Forza Horizon 4 – the ultimate car racing addiction

Forza Horizon 4 is placed in the fictionalized locales of Great Britain, mostly inspired by the magnificent areas of Edinburgh, Ambleside, the Northumberland coast, and Scottish Highlands. Due to unfolding in an open-world and open-end environment, players share the experience, racing in a dynamic setting where the weather aligns with the real-time seasons.

For example, when the winter comes, it will manifest in the surface of the Derwentwater lake freezing. That allows you to race on the ice and share an adrenaline-fueled experience with the other players.

Thanks to the solo and multiplayer options, you can choose to go on an adventure on your own or explore the Forza Horizon 4 world with friends and other racing enthusiasts. The opportunities are endless: you can compile and customize over 450 cars, do stunts or enjoy the views.

The game allows you to see the world transforming in front of your eyes, adjusting to actual weather conditions. There is an outstanding attention to detail, and it is not only about the season dynamic. It also lies in how the cars interact with these external conditions to make the game more realistic. Forza Horizon 4 excels in portraying the vehicle movement, how the wheels touch the ground or ice, and how it transmits the breeze and every air particle.

But is Forza Horizon 4 about details only, or is there more? We played it for you to check what else hides in this visually impressive game. Here are our insights.

Forza Horizon 4 sets the bar high for arcade racers

More than 700 licensed cars, such as Pagani Zonda, Subaru Impreza, and Pontiac Firebird, add to the intention to provide players with an all-encompassing experience. You’ll probably love the freedom to choose which automobile you’ll run over the tarmac, completing driver tasks. Or, perhaps you prefer disobeying the orders and racing on forbidden surfaces that make you feel alive.

It is beyond pleasurable to speed up and show off in your Bugatti Chiron while ravishing the idyllic peace of the British countryside. The surroundings will often cause goosebumps, and you’ll wish to genuinely be there, soaking in the reflections, sunrays, and texture of every tree. Hardly any other entry can compete with the nature fidelity like Forza Horizon 4.

Every season looks equally authentic, highlighting subtle cues and differences. Plus, the game runs smoothly at 90 FPS on high settings. Forza Horizon 4 is also openly proud of its graphics and features, allowing a roughly six-hour-long prologue that aims to hook you on the season change dynamics.

However, that is not inherently the best element of the game because you’ll quickly learn what to expect and respond to weather conditions. Regardless of how engaging it is, you’ll remember that the cold and icy periods cause slippery challenges while the snow will slow you down. The problem is, after some time, you know what to expect, and you aren’t as surprised as you were the first time.

It is impressive how the game aligns the weather with the actual world, but one must admit that doesn’t nullify the fact that Forza Horizon 4 becomes repetitive if you play long enough. But seasons do add one significant element to the game, and that’s whose car works best in given circumstances. It is why it’s not enough to be the fastest driver anymore. You also have to pay attention to our vehicle’s features and strength.

The game allows a high customization level to ensure everyone can adjust their car according to different weather occasions. However, you can alter the seasons using the System Time in Blueprint, although it doesn’t work for all races.

Moreover, Forza Horizon introduces various activities that turn its realm into an environment that faithfully resembles the offline world. Thus, it takes live simulation to another level and positions itself ahead of similar games. Besides racing, you can buy houses, purchase businesses, and participate in exhilarating stunt sets.

Perhaps these sequences won’t be the most ground-breaking thing you ever saw, but they’ll be a decent break from racing. Plus, it is an experience you share with up to 71 players, intensifying your excitement. However, avoid hitting rewind to complete missed checkpoints because others will nonetheless continue their race.

Another immersive element of the game is that it allows you to engage with other players through quick chat. On the other side, the gameplay is simple and doesn’t have a perplexing narrative. The dialogues are limited, and your principal goal is to progress, show how good you are, and establish your influence in the Forza Horizon 4 world.

Some players will probably notice that the game struggles a bit with making different cars produce distinctive sounds. Sadly, most vehicle engines sound similar, which is understandable as there are over 700 automobiles. Besides that, the audio, just like the graphics, is outstanding. You’ll enjoy slowing down to hear the sounds of seasons, making this realm beyond realistic.

These characteristics genuinely show how powerful Forza Horizon 4 is and how it sets the bar a bit too high for future arcade racers. It is a challenge for all the developers to beat the intensely authentic world this entry brought.

An exciting and innovative open-world racing simulation

Even though Forza Horizon isn’t drastically different from its predecessors, the franchise evolution is visible. The entry merges arcade-driving aspects, sceneries, simulation, and adrenaline probably no other game managed to achieve.

It is ideal for adding adrenaline to your daily routine that likely includes social distancing, but it is also a racing game you shouldn’t skip if passionate about the genre.