Barreling through a lush Australian forest, the sun is beating down through the canopy as light dapples on the bonnet of my Fiat 124 Sport Spider. It’s not the fastest car, but its elegant shape and convertible roof are a perfect match for the mood I’m in.
I can feel the wind in my hair (what there is of it, at least) as I turn sharply, flatten an innocent fern and burst out onto a seaside road, the Pacific Ocean gently lapping the beach.
In truth, it’s 4am and I’m sat in my living room in Kent, covered in cookie crumbs.
This, however, is the beautiful lie which Forza Horizon 3 sells so well.
The third spin-off of the Forza Motorsport series is, quite simply, the best looking Xbox One game to date, and without a doubt one of the most gorgeous console titles available today.
But while its outstanding graphical fidelity is a marvel to behold, it’s what’s under the hood that really matters at the end of the day.
Playing as the head honcho of the Horizon motoring festival, you’re tasked with driving a plethora of cars in various events in order to earn more fans, which in turn allows you to expand the whole operation - either by establishing new locations or upgrading pre-existing ones. As hobbies for thrill seeking billionaires go, it’s not bad.
There’s the usual complement of point-to-point sprints, destructible advertising and hidden cars to discover. On paper it’s typical open-world racer fare, but Forza Horizon 3 delivers with such panache that it feels like a totally new benchmark for the genre.
Bringing up the map for the first time, it’s difficult not to be struck by how big the game world is. In fact, it’s twice the size of the previous Horizon game. But while the setting of similar titles have felt densely packed with tarmac, here the bits in between the roads are just as vital. What would have been fenced-off window dressing in other games is simply another massive part of the resplendent driving playground the game offers.
The inclusion of the series’ trademark Drivatars - AI drivers based the the motoring styles of other, real world players - makes the game’s corner of Oz feel like a living breathing world.
Meanwhile, your second-to-second driving is constantly being rewarded, with skillful - or reckless - manoeuvres earning you points to spend on perks.
The Horizon Skills Song ability, for example, will periodically activate a points multiplier for the duration of a certain track playing on FH3’s expertly curated radio stations. It’s the video game equivalent of listening to the Back to the Future theme while shifting into fifth gear on the M20.
That sense of cinematic exhilaration extends to the game’s Showcase events, a series of unique trials which mark your progression through the campaign. Whether it’s pursuing a helicopter with a 4x4 hanging from its undercarriage like a bizarre wrecking ball, to racing a locomotive in order to cross the tracks without getting flattened, these moments are sheer spectacle that encapsulate the design philosophy at play.
The player is truly at the heart of everything, with seven default difficulty levels which can all customised on a granular level. Those seeking high level simulation can tweak game settings and their virtual vehicles to their heart’s content, while more casual players who just want to tear about the arid Outback in a sleek sports car or boisterous dune buggy can let the game’s generous assisted driving options do the heavy lifting.
A visually stunning title that looks and feels superb, FH3 blends the technical nuance of the main Forza series with the accessibility of Need for Speed and the unabashed joy of Burnout Paradise into a package that is a must-have for anyone with even a passing fondness for racing games.
Platform : Xbox One, PC
Price : £39.99 - £49.99
