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'Forza Horizon 4' is defined by a difference of nuts and bolts

by Blake Chapman Disclaimer: This game was played on an Xbox One X Since its introduction, Forza Horizon 4 and its predecessors offer a welcome change of pace to the genre. Designed as an open world racing game taking place alongside an annual music festival that combines off-roading and street racing, it shook up the landscape of racing games on release. Playground Games is always offering innovative changes that affect gameplay in a monumental way. Forza Horizon 2 had the first dynamic weather system in series history and took place in the French Riviera. Forza Horizon 3 added an option where you could play with up to four friends online and moved the festival to the Australian outback. Forza Horizon 4 builds on this history of advancements by including a scheduled system of seasons that not only change the look of the landscape but also weather patterns. While the addition of seasons to the world of Forza Horizon strengthens the game’s overall aesthetic appeal, it does very little to mask some glaring design and community-based issues.

Design beyond an assembly line

Image from Polygon
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Gameplay akin to a Sunday drive

Image from Windows Central
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The future of the festival seems bright

Forza Horizon 4’s Horizon 4
Image from Polygon
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