confused about this. The question is, “When did this become an RPG?” The answer is, it wasn’t officially announced as one, but that’s what we’re talking about today. It seems like role-playing game elements are now showing up in almost everything, even games like Spider-Man and College Football.

You can definitely find elements of role-playing games in Forza Horizon 6. You can build and customize your own home base, earn skill points to improve your character, and explore content even after finishing the main story. Plus, the game features a simplified version of the classic hero’s journey, where you start as a newcomer and work your way up to becoming a Horizon Legend.

What’s really remarkable about Playground Games is how they’ve added elements of role-playing, like collecting loot, to personalize the player’s experience. You won’t be changing the overall story or who lives and dies, but your actions will truly shape how the game unfolds for you.

After a stunning opening sequence showcasing various events – like street racing amidst cherry blossoms, snowy mountain races, and a frantic dash to a festival – it’s immediately clear that Forza Horizon 6 encourages players to create their own experiences, and this is best reflected in its expansive map. The game is filled with interesting locations to discover, and you can jump into all the familiar activities from previous Forza Horizon games thanks to a new ‘fog of war’ system that reveals content as you explore.

The story setup – along with the returning Wristbands – is just as important as how it affects gameplay. You’re new to both the world of competitive racing and Japan itself. You won’t immediately have access to the fastest cars; you need to earn your way up. It’s similar to the quest and investigation systems in Monster Hunter – the Wristbands act as an initial challenge, requiring you to prove yourself through the many races at the Horizon Festival before unlocking more.

But Forza Horizon has always offered more than just racing; it’s about discovering new places, appreciating car culture, learning about local traditions, and really feeling like you’re part of the game’s world. That connection is especially crucial in role-playing games, because without it, the beautiful scenery feels empty and meaningless. Playground Games has clearly worked hard to make Japan feel authentic and alive, letting the environment itself tell a story.

As a fan, what really gets me about this game is how it captures those little moments of everyday life in Japan. It’s things like driving past a convenience store late at night, or watching the scenery change from city to countryside. Even just cruising along the coast with some classic J-pop playing, or dreaming up a trip to Mt. Fuji… it’s all so immersive. The developers really paid attention to the details of the world, and it’s amazing how much story they tell without using words. It’s fascinating to just observe everything up close.

Sometimes, the stories let me really explore! I love helping Yuji find cool cars or taking Mei on road trips. But the best part is always getting out there and seeing things for myself. It’s fun to do simple stuff like destroying billboards and statues for experience points or collecting stamps, but even better when I stumble across something unique in a new area – like finding and photographing all the landmarks. It really makes the world feel alive!

While some players might find the gameplay familiar to other open-world games, Forza Horizon 6 makes discovering Japan feel more natural and less like a checklist. Exploring the country is its own reward, letting you experience its culture as you play. Plus, you’ll find special cars – Aftermarket and Treasure Cars – hidden around the map. These aren’t just cosmetic changes; they significantly alter a car’s performance, making them feel like valuable loot.

You know, it’s kinda wild thinking about all this because I remember when the newest Forza Motorsport tried to mix racing with RPG elements. They had each car level up as you raced, and unlocking new parts was tied to that. Honestly, it felt like a real grind, and it was super annoying that something we all love about Forza – messing around with car parts and tuning – was locked behind leveling up. I really hope they don’t do that again in the next game!

Forza Horizon 6 avoids this issue by continuing to use a familiar system: you simply buy car parts with in-game currency. As with many role-playing games, how you build and customize your cars is more important than just increasing their stats.

Playground focuses more on the joy of experiencing and interacting with these tools, and using them to explore and discover the world independently.

It’s similar to Crimson Desert, which also prioritizes being an open-world action-adventure game over a traditional RPG. You can play through the main story, exploring the world of Pywel and defeating the final boss while collecting useful items. Alternatively, you can go off the main path to solve puzzles, enjoy the scenery, and customize your campsite. While there are weapons, armor, and a detailed skill tree – for three characters! – these features enhance the core gameplay experience rather than defining it.

Forza Horizon 6 offers a huge, almost endless open world packed with things to do. You can explore hundreds of roads and become a Horizon Legend, even unlocking Legend Island for an extra challenge. But even after that, there’s still plenty to find and enjoy – whether it’s discovering a new car, or spending hours customizing your garage just to show off to friends. The game constantly offers something new as you explore and see what it has to offer.

If you enjoy customizing cars, visit the Car Meet to see what designs other players have created. You can download those or simply purchase a vehicle that you like. Alternatively, like me, you can focus on off-road driving to quickly earn XP and experiment with different ways to boost your score.

Over the years, the Forza Horizon series has included many systems that could easily turn it into a role-playing game, but it hasn’t quite crossed that line. It’s hard to say why. Like any game series, small changes can drastically alter the experience. Forza Horizon 6 remains the open-world racing game we enjoy, now with its most detailed environment yet, but it’s increasingly letting players shape how the story unfolds, even though the overall outcome is predetermined.

Just so you know, the opinions in this article are the author’s own and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2026-05-27 16:43