Forza Horizon 3

Our analysis

Easily the most fun Horizon yet: a gorgeous Australian open world with a superb HDR lighting engine, 350-plus cars, deep customization and challenge-anyone free roam. Weak damage modeling and novice AI that throws races are flaws, but he calls it one of the few classics he has played.

Our analysis

A fun open-world arcade driving game set in Australia, essentially an evolution of Forza Horizon 2 with the festival role flipped so you build and run your own events. The driving feels great even on a controller, the world looks gorgeous, and the deep customization options let any skill level stay competitive. The constant car handouts and gimmicky ramps cheapen progression, but it dominates a genre with little real competition.

Our analysis

A fun, gorgeous open-world racer with a brilliant sense of speed and an incredibly varied Australian map that is the real star. Deep car customization, hundreds of vehicles, strong multiplayer with the Drivatar system, and wild bucket-list showcase events make it a standout. Gated radio stations and forgettable contained track designs are minor gripes, but it lands as game-of-the-year material.