At the press conference of Bethesda and Microsoft at the E3 2021, the new Forza Horizon 5 was showcased. Actually, MeinMMO author Benedict Grothaus is neither a big fan of racing games nor does he need great graphics in his games – Nevertheless, he is now really excited about Forza.
Usually, games cannot convince me solely based on their visuals. No matter how good they look or how realistic their graphics may be: Looks are not everything to me. And no cinematic representation can disguise poor gameplay. One reason why I celebrate the survival game Valheim so much and played it for days.
Racing games are absolutely not my territory. The last title in this genre for me was Need for Speed: Underground – that was in 2003 (I’m getting old…). After all, I’m a survival expert and a dedicated WoW player.
I don’t even like driving, for me it’s nothing more than a means of transportation and not the most pleasant one at that. Accordingly, the announcement of Forza Horizon 5 at E3 didn’t interest me much at all. Even the trailer for the new Forza didn’t blow me away.
Then came the gameplay.
Is this still a video game or a playable video?
Forza Horizon 5 takes place in a huge open world somewhere in Mexico. The first images show quite unremarkable desert areas. Then, however, there’s a cut to somewhere in the jungle through ancient Maya ruins.
That’s when the game hooked me. The track looks simply stunning. Even though graphics aren’t everything, I enjoy looking at a detailed world and exploring. The new Forza could satisfy this interest really well, it seems. And it gets even better.
After the ruins, the scene switches to a steppe area, and without the omnipresent water of the jungle, the image looks even sharper. Even the cars – which I couldn’t care less about – look really good. So good that I definitely want to put one together.
The drive continues through cities and even through a volcano, and by now the area looks photorealistic. The sky, which is supposed to be captured with a special technique, the rocks, the vegetation… it all looks as though a real race has been recorded.
Moreover, the gameplay seems truly fluid at first glance. I’m no expert in racing games, but I know that the driving feel is important. And the way the cars move on the tracks – especially off-road – looks like a lot of fun. I might even buy a steering wheel for Forza.
Multiplayer, crazy modes and… a Battle Royale?!
The video shows some of the possible game modes of Forza Horizon 5. The open world itself is already designed for multiplayer, you should find it easier to meet acquaintances and friends to zoom around together. In addition, other game modes are shown or mentioned, such as:
- a piñata hunt through the streets of a city
- arcade games like bowling that resemble the strange modes from Mario Kart
- a battle royale – however that is supposed to work
Honestly, the modes are not an incentive for me to play. I will definitely play the new Forza, but mainly to explore by myself. It’s like a vacation in Mexico while traveling is still difficult. I really don’t need strange bowling in a racing game.
Putting aside my feelings about the modes: Are you as excited about Forza Horizon 5 as I am?
If you want to see more announcements, you can find all the announcements and trailers from Xbox & Bethesda at the E3 2021 here with us .
