But these perks have little effect on the game. Performing "tricks" also fills a wheel over time which in turn rewards you with perk points once the meter is full. There's a basic leveling system, with points awarded after each race and for other small activities around the game world, and each new level rewards you with. Sure, there's an experience system - two, in fact. The way everything is structured undercuts any sense of real progression I was looking for. All the pieces seem to be present to make for a consistently engaging hybrid of open-world systems and a deep racing game.īut after I raced for about four hours, a sense of sameness had settled on top of the game. There are plenty of championships to enter, plenty of cars to buy, hundreds of roads to find and special cars inside hidden barns. For example, there are more than a hundred billboards around the world to smash for bonuses. In open-world fashion, there are collectibles. Horizon 2's world is big, significantly bigger than the last Horizon game, and for the first time in a Forza game, weather has been added to the mix to join the dynamic time of day - it makes for some spectacular sunsets and stormy racing. That shift from 60 frames per second to 30 is prompted by the broader scope of Horizon 2 in comparison to last year's Forza Motorsport 5. It's easy to develop favorites, and then, when prompted by a new championship class, to find a new favorite. Otherwise, Forza Horizon 2's car physics and handling are impeccable - each car feels unique, particular, like something to get to know.
FORZA HORIZON 2 FOR PS4 SERIES
The mechanical fundamentals of the Forza series are in place, though the move from 60 frames per second to 30 has made the car controls just a bit less responsive than they were in Forza Motorsport 5. It helps that driving in Forza Horizon 2 is so enjoyable. I rarely asked why I was going on road trips or doing point-to-point races because the game contextualizes it so well. Forza Horizon 2's story, such as it is, provides an excellent setup for the fictionalized southern European setting and the concept of the Horizon festival.