Forza Horizon 6 releases for Xbox Series X|S and PC next week, and the reviews for the initial launch version of the title suggest anyone picking up the PS5 version later in the year is in for a proper treat.

From over 60 critic reviews, a Metacritic average of 92 considers it a "must play" following "universal acclaim". This is the same overall score attached to Forza Horizon 5, which was ported over to PS5 last year, and is widely considered one of the best racing experiences available. A PS5 version of Forza Horizon 6 is confirmed to launch later this year.

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As the Polyphony Digital simulator Gran Turismo 7 satisfies a more hardcore crowd, the Forza Horizon franchise is essentially the premier arcade racing series on PS5, despite the fact that it's published by Xbox maker Microsoft. The best competition it has is probably The Crew Motorfest, but even it pales in comparison to the Playground Games joint.

Below, we've compiled a selection of Forza Horizon 6 reviews, which will give you a strong indicator of what to expect when the Japan-set racer comes to PS5 later this year. We'll have our own review on the site when that PS5 version is ready to launch.

You can browse the Xbox Series X|S reviews via this link and the PC reviews through this link.

Eurogamer - 5/5

Playground Games does it again: equal parts adept teacher and artisanal tour guide, Forza Horizon 6 takes the lessons from 14 years of series history and applies them with panache.

IGN - 10/10

Technically, Forza Horizon 6 has not skipped a beat, and it runs like a titan. Aesthetically, it’s the best-looking and best-sounding game Playground has produced to date, set in the most wonderfully realised map it’s ever crafted – full of dense, authentic details and stunning driving roads. It’s rewarding to explore, the campaign is well-paced with a great payoff, and I simply cannot stop playing. I’ll always concede Forza Horizon 3 may forever be my favourite open-world racer, because who doesn’t love driving around their own backyard, but make no mistake: Forza Horizon 6 is unequivocally the best. The new standard in open-world racing is here, and it’s a gundamn masterpiece.

VGC - 5/5

Forza Horizon 5 was already an exceptional racing game, but Forza Horizon 6 takes everything up a notch to deliver an even more engaging, entertaining and all-encompassing experience. There's an absolute wealth of racing, exploring and collecting to do here, and that's before the inevitable live-service updates start adding even more content. Few games are as essential as this.

DualShockers - 9.5/10

Forza Horizon 6 is as good as you hoped it would be. Japan has quickly become my favorite location, and the in-game map really does it justice. There's so much to see and do that even after spending the past week with the game, it feels like I've barely scratched the surface. While again, there isn't much in terms of new ideas or innovation, the Horizon series didn't need it. There's already a well-established formula in place, and Playground Games did well to continue delivering one of the best racing experiences you'll ever have with Forza Horizon 6.

Pure Xbox - 9/10

Forza Horizon 6 delivers what is easily the series' most complete experience to date. The Japanese map is amazing; a joy to explore - and the location's visuals are off the charts too, across the board. Whilst I'd have liked to see a bit more in terms of new races and event types, particularly in the Tokyo region, there's still so much fun to be had here that it's more of a nitpick than anything else. Forza Horizon fans are going to have so much fun with this sixth iteration, and that's not to mention how much the game will change and evolve over time as Playground Games keeps adding to it. Horizon Japan is officially here, and I feel like I'm going to be playing this game for years to come.

GameSpot - 8/10

Nevertheless, Forza Horizon 6 is a gorgeous open-world game that is as much about racing as it is about taking a virtual vacation. Moving the series to Japan is an overdue high note, giving players the best map to date, while the hundreds of cars once again look and feel incredible, no matter the type or terrain. The customization options and an obsession with showering you in positive stimuli make every mile feel worthwhile, but if you're very familiar with the series, you might agree that some of the formula has become predictable by now. There's still lots of tread on these tires, though, and it's enough to make Forza Horizon 6 another joy ride in the most adaptable and enjoyable racing series out there.

GamesRader - 8/10

If there was a bit of personality on show from the rival drivers, more action in the racing to make it less of a procession, a little more resistance in the trackside obstacles and Flatout 4-style deformation tech for the crashes, this would likely be the best racing game ever made. As it is, while it plays the racing too safe to be essential for racing game aficionados, even they will undoubtedly take much enjoyment from the sheer high quality of this game. It is amazing.

Have these reviews convinced you to get the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 6 when it's out, or are you jumping straight in on Xbox Series X|S or PC next week? Let us know in the comments below.

[source metacritic.com]