Why I prefer Forza Horizon 2 over Horizon 3 and Motorsport 7

Horizon 2 is a magnificent game… in fact, my favourite racing game, but surely, there’s a logical reason why, right? Here are a few that I can think of.

The Map

Though Horizon 2’s map is smaller than that of Horizon 3, there’s much more to explore, even on routes that I’ve driven on hundreds of times I see much more than on Horizon 3. The roads are also more windey than those of Horizon 3, and the mountainous views are much nicer than the barren wasteland that is Australia. Another thing is that in Horizon 3, the last time I discovered something new was half a year ago (or more) when I went to take a look at the ponds near pink lakes. In Horizon 2, however? was not even a month ago, I saw a small building situated at a beach just outside the centre of Castelletto that I had never seen before, just a tiny detail that got my attention. Motorsport 7, not much to say, they are standard circuits, most of which are returning from other Forza games.

The Colours

Admittedly, the colour settings of the image above was quite colourless, but in general, the look of all the chrome on the inside of the 250, the tan leather on the lower half, the green-ish grasses, the vinyards stretching for miles, and the tops of the trees glistening in the sunlight and every now-and-again a lavender field, in Horizon 3? Maybe a yellow meadow and a blue sky, much farther it doesn’t really go. Motorsport 7, I haven’t noticed a lot of sunshine, I play free play most, as I’ve already done one half of the story-line, but I always spawn in cloudy conditions (weather turned off), so the sun doesn’t break through.

When the rain's gone

I’ll admit, it rains way too often in Horizon 2. I’ve once spent a whole hour switching between lobbies (private free roam, standard because Anna never shuts up when people go drag racing, which is all the time, “the leader of your party is starting a race, press X to join them”… in a publiic lobby!) to find one without rain, the main reason being: the topless 250. But when the rain is gone, my-oh-my can you make some beautiful pictures. In Horizon 3 it doesn’t rain as often, but then too, you’ll get a pretty picture, but returning to the topic of the map: Horizon 2 looks better. Also, Motorsport 7, besides story mode, there is no post-rain option.

Or the sun sets

The sunshine overday, it’s almost as if the heat radiates through the screen and into your room, a warm, fuzzy feeling. The sun sets, it gets colder, but the view gets better, the orange shine that only just peaks beyond the horizon. The sun is gone, the moon is up, the festival lights turn on, the fireworks start to bang in the sky. Both the coloured lights and the halogen lights that illuminate the monuments turn on. That is the true beauty of Horizon 2…

Even beating the intro of Forza 4, with Jeremy Clarkson’s narrative of “We… are an endangered species, you and me…” nearly every gamer got the chills when they first started up Horizon 2.

What do you think of Horizon 2? Which is your favourite Forza? And what is your favourite racing game?

• MH