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Forza Horizon 5
Critics Consensus (Play It)
Playground Games has delivered another masterpiece with Forza Horizon 5. A stunning, beautiful entry that elevates the series’ already-fantastic reputation.
Game Info
Lead breathtaking expeditions across the vibrant and ever-evolving open world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in hundreds of the world’s greatest cars.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 114
Game of the Year (2021), Nom: Best Sports/Racing Game (2021), Editors' Choice
Platinum TIER
38% of scored reviews fell within the range of 86 to 92 / 100
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- Racing
DEVELOPER(S):
- Playground Games
PUBLISHER(S):
- Xbox Game Studios
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- Forza Horizon
GAME MODES:
- Multiplayer, Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- ForzaTech
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
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RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
114
Critic Reviews
93
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
100%
Median Score
92%
Low Score
80%
What did you think of Forza Horizon 5?
Player Reviews0 Votes
0
Luke Reilly (IGN)
November 4, 2021
10/10
Forza Horizon 5 is the result of a racing studio at the peak of its craft and the best open-world racing game available.
Heather Wald (GamesRadar+)
November 4, 2021
5/5 stars
Forza Horizon 5 is a stunning and beautifully crafted entry in the series that’s full of memorable races, creativity, and fantastic additions.
Alessandro Barbosa (GameSpot)
November 4, 2021
9/10
Forza Horizon 5 continues the upward trend of the franchise, providing an open-world racing experience that stands unrivaled.
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Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (114 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DNews | Алексей Лихачев | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | A great improvement over last entry in the series. As usual, it’s hard not to immerse yourself in Forza Horizon for days, weeks or even months. | Read review |
| ACG | Jeremy Penter | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | One of the best racers, and easily the best open-world racer made. Beauty, content, and fun-factor combine to make this a classic. | Read review |
| Area Xbox | Overfire | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | I definitely think Forza Horizon 5 is this year’s GOTY,and while I don’t know if they’ll give it the award eventually, I think it’s enough to be for driving fans and for the gaming community in general. The first two days playing it, because it was a more past version, I found several striking bugs, which although they did not stagnate my experience, made it less enjoyable. However, the study itself already warned us that during the review, all these failures were well located, and through an update they would be solved. And so it was, the game comes to the launch like a shot. | Read review |
| Areajugones | Alfonso Cánovas | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 achieves what many sagas try, but sadly they fall by the wayside and it is nothing less than surpassing themselves with each new installment. The work of Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios is sensational offering Microsoft fans one of the best car games of all time. | Read review |
| Ars Technica | Sam Machkovech | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | FH5 is an easy recommendation as part of a paid Xbox Game Pass subscription, and it’s a great excuse to flex your newest gaming hardware purchase. But if you’re already happy with Forza Horizon 4 or were bored by that one, take your sweet time sitting behind this game’s wheel. | Read review |
| Atomix | Alberto Desfassiaux | 93 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | Following to the letter its own formula in terms of gameplay, controls, structure and open world design, Forza Horizon 5 becomes the new pinnacle of the franchise for the special way it transports us to the beautiful Mexican landscapes, taking advantage of all the power of the Xbox Series X to become one of the first games of this new generation that undoubtedly feel like a new generation. Some roughness at the level and interface and progression slow it down from true perfection, but its virtues overshadow those defects and of course, make it one of the best games of this 2021. | Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy | C.J. Keller | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is ultimately a game in the franchise that continues to evolve in a more and more enjoyable direction, even if there is a core to the game that feels very familiar. | Read review |
| AusGamers | Kosta Andreadis | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Ultimately, the Forza Horizon series has always been about positivity, and an unabashed love for the singular thing that is driving. Infectiously so, which makes Forza Horizon 5 the most polished entry, in terms of overall structure and presentation, to date. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | Milad Taher Nejad | 10 / 10 | 11-11-2021 | It’s always a hard task to raise the bar on something that’s already top notch, and when it comes to the racing games, due to the natural limits of the genre, the task gets even harder. But thanks to the now more mature than ever PlayGround studio, Forza Horizon 5 crushes its own bar and reaches a whole new level, easily becoming one of the best and most complete racings of all time, if not THE best. | Read review |
