Forza Horizon 5 is an arcade open-world racer, and saying that plainly is the most useful thing a sim racing site can do for you. It is an open-world festival set in a stylized version of Mexico, built for fun, spectacle, and freedom rather than the physics fidelity a simulation chases. It is widely regarded as one of the best games of its kind, but it is not a sim, and a wheel user drawn in by the Forza name should understand that before deciding. This review is honest about what it is and who it actually suits.
This review looks at what Forza Horizon 5 does well, how it behaves for wheel users, and why a dedicated sim racer will want to keep their expectations in the right place. We compared editorial coverage with recurring player feedback rather than claiming seat time we do not have, and you can read how we review. New to the hobby? Our Getting Started hub covers the basics.
At a glance
| Aspect | Forza Horizon 5 |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 5 |
| Developer | Playground Games |
| Driving model | Arcade, not a simulation |
| Setting | Open world based on Mexico |
| Focus | Open-world exploration, huge car list, festival events |
| Availability | Included with Game Pass on Xbox and PC; sold separately on PS5 |
Where Forza Horizon 5 sits in the landscape
To set expectations correctly, this is the arcade, open-world sibling of the track-focused Forza Motorsport, and the two are built for different reasons. Where a simulation prizes realism and a simcade like Gran Turismo 7 splits the difference, Horizon 5 is unapologetically an arcade racer that prizes accessibility and spectacle. That is not a criticism, it is the design. Reviewers rate it very highly on its own terms, as a polished, generous playground rather than a driving simulator, and judging it as anything else would be unfair to both the game and the reader.
How it drives
The handling is tuned for fun and immediate accessibility. Players describe driving that is forgiving and satisfying, easy to pick up on a controller, with cars that feel lively and dramatic rather than strictly realistic. Assists and a rewind feature smooth over mistakes, and the game keeps the action flowing. Reviewers who race sims are consistent that the physics are not the point here: the model is deliberately arcade, so grip, weight, and consequences are dialed for enjoyment over authenticity. For its intended audience that is exactly right, and it is the reason the game plays so well for so many people.
Wheel support and the honest caveat
Here is the part that matters most for this site. Forza Horizon 5 does support wheels, but the community view is that it is not built around them, and drivers accustomed to a proper sim often report that the force feedback and handling feel less rewarding on a wheel than a purpose-made simulation does. Many players simply enjoy it more on a controller. If your reason for buying is to put your rig to serious work, this is the wrong title, and you would be better served by a dedicated sim. If you own a wheel but also want a relaxed open-world racer to unwind with, it can still be a fine addition, provided you go in with arcade expectations.
Content and presentation
This is where Horizon 5 is genuinely hard to fault. The open world is large and varied, the car list is enormous, and there is a constant stream of events, challenges, and seasonal content to work through. Reviewers praise the visuals and audio as among the best in the genre, and the sheer volume of things to do gives it staying power. Its inclusion with Game Pass makes it easy to try, which is the low-risk way to find out whether an arcade racer fits alongside your sim library.
Where it fits alongside a sim library
The most useful way to think about Forza Horizon 5 is not as a replacement for a sim but as a companion to one. Sim racing is a focused, demanding pursuit, and even dedicated drivers want something lower stakes to unwind with, which is exactly the role an arcade racer fills well. Many players keep a serious sim for competitive sessions and reach for Horizon 5 when they want to explore, collect cars, or race without the pressure of a safety rating. Approached that way, its arcade handling stops being a shortcoming and becomes the entire point. The Game Pass availability reinforces this, since you can add it to your rotation without treating it as a major purchase, and drop it just as easily if it does not click. The mistake to avoid is expecting it to double as your simulation, or buying a wheel specifically for it. Judged as what it is, a generous open-world racer to relax with, it holds up as one of the best in its class.
Who should buy it, and who should skip it
| Play Forza Horizon 5 if | Skip it if |
|---|---|
| You want a fun, generous open-world racer to relax with | You want a realistic driving simulation for your wheel |
| You value a huge car list and constant content | You expect rewarding, sim-grade force feedback |
| You mostly play on a controller or with Game Pass | Your rig time is reserved for serious competitive racing |
Alternatives and next steps
If you came here wanting a simulation rather than an arcade racer, our best sim racing games for PC roundup points to the titles built for a wheel, and our best racing games guide covers the broader console field. For the track-focused Forza that leans more serious, read our Forza Motorsport review, and for its closest simcade rival on PlayStation, see our Gran Turismo 7 review. You can browse more titles in the Console Racing Games category, and if you are shopping for hardware, our best sim racing wheels guide will help.
