![\"A](\"https:\/\/platform.theverge.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/assets_2026_01_1769110938_FH6_Screenshots_10-Mt-Fuji-Vista.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100\")
<\/a><\/p>\nImage: Microsoft<\/p>\n
Based on the way I play Horizon 6, all of the races and progression are a means to an end, and that end is driving cool cars all around Japan. And you really don\u2019t have to spend all that much time competing in Horizon Festival events to do that. Part of this is because nearly the entirety of the map is open to you from the very beginning. As soon as I finished the game\u2019s opening sequence, I went ahead and just drove wherever I wanted to; aside from one fenced-off area that I presume represents some late-game races, I\u2019ve yet to find anywhere I wasn\u2019t able to go.<\/p>\n
Horizon 6 encourages this kind of exploration. There are two progression tracks in the game: One involves the Horizon Festival events, and the other is called \u201cDiscover Japan,\u201d which sounds like a tourism slogan and also kind of is one. Here you earn experience not by winning races or setting best times, but by seeking out, well, just about everything. You get XP for traversing new roads, finding mascot characters and smashing them (don\u2019t worry, they\u2019re statues), and taking on various side quests that mostly boil down to going on a road trip with virtual friends. In one storyline, you\u2019re helping a photographer snap incredible shots for magazine covers; in another, you\u2019re testing out a mechanic\u2019s various experiments by driving through difficult terrain you might otherwise ignore.<\/p>\n
My favorite set of tasks involved finding a collection of hidden cars based solely on photos. You\u2019re given a snapshot of a rare Porsche or BMW, which shows that it\u2019s right next to a certain convenience store or within view of a particular bridge, and if you manage to find it, it\u2019s all yours. These quests reminded me a lot of a similar track in one of my favorite open-world games, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild<\/a>, immersing me in the world by avoiding map markers and forcing me to rely on my own eyes. What all of these quests and goals have in common is that they not only encourage you to explore, they reward you for it. They give you a sense of progression and accomplishment, even if you\u2019re mostly just puttering around snapping photos of vending machines.<\/p>\n Of course, all of this would be moot if Horizon 6 wasn\u2019t actually enjoyable to play, which thankfully it is. The game balances realism with approachability, resulting in a driving experience that can be forgiving and arcade-y at times, but still requires skill and understanding of the vehicles to compete at a high level. More importantly, the new location absolutely rules. The setting of an open-world game is almost always the most important aspect of the experience, and that is definitely true of Horizon 6\u2019s rendition of Japan.<\/p>\n Image: Microsoft<\/p>\n This is a video game version of the country, one that has been condensed and redesigned purely for vehicular exploration. It can be a little weird at times; driving through Shibuya Crossing, the world\u2019s busiest pedestrian crossing, feels odd when there aren\u2019t any actual pedestrians crossing. But for the most part, Horizon 6\u2019s Japan captures the feeling of the country, even if it\u2019s not a precise rendition of it. This means that you still get those iconic moments \u2014 riding through rain-slicked streets at night with the bright lights of Tokyo blurring behind you \u2014 but in a package that feels manageable, despite its large size. The map is also filled with little secrets and collectibles that encourage you to go off the typical path just for fun. And the radio stations, like in other games, are great, which really adds to the road trip experience. My advice is to turn the car sounds down and the music volume way up.<\/p>\n All that said, while I have mostly skipped out on the racing, I can confirm that there are reasons to partake, even if you prefer the exploratory side of the game. One is that you get some really cool cars by winning big races. But also, many of the big races have an incredible cinematic vibe that makes it feel like you\u2019re speeding through a series of set pieces in a Fast and Furious movie; there are gigantic jumps, moving terrain and obstacles, and at one point \u2014 I kid you not \u2014 a race against a giant mech.<\/p>\n The best thing about Horizon 6 is that you can pick and choose how you want to experience it. You aren\u2019t limited to either track; you can do whatever feels most interesting to you, whether it\u2019s competing or exploring, and follow that thread to new and interesting places. I\u2019m sure for a lot of people that means the fastest cars and lots of first place trophies. Me? I\u2019m content taking a refurbished Nissan truck through winding forest roads, with Rise Against providing the soundtrack for my destructive path.<\/p>\n Forza Horizon 6 launches on the Xbox and PC on May 19th. A PS5 version is scheduled for later in 2026.<\/p>\n Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Andrew WebsterClose Andrew Webster<\/p>\n Senior entertainment editor<\/p>\n Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n See All by Andrew Webster<\/a><\/p>\n EntertainmentClose<\/p>\n Entertainment<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n See All Entertainment<\/a><\/p>\n Games ReviewClose<\/p>\n Games Review<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n See All Games Review<\/a><\/p>\n GamingClose<\/p>\n Gaming<\/p>\n Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.<\/p>\n FollowFollow<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n