| But Why Tho? | Mick Abrahamson | 10 / 10 | 11-08-2021 | Overall, Forza Horizon 5 somehow raised an insurmountable bar to new heights. Playground Games continued to show off their prowess with game development and their striving to make a game that is fun for every type of player in every aspect of gameplay. Regardless of if you’re a racing fan or not, if you have Game Pass, Forza Horizon 5 needs to be the next game you play. You never know, it could be the jumping-off point into a new genre that you never knew you’d click with. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Steve Brieller | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | How you can read out of our review, there is not much to criticize and lots to marvel at, in Forza Horizon 5. The menu is still a bit confusing but better as in the last game. In the PC Version you have to install the game on a SSD to get away from horrendous loading times but if you enjoyed the last games of the series or arcade racing in general you’ll love this one. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Philip Watson | 8.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 truly has it all for a racing title, depth of gameplay, customization, good online presence, fun activities… and the list goes on. With the inclusion of Horizon 5 hitting GamePass day one, I consider this a must play for all gamers, racing fans or not. | Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming | Luke Mitchell | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 takes what we’ve loved over the series’ life so far and brings it full circle, with a comprehensive package that includes everything you could possibly want from a racing game. Mexico is an astounding and wonderful location to explore, and production values are on point, from the stunning visuals of its gorgeous open world to the well-executed audio that keeps energy levels high. On top of the diverse range of events we’ve come to expect, Horizon Adventures add another fun layer of story and player progression that keeps you engaged, and the vehicle handling is, still, second-to-none. With more content than ever before, the Eventlab to make even more experiences and a suite of multiplayer modes to engage with, Forza Horizon 5 is the best racing game available today, bar none. | Read review |
| Chicas Gamers | Juanma Luengo | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the flagship of the Xbox catalogue thanks to the technical excellency and the playability enhancements done over Forza Horizon 4. Playground Games and Turn 10 have improved what it was nearly perfect on the latest installment of the series. This is one of the titles that you must have if you have a Xbox Series X. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Paul Sullivan | 91 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | At its core, Forza Horizon 5 is about having fun behind the wheel. It’s technically excellent and plays brilliantly, but it never takes itself too seriously. I mean, I jumped a pinata float off a mountain at one point. That balance makes the Horizon series the most grin-inducing racing games out there, and arguably one of the largest feathers in Xbox Game Studios’ cap. | Read review |
| Destructoid | CJ Andriessen | 8.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | It would be foolish of me to say that Forza Horizon 5 is the best game in the series given my very limited knowledge of its history. However, I can say with confidence this is the most fun I’ve had with a racing game that doesn’t involve a plumber and a princess. There is just so much to do and so much to see that I can easily lose hours of my day exploring all it has to offer. And with continued support from the developers and community, I’ll have no reason to stop playing anytime soon. | Read review |
| Digital Trends | Giovanni Colantonio | 4 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 doubles down on the series’ winning formula to give players another hit racing game superpowered by next-gen tech. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Daniel Bloodworth | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-16-2021 | Placing you in an impeccably crafted Mexican paradise, Forza Horizon 5 is a full-on driving adventure that’s welcoming to anyone interested in getting behind the wheel. | Read review |
| Echo Boomer | David Fialho | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | With new exotic destiny, a new energetic playlist and new roads untravelled, Forza Horizon 5 is the ultimate fantasy for car lovers. | Read review |
| EGM | Josh Harmon | 8 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 delivers everything that made the last game enjoyable on a map that’s more fun to drive with a lot more visual diversity. While the changes and additions are largely incremental-especially when it comes to the core game experience-what’s here is good enough to warrant a recommendation for fans of the series or racing enthusiasts who’ve been meaning to try it out. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Oli Welsh | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | Playground Games delivers yet another gorgeous and enveloping pocket holiday, smartly restructured but reassuringly unchanged. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Giuseppe Carrabba | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the pinnacle of the Playground Games series and is the new king of open-world courses. | Read review |
