Forza Horizon 6 Review

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It’s been five years since Forza Horizon 5, and fans have been eagerly awaiting the next installment, hoping for the most beautiful Forza Horizon game to date. I recently had a chance to play an early version of Forza Horizon 6, and I’m happy to say it lives up to the hype. The game looks fantastic, and my brief time exploring Japan was an amazing driving adventure packed with thrilling races, incredible cars, and new features that make the experience even more rewarding.

In Forza Horizon 6, the story and how you improve your skills go hand-in-hand – you’ll be working your way to the top. Beyond that, the game is all about enjoying the races and the stunning scenery. The Japan map is truly the highlight of Forza Horizon 6, and the developers at Playground Games clearly put a lot of effort into making it look amazing.

Forza Horizon 6 Puts the Pedal to the Metal Right Out of the Gate

The preview version only let me play for an hour, but after that, I could freely explore the game. It started with a quick, exciting sequence of races that showed off the different challenges. Within the first few minutes, speeding through both city streets and rough off-road areas made it clear the game would feature a wide variety of Japanese environments beyond just Tokyo.

Starting With a Blank Slate

I really enjoyed how Forza Horizon 6 switched things up from Forza Horizon 5. Instead of being a pro driver right away, you start as a total rookie! As someone who loves a good underdog story, I found that even though the game doesn’t have a super strong narrative, starting from the bottom and working your way up made achieving things feel so much more satisfying. It also made the open world feel fresh and exciting – everything feels new because you’re experiencing it with your character. Racing games can sometimes feel repetitive, but putting you in the shoes of someone new to the scene is a clever way to keep things interesting and make you want to explore every corner of the map.

Entering Tokyo for the First Time Kicks Things Off on a Strong Note

Once the initial cutscenes finish, you meet the main character’s friends, Mei and Jordan. They introduce you to the three starter cars: the Nissan Silvia K’s, Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205, and GMC Jimmy. It’s a fantastic set of cars for new players, offering options for racing on roads, dirt tracks, and off-road terrain. I chose the Toyota and joined Mei and Jordan as we drove into the city for the first time. The engine sounded amazing as I sped up! Those first moments exploring the Tokyo setting in Forza Horizon 6 are impressive, giving you a taste of how huge the city is.

I quickly followed Mei and Jordan through the city, passing cherry blossom-filled parks, a small stadium, and quaint neighborhoods. While Forza Horizon 5 had a good selection of cars, Forza Horizon 6 really stands out with an impressive 550 cars available right from the start. I didn’t get to try them all, but I can already picture how much fun it will be to cruise around Tokyo once I unlock more!

Driving feels better than ever in Forza Horizon 6. The cars are incredibly responsive, the sound of drifting is exhilarating, and each engine sounds fantastic – it makes you want to push your limits with every turn.

While driving through the city of Tokyo in Forza Horizon 6 is thrilling, the game truly shines in the surrounding countryside. Tokyo itself is beautifully detailed, especially at night, with impressive docks and towering skyscrapers. However, it’s in the rural areas where you really feel the freedom Forza Horizon 6 offers. With a massive 673 roads to discover, finding each new one constantly encourages you to keep exploring.

Forza Horizon 6 is a fantastic driving game, and it almost gets everything right. My main issue with it is ANNA, the in-game navigation assistant. While she’s meant to feel natural, using her feels more like following a basic GPS. ANNA unlocks features like Auto Mode, Drone Mode, a ‘What’s Next’ guide, and the World Builder, which are all pretty cool. However, ANNA feels a bit intrusive – being constantly told where to turn breaks the immersion. Honestly, this is my only significant complaint about the game. Most of Forza Horizon 6 improves on what’s already great, but ANNA shows there’s still some room for improvement.

I also experienced some problems with Auto Mode. On a few occasions, it steered me directly towards another vehicle. Instead of reversing or reacting logically, both cars would just keep driving forward, resulting in a frustrating standoff – almost like two rams butting heads.

Forza Horizon 6 Left Me Hungry for More

I was able to play through three qualifying races before the preview version’s access ended, and I really enjoyed each one. These were the Shirakawa Circuit road race, the challenging Windfarm Cross Country race with its hills and jumps, and the Airfield Trail, which had beautiful views of the golf course and bay. Even though I only had a one-hour window to test the preview, I was impressed by how much content there was. I spent hours exploring speed trials, drift challenges, points of interest, and customizing cars and characters, all while listening to a great soundtrack.

Because I only played a preview version for one player, I wasn’t able to try out the game’s multiplayer modes, explore Legend Island, or visit The Estate. Also, the preview only let me play during the spring season.

Even though I didn’t explore everything the game has to offer, I’m already a fan of the single-player experience. Racing against the Forza Horizon AI drivers and discovering challenges and collectibles makes the game feel equally about the joy of driving and the freedom to explore. Forza Horizon 6 is a great choice for car enthusiasts who love adventure as much as they enjoy winning races.

TopMob was provided an Xbox Preview build for this coverage.

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2026-04-08 16:09