Xbox Series X Critic Reviews

To no one’s surprise, Forza Horizon 6 provides the best racing experience this year - even if Grand Theft Auto VI hits.

Forza Horizon 6 is Playground Games at its absolute best. Set in a stunning recreation of Japan, the game delivers the strongest campaign in the series, improved driving physics focused on drift and street racing, and an incredible amount of content. Visually, it is one of the most impressive racing games ever made, both on Xbox Series X and PC.

Forza Horizon 6's Banksy-level vistas of Japan are breathtaking, and the improvements to the progression system have placed the title at the pinnacle of the racing genre once again.

Forza Horizon 6 accomplishes an extraordinary feat: improving upon a formula that was already close to perfection. Playground Games elevates the experience with a stunning, massive map of Japan, refined mechanics, and endless content. It’s a majestic racing game and a true masterpiece that will keep players engaged for years to come. An absolute must-play for any racing fan.

Playground Games does it again: equal parts adept teacher and artisanal tour guide, Forza Horizon 6 takes the lessons from 14 years of series history and applies them with panache.

Turn 10 Studios have mastered the art of creating these giant sandbox environments, stuffing them with varied things to do, and letting you loose in a staggering array of different vehicles to just have fun. Tune the radio to your favourite music genre, start your engines, and let yourself enjoy it.

Forza Horizon 6 picks up where the previous installment left off and takes us to Japan in the best possible way. With Spanish voice acting, new radio stations, tons of activities to do, and plenty of cars, Playground once again focuses on what really matters: making driving fun. Whether you’re hitting over 350 km/h or cruising at a leisurely 75, driving through Japan is a true pleasure on every kind of terrain. Customization and design round out the experience with new housing options that join vehicle tuning and our avatar’s outfits and accessories to ensure we never have a moment to be bored in the new Horizon Festival. The technical aspects put the icing on the cake with 4K resolution and 60 FPS running smoothly in Performance Mode, and a Quality Mode that pushes realism to new heights with outstanding visuals.

Simply put, Forza Horizon 6 is the racing game fans have waited years for. Out of all the gorgeous places this series has taken us, Japan was always a frequent request across social media, and now that wish has come true. On top of that, the gameplay is divine, and the content that the game has now, and perhaps what’s to come, might just keep us entertained until the arrival of the next entry and beyond, wherever that may take us. We may only be in April, but I’d be surprised if anything pips Forza Horizon 6 as the best racing game of 2026.

Cruising down Japan’s roads in Forza Horizon 6 is a visually unforgettable experience with superb handling. It may have played it safe and have a few technical glitches, but the sheer volume of content, the love for car culture, and the pure fun are more than guaranteed.

Gorgeously crafted and with an impeccable balance between arcade thrills and meticulous simulation, Forza Horizon 6 is the best racing game on the market.