| Expansive | Laurie Jones | Recommended | 11-09-2021 | No question about it, Playground Games have redefined the genre with Forza Horizon 5. Visually, mechanically, and everything else in-between. This is a remarkable achievement in every sense of the word and a truly incredible video game that’s the most accessible next-gen title to date. When Microsoft talk about how Xbox Game Pass will alter the landscape of the industry and is more than just a selling point for a console, Forza Horizon 5 backs up every word as its flagship title. | Read review |
| Explosion Network | Dylan Blight | 9.5 / 10 | 11-09-2021 | Even as a game that feels more iterative, and less like a next-generational step, Forza Horizon 5 is still the best racing game you can play and the first must-play Xbox Series X|S game to be released since the launch of the console. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Brian Shea | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | With fine-tuned gameplay, an undeniably gorgeous world brimming with fun activities, and some fun content creation tools, Forza Horizon 5 elevates the series’ already-sterling reputation | Read review |
| Game Rant | Cameron Corliss | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it is a wonderful technical showcase for the Xbox Series X nonetheless. | Read review |
| Game Revolution | Paul Tamburro | 4.75 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the best Forza yet and, not only that, but it also makes a strong case for being the best racing game period. A joyous combo of arcade racing and simulation-level depth, all wrapped up in a beautiful bow thanks to its diverse, expansive Mexico setting, this is an unmissable iteration in what is arguably gaming’s most consistently fantastic series. | Read review |
| Gameblog | Dopamine | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 represents the quintessence of the series. It remains well entrenched on the foundations of Horizon, guarding annoying aspects for some (including the overplayed tone of all the voiceovers), but only raises everything that has already made the salt of the four opuses that preceded it. Beautiful to bring down the bumpers, refined to fart a hose, it is a very beautiful baby. It’s (very) well on its way to being a system seller in the Xbox ecosystem and I wouldn’t be surprised if bundles arrive very quickly for the end of the year. | Read review |
| Gamefa | امیرحسین رنجبر | 9 / 10 | 11-19-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best racing games of the last few years. Using the successful formulation of earlier versions offers us one of the best hand-cooks of 2021. | Read review |
| GameGrin | Ibrahim K | 10 / 10 | 11-13-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 looks phenomenal, plays well and is practically flawless. It is undoubtedly the best entry in the series and has the most detailed open world in any game to date. | Read review |
| GameMAG | Евгений Иванцов | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is probably the best arcade racing game of recent times, and one of the most prominent releases from this year. Even if cars is not your thing, there is plenty to love in this new Microsoft exclusive. | Read review |
| GamePitt | Shaun Sannerude | 9 / 10 | 12-04-2021 | Overall, Forza Horizon 5 is easily the champion of racers. The variety and freedom on offer, from the vast quantity of activities to vehicles and the different biomes of Mexico, all create the most enjoyable racer I have ever played. The Showcase events feel epic and are greatly complimented by the games’ gorgeous visuals, especially the dynamic weather system that adds an extra layer of excitement with dust storms that can engulf you and the tropical storms that you can see rolling across the sky for storm chasers to seek out. Whether you’re a racing enthusiast or not, Forza Horizon 5 will have you belted in for a complete joyride! | Read review |
| GamePro | Dennis Michel | 89 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon remains the king of arcade racing games, which captivates to the Xbox thanks to a lot of driving fun, great optics, but also a lot of the well-known. | Read review |
| Gamerheadquarters | Jason Stettner | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the continued perfection of open world racing, delivering a more narrative focused experience while aiming to greatly expand the scope of this pristine franchise. | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Blaine Smith | 8.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is still an incredible racing game, one only overshadowed by the brilliance of its predecessor. Those with a lot of time behind the wheel in Forza Horizon 4 may feel this is one step forward for two steps back, but there’s still a ton of fun to be had in this high-octane adventure. | Read review |
| Gamersky | 前朝刘沛公 | 9.8 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Here, speed and limit are the same, wildness and freedom coexist, all the time people adrenaline soar. | Read review |
