Forza Horizon 5 on PS5: When Freedom Comes Before Speed in an Open World
Calling You to Explore!

Among all the racing games that feel the same, Forza Horizon 5 truly stands out. It’s not just a game about driving fast, it’s a complete experience that wants you to feel something – the feeling of freedom in an open world waiting for you to explore it your way. And now that it has finally arrived on PS5, many players who never had the chance to play it on Xbox can now enjoy this amazing adventure.

Developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios, the names behind this title are well-known among racing fans. But this isn’t just another sequel – it’s a game that raises the bar and shows how far open-world racing can go.

What’s even more exciting is that PS5 players finally get to experience something fresh. Before this, their car games were mostly limited to realistic simulators like Gran Turismo. Beautiful and precise, sure, but always tied to race tracks and rules. Now they have something totally different… a free, diverse, and surprising world that offers a new kind of fun that wasn’t available on the platform before.

Is it really fun? Will it feel different if you already like racing games? And what if you’ve never cared for car games – could this change your mind? Let’s find out!

Game Story

In Forza Horizon 5, you’re the new “star” of the Horizon Festival – a huge racing event that takes place in a new location each time. This time it’s set in Mexico, giving you a wildly diverse open world: deserts, jungles, mountains, cities, and coastal roads.

You’re not just a regular driver… you’re the main character, the one everyone talks about and invites into different activities during the festival. The game features short side stories called “Horizon Stories” – simple fun adventures like helping a photographer capture vintage cars in Mexico or racing a helicopter in a crazy stunt show.

These stories aren’t deep, but they are enjoyable and give the world a human touch, making you feel part of a growing legend. Every race, every challenge, every story helps you build your legacy in the Horizon world.

Game Content

If there’s one thing that truly sets Forza Horizon 5 apart from any other racing game, it’s the amount of content. This game isn’t just big – it’s huge. First thing that caught my attention was the cars: more than 800 vehicles of every type you can imagine. From supercars to classics, from small Japanese cars to trucks – and each one can be customized your way: paint, wheels, parts, even drivetrain changes!

The map is massive and truly diverse, based on a fictional version of Mexico. The environment always changes around you – one moment you’re in the desert, the next you’re in a jungle, on a mountain, near a volcano, or driving through tight streets in a historical city. Exploring the world never gets boring.

The variety of activities also keeps every minute fun. Horizon Stories are mini-missions with fun tales that connect you with the world. You’re not just racing – you’re part of other people’s stories, helping with deliveries, chasing rare cars, or performing crazy stunts.

There’s also Horizon Arcade – random challenges on the map you can join online with other players. These are not your usual races – sometimes you’re popping balloons or running to marked spots in a fun and silly way.

But the most unique and fun mode was The Eliminator – a battle royale with cars! You start with a weak car, and each time you beat another player, you upgrade. It goes on until one winner remains. It’s intense, exciting, and always full of surprises.

Forza Horizon 5 also stays alive thanks to constant updates. It’s not just the base game – every few weeks there’s new seasonal content, events, races, daily and weekly challenges, rare cars, and more. The game feels fresh all the time.

One of the standout expansions was Hot Wheels, turning the world into insane orange loop-de-loop tracks in the sky, full of speed, jumps, and crazy fun. It felt like a theme park for cars.

Then came Rally Adventure, focusing on off-road racing in a new area called Sierra Nueva. Here, you join a rally team and compete in dirt races that change with the weather. It’s tough, strategic, and comes with special rally cars and voice-guided navigation – making it feel like a real rally championship.

Each expansion has its own identity and adds something new. That’s why the game’s lifespan is long. There’s always something new to explore, whether from the developers or player-created content.

Gameplay

What impressed me most in Forza Horizon 5 was how easy and fun the driving felt. The game balances realism and fun perfectly. It’s not too hard or too simple – just enough to keep you enjoying every second, whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer.

Each car feels different – from engine sounds to braking and sliding – and it changes based on the road type. Dirt, sand, mountain, or city – you feel the difference.

The game also makes excellent use of the DualSense controller. You feel every vibration, every bump. Adaptive Triggers add to the realism – when you brake hard, the L2 trigger gets heavier, like you’re pressing real brakes on a slippery road. It’s immersive and adds a lot to the fun.

Progression in the game is very relaxed. You don’t need to complete certain tasks to unlock new ones. Everything is open, and you choose what to do. Even just exploring the world gives you rewards – XP, hidden cars, random challenges.

The AI races are challenging and learn your style, and online races offer wild competition – organized races, open challenges, or spontaneous events.

One helpful feature is the Rewind option. If you make a mistake, you can go back in time and try again. This makes learning easier and removes frustration for new players.

Graphics & Performance

First thing you’ll notice in Forza Horizon 5 is the graphics. The game is a visual masterpiece. Every view is carefully crafted – sometimes you’ll stop racing just to enjoy a sunset or a dust storm forming in front of you.

Each part of the map feels unique. Moving from desert to mountain or city to forest feels like traveling across countries.

And performance on PS5? Excellent. I didn’t face any lags, freezes, or frame drops, even during action-heavy scenes.

The game runs in two graphics modes like on Xbox Series X: Performance Mode (60 FPS, smooth gameplay) and Quality Mode (30 FPS with better visuals). You choose what you prefer: speed or detail.

Final Score

9.5/10

Forza Horizon 5 isn’t just a racing game… it’s a full experience crafted with love and amazing details. It gives you everything you could want – whether you love speed or just exploring a huge open world.

Whether you’re new to racing games or a Horizon fan, you’ll get lost in this world for hours. From its amazing visuals and solid performance to the endless content, it’s easily one of the best racing games I’ve ever played. And now on PS5, it opens a whole new world for players on this platform.