Imagine for a second that Ford decided to build a Commodore – that’s what it is like now that Forza Horizon 5 is available on a Sony PlayStation console.
While Microsoft and Sony have been duking it out in the ‘console wars’ since 2001 when the former’s original Xbox arrived to take on the latter’s PlayStation 2, the release of the Forza Horizon 5 (as well as others) might signal the end to hostilities.
And that’s because Forza Horizon has always been Microsoft’s arcade racing jewel, released alternatively with the more-serious, sim-racing-like Forza Motorsport that competes head-to-head with Sony’s Gran Turismo franchise.
Now with a top-tier, first-party game available on rival hardware – albeit three and half years after it first arrived – Forza Horizon 5 could have been a bare bones port to try and stimulate sales by opening it up to a new audience.
But luckily, I can report this is not the case.
As an open-world arcade racing game, don’t expect realistic tyre deformation or substantial rear-to-front weight transfer when braking, but Forza Horizon 5 still has plenty to offer petrol heads of all varieties.
For starters, the car list is nearly 1000 deep, ranging from classics such as the 1973 Alpine A110 and the 1969 Ferrari Dino 246 GT, to brand-new models like the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
This means there are likely more than a few models that will catch your eye, regardless of what motorsport discipline you follow or automotive preference.
But the best part – at least to me – isn’t actually the sheer breadth of metal available to drive through the game world, but the depth of customisation on offer with each car.
There are the usual upgrades to suspension, tyres, transmissions, and engine components, but Forza Horizon 5 also allows full engine swaps and driveline changes.
For example, if you wanted to swap the 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder out of the GR Supra in favour of 7.2-litre V8 with an all-wheel-drive conversion and rally suspension to make it the ultimate off-roader, you can absolutely do that.
Furthermore, the customisation options also open up a wide assortment of aftermarket wheels, including from big brands like Work and Rotiform, as well as visual tweaks such as exterior colour and custom liveries.
There’s a lot on offer here to express individuality, so much that you could spend hours changing and tweaking your ride to make it just right for you.
But overcoming that hurdle, you are greeted with an expansive open world, with this entry in the Forza Horizon series set in Mexico, following on from the previous locales that included the UK, Australia and Southern France.
Admittedly, my favourite game of the series so far has been Forza Horizon 3 where you could drive from the Twelve Apostles to Surfers Paradise in about two minutes, but Mexico offers plenty of variety when it comes to blacktop racing and off-road sand blasting.
With active volcanoes, dust storms, cactus patches, long stretches of beach, tight inner-city streets, lost ancient ruins, and deep forests all to contend with, there is enough variety in Forza Horizon 5’s map to keep thing interesting until the game’s end.
Speaking of, there is a lot of content on offer here too, with a variety of races (both on-road and off), collectables, stunt jumps, barn finds, and more strewn throughout the map.
It was more than enough to keep me playing for weeks when Forza Horizon 5 first launched back in 2021, and after three-plus years of content additions, there’s even more to do now that the game is available on PS5.
I’d argue that it’s almost overwhelming for new players, as you are greeted with point after point after point of content to visit when you open the game map.
Horizon Realms is also launching with the PS5 game, reviving hand-picked limited-time content additions over Forza Horizon 5’s last three and a half years, so new players don’t miss out on what has come before.
It’s a great solution to catch new and returning players up to the best Forza Horizon 5 content, and a clever way to keep things fresh by ensuring there is always something to do.
PS5 players also have access to two paid downloadable content expansions from launch too – Rally Adventure and Hot Wheels – if, for some reason, they deem the base game not enough.
OK, but what is Forza Horizon 5 actually like to play on PS5? Well, it’s basically the exact same game it has been on Xbox and PC.
Car control is very accessible and forgiving, meaning weaving between traffic at 300km/h or controlling an all-wheel-drive drift through mud is a breeze.
Forza Horizon 5 also takes advantage of the PS5 controller’s adaptive trigger and haptic feedback features, though my hands still feel more comfortable gripping an Xbox controller than one from Sony.
Each car also feels distinct enough from each other, with varying levels of performance and control, so swapping from a new Ford Bronco into an old one is a vastly different experience.
And while the controls and gameplay stray much more towards the casual or arcade racing philosophy, there are enough options here to keep more hardcore racers happy.
Traction control, stability control, AI difficulty, manual shifting, and a visible driving line can all be toggled on or off independently, making sure – like with each car – the experience can be customised to individual taste and skill.
Furthermore, the accessibility options are vast, including a colourblind mode, game-speed modification, and text-to-speech, which opens the game up to a whole new audience that might struggle with the brash and shouty presentation.
And this isn't to mention the multiplayer, which allows your to roam around the open world and partake in races with your mates – or even line-up against rivals – which works seamlessly within the game world.
In a nutshell, Forza Horizon 5 offers something for everyone – whether it be high-octane racing thrills, mud-plugging exploratory fun, garage-busting car-collecting, or even just a new perspective to see its setting of Mexico.
The game can throw a lot at you though, with big and bright pop ups and constant radio chatter telling you about what to do next, but take Forza Horizon 5 at your own pace and there is a treasure trove of top-tier content to be seen.
For those that have already played on Xbox or PC, the PS5 version of the game doesn’t add anything new to justify double dipping.
But for those that have not had access to Forza Horizon 5 until now, quite simply, it’s the most enjoyable racing game on PlayStation – and that’s including Gran Turismo 7.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
