Forza Horizon 4 Review (Naftak)
NOTE: This game is being delisted from stores on December 15, 2024 and will no longer be purchasable.
The TL;DR is that I wholeheartedly recommend picking up the Ultimate Edition before this happens, but if you'd like to hear my reasoning, keep reading.
I've never been a huge fan of the racing genre. Whether it's simulation or arcade, open world or track based, it's a genre that I haven't played more than a few hours of since the likes of Burnout Takedown and Need For Speed Underground 20+ years ago.
The only reason I picked this game up at all was due to its impending delisting, and figured I may as well try it since I bought it, right?
I loved Forza Horizon 4.
No, seriously - I have played 90 hours of this game over the last few months, and with very few exceptions, have loved every minute spent here. I need to stress how unlikely it is for a game about cars to take just a few hours of my time before I get bored, let alone 90. This game absolutely oozes style, and is a genuine joy to play.
It helps that there's tons to do. The map is full of races (street races, dirt races, cross country), different types of open world challenges such as setting off speed cameras, drift zones, ramps/jumps, open world collectibles, short stories. I found it really easy to sink into a bit of a flow state, ping-ponging from one challenge to another as I explored the map.
For multiplayer, there's racing as you'd expect, but there's also party modes akin to infection, capture the flag, etc.
There is even a literal Battle Royale mode that was surprisingly well realized. These modes may not be everyone's cup of tea (especially the BR mode - you'll find opinions are mixed on this one), but they were a very pleasant surprise when I found them, and I enjoyed them a lot.
Technical performance was fantastic all the way through. The game runs like a dream, looks great, no bugs or crashes in my entire playthrough. It is an excellent PC port.
The Ultimate Edition includes two DLC expansions as well - Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions - and they are both really high quality. The LEGO one in particular is extremely dense, with lots to do, and really doubles down on the charm and style the rest of the game has. You can tell the team had an absolute blast making the LEGO content, and that excitement is likely to rub off on you as you play.
This is why, in my opinion, the Ultimate Edition is a must if you are going to pick this up.
I really strongly recommend this to anyone who has even a passing interest in trying a well made open world racing game.