As a car nerd I particularly enjoyed how exceedingly British the barn finds have been, representing a really respectful and well-rounded cross section of British car culture. The supporting cast of cars is the biggest it’s ever been in the series, and also the most eclectic, with rides ranging from the 59-kilogram Peel P50 microcar to the ludicrously large Unimog, which is fun but so big it can actually cause the chase camera a spot of grief sometimes when passing under structures. It’s probably my favourite place to joyride. Edinburgh in Horizon 4 is a beautiful place, oozing with history and boasting a really interesting road layout. The star of the map, however, is Edinburgh, which is much prettier than Horizon 3’s Surfers Paradise. There’s also a wider difference between road types, which range from wide, modern motorways to narrow alleys and quirky junctions that could’ve been designed hundreds of years before the invention of internal combustion. Having Horizon 4’s roads wind over so many hills results in more interesting driving. The overt distinctions between zones aren’t as stark as they are in Horizon 3’s Australia, which shifts from extremes like dry orange desert to dank rainforest, but a massive increase in elevation differences makes up for that. Dawn and dusk in particular are incredible showcases for Horizon 4’s lighting, and it’s these times of day I most enjoy for some more gentle cruising. On Xbox One X I’ve opted to stick with the game’s default “Quality” mode (native 4K, HDR, 30 frames per second) because I’ve been content with playing Horizon games locked at 30 fps in the past, but there is also a “Performance” mode (which cranks up the framerate to 60 and sets the resolution at 1080p, also with HDR). The star of the map is Edinburgh, which is much prettier than Horizon 3's Surfers Paradise.It’s gorgeous and I’ve enjoyed exploring it immensely. There also more life to it, with deer, rabbits, chickens, and some amazingly agile sheep in residence. Babbling brooks, dense forests, a wide beach, rocky mountaintops, castles, and other centuries-old structures are scattered all across the map. It’s a place filled with quaint little towns, quiet farms, and snaking country roads lined with hedges and crumbling stone walls. I can’t quite vouch for the more granular details of the environment that Playground Games nailed so well in Forza Horizon 3 because I don’t live in Britain, but overall Horizon 4’s Britain is just dazzling. It’s not just the world turned white the landscape takes on an entirely new identity. If you’ve played Forza Horizon 3: Blizzard Mountain, you’ll have a basic idea of what to expect. There just seems to be so much detail, from the spectrum of colours in the trees as their leaves die off at different rates, to the soggy roadside puddles that persist in an environment that’s becoming too cool for them to evaporate. It’s been Autumn throughout the bulk of this review and it might just be my favourite season. There’s a glimpse of all four seasons during the four- to five-hour introduction phase, but once the prologue’s first “year” is over seasons will rotate weekly (online or offline). As someone who’ll happily wear the same jeans and hoodie for a decade I’m a little numb to fashion, personally, but the GTA Online-style victory dances are pretty cute. Whether the piles of emotes, avatar clothing options, and novelty horns grab your fancy will be a matter of personal preference.
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