Get beyond the cynical positioning of Forza Horizon and you'll find a racer that is, ironically, as efficient and refined as it's older, more mature, siblings. Whether it can build a community as effectively as the Motorsport games is unlikely, but Horizon, for all its familiarity and reluctance to...

Forza Horizon marks a departure from the simulation-based racing that has defined Turn 10's series since 2005. It's in the hands of a new studio--UK-based Playground Games, comprised of devs from a variety of other arcade racers--and it shows.

Sprawling and beautifully rendered Colorado; A fun arcade racer with Forza's attention to detail; No shortage of fun content and great progression

Car handling sometimes lacks precision; Cheesy storyline; Looking for a traditional Forza game?

Unleash the advanced driving physics of Forza Motorsport 4 on a Test Drive Unlimited –style open-road environment, and you get Forza Horizon , a new spinoff from Microsoft's acclaimed racing series.

+ Enormous stable of responsive and tunable licensed cars; + Exceptional graphics with long draw distances

? Where are the real Colorado landmarks

I don't want to be Master Chief. I don't want to be Shepard, the Vault Dweller, or John Marston. Sure they're awesome and undeniably badass, but their existences are stressful, difficult and ultimately miserable.

A staggering amount of stuff to do; Multiplayer that features cat and mouse and infected modes; It looks gorgeous; sounds gorgeous and plays gorgeously

An inevitable dearth of content you'll have to buy later; Nighttime driving can be challenging at 200 mph; If you don't like Skrillex; you're sorta screwed

Shaun McInnis put the pedal to the metal on this video review for Forza Horizon.

Sprawling open world is a blast to explore; Stunning vistas highlighted by a full day-night cycle; Flexible difficulty welcomes a wide range of drivers; Plenty to do outside organized events; Terrific competitive multiplayer

Awkward storytelling; Disappointing online free-roaming

While Forza Horizon can come across as demographic-mongering, interactive junk food, you'll find a deeply engaging racing experience below its overly gaudy candy-paint top coat. This new installment in the series truly shines when it lets you live out your childhood fantasies, driving that car from...

Forza hits the open road As the first open-world game in the Forza Motorsport franchise, Horizon is a rookie on the rise; The solo storyline sets you up as the new guy trying to make his name in the speed-celebrating, car-meets-concert Horizon festival.

There's a serious problem with the variety of racing games you can get on your console or PC, and few developers seem to want to do anything about it. Serious sims on PC are extremely meticulous in their physics and handling, but amateur modders are left to add unofficial versions of real cars...

Turn 10 and Playground Games search out a new direction for the Forza series as we take to the open roads of Colorado.

+ Gorgeous graphics; + Lots of content; + Gravel roads and night racing; + Solid physics; + Great variation.

- Some poor design decisions; - Stereotypical characters; - A slight tendency for understeering

There are so many elements at play which make Forza Horizon so different from the most recent Forza outings. This isn't a replacement for Forza Motorsport by any means: it's an addition.

Graphics; variety; Festival is fun; soundtrack; lots of beautiful cars

Seems slightly sluggish in the early stages; the festival becomes slightly redundant; no real damage system in races

There's something oddly romantic about Forza Horizon. Gone are the real-life circuits of Motorsport, replaced by a gorgeous stretch of the American West. Sweeping praries and looming peaks set a grand stage, and a persistent sense of competition keeps the vast expanse from feeling lonely.

Sprawling open world is a blast to explore; Stunning vistas highlighted by a full day-night cycle; Flexible difficulty welcomes a wide range of drivers; Plenty to do outside organized events; Terrific competitive multiplayer

Awkward storytelling; Disappointing online free-roaming