First Impressions of Forza Horizon 5 as a GT7 Veteran

[GMW]

Hi all,

I’m a GT7 Veteran but new to Forza Horizon, having only played Forza Motorsport on the Xbox 360 years ago. With over 3,000 hours in GT7 and a history with every Gran Turismo since the PS1, diving into Forza Horizon 5 (FH5) was a fresh and exciting experience.
This thread is about sharing my initial comparisons between FH5 and GT7—not to declare a winner, but to highlight how they differ and complement each other.

• Gameplay Style: GT7 leans heavily into simulation, rewarding precision and realism. FH5 blends some sim elements with a ton of arcade fun, making it more forgiving and playful.
• Graphics: GT7’s visuals are incredibly detailed, especially on tracks. FH5’s open-world graphics are impressive, though slightly less sharp, but the vibrant, sprawling map more than makes up for it.
• Freedom & Fun: FH5’s open world is a blast—freedom to explore, mess around, and go off-road with minimal consequences. GT7, by contrast, is more disciplined and track-focused.
• Tuning Feedback: I love FH5’s tuning feature where you can rev the engine and hear how each tweak affects the exhaust note. I’ve even kept some cars under-tuned for max horsepower just because they sound so good (looking at you, V12s!).
• Car Variety & Details: FH5’s massive car roster is a highlight, and I’m obsessed with details like convertible roofs animating in real-time (Ferrari, you’re stealing the show!). GT7’s cars feel more nuanced in handling, though.
• Audio: FH5’s soundtrack is great, but I wish I could emphasize engine sounds more without just lowering the music, like GT7 does so well.
• VR Experience: GT7 with PSVR2 is immersive perfection for track racing. FH5’s chaotic off-road antics wouldn’t translate as well to VR—motion sickness would be a real issue!
• Vibe: FH5 is a laid-back, fun evening drive, while GT7 demands focus and skill. They balance each other beautifully.

Overall, FH5 is a fantastic complement to GT7, offering open-world freedom and arcade joy without sacrificing too much sim depth. Both games have earned a spot in my rotation, and I’m excited to keep exploring FH5’s vibrant world.
What are your thoughts? Any FH5 tips for a newbie, or favorite cars I should check out? :-))

 

[Nacho Libre]

Welcome to FH5 and I'm happy you are enjoying your time with the game!

You have the freedom to play the game as you like of course, but my recommendation is doing the weekly playlists to get reward cards and Forza points, which is a valuable in-game currency (apart from credits) that you can exchange for expensive featured cars or backstage passes to trade for past reward cars.

And this handsome car will teach you all about power sliding/light drifting:

 

[RetroVelocity]

FH5 has its issues, but I think it’s a fantastic alternative to more hardcore racing games
I have it on PC and when I’m tired of trying to do ultra-serious sim racing on GT7 (“Trying” being the optimum word), I just boot it up and fling hypercars around Mexico for a couple hours

 

[GTboyz]

Welcome to FH5 and I'm happy you are enjoying your time with the game!

You have the freedom to play the game as you like of course, but my recommendation is doing the weekly playlists to get reward cards and Forza points, which is a valuable in-game currency (apart from credits) that you can exchange for expensive featured cars or backstage passes to trade for past reward cars.

And this handsome car will teach you all about power sliding/light drifting:

View attachment 1454011

do you think VIP membership is worth it for newcomers ? I don't know whether to get the base only or the Premium.

 

[Nacho Libre]

do you think VIP membership is worth it for newcomers ? I don't know whether to get the base only or the Premium.

In Forza Horizon 5, the VIP Membership offers exclusive rewards that include exclusive cars, customization options, and in-game boosts. It also provides a free Player House (Casa Solariega), 2x Credit race rewards, weekly bonus Super Wheelspins, and more. So, yeah, IMO worth it. And with the Premium of course come the 2 expansions and the car pass.

