I’ve probably spent more hours in Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico than I have in any actual place outside of where I live. That’s partly an indictment of my schedule and partly a compliment to what Playground Games built — an open world so visually distinct and geographically varied that it never stops being interesting to drive through.
Mexico was a bold choice for the setting. After Britain (FH4) with its seasons and moody countryside, the sheer warmth and colour of Guanajuato felt almost aggressive. The city itself, with its hairpin streets and festival atmosphere, is one of the best pieces of game geography I’ve seen in any racing game. The first time you’re dropped into a street race through those alleys and catch the cathedral lit up at sunset, it just stops you.
The seasons mechanic carried over from FH4 and works well in the new setting — particularly the rainy season, which brings mud and flooding and transforms some roads into rivers. EventLab, the user-created content tool, is a genuine bonus — some of the community-made routes through the jungle and up the volcano are better than anything in the base game. The car roster is enormous, and unlike Motorsport, the focus is firmly on fun over simulation.
On controller, FH5 is the definitive casual racing experience. On a wheel, it’s a different proposition — it’s not built for wheel input the way FM23 is, and you feel that. The force feedback is adequate rather than communicative. If you’re deciding between FH5 and FM23 for a wheel setup, FM23 is the right call. For everything else, Horizon 5 is simply excellent.
This is the game I put on when I want to drive without pressure, collect something new, and lose an hour without noticing. There’s nothing quite like it in the racing genre, and until Horizon 6 shows up, it’s going to remain the benchmark for open-world driving games.