Forza Horizon 5, the latest instalment in Microsoft’s flagship open-world racing series, is finally going to launch for PlayStation 5 on April 29, 2025 (or tomorrow, April 25, for those who choose the pricey Premium Edition), more than three years after it initially came to PC, Xbox Series X, and Series S.
If you’re wondering how one of the best racing games translates over to Sony’s hardware and whether it still holds up all this time later, I can confidently report that the experience is flawless. Forza Horizon 5 feels right at home on PS5 and can now stand right next to the likes of Gran Turismo 7 as one of the most high-quality racing games on the platform.
In fact, I would argue that it fills a big gap in the PlayStation catalog. Microsoft has a capable Gran Turismo equivalent in Forza Motorsport, but those after a more arcade-style experience on Sony’s machine had almost no options to work with. Sure, there’s The Crew Motorfest, which takes so much inspiration from Horizon that it feels almost like Ubisoft copied developer Playground Games’ homework, but it was never more than a shallower imitation.
Back at the wheel
I spent the bulk of my time in Forza Horizon 5 at the original launch period and, booting it up on PS5, everything was almost exactly how I remembered. Although I was initially a little sad that my progress from other versions of the game did not carry over, it did mean that I got to experience that fantastic opening sequence and satisfying first few hours of progression all over again.
If you’re not already familiar with the Forza Horizon formula, it’s the epitome of open-world racing. Set against the backdrop of a fictional car festival, you’re free to explore a gigantic map with a massive roster of cars that you can purchase at any time with remarkably easy-to-obtain currency.
There’s no linear progression here in the traditional sense, and even though a smorgasbord of different events is on your map at all times, ranging from street racing to rally challenges and even a handful of more scripted ‘expeditions’, the focus is on letting you play the way that you want.
As someone who has always enjoyed simply driving more than participating in set races, I really appreciate this. There are loads of collectibles in the form of barn finds (abandoned classic cars that you can recover and repair to unlock), plus hidden billboards that you smash with your car for an instant dose of XP or to reduce the cost of fast travel. An ingenious skill system rewards even the simplest act of hitting a cool drift or going off a ramp, with massive bonuses for those who can chain multiple actions together.
Throw in a robust suite of multiplayer options, not to mention the fantastic vehicle handling that perfectly threads the needle between realism and approachability, and you have a casual driving experience that’s up there with the best.
Viva Mexico
Each Forza Horizon game takes the action to its own distinct locale, with this incarnation set in Mexico. There are lush rainforests, scorching deserts, and historic towns, all rendered in fantastic detail with a smattering of perfectly recreated real-life landmarks sprinkled in.
It was a beautiful game on Xbox Series X and looks just as pretty on PS5, with flawless performance across the board. The game still runs at 4K in either a 30fps (frames per second) quality mode that ups environmental detail slightly and a 60fps performance mode that looks very similar, bar more noticeable object pop-in.
Given the fast pace of races, I would definitely recommend the latter as the buttery smoothness does make a huge difference. There were also no noticeable drops in the target frame rate or resolution on either setting on PS5 during my play session.
I wasn’t able to personally test this for myself, but the developers claim that the experience is even better for those with a PS5 Pro. This is thanks to the introduction of ray-traced car reflections in quality mode and improved fidelity in performance mode.
No matter which PS5 model you own, a few exclusive features have also been implemented. The adaptive triggers of the DualSense Wireless Controller are subtle here, but they do add extra weight to braking at high speeds. As is the case with the Xbox Wireless Controller, subtle changes in your racing surface are reflected in the controller’s vibrations, too.
Stunt driver
If you’ve never tried Forza Horizon 5 before, then I recommend it without reservation on PS5. This is a perfect port of an excellent racing game, though I am a little more conflicted when weighing up everything it offers from the perspective of a returning player.
The PS5 release launches alongside the Horizon Realms update, which is also coming to Xbox and PC, but it’s nothing to write home about. It’s something of a best bits compilation featuring some previously released seasonal content in the form of ten returning locations, though there is also one all-new one thrown in there for good measure.
These can be accessed through a special tab on the main menu or by visiting the large Horizon Realms marker on the map. You get to choose one of two modes in Horizon Realms, skill mode or free mode. As the name would suggest, free mode simply lets you drive around to your heart’s content, which is good for getting your bearings but not much else. The skill mode then sees you trying to bank skill combos with a time limit of a few minutes.
On one hand, it’s admirable that these previously limited-time maps are being given a second life and will be permanently accessible to all players. Unfortunately, they’re just not particularly fun here. Interesting theming aside, a decent chunk of the maps are tiny circles that become stale in a matter of seconds.
Doing donuts and other tricks in a minuscule, almost empty arena is not compelling, which is a real shame when you consider that the four new cars introduced in this update are all tied to progress in this mode.
There are some better inclusions here, like the neon-drenched Retrowave Highway that’s crammed with destructible objects to plough through or the challenging loop-de-loops of Stunt Park, but they still weren’t able to sustain my interest for very long. There are at least loads of new accolades to unlock, which might be enough for completionists, but just a couple of other modes, perhaps some that are better suited for multiplayer, would have gone the distance to increase the appeal for everyone else.
Thankfully, the Horizon Realms update also introduces a new race route, Horizon Stadium Circuit. It’s an enjoyable change of pace from the usual courses thanks to its abundance of tight corners and unique stadium theming, but you’re realistically not going to play it more than a couple of times. Ultimately, it leaves me wondering why environments like Retrowave Highway weren’t used for some new races, too.
If you’ve already had your Forza Horizon 5 fill, the content here is hardly worth splashing out for this shiny new version or even just reinstalling the one that you already own. Given the fact that Horizon Realms has been the centre of much marketing around the PS5 release, I definitely expected more, which slightly sours my feelings on an otherwise exemplary launch.
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dash.wood@futurenet.com (Dashiell Wood)