| GamesBeat | Mike Minotti | 80 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | When it comes to past Forza Horizon games, I tend to bounce off them rather quickly. But I’ve been sticking around with this one. Yes, it is just that darn pretty. Its beauty encourages me to spend a longer time in Mexico, during which I eventually become a better Forza racer (even if I feel like the game could be doing more to help me learn). | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Josh Broadwell | 10 / 10 | 11-08-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is ultimately more of the same, but that’s hardly a bad thing when it does the same thing so darn well. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Richard Seagrave | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | There may not be much new in Forza Horizon 5 beyond its location, but that doesn’t stop it from being yet another action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled open world racing extravaganza. This is the biggest and best entry in the Forza Horizon series yet; it’s just lacking that spark of originality that has made each entry prior a clear step up from the one before it. But for the huge majority of players, that really won’t be an issue. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Alessandro Barbosa | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 continues the upward trend of the franchise, providing an open-world racing experience that stands unrivaled. | Read review |
| GamesRadar+ | Heather Wald | 5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is a stunning and beautifully crafted entry in the series that’s full of memorable races, creativity, and fantastic additions | Read review |
| GameWatcher | Nick Akerman | 9 / 10 | 11-09-2021 | It’s no surprise that Forza Horizon puts itself right into the mix with 2021’s Game of the Year contenders. Playground Games has been getting it right for a decade now. This is the definitive experience in the series so far, one that excels both on PC and the Xbox Series X. Minimal issues, such as server connectivity, fail to spoil the party that is just crammed with happiness and adventure. | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Eric Hauter | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is built to deliver hour after hour of glossy, beautiful fun. Hit the race mechanics as deeply as you like. Zip around the amazingly beautiful map in a Corvette for no reason at all. Find secrets. Build out your car collection. Get rich. Have a good time the way you want. Go anywhere, do anything, just don’t skip this stellar game. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Shubhankar Parijat | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Playground Games has been honing this open world racing formula for close to a decade at this point, making meaningful improvements with each iteration- and with Forza Horizon 5, once again, the series has touched new heights. As impossible it may seem in the moment that it will be surpassed, however, if history has taught us anything, it’s that this is a series that never stops improving. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Anthony Shelton | 90 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | A lot of Forza Horizon 5 feels similar to Forza Horizon 4 in a way previous Horizon games haven’t felt with their prequels, but Adventures bring unique storytelling and slight edutainment to the Horizon formula and if more Horizon’s are in the future, particularly ones not in Europe and America, it’s not a bad foundation to build on. Driving feels as good as it ever has and Playground Games absolutely succeeded in interpreting the beauty of Mexico. The seasonal model returns and it does a better job of incentivizing people to group up, but it’s still not quite enough to entice people to do activities like Forza Arcade. | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Pedro del Pozo | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 match a perfect score with an absolutely perfect game. If you love driving, don’t even think about anything else. Play it. Playground Games nailed it. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Chris White | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is a visual spectacle and a masterpiece, providing plenty to do and tons of fun to be had around ever corner. | Read review |
| GotGame | Dragos Dobre | 10 / 10 | 11-22-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is a delightful experience, no matter if you’re mainly playing offline or in online matches with your friends. It’s easy to pick up and love. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | DM | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Despite the lack of significant changes, the new Forza Horizon 5 looks insane and does not allow you to break away from Mexican roads and off-road. | Read review |
| Guardian | Keza MacDonald | 4 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Take a supercar for a beach challenge or drive into the Mexican jungle in this racing game that’s exactly as fun as its last version | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Cory Wells | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is undoubtedly a visual showcase and technical benchmark for PC and Xbox Series X owners. | Read review |