 

[GTboyz]

In Forza Horizon 5, the VIP Membership offers exclusive rewards that include exclusive cars, customization options, and in-game boosts. It also provides a free Player House (Casa Solariega), 2x Credit race rewards, weekly bonus Super Wheelspins, and more. So, yeah, IMO worth it. And with the Premium of course come the 2 expansions and the car pass.

sigh

clicks checkout

 

[Tuning_Maniac]

After playing GT7 since it came out, I was still enjoying the game and I only had to buy 15 more cars to get them all, so I was fully invested in that.
When FH5 came out I bought it because I wanted to experience what Forza was all about.
Sorry GT7, but I haven't played it since. Only in the first week I started the weekly challenge but I got bored so quickly.
Purely because I was only playing to get the more expensive cars to complete the collection.
Thanks to FH5 I have lost complete interest in GT7.

My biggest thing is that the car roster of FH5 is soo much better than GT7's. And that is a personal opinion off course, but I do prefer an old Scirocco, RS200, Capri, RS2 Avant, '95 M5, Escort Mk2, E55 wagon, ... instead of yet another car we already had but in a different trim.

Not saying the GT7 roster is complete crap, but I just prefer the style of FH5's roster more.

Currenlty really enjoying the hunt for all these cars without buying them, because that's the good thing as well. No need to grind races over and over again just to be able to buy a certain car. You just know that eventually you'll get it through a Wheelspin or whatever. And only if you can't wait you buy a car.

For such an open world, and knowing the game is a couple years old already, the graphics do impress me. Especially the ocean, I've already parked into the water a couple times and then just enjoy the view, it looks so good.

Driving isn't realistic but that's what you know when buying this game. Off course I try to race clean and take corners as they should but even then you often still slam into the wall and just keep going, but that makes it fun as well.

 

[PirovacBoy]

Driving isn't realistic

I'd say it heavily depends on the In game Settings.
Because to my surprise I noticed that Forza Horizon Physics Engine heavily depends and directly correlates to its in game settings.
I never came across a racing game with this approach.
But I can assure you that Forza CAN be set up very very close to the real thing.

Apparently no one I've watched so far on YouTube has the game set up the way I have, because comparing their driving to mine, we are playing two completely different games.

 

[Nacho Libre]

I'd say it heavily depends on the In game Settings.
Because to my surprise I noticed that Forza Horizon Physics Engine heavily depends and directly correlates to its in game settings.
I never came across a racing game with this approach.
But I can assure you that Forza CAN be set up very very close to the real thing.

Apparently no one I've watched so far on YouTube has the game set up the way I have, because comparing their driving to mine, we are playing two completely different games.

The only assist I use is ABS brakes, which IMO belongs in parts to equip. And no traction control because it numbs the cars too much, but I do use the launch control which evens somewhat the odds of RWD vs AWD at the start of races. I also advice to switch to simulation steering on a gamepad.

 

[Tuning_Maniac]

I'd say it heavily depends on the In game Settings.
Because to my surprise I noticed that Forza Horizon Physics Engine heavily depends and directly correlates to its in game settings.
I never came across a racing game with this approach.
But I can assure you that Forza CAN be set up very very close to the real thing.

Apparently no one I've watched so far on YouTube has the game set up the way I have, because comparing their driving to mine, we are playing two completely different games.

true, I must give you that. There are still settings that I can change which would probably make it more realistic.
But that was just a side note though, never bought the game to be sim-like. I will try those settings though, but not right now while I'm still trying to finish all the story lines.

I can always go back to the races afterwards with more realistic settings.

One other thing that ''bothers'' me is that the livery community is much different than GT7's (as far as I know right now).
And for this I mean that the GT7 showcase is full of real live replica race/rally cars. But I'm often struggling to find race/rally replica liveries in Forza. Sure, you always find the most common ones, but what I'm looking for are the race cars from local championships.
It's a small thing but as a race fan it annoys me a bit. Or maybe it's just because we are spoiled with the showcase of GT7, which enables me to scroll through all the liveries while at work on my laptop

 

[AEKara38]

true, I must give you that. There are still settings that I can change which would probably make it more realistic.
But that was just a side note though, never bought the game to be sim-like. I will try those settings though, but not right now while I'm still trying to finish all the story lines.

I can always go back to the races afterwards with more realistic settings.

