Most players won't spend their first hours in Forza Horizon 6 drifting a twin-turbo Cadillac limo through Japan, but they should. This car embodies the game's unfettered ridiculousness—offensive, mechanically stupid, but fun as hell to drift past a Lexus LFA. The game, launching May 19 (or May 15 for Premium Edition), is easy to dive into.
The intro is cliché: speeding down a cherry-blossom road in a Nissan GT-R NISMO, racing against an NSX, meeting a Shinkansen train, and ending at the Horizon Festival in a Toyota GR GT. It’s a gorgeous appetizer, but few moments after are as action-packed.
FH6 spreads content across Japan. You race mostly, but distractions include an economy of tunes, paints, and auctions. We joined a community event with lifted Ford F-250s causing destruction near Shibuya. With over 550 cars, you collect them via races, hidden barns, smashing mascots, or side missions like food delivery.
Time Attack events are addictive, making hundredths of a second matter, with leaderboards on real billboards. However, NPC traffic feels dead and sparse, especially in Tokyo. It’s refreshing to see Honda e cars instead of usual video-game traffic.
Japan’s variety—snow caps, cities, bamboo forests—gives FH6 an edge visually over FH5's Mexico. Photo modes are similar, but FH6 adds drone and auto-drive. Customization is mixed: some wild options (like a Miata with turbos in headlight spots) are limited to special cars. Many parts are carried over, and undercarriage details are flat black.
The UI improves with a “What’s Next” page, making campaign navigation clearer. Campaign progression is play-at-your-own-pace, rewarding wristbands without forcing you to abandon your upgraded car. Smaller challenges like Yuji's Auto let you help a tuner, reminiscent of Wangan Midnight.
Radio and dialogue are overly bubbly and British, clashing with Japan’s visuals. The Japanese station helps, but others sound like infomercials. The ForzaTech engine shows age—interior views are robotic, physics prioritize tire smoke over realism. A new Simulation steering mode helps understeer.
The garage editor is addictive, letting you build themed spaces and racetracks. Playground Games trusts players to build their own adventure, but freedom can be overwhelming. FH6 has imperfections (traffic, dialogue), but it’s hard to stop playing. It understands car enthusiasts, from setting lap times to decorating cars with silly wheels.
The result is one of the most fun virtual drives in a while. Familiar to returning players, but the improvements make the Horizon Festival a great party, especially if you arrive in a limo.