When it comes to running Playground Games he knows how to do it, and this time he starts in pole position: Forza Horizon 3, which prepares to arrive on yours Xbox One and on PC (via the Play Anywhere program) the September 27th, has all the credentials to be defined one of the best racing titles that has ever seen the light of day. We are faced with a full-blown arcade game, but some features wink from afar to aspects devoted to realism, as the Forza series wants. So let's take a closer look at what this magnificent title will offer us!
This is my festival!
After driving through a short tutorial and familiarizing yourself with asphalt, dirt and beach, the big news of this game arrive one after another, many unexpected. Let's start from the beginning: for the first time we will find ourselves choosing the avatar of our character (on a various choice that includes 14, both men and women) and our name, with which we will be able to hear ourselves called during the game experience. Is the name too trivial for you? Then choose and use a nickname among the many available. Once that is done, we will find that we are the "boss"! That's right, Horizon is our festival, and it will be up to us to bring in new fans from all over the world, expand it, and of course organize competitions and various events. This definitely goes to displace fans of the series, after two chapters dedicated to the usual climb to the top, a bit like in all arcade-type car titles. The choice of location then, the splendid Australia, allowed the developers to create unique landscapes. In this huge map (about twice the size of Forza Horizon 2) we will be the ones to have the task of moving the event! It will be a complete and pleasant up and down, which will not only make us feel really masters, but which will make the gameplay vary to levels never seen before in a similar title, providing a variety of unique action. All to the rhythm of… what music? You already know: the one you choose! As the boss you are, even the soundtrack (divided into various radio stations) will be at your complete discretion.
Obviously our aim as owners will be to earn as many credits as possible, but not to be rich in duty. The funds we earn will be well invested in the festival, and can be earned in various ways: placing in excellent positions in the race (it is clear, even if we are the bosses we will participate!), Taking stars in the danger and speed tests, but also with lucky tickets that at the end of each race we will receive, lottery style. Will we be able to spend it well? Most will likely end up in cars, upgrades, and modifications, and you'll certainly be spoiled for choice here too. Forza Horizon 3 has a huge fleet of 350 cars, and all of them can be modified in terms of performance and aesthetics. You will practically be like children in a candy store.
Surf and outings
As the title suggests, you can well understand that Forza Horizon 3 is not a conventional arcade racing game. The free roaming of this title enjoys an expressive fluency, which will make you drive for hours without even realizing it. You will drift on land, you will slide on the water, you will have the car "caressed" by the fronds of bushes in the countryside and in the forest, and you will whiz at insane speeds on the asphalt of the city. The areas to explore during your trips will be full of things to do: races (which you can create yourself, or you can let yourself be guided by the standard features), but also a "wish list, crazy jumps, speed points, collectibles (fortunately all marked on the map once crossed, but also once collected), and with the time to enjoy some splendid panoramic views. They will also be available two small features that take advantage of the free camera, which we can use or for respectively photograph the car in all its glory, or make a drone travel in all areas, to discover the most hidden parts! I remind you of a “small” thing: in Australia you drive on the left, and it will be really challenging to get used to this, as there will also be neutral cars during free roaming.
Neutrals yes, but also of Drivatars. These are an integral part of the festival, the drivers that you can challenge in duels at the last corner, and if you want, let them join your team! The team has limited seats, so you will probably be forced to "make room" at times. In other cases, however, you will find yourself in front of real caravans ... and why not come up with a nice improvised race from there, putting us in line? In simple terms, in Forza Horizon 3 it is impossible to get bored and have nothing to do, indeed, the difficult thing will be to choose what to do first.
The heart and the horses
Forza Horizon 3's gamepaly is the best you can ask for in an arcade-style car title. The speech is slightly complicated, given that we are faced with a title that even if, as mentioned, is not devoted to unbridled realism, it manages to offer at the same time some features that make it attractive even to those who want a more "hybrid title. ". We are talking about the Forza series, after all, and as rulers of the driving simulator they knew how to do their job: we will choose the driving difficulty ourselves, and we will be able to decide whether or not to activate aids and controls, such as ABS, traction control and so on, up to the removal of the "rewind" and the difficulty of the challenge against the opposing pilots. Once you have disabled even half of these aids, you probably won't feel like you're playing the same title, or rather, that it's still so arcade. A huge applause goes to the quality of the Drivatars, who see their AI verging on perfection: I do not deny that playing against Drivatar at the “Pro” level, I swore a lot, not only for their skill, but also because their behaviors are very similar to those of a human player. As well as racing against the computer and completing a campaign that alone will keep you busy for about a hundred hours, of course, there is also a gigantic multiplayer component, which goes far beyond individual challenges and the sharing of car paints. In fact, it will also be possible to play cooperatively with friends, and also by taking advantage of cross play with the PC (thanks to the Play Anywhere program). In addition to the classic races, different modes will then be available, all to be run.
A well-made racing car
Technically, Forza Horizon 3 was done excellently. Frame drops in the race are practically non-existent, although some of the uploads take a bit longer. This is only half a flaw, given that there will be no various loads at the change between one area and another, and those that will take you to the races and into the showroom will be of a standard "timing". The graphics level is impressive, and makes no secret that the title was designed for the new one Xbox One S. Couldn't find a flaw, the cars are beautifully crafted, proposing a perfect design and an enviable fidelity in details; while the aforementioned Australian settings are ecstasy for our eyes, especially in some evocative views. Even if the level of detail (seen up close) of some bushes is not pixel perfect, I would say that it just won't be missed. The only drawback, but which does not affect the technical sector much more, is the physics of the impacts: unfortunately this is sometimes inaccurate, and it is true that we are talking about an arcade, but in some situations it turns out to be unnatural, almost comical.
And the sound sector? Eagerly successful. In Forza Horizon 3, as already mentioned, you will be the one to choose which of the available radio stations to use and tune in for your festival. Each of these goes to cover different genres of music, in order to cover practically every genre of musical taste. Each station also has its own exceptional guests, at least a couple for each station. Yes, you can also listen to Mozart and Beethoven if you wish. The English dubbing is excellent, and especially marked. This will certainly help a lot those who don't want to get distracted by reading the (unfortunately uncomfortable) Spanish subtitles in the lower right corner.
