Two new mechanics were introduced with this expansion. The first, Trailblazers, are a new activity which makes real good use of the open world nature in Horizon, you have a start and finish, but how you drive between them is completely up to you. The second, Treasure Hunts, are forgettable, but fun. In the end, both went on to become main features in the sequel.

The rough map is interesting but I feel that aside from trailblazers it doesn't play a large role. Dirt racing still feels like it could use more emphasis, some areas feel underexplored just because there are no roads.

The expansion delivers an extension of what the base game did with some added wilderness, and left an impact with substantial new experiences that went on to become the norm. In retrospect, Fortune Island is an important step in the Forza Horizon franchise.