| Hey Poor Player | Andrew Thornton | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-12-2021 | Despite a few minor quibbles, Forza Horizon 5 is a triumph for its series, taking everything the last several titles set up so well and making a bigger and better game than its predecessors. Any fan of racing games needs to check it out now, and even if you’re not usually into the genre, you may surprise yourself with how well it pulls you in. Forza Horizon 5 is a taste of gaming nirvana that is not to be missed. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Rafael Aznar | 97 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the best open-world driving game in history and one of the best in the global speed genre. Playground Games has been overcome again with a varied ‘crossover’ in which each kilometer traveled is worth its weight in fun and spectacularity. | Read review |
| IGN | Luke Reilly | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the result of a racing studio at the peak of its craft and the best open-world racing game available. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Davide Mancini | 9.3 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the “best of” all the series entry. Playground Games found the key to present the ginormous amount of content in a smooth way in one of the best open world ever made. Mexico is a magical, fascinating and adventurous place to drive in, and the glorious graphics of the game give us the real next gen experience we were looking for. | Read review |
| IGN Middle East | Unknown | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 has been able to take advantage of the ideas and strengths of its previous parts, and build on it to provide us with an experience that I consider to be the best yet among racing games. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | Rafa Del Río | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 once again demonstrates Playground’s mastery with an Xbox and PC exclusive that sets a new technological standard in the genre. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | James Wright (Impulsegamer) | 5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is indeed the FAST & FURIOUSLY good and if you’re looking for a true next-gen racer, it’s finally arrived! | Read review |
| JVL | Kikitoès | 9.5 / 10 | 11-10-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the monster of car racing that we have been waiting for. Fun, exotic, beautiful to fart the mirettes, Playground Games has made a monumental taf to serve us a real video game pearl. Ultra generous, it also shines by the diversity of what it offers and already offers hundreds of hours of content. | Read review |
| KeenGamer | Mikael Jansson | 9.2 / 10 | 11-05-2021 | The Horizon festival arrives at the land of taco, tequila and amazing car culture. Horizon Mexico brings the most dramatic experience to date and you take control of it. Among the diverse set of cars, you pick your favourites and get yourself ready for a Horizon journey like never before. | Read review |
| Kinda Funny Games | Kinda Funny Games | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | Video Review | Read review |
| LevelUp | Luis Sánchez | 9.5 / 10 | 11-05-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 It’s the racing game for everyone, which turns outsiders of the racing genre and turn them into followers of the speed, and for those who are already fans, it offers an almost endless variety of activities and challenges. Also very remarkable is the representation of Mexico, which offers vibrant landscapes full of incredible details that only those who live in Mexico will recognize. It is an indispensable game and highly recommended. | Read review |
| M3 | Raphael Cano Felix | 9 / 10 | 11-09-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is a further development of everything we loved about part four. The races are crazier, the cars more and the exploration more dynamic than ever before. Some elements are on repeat, but still manage to feel fresh thanks to the change of scenery. An adrenaline-filled experience no one should miss, simply. | Read review |
| Merlin’in Kazanı | Eren Eroğlu | 92 / 100 | 11-06-2021 | Forza Horizon 5, the latest masterpiece of the Playground team, manages to be a flawless production in almost every sense. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | The best in the series so far, that embraces the open world approach in a way previous entries never quite did – while also being an endlessly enjoyable and highly varied arcade racer. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Alex Varankou | 83 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 offers plenty to do and see in Mexico, though much of it is becoming rather familiar. The latest entry doesn’t have as much impact or innovation as each of its predecessors did, but it remains the most enjoyable and customizable arcade racer around. | Read review |
| Operation Sports | Robert Kollars | Recommended | 11-10-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the type of game that connects people both in-game and out, and it is equally fun playing solo or playing with a group of friends in a party. This game doesn’t need you to be a fan of racing, and it doesn’t ask you to be good at driving games. It just asks you to have fun. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Mert Gökhan | 9 / 10 | 11-22-2021 | You don’t want to miss one of the best games of the year, do you? | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Kate Sanchez | 9 / 10 | 11-05-2021 | Even when you pull it all together with Horizon Arcade missions like hitting piñatas just work so well. It’s clear that a lot of love went into Forza Horizon 5. You can see it in the car selection. You can see it in the environmental design. You can hear it in the playlists. This game thrives on a culture of love that is baked into every gameplay element. In every way, Forza Horizon 5 is a love letter to Mexicans, and it’s one I’m thrilled that I opened. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Phil Savage | 90 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | Playground’s singular series gets a lush new setting, but otherwise remains committed to tuning an already winning formula. But even a marginal improvement on the best racing series around is worth celebrating. | Read review |
