POSTED 25/9/14


FORZA HORIZON 2

Playground Games/Turn 10/Microsoft Studios

We really don’t want to be sitting here reviewing this.

We’d much rather still be playing. Yes, we’re suckers for a good car game, and Forza Horizon 2 is a good car game. A very good one.

First up, the Xboniness. Glorious 1080p pixels flit about at 30 frames every second – not as slick as Forza Motorsport 5, but still good. The desirable trade-off, however, is that weather exists. Sunny days may get all overcast, before it’ll suddenly piss down. Roads get wetter, handling gets edgier, knickers get nervier... Wipers wipe, raindrops refract, we poleaxe our trusty Fiesta ST because prettiness. Even night occurs!

Otherwise, if you know the first Forza Horizon then you’ll be boned up for this. If you’ve NFI, please save us all some hassle and click here.

If you’re too indolent to click a link, ‘Horizon’ is a music/substances/cars festival. This time it’s taking place in the hideously ugly surrounds of France and Italy. That’s “hideously ugly” in the George Clooney/Megan Gale sense. The key thing’s nailing car stuff, from classic races to challenging speedy things without wheels. Most everything earns points, from slamming phone boxes to playing pollo with oncoming traffic. Like most every game ever, points mean good stuff, from score-bolstering perks to bucks to buy any of 200-plus brrrm-brrrms. A prize wheel triggers each level up, yielding points or wheels (with chassis’ attached).

Collectibles abound, from smashable signs to barns secreting clapped-out shitboxes requiring restoration, road Amidar to speed cameras.

Bucket list challenges are new, letting players toy with some of the more exotic vehicles possibly affordable later on. Friends’ ‘Drivatars’ also appear, and online play’s seamless.

Annoyances? Load interruptions are horrendous, and you’re still mandatorily penis-equipped. Thankfully most other irritating original game traits have been dialled back somewhat, like DJ idiocy and advertising.

Succinctly, FH2 is currently the best now-gen racer.

Now, screw you guys, we’re going hoon...

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