One other thing that ''bothers'' me is that the livery community is much different than GT7's (as far as I know right now).
And for this I mean that the GT7 showcase is full of real live replica race/rally cars. But I'm often struggling to find race/rally replica liveries in Forza. Sure, you always find the most common ones, but what I'm looking for are the race cars from local championships.
It's a small thing but as a race fan it annoys me a bit. Or maybe it's just because we are spoiled with the showcase of GT7, which enables me to scroll through all the liveries while at work on my laptop

Maybe because it's not a circuit racing/motorsport game? Why would anyone design a local, race replica livery to hoon around Mexico?

 

[Gingerale]

One other thing that ''bothers'' me is that the livery community is much different than GT7's (as far as I know right now).
And for this I mean that the GT7 showcase is full of real live replica race/rally cars. But I'm often struggling to find race/rally replica liveries in Forza. Sure, you always find the most common ones, but what I'm looking for are the race cars from local championships.
It's a small thing but as a race fan it annoys me a bit. Or maybe it's just because we are spoiled with the showcase of GT7, which enables me to scroll through all the liveries while at work on my laptop

The livery editor in Forza is so much more limited: you cant upload svg's and most importantly you cannot download user created decals to use on your own design and then upload it.
So for every livery you have to create each and every decal by hand. In GT7, some, if not most, probably 99% of all livery creators use a decal somewhere created by someone else.


Other thing is: i dont like using liveries in a more open road inspired racing game versus a true circuit track race game. Feels weird to drive around normal traffic in some kind of drift livery.

 

[Tuning_Maniac]

Maybe because it's not a circuit racing/motorsport game? Why would anyone design a local, race replica livery to hoon around Mexico?

Well, then we're down to personal preference I think
I would also put a retro racing livery on a classic car just to drive around in traffic, like I did my Escort Mk2 in the classic Belga livery.

But I did not know what @Gingerale just explained here, and that does indeed explain a lot.
Like I said, think we are spoiled with the livery mode and showcase of GT7.

 

[Gingerale]

But I did not know what @Gingerale just explained here, and that does indeed explain a lot.
Like I said, think we are spoiled with the livery mode and showcase of GT7.

I read some opinions on both FH5 reddit and official forums, that most people dont agree that FH should implement the vector image import function from games like GT7, because that would neglect the work and talent of all the painters etc, plus there would be a lot of crappy designs all of a sudden. I found that quite surprising as the GT7 Showcase is one the best there is, and is also used by a lot of Forza painters (or any other racing game for that matter...)

 

[Famine]

most people dont agree that FH should implement the vector image import function from games like GT7, because that would neglect the work and talent of all the painters

Also known as the "I had it hard, so you should too" principle oft-espoused by the very boomeriest of boomers.

 

[PirovacBoy]

true, I must give you that. There are still settings that I can change which would probably make it more realistic.

Yep, I guarantee you it will definitely completely transform the driving experience.
Steering : Simulation
All driving assists : Off
Manual gear with Clutch.
That's first step.

The second step are the Wheel in game settings.
These have such a huge impact on the overall driving mechanics and car behavior that it really got me stunned.

I'm using a Direct Drive Wheelbase with a 32cm rim and a 7gear H Pattern shifter.
Combined with the correct wheel in game settings which are crucial to be set up precisely to feel every little detail like understeer, oversteer, weight transfer, tire load as well as self aligning torque which all have to be balanced very delicate to a degree that none of them is too pronounced or overwhelming and I guarantee you that the driving experience will become nothing but a very scary real world ride replica.

never bought the game to be sim-like.

Me neither to be honest, yet I'm absolutely stunned that I was completely wrong.
In a very good way because Horizon 5 has so much on offer with the correct settings that in my personal opinion, it easily is amongst GT or ACC driving dynamics.
It's phenomenal how intuitive and immersive this game feels with some tweaks to the Settings.

 

[PirovacBoy]

So FH5 is my first Horizon Game ever.
Long term GT driver since 1998 GT1.

I won't talk or write or blabla...

Just want to leave this short Canyon Run here... This was insane.
It felt... Real.



Everything was on point and to be felt so so true to real world...
This Simulator is on another Level.

Curious to hear what @Scaff might have on mind reading my words... 😉

 

[Scaff]

Everything was on point and to be felt so so true to real world...
This Simulator is on another Level.

