When it comes to driving games, few do it better than Forza, in fact in some ways they actually do it too well. The established Forza franchise broke onto the Xbox as direct competition to the Playstation's Gran Turismo series, and through each incarnation it has become the driving game of choice for true petrol heads. It is perhaps thanks to this position of superiority that they decided to branch out with the more accessible and 'fun', Forza Horizon. Though the complexities of Forza have never gripped me, it was hard not to admire the scope and quality of the games, I wanted to get involved, and I'd hoped Forza Horizon was going to be that missing link - an accessible Forza title - and for the most part, it is. For starters, I have no idea what bump stiffness is, and for this Forza I don't need to. You find yourself at the Horizon festival, a place brimming with music, festival-goers and cars - it's all a little jarring at first: who are these people, I wonder? Why do they seem so Jazzed? Is that Vin Diesel? Thankfully the fear of being cast as Paul Walker subsides as you realise this is more DIRT meets SSX than The Fast and The Furious meets The Fast and The Furious Tokyo Drift. Immediately, you'll notice that the game feels more like Codemasters' recent efforts as the developer Playground Games is made up from developers across the racing-game spectrum, putting together their knowledge and elements of each game to make something new. From presentation through to free-roaming design it feels little like a Forza game, except for the driving itself. Each car feels different enough that driving skill needs to be developed for each occasion, whilst the inner workings of the car are merely toned down to suit a more casual audience. The racing itself captures break-neck speeds wonderfully, helped by the undulating nature of the Colorado landscape, but speed is a bigger factor than in Forza's other titles as car damage is drastically limited. Whilst the removal of concern for your car's well-being might dilute the concern for control, the speed at which you travel offsets that. Another bonus for those with a more Burnout-inclined disposition. The repeating of races to learn the routes gives it that fail-repeat play that the early Tony Hawk's games relied upon, and latterly SSX, and it works especially well when in competition with online friends as each challenge throws up your friends results asking if you want 'bring it on'. Beat them and a message is sent to their hub informing them of your superiority, instilling competition and replay value. This does becomes an issue however when considered alongside the free-roaming aspect of the game: an open world to explore worked OK in Test Drive Unlimited and Burnout Paradise, and Forza Horizon uses aspects of those games to make it interesting. Speed cameras with which to compete with friends and battered old cars in hidden barns try their best to make the world seem full, but it all seems a bit fruitless as the racing itself is so well done. I've never enjoyed the route planning aspects of games that require driving to an event to drive, it all seems like a long-drawn out menu screen: the countryside is beautiful, the lighting is dynamic, but I much prefer experiencing it in a race setting. I guess that's the difference between a racing game and a driving game. The compromise is especially noticable when the loading screens occur too frequently, and with such an in-your-face style reminiscent of DIRT that it completely takes you away from the idea that there is an open world to explore. Constant hints, tips and adverts as you wait for your next race (or next drive to your next race), completely ruin the freeness of it all. Likewise with the challenges - I found myself not caring about the characters I was racing against and small interludes with their self-sure cockiness was an annoyance, rather than being beneficial to the story." It all makes sense why it is in the game though: by taking away these things the game essentially becomes Forza-Lite, and that's not enough to warrant a purchase, particularly with the new Need For Speed now out. The reasoning is sound and as a first outing it can be ignored thanks to the quality of the racing, which is something quite special. The music festival surroundings provide a varied and modern playlist that is seamlessly woven into the game as a number of DJ's play songs befitting the scenario. The fact the DJ's seem as wired as everyone else involved in the game makes me think not one human at this festival would pass a drugs-test, a breathalyser test, or even a driving test: their personalities are ramped up to 11 and frankly that's just irritating. Don't let my sourness towards the personalties and the presentation put you off. Like I say, the driving is great fun, some might say fast and furious... I wouldn't. I'd say it's exactly what I wanted from Forza but was too out of my depth to understand: I had my worries that trying to find a middle ground for the franchise would prove too difficult, but for seasoned veterans who want to take to the open road, and speed-freaks who want something a little less ridiculous, then Forza Horizon succeeds. Forza Horizon is out now.