If you’re thinking about buying Forza Horizon 6, you probably want to know if it’s actually worth the money and whether it delivers something new or just recycles the same old formula. After 30+ hours of gameplay on my Xbox Series X, here’s the straight answer: yes, it’s worth buying – especially if you love arcade racing games. But it’s not a complete overhaul of the series.
Instead, Playground Games took everything that worked in previous Forza Horizon games, moved the entire experience to Japan (finally), and polished nearly every aspect until it shines. This review covers what makes the gameplay special, what frustrates me about it, and whether the progression, customization, and event variety justify picking it up today.
The Hook That Made Me Actually Care
There’s something special about the moment you realize a game has nailed its setting. For me, that happened about twenty minutes in when I took a Subaru Impreza rally car down a winding mountain road surrounded by cherry trees and traditional buildings in the distance. The speed, the precision required, the visual feedback – it all felt cohesive in a way that made me understand why fans had been begging for Japan as a location for years.
But here’s what impressed me more: after playing for roughly 30 hours, I’m still discovering things. New event types, hidden shortcuts, activities tucked into areas I didn’t know existed. The game feels genuinely alive, not just like a series of checkboxes.
What Makes the Gameplay Actually Work
The variety of activities is genuinely staggering. Rally cars drift at breakneck speed down steep mountain roads and into tight hairpins. Supercars thunder along the motorway at more than 400kph. Off-road trucks battle for victory across flower-filled fields. This isn’t new territory for Forza Horizon, but the execution here feels refined.
The racing itself strikes an interesting balance. Underneath the slick presentation is all of the real Forza physics and tuning, which combines with the arcade accessibility to create something truly special. What this means in practice is that you can jump in and have fun immediately – even if you’ve never tuned a car in your life – but if you want to dig deeper and actually learn suspension settings and tire pressure, there’s a legitimate sandbox waiting for you.
Exploring Japan Actually Feels Different
The Tokyo City area is genuinely massive. It’s five times larger than any other Horizon city, and honestly, it feels like it. You’ve got narrow alleyways that force you to think about racing lines, wide avenues perfect for high-speed runs, and then suddenly you’re driving through parking garages or under highways. It’s not just bigger – it feels designed with intention.
What surprised me was how varied the entire map is beyond Tokyo. The game features both natural and urban environments, from the neon lights and towering buildings of Tokyo City to the serenity and natural beauty of Japan’s rural and mountain areas. The transition between these areas feels natural, not jarring. One minute you’re street racing in an urban environment, the next you’re doing a dirt trail event with rice paddies in the background.
The Progression System Actually Gives You Direction
One thing I appreciate about this entry is the progression system. Unlike Forza Horizon 5, which sometimes felt like throwing everything at you at once, this one gives you a clearer sense of progression and achievement. You’re unlocking new festivals, new event types, and new areas as you play, which creates natural goals to work toward.
This might sound like a small thing, but after 5+ games, having a reason to care about what you’re doing beyond “just drive around and have fun” actually matters.
Cars and Customization Got Better
The game features more cars than ever on day one, and includes long-awaited tweaks to customization. The car roster is genuinely impressive. I found myself spending an embarrassing amount of time in the customization garage just testing different setups and paint jobs. The visual customization options let you really make cars your own, from wild color combinations to more subtle aesthetic tweaks.
But here’s what matters for actual gameplay: the handling differences between cars are noticeable and meaningful. A rally car doesn’t feel like a supercar with different paint. Each class has distinct characteristics, which makes the variety of event types feel earned.
Where the Gameplay Stumbles
I’d be doing you a disservice if I only talked about what works. The dynamic weather system, while beautiful, occasionally makes races feel cheap. I was racing in Tokyo and suddenly a rainstorm made visibility terrible – not because my tires lost grip (which would be fair), but because I literally couldn’t see the track. It’s a small thing, but it happened twice and both times I restarted because it felt unfair rather than challenging.
The AI can also be inconsistent. Some races feel perfectly balanced, where you’re genuinely fighting for position. Others, you’ll breach and the AI just gives up and drives slowly behind you. This isn’t universal, but it happens enough that I noticed it.
The Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)
When I first started, I jumped straight into some of the harder championships without upgrading my car or learning the tracks. This sounds obvious, but the game doesn’t force you to struggle – you can just rewind any mistake. I spent my first few hours rewind-happy until I realized I was robbing myself of the actual challenge. Once I turned off rewinds and committed to learning tracks, the game became significantly more satisfying.
Also, don’t ignore the tuning tutorials. I almost did because they seemed boring, but spending 20 minutes learning about camber and toe settings actually paid off when I was competing in tighter races.
Real-World Performance
The game runs incredibly smooth on my Xbox Series X. I haven’t experienced stutters or frame rate dips, even during intense street racing sequences with tons of traffic and environmental detail. Load times are reasonable – jumping into an event takes maybe 15-20 seconds. On PC, it’s available on both the Microsoft Store and Steam, so you’ve got options depending on your preference.
The audio design is equally impressive. Individual cars sound distinct, the announcer doesn’t grate on you (a genuine concern with open-world racing games), and the soundtrack complements the Japanese setting without being obnoxious about it.
Is It Worth Your Time?
This delivers the combination of slick presentation with boundless content and real Forza physics, creating something that’s hard to fault. If you’re someone who wants a racing game that respects your time – where you can jump in for a quick 20-minute session or sink in weekend hours without it feeling grindy – this is it.
The only caveat: if you’ve burned out on the Forza Horizon formula entirely, this game won’t reinvent itself for you. It refines what works, adds more content, and picks a location that genuinely elevates the experience. But it’s not a revolutionary shift in how you play.
For everyone else? This is the strongest Horizon has felt in years. Japan was the right choice for setting number six, and Playground Games clearly understood the weight of that decision. The game respects the location while maintaining the arcade racing spirit that makes these games special.
Pick it up if you want a racing game that’s genuinely fun to play for dozens of hours, that respects skilled driving but doesn’t punish casual enjoyment, and that finally brings the Horizon Festival to a country that deserves this level of attention. Just maybe turn off those rewinds – you’ll thank me later.
FAQ
Is Forza Horizon 6 good?
Yes. Forza Horizon 6 has received very positive reviews for its graphics, open-world map, car handling, and large selection of cars.
Is Forza Horizon 6 playable?
Yes. Forza Horizon 6 is currently playable on Xbox Series X|S and PC. A PS5 version is also planned. (Forza)
Is Forza Horizon 6 open world?
Yes. Forza Horizon 6 is an open-world racing game set in Japan, featuring cities, highways, mountains, and countryside roads.
What is the best car in Forza Horizon 6?
There is no single “best” car for every race, but popular high-performance choices include top hypercars, tuned JDM cars, and S2-class racing builds depending on your driving style and race type.
