The perfect racing game? Nope! But close!

Racing actually usually include not necessarily my favorite genre. Because like all racers, passed me with time at some point the desire for the same old round race. Then the time came out Forza Horizon and showed me all of a sudden a whole new side of racing games. One side away from the 0815-round race, a page that can be fun right on the basis of a festival in racing game form. Especially me Horizon showed, however, that can be a racing game actually motivate and entertain for ages when you throw the right ingredients into the pot. For these reasons, part 1 counts for me personally no doubt among the best racing games of the last generation of consoles. My anticipation for "Horizon 2" was therefore accordingly quite large. So, and now after several hours with the new Forza (am now rank 40) I take the liberty now even a judgment, leaning just once at the beginning of my review as far out of the window and say, the last Game is this time one which is his fucking hype and my expectations on almost every respect justice!

Oh, who knows my reviews that I sometimes like to know a little more than four lines ausschweife and write. And since "Horizon 2" has much to offer, I'm an accordingly also to a few points in more detail. My review is therefore somewhat läääääänger failed again, just as a warning ;-)

\\\ /// GRAPHIC

Visually looks "Horizon 2" just wonderful pretty. Bearing in mind that this is all built from the point of "Open World" here, then what is offered is very neat. Thanks to 1080p the Game is knackscharf, regardless of whether the picture-pretty environment, somehow constantly Urlaubsfeeling causes or the many bodies (every car has ne cockpit view, hood, asphalt and two rear perspectives). The foresight is top and the light and shadow effects are among the best that you can see so far on the One got (chic sunsets included). Dirty the carriages of course, if you thunders example on the field or the field. Most can "Horizon 2" his muscles but in combination play with rain. In sunshine like thunder followed times, it starts to drizzle slightly, Heaven draws to itself until it finally pours with rain (but it can also only times Drizzle). The rain effects have become incredibly good! Raindrops patter on the car paint, shine the streets and formed puddles. Sounds of rain now and it clears up, car and asphalt still remain naturally wet. And here is the graphics engine really comes rolling. Because the combination of wet roads and sunshine is just awesome! Everything is reflected in the asphalt (sun and clouds, buildings or billboards) and the cars reflect through their wet paint much more light. On top of it then comes of course the successful day and night cycles, and at night the beautiful lighting effects of headlights, brake lights, lit streets, etc. if you, for example, larger shrubs bypasses very laaaaangsaaaam The only thing something is here displeases. Here you can see then that pretty clear, all it really just are objects, these flaps to quite obvious as such. This is now no longer wild, but want it nevertheless times to mention.

\\\ GAME World / Europe ///

One of the greatest strengths of "Horizon 2" is definitely the huge open game world which located in Europe (France and Italy) and thanks to the new approach (I'll call it over hill and dale) is basically to enable vehicles apart by some barriers and cliffs that block the way every now and then. Because one does not necessarily have to use the roads made to move forward in "Horizon 2". So you would rather swish through Bete, over hills or through the woods created by Mother Nature, you can do that gladly. The game world was designed incredibly detailed and varied. Many small villages through which you can drive large and small mountains and landscapes, meadows and fields as far as the eye can see, promenades, the yachts sail on the sea and park in the port, highways, streets, highways and much more. My point: The world is highly varied and we often just stays also likes to stand only by car and looks at the pretty surroundings. In the game world number Rabbate- and EP-signs also are again hidden and positioned, as well as the famous barn finds from part. 1

\\\ /// SOUND

In terms of sound makes "Horizon 2" really fun. The engine noise sound always different and brachial and the whole scenery is very engaging. If you play through Surround, so you are right in the middle. Well I also like that there are lots of regulator in the menu to the different sound tracks such as engine volume, music, adapting GPS voice etc.

\\\ SCOPE: CHAMPIONSHIPS, cars, tuning and MORE ///

Here the creators have certainly padded and not spilled. With more than 160 championships and a whopping 700 (!) Race (which is a ground right at the start of the game under the nose) has to do properly. Among the racing modes are found normal circuit racing as they are known from other racing games, A to B races, fun race (with special cars to fulfill certain tasks, eg. High-speed crack), special race against aircraft or trains, the new off-road racing and you can also restore the many Drivatare (ie images of real players) call in the game world for a spontaneous race out. To be able to tackle all the challenges and races, you need of course, exactly the car. Here Horizon 2 offers approximately 200 bodies from all areas a neat range brands such as Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari, Pagani, Hammer, TVR, BMW, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Audi, reputation and the rest of them holds ready. I like the selection of car models really good, because there are hardly any duplicate and many current coaches. All cars can be tuned to suit your mood by the way, of course, again. So you can be companions for example, re-design with hundreds of different layers and let your creativity run wild. These designs can be found online for other drivers and showcased then again. The same applies to wheels, tire sizes, spoilers, window tinting, yes, just everything as we know it from Forza. If you still want to hold for eternity his artwork, which looks for a nice spot, goes into the extensive photo mode which again is doing and makes a few snapshots of his cart.

