DLC nagging aside, Forza Horizon is a solid arcade racer, if not the hardcore open world sim some were hoping for. There are plenty of challenging and enjoyable game hours here to be had, not just across the single-player mode, but in terms of leaderboard chasing and online racing, so long as the...

Plenty of game challenges; Beautiful scenery that makes exploration fun; Some unique race events

DLC nags; Fair level of in-game grinding required for cash; Won't please the full-on simulation crowd

As far as realistic racing games go, the Forza Motorsport series has always managed to bridge the gap between realism and approachability, allowing for a much wider audience to enjoy a fantastic racing experience.

Seamless open world experience

- Lack of custom race editor

Wispy clouds hang over the Colorado mountaintops, jet streams of cool air shape them running down the rock face, long shadows hide them in sharp relief. The sun starts to rise above the horizon – igniting the sky into velvet oranges and crimson reds.

It's Forza on the open road; Lots of variety.

Nothing major of note

Forza Horizon is a game that showcases perfectly the positive side of the importance of a brand name, obsessed as it is with brand identity. If Resident Evil 6 gave us a glimpse of the negative effects of forgetting just how important a name can be, then Forza Horizon provides a textbook example of...

Those refined Forza handling models; A huge variety of events to take part in; Appeals to both newcomers and the sim crowd

Awful story; Open world perhaps not quite used to its fullest potential; Slingshot AI on higher difficulty settings

An exceptional open-world racer, burdened slightly by the series' heritage and all the expectations that the Forza brand brings.

Accomplished open-road direction; Loaded with charisma; Excellent portrayal of empowerment and freedom

Missing some signature Forza elements

Forza Horizon is something of a rarity - a racing game with real-world driving physics and a real world to drive around in. Well, almost. The game gives you the US state of Colorado as your playground, but it's a miniaturised version, with the state's vast plains, canyons and mountain ranges reduced...

The full Forza driving experience takes to the open road; Superb handling; stunning graphics and almost all the options you could want; Varied racing and activities across a well-paced career that will keep you busy for ages

The festival story is cheesy and uncool - I mean; Bluetooth headsets; The map could be bigger; Multiplayer feels a bit underdeveloped

Cars are sexy. Festivals are cool. A car racing festival must then be cool AND sexy, right? Such cynical logic has been the downfall of many creative efforts smashing two disparate elements together but in the case of Forza Horizon, it actually works.

The gaming silly season is in full swing as developers unleash what they feel will be a festive hit. It's the time of year when a vast array of triple-A titles are released on a week by week basis leading up to Christmas, hoping to claim the coveted number one spot.

The Forza franchise seems to have taken a very slight dip in the eyes of the racing community over the past couple of years. Whilst we've always thought that the game has been improving year after year, people for some reason, seem to be less interested.

Forza Horizon is as good as I hoped it would be and, if the rumours are true, could end up being the premier open-world racing series as well as the premier circuit title.