I’ve just finished NFS Unbound, and the physics are great. Gameplay is good, but oh my word it has missed the mark on authenticity by prioritising ‘wokeness’ rather than story. I don’t want to go too much into that as this is a Forza discussion. Forza falls in the same trap. Forza caters towards ‘E for everyone’ which is great. I think it is essential to provide a platform for LGBTQ+ individuals where they can express themselves comfortably. However, I feel this is prioritised and neglects the people who have played Forza since the very first day and love Forza for what is has been. Forza Horizon is no longer recognisable as Forza anymore (to me personally). Like, imagine this… Pretend Horizon 1-4 is non existent. If this was the very first Forza Horizon game, would you ever pick up a Forza Horizon game again? Do you feel emotionally attached to the game like the others did? Im guessing no as the game feels so neutral and provides no authenticity. The older games used to be competitive, interactive and sociable. Now, it is a reclusive sandbox. Socially, the game just doesn’t have enough substance.
I find more and more games treading on egg shells in regards to the story which impacts the game so much more. - AND fyi, I am a gay man who has enjoyed Forza since the very first Motorsport. I’ve felt very comfortable and enjoyed the games previously. I may not be the best on this discussion but I really wanted to bring awareness onto this because its almost all video games now, not just Forza. I’m quite frustrated and everyone deserves better.
I would like everyones input, if you agree, disagree…
Everything has to be fun and joyful now. They focus so much on feelings too. Just take the pressing question “What does Horizon mean to you?” And the Miss Universe acceptance speech answer he gives.
I still like the game (for tuning and painting) but it doesn’t have much of a campaign or story. I mean, the Horizon Festival is supposed to be the greatest car racing event in the world but you don’t get any of that. You’re supposed to be the best and popular driver but playing the game you’re just a guy.
Take a look at NFS Underground. You start out as a nobody and you work your way up the ranks. You become a well respected racer and friend. That game came out 20 years ago! You’d think that by now they’re able to at least match a campaign and story like that??
Um, you do realize that “E for Everyone” is simply the ESRB rating meaning the game is appropriate for all ages. It has absolutely nothing to do with race, ethnic background, sexual orientation, or any other social labels.
It is also hurting their sales. Nfs unbound is selling less than heat. There are probably other reasons as well but that is definitely one of them.
In a similar matter holywood trying to go Woke results in the same thing. People just wont watch these movies.
As far as horizon goes youre right. The game opening up for everyone has brought the kind of players that want everything to be given to them with ease. Progression is getting removed and even if it exists its very dulled down. No story, cringe flat characters. Hell even the environment. Empty and lifeless.
My first game was horizon 4. I picked it up 2020 on steam. And i was really impressed with it. But now having played h5. And h3 and seen the older games…
The maps, the cities, the music… The festivals themselves look even more appealing and real. In horizon 2 you can even see the horizon staff taking a more central approach by appearing in abundance on the track. In horizon 3 at the starting grid you can even see everyones cars. That cinematic/animation is soo beautifully done.
Horizon 1s canon.Progression in horizon 2 literally being about taking road trips. Horizon 3s Surfers Paradise is amazing! It even has pedestrians!
Even horizon 4 beats horizon 5 when it comes to more authentic environments. And 4s map feels really fun to drive. I liked the Seasons.
H5 feels nothing like these older games. And its not as if im a horizon veteran. H4 was my first horizon game as i said that i picked up in 2020.
Just looking back at the older days. I honestly wish i knew about this game earlier.
The only short coming is h1 and h2 not being on pc. But either way i wouldve bought an Xbox in a heartbeat if i knew earlier. I dont feel the same way about 5.
Its a good game but its not a great game. Horizon needs to look back at what made the older games so great.
Actually, a lot more people are “woke” & they make these calculations to boost sales. The general population is more “woke” now.
Also, opening up the game to everyone has its benefits. It means more sales from a larger group. More & more people play video games, including driving simulators & not everyone wants a hardcore gaming mode.
I didn’t mean to delete my previous response. I really hate this new forum. It’s a mess. It’s more confusing then the old one. How is a game woke lol? It’s bad because Horizon IS NO LONGER PRIMARILY A RACING GAME. It has zero to do with whatever woke means. There is too much other junk in the way. Playlists, stories etc… do not belong in a racing game. The social aspects have been destroyed. Literally had to wait in H2 to get in with my friends. It was a social racing game and that has just been completely removed. Clubs rendered meaningless. Club garage was removed. Club points removed. There is no incentive to play it that way. It’s a car collecting game. I never cared to collect cars before H4. I don’t have every car in H1-H3 or in FM1-FM6 nor did I even care to do that. It wasn’t even a thought to be honest. They just need to go back to basics and remove the bloated junk things that take away from the racing. I’ve been saying this before woke was ever a thing. I don’t even listen or care what the dumb characters say. It’s mostly meaningless babble. It I could turn it off I would. I find it irritating, time wasting and distracting. FM doesn’t have this stuff but this whole progression thing isn’t what I’m playing for. I just want to race with my friends in online lobbies. I enjoy rivals and time attack competitions with friends. That’s it. Just keep it simple. There is a reason I don’t play RPG’s and RPG elements have no business being in a racing game.
Gearheads ARE NOT WOKE!! We get cuts filled w/oil, enamel reducer, carb cleaner etc. We eat chicken w/dirty stained hands. Maybe think of the demographic?
Horizon needs a revised career mode with better progression. Perhaps add New Game+ or seasons like in FM4 so we can keep playing the game would be much better than what we have now. I never played online but offline it would be nice if we had some kind of antagonist like in FH1 to have some kind of goal to beat. There’s no goal now. Just win races. The end. It’s a bit boring.
