If you’ve already played Forza Horizon 5 on Xbox or PC, then all you need to know is that Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5 is Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5. Okay, thanks for coming.
If you haven’t played Forza Horizon 5 before (or you’d like to read more than a single sentence), then let’s take a closer look at how things shake out on this new platform. Released way back in 2021, the Mexico-based outing for Horizon remains the latest entry in Forza’s open-world series, offering an expansive map and no shortage of races and events to take part in – and, of course, a plethora of cars to unlock and drive around to your heart’s content.
Forza has always been a Microsoft exclusive, but as Xbox shifts many of its first-party games to other platforms, Forza Horizon 5 marks the first long road trip for Xbox’s flagship racing series – and PS5 players should be excited.
This Is Forza Horizon, In All Its Glory
While this PS5 debut is a relatively simple port, you’ll be glad to know that it made the jump without any major issues. The game looks as good as it always has while in both quality and performance modes, and it’s just as thrilling to play.
While quality mode offers a higher fidelity, I’d recommend performance – the game still looks incredible, but the higher frame rates are great for such a fast-paced racer.
Despite knowing little about cars or even being able to drive one myself yet, I’ve played a lot of Forza Horizon on Xbox over the years, so I knew exactly what to expect when first jumping into the PS5 edition.
The opening is a grand entrance into a spectacular international festival. As is tradition with Horizon, it features you racing a cargo plane across Mexico down a volcano and straight through a sandstorm. These moments are always an exciting, high-energy experience, but this especially feels like a perfect way to pull a whole new audience into the affair. Unlike its Motorsport sibling, this is far more an arcade spectacular than a niche simulator.
Opposed to most circuit racers or games that hone in on a particular niche, Horizon gives you an open world in Mexico to freely explore. You can drive around endlessly, discovering every road in the game, finding hidden barns with secret cars to unlock, taking on dynamic speed or stunt challenges, or just chill with one of the radio stations as you accelerate briskly towards the horizon.
Alternatively, if you’re someone who’d rather focus solely on the racing side of things, there’s plenty for you to get stuck into there as well. As you play, you’ll progress through branching events, including cross-country, off-road, and street racing, allowing you to test out numerous cars in their optimal conditions.
Whether it’s racing through the tight streets of a city or deep in the jungle while stumbling across ancient ruins, Forza Horizon 5 offers you more than just the horizon, but an entire adventure.
The Subtle Enhancements Of The DualSense Controller
One advantage of playing Forza Horizon 5 on the PS5 is the new DualSense support. Despite my initial worries that the controller would be something of a gimmick when the PS5 launched, it’s actually a fantastic way to enhance the games. The game’s opening moments make that abundantly clear as you feel the rumbles of jet engines, the friction of the tires, and the resistance in the triggers as you pedal to the metal.
While these instances are fantastic, the adaptive triggers are a lot more noticeable than the haptic feedback. It would have been great to see the controller utilised more dynamically, such as feeling the sand hit the controller in a sandstorm, or the hum of the engine when idle. The haptics are good, but they could have been great.
This Also Marks The Arrival Of Horizon Realms
With Forza Horizon 5 on PS5, we also see the arrival of Horizon Realms on April 25. This free update adds 11 tracks from Horizon’s previous Evolving World updates, including a new track in Horizon Stadium. These are permanent additions, which can be played in either Skill Mode, where you compete in worldwide leaderboards, or in Free Mode, where you can drive around as much as you want with no limits.
Forza Horizon 5 is beautifully executed on Sony’s console. If you’ve already played the game elsewhere, then you’ll know what to expect, but if you’re a new player, then you’re in for a great time.
Forza Horizon 5
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
4.5/5
- Released
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November 9, 2021
- ESRB
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E for Everyone // In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Developer(s)
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Playground Games
- Incredible arcade racing experience
- Beautiful open-world Mexico to explore
- Plenty of content to get caught up in
- Horizon Realms brings back beloved favourites
- Could have done more with the DualSense controller