How strange it is to see the names of Turn 10, Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios when launching a game on a PlayStation console. We may have already seen Sea of Thieves, Grounded, Hi-Fi Rush and The Pentiment on PS5, but Forza Horizon 5, the latest installment in a franchise historically attached to Xbox and Microsoft, really feels like a milestone. Of course, this PS5 port comes four years after the original release on Xbox and PC, but we'd be lying to you if we said it didn't feel a bit strange. Since you're probably already familiar with all the game's strengths, a full review did not seem essential, but we still invite you to give us a few minutes of your time to read what we thought of the port. As a nice bonus, don't forget to check out our high-quality gameplay video.
On both base PS5 and the Pro, you have two choices in terms of graphics modes, as we've now become accustomed to. In both cases, you'll benefit from the sharpness of 4K, but on base PS5 you'll be free to enjoy more advanced graphics at 30 fps or increased fluidity at 60 fps thanks to the Performance mode. Given that we spent most of our playing time in quality mode when we reviewed the game on Series X a few years back, it goes without saying that the experience is perfectly enjoyable this way, both visually and from a gameplay perspective. The series' 30 fps cap is clearly legendary for its excellent rendering, and given that the console version finally benefits from the best possible motion blur with an extended shutter speed, the experience is even more impressive. Pop-in, although sometimes present (on the grass or certain background elements), was much less noticeable than in the 60 fps mode on Xbox, where the change in the level of detail of trees was more noticeable when driving at over two hundred kilometers an hour. The result is totally identical on base PS5, with the possible exception of the fact that dynamic resolution varies a little more frequently than on Series X. If you mind, then just fall back on the Quality mode, which not only perfectly achieves its objective of delivering a 4K resolution, but also proves more subtle when it comes to LOD. If you're worried that playing at 30 fps will have a negative impact on control latency, rest assured that it is not the case. The British studio has always done an excellent job in this area, and this fifth episode is no exception. The fact remains that the benefits of 60 fps are no urban legend, even if we think it's harder to decide between the two modes in the case of Forza Horizon 5 on base PS5 as it was on Series X. Clearly, camera movements in drone mode are less blurry in motion when in performance mode, giving the image a sharper (but less cinematic) look as a result. However, the differences with Quality mode, while more subtle, don't stop there. In fact, you can expect special effects to be a little less advanced when you choose a higher refresh rate. Environmental debris, for example, is less numerous on the ground, but nothing as noticeable as the difference in LOD management as mentioned above. The Quality mode is also the only one to offer ray tracing, but this is limited to the Forza Vista mode on base PS5, and the visual impact is not that big (as it is limited to the self-reflections of the car). In the end, the choice is much more difficult than it appears on paper, but as there are no real negative impacts in either mode, it will be a matter of taste or mood, depending on the moment.
There's a new variable in the equation, however, in the “person” of the PlayStation 5 Pro, because while the latter offers the same two graphics modes, the increased power of the machine makes it possible to offer the best console version of the game to date. In Quality mode, the refresh rate may be limited to thirty frames per second, but ray tracing is made available outside of the Forza Vista mode, which means you can enjoy it during gameplay. However, don't be fooled into thinking that the studio responsible for the port has added full ray tracing support. First of all, it only concerns reflections, and secondly, only the player's car is concerned, i.e. it does reflect itself, but that's about it as opposing cars can't be seen on ours. Also be aware that the game still has to use cube maps or SSR for some of the reflections. As for the rest of the visual rendering, it's difficult (impossible?) to see any difference with the base PS5 and Xbox Series X in Quality mode. Performance mode is therefore the more interesting of the two if you're playing on PlayStation 5 Pro, and the reason for this is quite simple: it almost matches the level of detail (vegetation density, draw distance, etc.) of PS5's Quality mode, except for textures maybe, giving you the best visuals on console without having to sacrifice 60 fps. Since the framerate is flawless, needless to say we quickly opted for this graphic mode this time around. On a more general level, we still find it regrettable that the sandstorms are so discreet outside the scripted sequences that feature them, especially considering they were such a big deal in the promotional trailers before the game shipped in 2021. Similarly, the same criticisms we made regarding previous installments still apply to Forza Horizon 5, whose world more often than not looks artificial as it doesn't seem very lively. First of all, apart from the various festival sites, there are hardly any inhabitants on the map. You can see some of them leaning over their balconies in the city (which is very well made by the way, with its many slopes, narrow streets and underpasses), but other than that, they are nowhere to be seen. Traffic isn't always dense either, although it depends on the area where you are. Even the fauna is rather discreet, with the exception of a few dogs and pink flamingos, there are very few animals to be seen in Forza Horizon 5's virtual Mexico. It's not a big deal, you'll agree, but we might have hoped for a little boost in this area with current gen consoles. What's really pleasing, however, is the size of the map, which offers a less confined playing field than in previous installments. The few races that require you to drive around the whole map certainly don't go on for hours, but they do offer a nice change of scenery and give you the impression to enjoy real road trips! At the end of the day, Forza Horizons 5 on PS5 and PS5 Pro is definitely worth your while, especially if you have never played any games in the series. It's full of content, with the Premium Edition including both the Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure DLCs, it looks great with pretty cool Pro support and it's simply a lot of fun.
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