| PC Invasion | A.K Rahming | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is a masterclass example of how to do an open-world racing game, bar none. Thanks to its deeply rich map, wealth of content, and fantastic visuals, it’s the best racing experience I’ve had yet. | Read review |
| PCGamesN | Phil Iwaniuk | 9 / 10 | 11-08-2021 | Familiar, excellent, and polished to a degree that hardly seems possible. If you love taking vintage Porsches for joyrides through environments that’d have a poet bawling then you’re going to be very happy here. | Read review |
| PCMag | Jeffrey L. Wilson | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | With Forza Horizon 5, the racing series makes its first stop in Mexico. It delivers breathtaking vistas, fast action, and the hook: the new EventLab mode that lets the community create cool, custom challenges. | Read review |
| Player2.net.au | Unknown | Recommended | 11-05-2021 | Forza Horizon 5, despite its focus on cars, is a game for everyone, not just those inclined to go fast on four wheels. Forza Horizon 5, more than anything, wants you to play it your way, making it perhaps the most welcoming game on any system. | Read review |
| Polygon | Owen Good | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | Even now, though, I can feel myself tightening up in my shoulders and chest thinking about everything in Forza Horizon 5, and the difference between everything I have — with a V sound — and everything I have — F sound — to do. It’s the difference between opportunities and obligations. The only area in which Forza Horizon 5 stumbles is when it gives me so much of the former that they become the latter. | Read review |
| Post Arcade (National Post) | Chad Sapieha | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Whether you’re a racing rookie or a seasoned gearhead, Playground Games’ latest open world zoomer is a jaw-dropping, thrill-a-minute riot | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Leo Stevenson | 9.8 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | You may never stop playing Forza Horizon 5. And you won’t want to. | Read review |
| Press Start | Brodie Gibbons | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Though it’s iterative in a lot of ways, Forza Horizon 5 is a near-faultless open-world racing experience that’s so sure of itself and its offerings that it goes the extra mile to sprinkle in the kinds of fan service that people go wild for. | Read review |
| Rapid Reviews UK | Dan Boise | 5 / 5 stars | 01-15-2022 | Forza Horizon 5 drops players into the beautiful setting of Mexico where the sun will shine, but where it can also be treacherous as players will also have to navigate through thunder and sandstorms. As they progress through various events, players will be called upon to drive around various areas of Mexico expanding the Forza Horizon festival across the country and opening new types of events; races, off-roading, sprints; just to name a few. | Read review |
| Rectify Gaming | Dave Rodriguez | 9.8 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the best game in the franchise, and it also might be the perfect arcade racing game. | Read review |
| Rock, Paper, Shotgun | Justin Towell | Recommended | 11-09-2021 | Not the best racing game ever made, but a contender for best driving game. While perhaps overly familiar, everything here is very slick, refreshingly wholesome and easy-going. | Read review |
| Saudi Gamer | Unknown | 9 / 10 | 11-05-2021 | The series continues to deliver a unique and different racing experience that you can’t find anywhere else. Whether you were a rookie or an experienced driver you will find a lot to like and enjoy in Forza Horizon 5. | Read review |
| Saving Content | Scott Ellison II | 5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Mexico is an incredible location for the fictional Horizon Festival, and really refreshing. Whether it’s the thrill of the race, tools for encouraging creativity, or uninhibited exploration, there’s something for everyone to do and participate in this evolving open-world. While the core formula is unchanged over the years and it’s a lot more of the same – the same is really good. This is a multiplayer game where you can choose to engage with all or none of its systems at any time. Forza Horizon 5 is an outstanding achievement of gameplay and visuals, and is an exquisite open-world racer for the next-generation. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | Scott Baird | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best entries in the series to date, thanks to its massive and beautiful open world, which is full of exciting races. | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Matúš Štrba | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is probably the best arcade racing game ever made. | Read review |
