Review: Forza Horizon

forza horizon

Released in late 2011, Forza Motorsport 4 had assumed without too much concern as the best simulation on consoles and cash Forza imposed a new standard in the field.

The announcement of Forza Horizon and its approach Arcade in March, had suddenly surprised many. With the first title under the supervision of Turn 10, the studio Playground Games attempts to launch the series into the deep open world, a kind requiring, as can be Forza ... but perhaps not for the same reasons.

FESTIVAL ON THE HORIZON

So welcome in Colorado for the festival Horizon, a fictional event over several days in which concerts and beautiful cars competing displays. Driving his old Corrado, the player (called simply "unknown") succeeded in extremis to register, the jeers and spitting the other participants, but his talent and will to win of course will enable the win over the events recognition of his peers. That's the scenario quickly put in place quickly forgotten, which will serve as an excuse to string together a series of races, more harsh, more and longer. At key points to win bracelets colors more prestigious (the sad spirited yellow gold, through green, pink or purple) in each bracelet opponent privileged to large villain, Darius Flynt and his brand new Ferrari.

Much to say, this hunting strap has relatively little interest. We quickly tired of these races on portions of roads closed to traffic, against IA also snapping of fragmentation. The key is also all around us, on the kilometers of roads that extend around the festival. Unlike other titles in the series, Forza Horizon is a game open world in which the path leads us to a race wants at least as fun as the race itself. As such, Colorado seems to be a suitable playground with large tracts lined canyons and mountains, where settled hamlets not well populated. Certainly, the traffic is marginal, there is also not cross a single red light, but it takes a certain pleasure in swallowing bitumen driving the hundred vehicles proposed that buys Ruby on nail (with credits earned in the game or via DLC tokens to buy at a price somewhat prohibitive elsewhere ...) or they are loaned us the time of an event.

FORZA MI, MI-HORIZON

The sensations joystick in hand are not foreign to the joy that one feels, launched at 200 km / h on a national meandering among the trees: driving, demanding and precise, has nothing to do with the purely other arcade racing games open world, Test Drive Unlimited, Burnout Paradise or Need For Speed ​​Most Wanted. Between Corrado our inception, we will offer Subaru Impreza for our first race on mixed surface, the old BMW M1 identify for you in an old barn or the Bugatti Veyron for which we save for hours and hours we feel good behavioral differences, not only in the passages on earth, quite common when you approach the edges of the map. In the garage, we can for example offer a spoiler to avoid flying in the fields at every turn, or install some lighter parts for off instead of starting blocks at every boot.

However, Forza Horizon wants more arcade than other episodes, as required by the genre, and fans of the hard-simulation could not quite find their account. If the vehicle behavior is rather thin, with a good weight transcribed and acceleration / top speed lifelike, Playground Games has not hesitated to make some concessions enough trenches on many points. Thus, we can shamelessly rely on his opponents in the corners, they will not budge an inch, or actually take on an exterior wall support when you have a little underestimated its braking distance. Similarly, the damage is managed at the margin, and only a visual point of view: we can therefore eat a wall at 250 km / h as a flower and leave after a short walk back, cover just twisted. The game is full of these concessions that will tear their hair purists, starting with the lack of settings per se, or a transcript rather lax adherence (including grass). Profile races, like civilized rarely can be a circuit, it is true that encourages not necessarily this kind of jokes, but as driving will nonetheless his followers - and its benefits to those who wish to deactivate a maximum aid.




BREAKING THE LAW
Joystick in hand, Forza Horizon is suddenly halfway between the seriousness of Forza and the exuberance of a Burnout without conducting ultra-precise nor management adhesion of the first, or Action over the top, or the second nitro. The rest of the game is just like driving: ass between two chairs. Thus, there are various occupations annexes supposed to show us that there is not just racing in life radars scattered around the map, which lead us to bind the bursts of speed, compared with records of his friends stashed barns, where some rather upscale antiques; outposts where they will enroll in the contest of "prowess", where you must enchainer drifts and stunts to garner maximum points. There is even a counter popularity, is filled with strength and prowess that can unlock gatherings, these special races where they will compete with planes, helicopters and even balloons to win a car ... That will be its only purpose.

Alas, if we take great pleasure in discovering the card the first few hours, and if these additional activities we occupy some time between races, all in dire need of variety and folly, even animation. Apart from a few cars that we meet, at long, sometimes with a bus which intercalates, life does not seem to have taken on the roads of Colorado. Sidewalks as parking lots are empty intersections are never crowded, the police are obviously absent and cities are devoid of any inhabitant. In short, if we meet regularly on the roads of opponents ready to make a jail for a few thousand credits, we feel still feel a little empty vadrouillant in these spaces, these ghost towns where even the streetlights have no place.

This desert was - perhaps - the price to pay to make the most beautiful horizon Forza racing game on consoles open world, and yet far enough. Technically, the game allows Playground Games is all nonsense, displaying environments gigantic car models perfectly modeled and a whole bunch of effects without ever encountering a single drop of framerate. It even offers the luxury of a day / night cycle cushy, from dawn to dusk through the dark, barely lit by huge spotlights and fireworks festival Horizon. Eyeful, therefore, and ears also quite rhythmic with three radios (but the tracklists fairly short loop quickly turn alas), but mostly well marked intonation engines following vehicles.

HORIZON FOR THE SKY

Of course, to prolong the pleasure, Forza Horizon also offers several multiplayer modes, alas partly dissociated solo. Thus, if we can use all or part of our garage (or that of our fellow club), and if the credit meter is common, events take place directly on the circuits without access to the whole map. In other words, it connects races without linking them with back in the lobby between each test. In addition, unless you disable the contacts for damage and vehicle behavior during contact can transform races session Destruction Derby. A game mode consisting of three well-known methods (Cat and Mouse, King and Infection) is also available for those who love the exchange of volunteers painting.

Note, finally, that way free ride, which takes place on the main card can be played up to eight. Not bad elements of the solo adventure are not present, starting with the traffic, but there are challenges designed specifically for coop and, most importantly, one can ride for hours with his friends, to beat records wildest corner on radar - failing to organize real thin parts unawares. Again, we would like to see more ambition, but we will be content this time.


Trying too hard to do well, Forza Horizon ass stuck between two stools: quite demanding for a game arcade typed, not enough for a sim Forza, it will aficionados of the pure simulation game and takes all that popcorn draws between two racing games more seriously, but may frustrate players looking for a more immediate fun and a little madness. Especially, if the card offers various driving conditions, it sometimes seems a bit empty and sorely lacking animation, released a few races and related activities that the game offers us. And yet, despite these shortcomings, this spin-off series of demanding Forza does not lack charm, with its implementation and bluffing his original approach finally open world. A first successful test for Playground Games, so we hope to see transformed into a not too distant future