Forza Horizon 3 | Xbox One

About the Game

Forza Horizon 3 is the third game in the Forza Horizon arcade spin-offs of the Forza Motorsport racing simulation games. This edition is set in Australia, and as before, it is centered around a Horizon racing festival. Locations include the coastal hills of Byron Bay, the modern Surfers Paradise in Queensland, but also long stretches of desert and mountains providing more opportunities for off-road racing. The player does not only participate in this edition, but also has a hand in the organization now.

Gameplay & Core Systems

When a new expansion becomes available, the player can choose where to set up the hub. New events can then be created and the player determines which cars to allow, the time of day and conditions, which radio stations to sign up and so on. Races can be customized in design and name, with the option to share creations with other players as event blueprints. This is done by honking the horn at Drivatars, AI racers based on the performances of other players, to recruit them and have them earn credits for you. There are also Bucket List challenges to complete, based on a fixed difficulty level.

As usual, there is also open-world racing without any restrictions. This can be done to visit the different locations, challenge other racers, earn experience through driving, locate hidden cars, or destroy the many fast travel discount signs. Items of interest are revealed through a certain driving radius, or they can all be unlocked by buying a treasure map. It also provides access to Horizon Edition cars with special XP and credit multiplier stat boosts that otherwise can only be won at a wheel spin when leveling up. With the second Festival expansion, online multiplayer is unlocked, and it is cross-platform for up to twelve players.

New for this version is the introduction of cooperative races for up to four players. Players join each other's games to race together or help complete each other's campaign tasks. It is played in the game of the host, and even though there are some voting features, it is always the host who initiates races, bringing the players into the race regardless of their position in the game world.

Standout Features

• Participating in races opens up new events and is rewarded with fans.
• This time, a custom character can also be created as an avatar.
• Convoy races are a new type based on the feature to form convoys.
• Next to credits as a basic currency, perks can be unlocked.
• Abilities can be upgraded in three categories, for elements as a festival organizer or as a racer.
• Horizon: A first for the Horizon series is the introduction of the main Forza Motorsport auction house, where customized cars can be bought and sold.
• Bucket List challenges can be completed this way too.

Modes & Ways to Play

The Promo photo mode returns, and there are now tasks to take and share photos.

Presentation & Atmosphere

The game integrates support for Microsoft's Groove Music music streaming subscription service as an option next to the regular music tracks.