| Shacknews | Chris Jarrard | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is big, loud, and bold. If you found little value in the series before now, this new version will do nothing to change your mind. For the rest of us, the best Xbox game of 2021 is here (at least for another month | Read review |
| Skill Up | Ralph Panebianco | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | Video Review | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Martin Kubeš | 95 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is huge, full of content, beautiful, plays like a dream and is the best entry in the Forza Horizon series yet. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Domenico Musicò | 9.2 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is an incredibile step forward for the series: with a plethora of brand new missions and challenges, and brilliant ideas to represent a colourful nation through eleven diverse biomes, Playground Games reaches new heights od shows the real face of the new generation of consoles. | Read review |
| Stevivor | Alice Clarke | 10 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Overall, this is a Forza Horizon game in every sense of the word, and shows off the best of what Horizon can be. It’s fun, only structured if you want it to be, and seems to exist purely to make sure you have a good time. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Paul Lombardo | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the greatest the open-world racing series has to offer. | Read review |
| Telegraph | Tom Hoggins | 4 / 5 stars | 11-25-2021 | Playground’s boisterous racer heads to Mexico… and is as consistent as ever | Read review |
| The Escapist | Nick Calandra | Recommended | 11-04-2021 | Video Review | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Stefano Calzati | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 turns “more of the same” into a mark of true excellence, furtherly polishing and improving on a winning formula and making it exponentially more spectacular on a technical level and more enveloping on an environmental level, and mixing it all with its distinctive driving model, a unique mix of a simulative superstructure with an arcade heart beating beneath the hood. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Dominic Leighton | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 continues the series’ legacy, usurping Forza Horizon 4 as the new pinnacle of open-world racing and as a graphical showcase for the new generation of Xbox console. | Read review |
| TheXboxHub | Paul Renshaw | 5 / 5 stars | 11-10-2021 | In conclusion, play Forza Horizon 5. There has never been a better looking game, and it plays like an absolute dream. It’s full of cars, full of challenge, full of glorious visuals and played out across a world like no other. I really wish I could give it more than 5/5, but as I can’t, a perfect score will have to do. | Read review |
| TrueAchievements | Luke Albiges | 5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Beautiful, vast, creative, varied, and exciting, Forza Horizon 5 is an incredible game that will have you hooning around Mexico for months. There’s an amazing sense of variety to everything about this game, and the smart Accolades system should have many achievement hunters hooked as they explore the full extent of what this remarkable racer has to offer. Fantastic handling, interesting events, and a wonderful history-spanning selection of cars makes for an amazing experience — arguably the best game in the series to date, and inarguably the best game in the series to DOOT. See you in Mexico, amigos… | Read review |
| TrueGaming | Unknown | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | With its stunning graphics, huge content and great ideas, forza horizon 5 is the most fun car game ever. | Read review |
| TrustedReviews | Max Parker | 5 / 5 stars | 10-11-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is more of the same for the series and it makes a glorious impression. It’s a visual treat on Series X, with fun and approachable gameplay that always feel varied. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Chris Jecks | 4.5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is a superb racing game. Despite these slight niggles it still manages to put a beaming smile on my face every time I go hurtling off a danger sign, masterfully overtake the leader of a race to snatch the victory, or perfect a drift. It’s easily one of the best-looking games on the Xbox Series X, and its extensive roster of cars and events will ensure it’s engine keeps quietly ticking over for months on end. With an abundance of multiplayer options and seasonal content frequently released to offer more rewards for your podium finishes, it’s the biggest and best Forza Horizon game you can play right now. Racing and Forza fans alike start your engines. It’s time for a whole new Horizon festival that you simply can’t miss out on. | Read review |
| Unboxholics | Θέμης Μπολτσής | Recommended | 11-09-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 manages to make a great experience… even better, taking us to a beautiful, exotic location that perfectly highlights all the virtues of the series. I highly recommend the game to everyone, even if you don’t like racing games, just to admire its phenomenal graphics. | Read review |
