The Forza Horizon series has quickly become one of the best open-world racing franchises out there, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. The gameplay is thrilling, the cars feel lifelike, the open-world locales are fun to explore, and it has everything someone would expect from a game like this. The studio continues to set the bar higher and higher with each entry, and Forza Horizon 5 may be the best one yet. While that is all great to see, it is made even better be the unique crossover content the series is known for.
Ever since Forza Horizon 2, Playground Games has added crossover content to every single entry. Some of the most iconic franchises and IPs have cropped up over the years, and each game seems to take the concept even further. Recently, even the upcoming Barbie movie joined the fray with a unique set of cars. All this crossover content could simply feel like fun gimmicks, but Playground has ensured that it is actually worth the price of admission.
Forza Horizon Has Delivered on its Crossover Potential
The Forza Horizon crossover fun began back in 2015 with a Forza Horizon 2 and Fast and Furious crossover. This was a free standalone crossover that thrust the Forza Horizon formula into the Fast and Furious franchise. There was a brand-new original story involving the crew of Fast and Furious 7, and players were able to cruise down the street in some of the franchise's most iconic vehicles. While it is no longer purchasable as of 2018, it set the bar high for every Forza Horizon crossover after.
Forza Horizon 3 and 4 would end up including various purchasable cars from iconic IPs during their tenures. The Halo series' Warthog was available to Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo 5: Guardians players, Final Fantasy 15's Regalia was added as DLC, James Bond fans could race around in iconic cars from that franchise, and even Cyberpunk 2077 had a presence in the open world. None of these crossovers were on the same level as what came before, but they were all fantastic treats for fans of the various franchises.
Forza Horizon would take it to an entirely different level with the release of Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels. This expansion took the gameplay of Forza Horizon 3 and threw it into a new location filled with classic Hot Wheels shenanigans. Massive tracks filled the sky, iconic toys became lifelike vehicles, and high-speed races were waiting to be conquered. It was unlike anything Forza Horizon fans had seen before, and completely changed the direction of the franchise's future crossover content.
Forza Horizon 4 would include a similar expansion pack that LEGO-fied its world. Forza Horizon 4 LEGO Speed Racers let players get behind the wheel of massive LEGO cars and had them race against others in unique LEGO challenges. Forza Horizon 5 then brought the Hot Wheels crossover back for a bigger, better, and stranger experience. Both were fantastic adventures from start to finish, and it will be interesting to see where Playground Games takes these concepts next.
The crossover fun does not end there either as Forza Horizon 5 just recently received two brand-new vehicles to advertise the upcoming Barbie movie. Players can now race through the streets in Barbie's classic Corvette and Ken's Hummer. Both vehicles fit right into the wacky crossovers that have come before, and fans will hopefully get the most out of them. While it may not be on the same level as some of these expansions, it is still a worthy addition to this acclaimed open-world racer.
Forza Horizon 5 is available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.