Game review: Forza Horizon 2, Xbox one

Forza Horizon 2.

Pickings are slim for driving game fans these days. Gone are the days where there were a dozen or more driving franchises to choose from. But advances in technology have brought the genre to a point where there's just no point in smaller developers competing with the big four on consoles: Forza, Gran Turismo, Drive Club and Need for Speed. Even the latter is on an unprecedented hiatus for a while.

Forza Horizon was a terrific game but the festival it was based around tended to detract from the driving. So with Forza Horizon 2, while the Horizon Festival is still central, there are far fewer moments where you're not behind the wheel of one of 200 beautifully rendered vehicles.

The festival is in France and Italy this time, which makes for some jaw-dropping sightseeing on the numerous "road trips" between racing events.

The improvements are many without deviating from what made the original great. As if the seemingly endless stretches of road weren't enough, you can now veer offroad and drive almost anywhere on the map to explore. This feature is especially fun in multiplayer.

The Skill Point system has been refined and the player is encouraged to drive with flair in much the same way as Project Gotham Racing, and there isn't a solitary microtransaction.

Overall, Forza Horizon 2 is a sublime experience offline and an almost perfect one online. It's accessible to those who just want to drive, and there's enough tinkering available for the petrol-heads who like to delve a bit deeper.

- Review courtesy of Fatso Games Club