Forza Horizon 6 Review

The Ultimate Automotive Sandbox Moves to Japan

Well, it’s finally time. To say that Forza Horizon 6 has been on my most wanted list is a bit of an understatement, as while I enjoyed my time with Forza Horizon 5 (and all the weekly Festival Playlist Challenge pieces I did), I always felt like Mexico wasn’t a particularly natural home for a car based game. 

However, this time Playground Games have decided to take Forza Horizon 6 to Japan, which absolutely is relevant to my, and many others, interests. So, given that Japan is the home of drifting, the greatest of all driving disciplines, we’re already off to a good start. 

But how does the rest of Forza Horizon 6 stack up, I hear you ask? Well, read on and I’ll tell you exactly why you need to be playing this game. Oops, spoilers!

You could say that any form of story or narrative in a racing game will always be a bit rubbish, to be fair, and here the news is the same. You see, we are in Japan to take part in the Horizon Festival, and whilst that is very much the same as every other game in the series, and there are little bits of narrative woven through the game, you don’t come here for any heart-rending depth. Nope, you come to the Horizon Festival for engine noise, tyre smoke, and some of the greatest cars to have ever graced the planet. And boy, does Forza Horizon 6 deliver on that front. 

Breathtaking Presentation

Presentation is always a good point with the Forza series, and here the news is fantastic. Starting with the cars that are available to drive, every nut, bolt, panel and design point is seemingly replicated in game, and the results are stunning. The way the cars look, the reflections in the paintwork – all of this is top notch. 

And then we actually set foot in (virtual) Japan, and I have to say it is a beautiful place. Racing around in Spring with the cherry blossom falling from the trees is a sight to behold, but then FH6 opens up, taking us from cramped back streets in Tokyo to open countryside, beaches and mountains, all of which is as good as any game in the series. 

The map is also a good size, with a lot of things to do, see and find as we explore. It is a testament to the game that the developers have built so much into the game that any time spent just driving around in the world doesn’t feel wasted. Ticking off roads, trying to find all the secrets that are tucked away, smashing boards, landing jumps and more can often make the actual racing seem like a second thought. 

Sound is also fantastic, with the usual radio stations providing entertainment as we drive around. And the soundtrack includes Babymetal, so that’s an extra half star right on the score. Of course, there are many other artists to get your head bobbing too! Away from those tunes, the voice acting is passable, and far from Oscar material, but it gets the job done. 

For me, the real beauty of the sound design comes when driving. V8’s, V6’s and more all have an individual sound, and blasting through tunnels in a loud car never gets old, especially when you have a headstart attached to your ears. All in all, presentation of Forza Horizon 6 is absolutely top notch. 

Evolution of the Drive

So what about the gameplay? Well, surely we all know what to expect here, right? Well, yeah, and to be fair, FH6 is more of an evolution than a revolution. Of course, there are new features, such as the design-a-garage part of the game, and while this isn’t for me (I want to drive my cars, not sit in a garage and look at them,) I can see that this may appeal to some people. The props and things you can add to your virtual garage are pretty varied, and if that’s your bag, knock yourself out. I’ll be outside hooning about!

There is a new class of car this time around too, the R class (for Really fast, I think) and these motors are a real handful. The classes of the cars have been moved about as well, with everything about 100 points lower: the ceiling of A Class is now 700, not 800 as it was in Mexico, for example. This doesn’t really affect anything, and I’m pleased to report that the tuning and upgrading of cars is as rewarding as ever. Tweaking settings and components, before then going out and proving the concept with an improved lap time is a lot of fun. And no I’m not competitive, why do you ask?

Convoys and Touge

Tearing around on your own is great fun, but add in some mates and Forza Horizon 6 gets better. There are so many activities to tackle in co-op that you’ll never get bored: races, showcases and even the new Rush events can all be tackled in a convoy. Even the new Touge races, that are traditionally one on one, can be played co-op. In addition, the new Story chapters, such as Day Trips and Drift Club are also multiplayer compatible, and there are also the usual plethora of online multiplayer modes. You can chuck in some fun food delivery events too.

You won’t be surprised to hear that the Eliminator makes a return, as does Hide and Seek, and the racing online is as close as ever. Thankfully, there seems to have been an attempt to remove the crashes that blighted the earlier games, as now anyone refusing to brake at corners will drive straight through opponents if they are being stupid, so that’s a bit of an improvement. Add in Rivals (which may have swept TheXboxHub offices with competitive racing) and the package is an extensive one. 

A Masterpiece That Smashes It Out of the Park

The real beauty of Forza Horizon 6 is in how the Japanese world feels alive, and how rewarding it is to just go bimbling about. FH6 was always going to be an easy sell, and a reskinned FH5 would probably have sufficed, but Playground Games have smashed it out of the park. The world is great, the cars are amazing, and the racing action, whether on the streets, on the track, or in the wilds, is second to none. 

A Game Pass Day One drop means it really is an absolute no brainer – get behind the wheel and get out there. 

Important Links

Forza Horizon 6 Launches On Xbox And PC – And Japan Has Never Looked Better – https://www.thexboxhub.com/forza-horizon-6-launches-on-xbox-and-pc-and-japan-has-never-looked-better/

Forza Horizon 6 Races Towards Game Pass Launch As Playground Games Confirms May Release Date – https://www.thexboxhub.com/forza-horizon-6-races-towards-game-pass-launch-as-playground-games-confirms-may-release-date/

Forza Horizon 6 Unveiled for Xbox, Game Pass and PC, Taking the Festival to Japan in 2026, & Post-Launch to PS5 – https://www.thexboxhub.com/forza-horizon-6-unveiled-for-xbox-game-pass-and-pc-taking-the-festival-to-japan-in-2026-post-launch-to-ps5/

Download on Game Pass – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/forza-horizon-6/9NR1R1XWLCNB/0010

Buy the Standard Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/forza-horizon-6-standard-edition/9PFDT5X4RH8B/0010

Buy the Deluxe Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/forza-horizon-6-deluxe-edition/9NQ1H88ZH2D7/0010

Buy the Premium Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/forza-horizon-6-premium-edition/9NDBXSJFP7DH/0010