Forza Horizon 6 Review: A Love Letter to the Open Road

Playground Games had an almost impossible task following up Horizon 5, and somehow they've pulled it off. Forza Horizon 6 takes the series to Japan, and the change of scenery does more than just refresh the backdrop. Tearing down a neon-soaked Shibuya side street at midnight, then climbing a misty mountain pass at dawn, then drifting through cherry blossoms an hour later — the variety here is the best the franchise has ever offered.

The driving feel remains the gold standard for the genre. It sits in that perfect sweet spot where a newcomer can pick up a controller and have fun in thirty seconds, but the handling model has enough depth that mastering a rear-wheel-drive monster around a technical circuit still feels earned. The expanded car roster is staggering, and the new tuning options give gearheads plenty to obsess over.

Progression has been smartly reworked. The grind that occasionally bogged down past entries feels tighter, and the seasonal map changes genuinely affect how you drive rather than just swapping a texture pack. The shared open world continues to be a joy, with other players drifting in and out of your session without the friction you'd expect.

It's not flawless. The story-driven "expeditions" can feel like filler, the menus are still a labyrinth, and on launch I ran into a handful of frustrating connectivity drops. The progression economy also leans a little hard on encouraging real-money spending. None of it undercuts the core, but it keeps a near-perfect game from crossing the finish line untouched.

If you've ever enjoyed a Horizon game, this is an easy recommendation. If you haven't, this is the best possible place to start.