| VG247 | Alex Donaldson | Recommended | 11-12-2021 | Let’s be clear for a moment: Forza Horizon has always been good. From the moment it burst onto the scene in 2012 as a spin-off to the core, more po-faced Forza Motorsport series, it established itself as a fun, thrilling, and subversively moreish alternative thread for racing on Xbox. It was in many ways the spiritual, open-world successor to Project Gotham Racing, and in turn traced its roots back to arcade racing royalty like OutRun. This is a tough lineage to stand up to, but Horizon 5 takes all that history and experience and runs with it, incrementally upgrading this series into must-play brilliance. It’s an achievement of a game. | Read review |
| VGC | Chris Scullion | 5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the best game in the series and the best Xbox Series X/S game to date. Its flawless racing and wealth of activities are backed up by a gorgeous setting and a fantastic new progression system which encourages players to focus on the features they enjoy most. Utterly essential. | Read review |
| Video Chums | Mary Billington | 9.1 / 10 | 11-08-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 introduces a larger, more varied map with even more weather effects and interesting challenges. The same enjoyable gameplay hasn’t lost its momentum and there’s enough to do that will keep you hooked for hours on end. | Read review |
| VideoGamer | Josh Wise | 8 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | It may well be more of the same, but Mexico beckons, ravishing the eye and devouring up the miles. | Read review |
| Washington Post | Gene Park | Recommended | 11-09-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is] the first killer, can’t-miss game for the current generation Xbox Series X and S consoles as well as Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service. It’s a game that I think anyone can immediately find appealing. | Read review |
| WayTooManyGames | Leonardo Faria | 10 / 10 | 11-08-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the ultimate car enthusiast’s power fantasy. It’s a game that just wants you to go bananas and appreciate the beauty behind motoring, by offering every single tool, event, car model and online functionality available. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Chris Wray | 9.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is yet another step up for the series and arguably the best racing game ever made. Offering a host of content across a fantastic representation of Mexico, its varied terrain and scenery, there’s so much to explore and race. A massive roster of cars will perform all of these, each feeling different from the others, with a variety of upgrade and tuning options almost matching those of simulation titles. While there are a few minor niggles here and there, they are nearly so small as to be hardly worth mentioning. All in all, it’s impossible not to recommend this for anybody, regardless of them being a fan of racing games or not, as this is that good. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | Jordan Garcia | 8.5 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 has carried the tradition of consuming my time inside a genre that normally doesn’t interest me. Playground Games has displayed technical wizardry with this game and while it doesn’t change the formula to any significant extent, the experience found within Forza Horizon 5 is killer. | Read review |
| Windows Central | Zachary Boddy | 5 / 5 stars | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is the culmination of all of Playground Games’ efforts to perfect its craft, and the result is the best open-world racing game you can play. It combines the most beloved parts of Forza Horizon 3 and 4 into one ultimate racer. | Read review |
| Worth Playing | Cody Medellin | 9 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 absolutely lives up to the pedigree established by its predecessors. By using almost everything that worked in FH4, the game would’ve been a strong contender even if all it did was change its locale. The few changes in FH5 work heavily in its favor and contribute positively to the idea that the game is difficult to put down because it’s fun and there’s so much to do. For those who have played previous entries in the series, jump on this one immediately. For series newcomers, FH5 is a perfect place to start. | Read review |
| Xbox Achievements | Dan Webb | 92 / 100 | 11-04-2021 | From racing through the cobbled streets of Guanajuato to flying off the side of La Gran Caldera, Forza Horizon 5 is a slice of sheer racing brilliance. Again. | Read review |
| Zoomg | محمد صادق تواضعی | 9.5 / 10 | 11-14-2021 | Forza Horizon 5 is one of those car games whose experience is obligatory on all fans of this genre. | Read review |
| ZTGD | Ken McKown | 8 / 10 | 11-04-2021 | At the end of the day Forza Horizon 5 is like a delicious cake that is being delivered when I already had a ton of leftover cake from the previous party. It is good and I will enjoy it, but I think it is overpacked and in need of some dynamic changes going forward. I want to feel like the series is evolving instead of just getting prettier with new locales. Even with that said, this is easily the best racing game of the year and it simply looks gorgeous. There is little to fault outside of a lack of evolution and I am sure when all is said and done I will likely invest another 50-60 hours in the game. | Read review |
Awards & Recognition
RECOGNITION
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