No, this is not a joke. I have been playing this game on the Xbox 360 for about a week now. I’ve never played the Xbox One version (as I can’t afford the console yet), but I’ve read up on exactly what the differences are, plus I’ve watched videos comparing the graphics. And I have to say… I think I’m enjoying the 360 version more than I would the one which is surely better… right? Now, this isn’t just about the weather effects, but the rain is a good example of the “good things” in the X1 version that I’ve come to appreciate not having. Consider:
I like exactly one thing about rain in video games, and that’s how it looks. I don’t like racing in the rain for the same reason I don’t like driving in the rain in real life: it’s a chore… not fun… ever. I get that it adds a degree of challenge, but when you can get all the challenge you could possibly need from the game without rain, that means you don’t actually need the rain for the challenge, yes? So I don’t feel as if I’m missing out by not having rain in this one. Maybe, if in the X1 version you could turn it on and off or make it so the rain is only aesthetic, I’d feel differently. But as it stands, I’d rather know I will never have to race in the rain again.
What about the wheelspins? Doesn’t it appeal to me, the idea of getting rich faster and occasionally winning a free car? Well, no, not really. All this would do is make it so I could afford a new car a lot faster… which means I’d spend less time accumulating that wealth, which means I’d probably be finished with the game sooner. Now, maybe the X1 version has a lot more content in terms of events and such, I don’t know. But I’m quite satisfied with the number of events in my version of the game already, and now I just want to master these events with all the different vehicles. This will most certainly take a while! But I feel that if I start getting bank much faster than I already am, I’ll have too much money too quickly, and that diminishes the sense of accomplishment, IMO.
Okay, but I gotta prefer fewer walled in areas, right? In theory, yes. In practice, I’m not so sure. I also much enjoy having to learn which seeming shortcuts are real and which are not. That is, I want to learn my way around either way, and it’s okay by me if I can’t take a shortcut in this version that you can in your version. After all, it means my opponents can’t do it either, so where’s the harm?
Drivatars and other online goodies. Don’t care about it. I’m not much of an online gamer. Competing with people’s best times and such is good enough for me. I’ll never be the grand champion (and neither will you), so why bother acting like we’re moving up in some significant way when we’re really not? Maybe if I had a few friends who played this particular racing game, I’d feel differently. Then I could at least brag that I’m better than some of them. But even then, I’m not sure I’d consider it worth the other aspects of one game vs the other.
One thing I can’t argue with is the graphics. The X1 version is unquestionably better in this regard… But when you think about it… If I want to see the best graphics, I can just watch it on YouTube. I don’t have to spend $360+, so methinks I will be content with Forza Horizon 2 on Xbox 360.
This is just my opinion, guys. And I mean that in more than one way. I already know it’s just my opinion but I thought I’d share it anyway. Feel free to give your thoughts!
Don’t take this the wrong way, but sounds to me like you just want it to be easy. Not that that’s a bad thing, you’ve got to find enjoyment in a game whichever way you choose to play it, and if that means you want the easier version then so be it. Personally, I play games that provide a challenge, as I like the feeling of knowing I can improve and beat those challenges, so the Xbox One version works for me.
I have to say though, I think you really need to play both to know that you prefer one over the other, and I’ve not even done that myself.
Well I don’t really want it to be too easy; I mean, I drive with all assists off and everything. But yeah, I probably like it easier than most gamers. I’m not really a huge fan of racing games, but this one has me hooked for some reason. And I suppose it could be argued that even though I know what the differences between the two are, I might still not know if one is more enjoyable to actually play until I try them both. But I consider the odds very low that I would somehow start enjoying driving in the rain with this game, when I’ve hated it in all the others.
I have played both and the main thing I do not like with the 360 version is you can’t tune your car. If you want to be good at the game and be competitive, you need to tune your car. But, if you do not play online and you do not care about rivals that much…the 360 version is good for you. I would consider myself a very good Forza Horizon 2 driver and I know what it takes to get to that higher level. I race against the drivatars on Unbeatable difficulty and beat them fairly easily offline so that gets a little boring to me. Plus, I have played a good portion of the offline game that I mostly play online now. Casual playing = 360. Competitive playing= XB1
I have it on both consoles and to be fair the 360 game does not even come close.
ie Graphics quality of play and all the extra things you gain by playing this game on the one.
I loved Horizon on the 360 but Horizon 2 just did not do it for me.
Well I did say I think I’d still prefer the 360 version, and I gave my reasons. I don’t feel that I have to actually experience these things I listed (some of which I’ve experienced before in racing games, like the rain and getting rich too quickly) to know that I don’t like them. I mean, unless I got most of these details wrong about the X1 version, I don’t think it’s likely I would enjoy it any more than the one I have now. But maybe I’m missing something?
Thank you for being honest. I think at least allowing the player to unlock this (ability to control the weather) as a perk or some such would be great.
I can agree on the rain, it’s downright annoying. For such a sunny location you’d think there would be a couple a full days without a cloud in sight but no. It rains more than Seattle. Every. Single. Friggin. Day it rains! WHY? It is so annoying! Maybe I want to drive around and relax with the sun out without having it get all cloudy and gloomy. We get it, this is the first Forza to have weather but you don’t have to shove it in our faces. It’s so annoying. I wish they’d release a patch to make it rain much less or better yet let us control the weather. Making it rain literally every day makes me appreciate it much less.
I think you are missing the fact that the one has lots more features and better graphics then the 360 for starters.
I got bored very quickly with the 360 version where as the one has me playing every day
So far the rain hasn’t bothered me, although it does rain quite often.
I must admit that a few bucket list challenges featuring powerful car + rain + speed target have been quite tricky for me. So far i have managed them without breaking my controller though
Well we asked for weather and we got it. Its an arcadey game so rain wont have much affect on handling if you’ve upgraded / tuned right. Also just “reading up” on the One version doesnt mean anything.
Well I mentioned the graphics. And yeah, it’s definitely possible there are extra features in the X1 version that I’m not aware of. But so far, nothing I’ve heard strikes me as all that special.
Maybe you’re right, about the rain. Still, “much” is a matter of perspective. I’d rather not have anything extra to contend with, when I’m trying to master a given track. Love the way the rain looks, of course! Not so much its effect on my vehicle! And like I said earlier, I think that so long as the things I listed in my OP are true (which no one’s said they’re false), I have a good idea of what I would and wouldn’t like about the X1 version just by reading up. The question I face is, if I’m already more “sure” I won’t like it than “sure” that I will, should I spend another 60 bucks on this game, not to mention make it any kind of factor in deciding whether or not to buy an Xbox One?
but I thought I’d share it anyway. Feel free to give your thoughts!