at first glance, functionally the same game as Horizon 3. same cars, same driving mechanics, same stunning visuals. what's not to like? "what, do you hate fun?" i had to remind myself. but you know what, maybe I kind of do.
there's like three main differences I found to be a devolution from Horizon 3.
1. the map. the UK setting is actually quite stunning tbh. although I didn't find it as rapturing as Australia. way less visually diverse, no distinct biomes interconnecting. in its place, there is the season system. which is fine but just seems like an instance where they couldn't over the obstacle of having having snow be part of the rotating dynamic weather. most of my problems with the map are the roads themselves. the Aussie roads are wide and straight. the UK are ones are thin and narrow. to accommodate this, they feature tons more rolling hills and elevated ranges. they pump up the destructibility so you can plough through more obstacles such as trees and stone walls. this gives way to Horizon 4 being way more focused on rough and tumble off-road racing. it features way more here than Horizon 3's Australia. as such, I found my playing time tied way more into enjoying 4wd's and off-road vehicles; way more time soaring in the air off large hills and crashing back and drifting across mud through various checkpoint markers. that's all good and fun but after a while I was thinking about the dissonance between this still being a hypercar fixated racer with the fact that it wanted to be played like an off-road version of Split/Second. I felt like a kid playing with his Hot Wheels or something. cool but like devoid of identity.
2. the progression. it just felt so lacking compared to 3. the wheelspins are godawful. just give me credits. why am I spinning now to win shoes, emotes and car horns? worthless, time-wasting junk. or even if I win a car, like cool. it takes away from any enjoyment of actually researching what to buy and how to upgrade it. i don't really mind that in the moment - it's fun getting cars for sure - but l don't love the feeling of charity this game gives out. then there's the story progression. Horizon 3 barely had any but the idea was more streamlined - you race and participate in events in an area, expand the festival to new locations, eventually work towards to a big showcase event, then repeat until the final event. roll credits. Horizon 4 it's like I have no idea what I am building towards. it's just 4 event types with some interesting side story stuff but none of that is properly advertised in game. eventually you unlock showcase events, but the last one the game advertises to you is a Halo related one for some reason, and then the final Delta Plane one just pops up randomly with no explanation. just feels so haphazard and careless. apparently if you get to level 20 in street races, you unlock a Goliath race that features the entire map, but that's such a long ass grind I am not going to do that. maybe in a world where this is the only game I have left to play, but otherwise, nah. the pacing is just bad.
3. the presentation. it's not remarkably different to the presentation in Horizon 3. it's equally obnoxious, garbage influencer... influenced. but at least 3 had some minimalism in the rewards screens and the garage screens. 4 has more menus and the rewards screens are just obnoxious. all the voice acting is and, the characters non-existent. the only thing feels even more corporate-sponsored and soulless. surely someone could figure out how to give this series some genuine personality and gravitas by now. it's so inoffensive as to be bland. which on its own isn't a terrible thing but it's lacking any conviction or strengths. it's like playing pretend with some kindergarten kids. just give me something more to work with other than being so proud about how much time it wants me to waste inside of it.
it's a good game. I don't even dislike. but it could better and it's lacking compared to Horizon 3. maybe it wasn't to be played as a series but as a game independent to itself. if it's the only Forza or Forza Horizon, it's probably better off for that.
there's like three main differences I found to be a devolution from Horizon 3.
1. the map. the UK setting is actually quite stunning tbh. although I didn't find it as rapturing as Australia. way less visually diverse, no distinct biomes interconnecting. in its place, there is the season system. which is fine but just seems like an instance where they couldn't over the obstacle of having having snow be part of the rotating dynamic weather. most of my problems with the map are the roads themselves. the Aussie roads are wide and straight. the UK are ones are thin and narrow. to accommodate this, they feature tons more rolling hills and elevated ranges. they pump up the destructibility so you can plough through more obstacles such as trees and stone walls. this gives way to Horizon 4 being way more focused on rough and tumble off-road racing. it features way more here than Horizon 3's Australia. as such, I found my playing time tied way more into enjoying 4wd's and off-road vehicles; way more time soaring in the air off large hills and crashing back and drifting across mud through various checkpoint markers. that's all good and fun but after a while I was thinking about the dissonance between this still being a hypercar fixated racer with the fact that it wanted to be played like an off-road version of Split/Second. I felt like a kid playing with his Hot Wheels or something. cool but like devoid of identity.
2. the progression. it just felt so lacking compared to 3. the wheelspins are godawful. just give me credits. why am I spinning now to win shoes, emotes and car horns? worthless, time-wasting junk. or even if I win a car, like cool. it takes away from any enjoyment of actually researching what to buy and how to upgrade it. i don't really mind that in the moment - it's fun getting cars for sure - but l don't love the feeling of charity this game gives out. then there's the story progression. Horizon 3 barely had any but the idea was more streamlined - you race and participate in events in an area, expand the festival to new locations, eventually work towards to a big showcase event, then repeat until the final event. roll credits. Horizon 4 it's like I have no idea what I am building towards. it's just 4 event types with some interesting side story stuff but none of that is properly advertised in game. eventually you unlock showcase events, but the last one the game advertises to you is a Halo related one for some reason, and then the final Delta Plane one just pops up randomly with no explanation. just feels so haphazard and careless. apparently if you get to level 20 in street races, you unlock a Goliath race that features the entire map, but that's such a long ass grind I am not going to do that. maybe in a world where this is the only game I have left to play, but otherwise, nah. the pacing is just bad.
3. the presentation. it's not remarkably different to the presentation in Horizon 3. it's equally obnoxious, garbage influencer... influenced. but at least 3 had some minimalism in the rewards screens and the garage screens. 4 has more menus and the rewards screens are just obnoxious. all the voice acting is and, the characters non-existent. the only thing feels even more corporate-sponsored and soulless. surely someone could figure out how to give this series some genuine personality and gravitas by now. it's so inoffensive as to be bland. which on its own isn't a terrible thing but it's lacking any conviction or strengths. it's like playing pretend with some kindergarten kids. just give me something more to work with other than being so proud about how much time it wants me to waste inside of it.
it's a good game. I don't even dislike. but it could better and it's lacking compared to Horizon 3. maybe it wasn't to be played as a series but as a game independent to itself. if it's the only Forza or Forza Horizon, it's probably better off for that.