Forza Horizon 3 (CODEX)

Australia’s sun-baked highways, rainforest trails, vineyards, beaches, and city streets turn this open-world racer into a road trip with a serious need for speed. Forza Horizon 3 casts you as the boss of the Horizon Festival rather than merely another driver, giving its career a welcome sense of ownership as the event spreads across the continent. Its mood is celebratory and approachable, balancing spectacular supercars with off-road trucks, classic muscle, rally machines, and everyday performance favorites. More than 350 vehicles are available, and each feels suited to a different corner of the enormous, varied map.

Racing is the main attraction, but the freedom between events matters just as much. You drive wherever you want, smash through roadside objects, hunt barn finds, take on speed traps and danger signs, or follow the next festival showcase across surfaces ranging from clean asphalt to loose dirt and wet sand. Winning events and earning fans unlocks new festival sites and expansions, while the campaign lets you choose what types of championships to create and where to place them. Horizon Blueprint adds further control by allowing custom events with chosen routes, cars, weather, laps, and restrictions, and four-player online co-op lets friends progress through the festival together while AI Drivatars keep solo races lively.

What makes Forza Horizon 3 special is how confidently it mixes arcade accessibility with convincing vehicle handling and an unusually rich sense of place. Dynamic weather can turn a familiar route into a slippery challenge, while the transition from paved road to open countryside encourages reckless shortcuts without making every race feel weightless. The Australian setting remains one of the series’ strongest, delivering distinct regions rather than a single repetitive sandbox, all supported by excellent lighting, radio stations, and a polished car roster. Fans of Forza Horizon 4, The Crew, or Need for Speed who want a less aggressive, more joyful open-world driving experience will find plenty to enjoy, while newcomers benefit from flexible assists and veterans can chase faster lines, tougher AI, and custom events.