Forza Horizon 6 Review: Drifts, supercars, and racing in snowy Japan

The standout feature of the new Forza is its stunning Japanese setting, showcasing beautiful landscapes, diverse biomes, neon-lit cities, and historic architecture. A Forza game set in Japan has always been highly requested by the community, and this long-awaited moment has finally arrived with incredible environmental design.

As with previous installments, the game features an amazing soundtrack, and Horizon's flagship cars are showcased right from the very beginning.

The premise places you as a newcomer arriving in Tokyo, looking to qualify for the major tournaments. Let's dive into the details below!

Technical Specifications

Release Date: May 19, 2026

Developer: Playground Games

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

Available on: Xbox Series X|S and PC

Official Trailer

I wanted to include a dedicated section for this to note that creating good-looking or stylish characters has never been the main focus of the Forza franchise (which makes sense since the spotlight belongs on the vehicles), and this entry continues that trend.

The character models look a bit uninspired and lifeless, featuring odd hairstyles and a very limited selection of starting clothes. On the bright side, you can add prosthetic components like mechanical arms or legs to your character, though these designs lack a bit of charm and visual polish.

Furthermore, the dialogue between characters feels somewhat superficial, focusing entirely on racing endlessly and driving cool cars. This is typical for a Forza game, so it is not a major issue since most players will likely ignore the repetitive dialogue to focus on the music or the roar of the engine.

This entry introduces three distinct progression systems, each with its own unique mechanics. Progression overhauls have been a frequent community request, and it is clear that a lot of effort went into this aspect of Forza Horizon 6. Kudos to the development team!

Wristband System

The main campaign centers on building your reputation within the Horizon Festival. You start in the qualifiers and level up to earn new wristbands by completing events and accumulating Festival Points. The system features 7 distinct tiers, with each new wristband unlocking faster championships and new regions.

Unlike past entries, progressing through the main campaign requires meeting specific vehicle class restrictions or utilizing designated car types.

The campaign features Showcase Events and Horizon Rush. At the end of each wristband tier, you must complete special challenges (such as skill events) to level up. Your ultimate goal is to secure the Gold Wristband during your journey through Japan, which unlocks access to the "Isle of Legends," an exclusive map region filled with unique tracks and areas.

Collection Journal and Exploration

For players who prefer free-roaming, discovering beautiful vistas, and immersing themselves in Japanese culture, the game introduces the "Collector's Journal."

Completing exploration activities (such as photographing landmarks or finding hidden barn finds) awards stamps in your journal. For example, unlocking the locations of hidden cars requires gathering a specific number of these stamps.

Horizon Play

Participating in Horizon Play modes (including custom races and drift events) awards XP and new badges every 10 levels up to level 100. Leveling up in Horizon Play up to level 25 also grants Festival Points, which directly accelerates your wristband progression in the single-player campaign.

As an added bonus, playing on higher difficulties (Medium and above) grants a credit multiplier.

The Car Mastery system, also known as the vehicle skill tree, returns in Forza Horizon 6 to add more depth to vehicle progression. Skill Points earned during races can be spent to unlock permanent perks, XP boosts, credit rewards, and even secret cars hidden across the massive roster of over 550 vehicles.

This mechanic does an excellent job of expanding the gameplay experience, especially for players looking to level up quickly and reach the major festivals without spending too much time in the early stages.

Every car in your garage features its own independent progression tree. By performing maneuvers such as drifts, jumps, near misses, and banking skill chains, you accumulate points that convert into Skill Points.

To farm these points quickly in FH6, it is highly effective to seek out heavily forested areas and chain drifts together to rapidly increase your skill multiplier.

In addition to an exciting selection of radio stations, Forza Horizon 6 excels in vehicle sound design. On many occasions, turning off the radio and just listening to the roar of the engines became an incredibly relaxing and immersive experience for me.

Car Audio and Sound Effects

The vehicle audio has received a massive upgrade. Engines sound deeper, more detailed, and much truer to life thanks to an advanced acoustic modeling system. You can clearly distinguish between mechanical noise, exhaust notes, and air intakes.

The environmental audio effects also deserve praise. Speeds through tunnels or accelerating between city buildings feel incredibly realistic, featuring echoes and reverberations that heighten the immersion.

Another positive feature is the level of control provided in the audio settings. Players can independently adjust various elements of the sound mix, allowing you to turn down tire screeching or minimize civilian traffic noise during crowded car meets.

Radio and Soundtrack

The licensed soundtrack offers a diverse mix of musical genres, covering electronic, hip-hop, indie, rock, and metal.

Despite positive reception for the soundtrack as a whole, some community members noted that the DJ dialogue can sound unnatural or repetitive at times. Another minor complaint is the lack of advanced custom playlist options, such as removing specific songs or controlling track repetition.

This is not a major issue for me, as I can simply play a Spotify playlist in the background and keep only the in-game car audio active.

Given the Japanese setting, Horizon 6 places a heavy emphasis on drifting. This is a welcome feature that adds variety to the gameplay, especially since it is a mechanic that many players (myself included) thoroughly enjoy. It feels even better to be drifting in Japan, the birthplace of drift culture!

I noticed that the map features several narrower streets that require precise drift control. This makes the driving experience even more thrilling, capturing the authentic feeling of tearing through Japan in a tuned drift car.

Night racing through vibrant, neon-lit Japanese cities adds immense atmosphere to the game. The urban landscapes are incredibly detailed, even including murals painted by real Japanese artists.

The setting also introduces snow on off-road tracks, which requires an entirely different set of driving techniques. Some routes feature heavy snow cover while others have just a light dusting. The biomes shift dynamically based on elevation and location, which feels like a significant upgrade over the seasonal system found in Forza Horizon 4.

The Japanese asphalt physics feel distinct from other road surfaces, particularly when breaking traction to drift. The robust steering and control settings allow you to fine-tune your driving preferences, making it easy to find a setup that matches your specific racing style.

Ultimately, every weather condition and road surface in Horizon 6 impacts your vehicle choice and driving strategy, making the experience much more engaging than just casually driving around.

- Incredibly immersive Japanese setting

- Revamped and improved progression system

- Perfect for open-world and drifting enthusiasts

- Exceptional, spine-tingling engine sound design

- Massive variety of cars and activities

- Uninspired character models

- Shallow, unmemorable dialogue

- Limited radio customization options

- Does not reinvent the racing genre (though few expected it to)

Forza Horizon 6 does not reinvent the racing simulator genre. Instead, it leans heavily into its identity and focuses on delivering a refined, highly polished experience, and it succeeds brilliantly.

If you love racing, cars, or Japanese culture, this game will keep you entertained for hours on end, and the time will absolutely fly by.

Despite minor flaws like uninspired dialogue and limited character customization, the overall package is incredibly fun. The vehicles look spectacular, and the sense of freedom remains the greatest strength of the franchise.

If you have never been a fan of cars or racing games, this entry might not change your mind. Forza always delivers great cars and excellent racing, and this game is no exception.

I played Forza Horizon 6 through Game Pass. While racing games are not my favorite genre and I might not buy it standalone, the beautiful depiction of Japan, the rich culture, and the excellent drifting mechanics completely won me over. It is also incredibly cool to be driving through a city and suddenly see a giant mecha fly overhead.

If racing games were my primary genre, I would easily buy this and play it for months.

Score: 8.5 out of 10.