The Forza Horizon series has almost always maintained a high level, so “worst” doesn’t necessarily mean bad. It’s just that some installments have weathered the storm better, while others are more reliant on old compromises.
6. Forza Horizon 2 (2014)
The second installment moved the festival to southern Europe and, for the first time, gave the series real scope: fields, serpentines, the coast, and night races. It looked vibrant back then, but now FH2 feels the most uneven. The map is beautiful, but empty in places, progress often bogs down similar championships, and the Xbox 360 version was noticeably weaker.
- Pros: Nice atmosphere, beautiful roads, good step after the first part.
- Cons: monotonous structure, outdated online, little depth.
5. Forza Horizon (2012)
The first Horizon is important as the series’ beginning. It took the physics of Forza Motorsport, stripped away the unnecessary strictness, and added a festival, music, and the free roads of Colorado. It’s still a joy to return to for the atmosphere: there’s less chaos, fewer icons, and more of a genuine car festival feel. But the world is smaller, there’s less freedom, and the content is limited by today’s standards.
- Pros: festival atmosphere, good progression.
- Cons: few cars and activities, closed sections of roads.
4. Forza Horizon 3 (2016)
Australia was the moment when the series really took off. Beaches, deserts, jungles, and cities provided a strong contrast, and for the first time, the player was entrusted with developing a festival. There were plenty of cars, varied races, and the map remains one of the most successful. The downside is that after the midway point, progress becomes a bit hazy, and some races feel like a to-do list.
- Pros: Great map, lots of road types, feeling of freedom.
- Cons: poor campaign, repeatable events.
3. Forza Horizon 4 (2018)
Britain wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the seasons brought the game to life. In winter, some tracks felt different, in autumn the grip changed, and in summer, you just wanted to cruise on the highway. FH4 is well-balanced: not as overloaded as FH5, but still very rich. The weak point is the map itself: it’s beautiful, but lacks the wow factor of Australia or Mexico.
- Pros: changing seasons, online work, lots of activities.
- Cons: questionable location, weak plot, not everyone liked the winter.
2. Forza Horizon 5 (2021)
Mexico gave the series its most vibrant and diverse world: volcanoes, deserts, jungles, coastlines, and long highways. It’s the best installment for those who want to download the game and immediately enjoy it. There’s a huge variety of cars, good tuning, and plenty of challenges. If you’re looking to buy Forza Horizon 5 , it’s for its scale and accessibility: it’s perfect for beginners. However, the rewards are overly generous, causing rare cars to quickly lose value.
- Pros: Gorgeous map, best visuals, lots of content.
- Cons: weak sense of progress, overabundance of rewards.
1. Forza Horizon 6 (2026)
Considering the series as it stands today, the sixth installment feels the most cohesive yet. Japan lends itself perfectly to Horizon: city streets, mountain passes, country roads, and the culture of tuning work better than the usual beautiful landscapes. Most importantly, the game hasn’t simply become larger, but has more carefully integrated racing, exploration, and collection. Yes, the formula is familiar, and there’s no “new word in the genre” miracle here. But as an arcade racing game, it’s the pinnacle of the series.
- Pros: best location, lots of cars, great roads for drifting.
- Cons: the formula hasn’t changed much, there are some minor rough spots.