\\\ /// GAMEPLAY

I am neither a racer nor car expert and I'm really driven very few of these super sports car in this game times in real, so I've no idea whether "Horizon 2" more goes toward Arcade or Simulation, nor how realistic a Pagani Zonda or Lamborghini Huracan moves in this game. For my taste, the control is, however, totally catchy and fun promoting what is for me most importantly. The cars go to all different (a cart is deflected like a bus, another car is like a board on the road) and you can feel immediately whether you control a car with four-wheel, rear or front wheel drive. Even rain has a significant impact on driving behavior. Here glissades at high speeds are almost inevitable when one is careless. Also nice again: There are several configuration options to adjust the difficulty level (eg racing line, braking assistance, damage only cosmetically or having an impact on driving behavior and the famous rewind function is also back with us.). Even the familiar upgrade system is back around successful and motivating high 10. In the middle of the top of the screen you as with part 1 an EP-circle, is where, filled with actions such as drifting, lee rides, burnouts and of course victories , If the circle full, you finally rises by one rank up and qualifies by colored bands ever for the grand finale. For each ascent is then obtained a Wheel spin, ie a so-called free rotation on a Preisrad. Here then waving money winnings and even cars. A new feature of Part 2, which you now can through driver points even select certain attributes and unlock, for example. more bonuses for slipstream or drifts more credits next victory and similar stuff.

I would like to commend at this point, incidentally, the detailed statistics. Whether time behind the wheel, number of races, fleet value, value of the parts, favorite car, the most successful car, the most valuable car, online podiums, online EP, distance, max. Lateral acceleration, max. Tire temperature, Avg. Travel, barn finds, Blitzer, car meet, overall progress, show race won, records as speed or longest drift and so on and so forth. For statisticians this is certainly a feast.

\\\ /// MULTIPLAYER

The multiplayer mode is another major strength of "Horizon 2". In addition to car clubs where you join or even can create one and can hold several hundred members, one can book online in a pool of up to 12 players in one world play. Of course, the game world is the same as in single-player and it is also completely free passable depending on the game mode. If you want, you can therefore comfortably draw in a group through the country. Then there is in the world, certain points on which each player can start a race, each driver receives a message about it and then join. For this you simply drive only to a mark on the map, to start the whole and can set all the rules before the race, so to prevail that weather if you go in teams, etc. pp. The fun race you can play cooperatively and minigames (catch the king, etc.) are also back with us.

\\\ Festival feeling ///

What "Horizon 2" is clearly distinguished definitely from other racing games that sexy festival atmosphere. Here there is no boring professional racing atmosphere. No, here dominate radio stations with many well-known songs, DJ's, people who depend everywhere and have fun, dance, walk and cheer one, day and night cycles, fireworks and laser shows, plus the small edge story with quite likeable characters, the scenery , In short, it's fun!

\\\ What I LESS LIKE ///

Despite all the praise is "Horizon 2" not perfect ... not quite. Actually, there are few things that really bother me. Firstly, it is in "Horizon 2" apparently, you can not sell cars. In case you messed in ne Karre lack invested (like me, for example, in an off-roader 70000) you simply times out of luck. Here only the removal from the fleet remains (ie delete!) As an option, and it did not work in my eyes. What bothers me also still have the load / store hours in the editor mode. Whether you painted the entire car or just the hood, the loading times are sometimes too long. Even worse are the load times in Design mode, ie where, in other words can bring layers on the car vinyls, emblems. Here me the game is the way also frozen twice ... Not nice!

\\\ HORIZON 2 CONCLUSION ///

As mentioned at the beginning of my review, "Horizon 2" his hype and my personal expectations will meet up on some minor points, absolutely. Yes "Horizon 2" is definitely for my taste one of the best racing games of recent years. Because in this game was made so damn much right, that it just a pleasure for hours to gamble there, whether alone, with strangers or friends online, tuning cars, the high entertainment value, the chic look or the strong soundscape. These are now of course only my personal impressions which should not be taken as a measure. Another is sure to disturb things that I like, or vice versa. Earned for my taste "Horizon 2" but no more than full 5 stars! Well, now enough of words and a lot of fun with the game, or even just nich ...

Century