Curious to hear what @Scaff might have on mind reading my words... 😉

FH5 is a great game, fun and engaging (but seemingly damned with mediocre FFB), but it's not a sim. It was never designed, built, or sold as one (nor has the series ever claimed to be).

 

[PirovacBoy]

FH5 ist ein großartiges Spiel, unterhaltsam und fesselnd (aber anscheinend verdammt mit mittelmäßigem FFB), aber es ist keine Simulation. Es wurde nie als solche konzipiert, gebaut oder verkauft (und die Serie hat das auch nie behauptet).

Das ist ziemlich beunruhigend zu hören, aber dennoch eine zu erwartende Antwort.
I wish you could experience the game the way I do, your take would be 180 degrees at lest for the 2nd part of your statements.

 

[Scaff]

Das ist ziemlich beunruhigend zu hören, aber dennoch eine zu erwartende Antwort.

All posts must be in English, it's a requirement of the AUP.

That's quite disturbing to hear, but still an expected response.

Why? I'm not the one making the title out to be something it was never designed, developed, or intended to be.

I wish you could experience the game the way I do, your take would be 180 degrees at lest for the 2nd part of your statements.

I experience it the same way I do every title, in comparison to reality, that's the only baseline standard to use, and my position is 100% accurate based on that.

 

[jcmc]

I'm very much aligned to the post a little further up from someone who has dropped GT7 altogether since acquiring FH5. I'm very much a GT veteran having played every version apart from the PS4 generation and I started on 7 last autumn when I belatedly acquired a PS5. I found it impressive technically, but from an early stage I felt it was a little lacking in genuine engagement. I took a while to get used to the handling and did not mind that, but then it seemed all about relentlessly hitting braking points - braking points I had to have indicated to me as they were so varied from car to car.

I immediately took to the free-roaming nature of FH5 and while I initially felt that the handling was a bit arcadey - driving across the landscape at 150mph with little impediment will do that - I have gradually come to appreciate the depth there is in the handling model and the sheer variety that manifests through the different vehicle types. I am playing simulation with no traction control, ABS and automatic clutch. When I win even not especially interesting cars I'm happy to try them out when driving to events to see how they drive.

Really appreciate the incredible diversity of vehicle too and the roster feels much more interesting than GT7 too. A big win for me is that with so many cars in the game it is happy to throw them out there to you rather than treating them as the sacred cows that GT7 seems to. I've been playing for a couple of weeks and have 100 cars already, and some really expensive ones like a Bugatti Divo and the likes. GT7 is very mean with rewards against cost to purchase and high-end items have been well beyond me.

The tuning is so much more simple than GT7 while I think still having plenty to do to make a difference to your car. I like being able to download tunes to 700, 800 or 900 for different cars from the community and then variations within each band. It's like delegating stuff you aren't especially interested in to other people who are more interested and better at it than you. Same with the liveries which I did not ever touch in GT7 but find the Horizon process intuitive and one I'm willing to engage with - again by using other peoples expertise. As someone who appreciates cars in their stock form I also like how AI opponents will calibrate their performance stats to be in line with what you choose, so tuning to win events isn't really necessary a lot of the time.

For all the silly things you can do in FH5 which more sim players would turn their noses up to, some of the actual plain racing - and especially the long distance races - have given me some of the most fun I have ever had from any driving game. The intense concentration to drive for 36 miles around the island, having to check every upcoming turn and corner because you don't know the course, is really thrilling. The palpable sense of disappointment is substantial when you miss a late checkpoint while leading, knowing you will have to re-run the whole thing again.

My criticisms of FH5 are minor. I do find there's a bit of an overload of stuff going on and stuff to do once you get a little way into the game and for the first time I am starting to try the seasonal stuff which isn't really set up in an especially intuitive manner. I'll get there though. The hyper upbeat narrative tone and the sheer amount of voices, on-screen flashes, stuff that distracts you going on all the time is for me a bit tiring, however I am a man in his 50s and appreciate I am not the target audience. But yes, overall thoroughly enjoying it and will likely want to purchase the rally add-on too.

 

[PirovacBoy]

FH5 is a great game, fun and engaging (but seemingly damned with mediocre FFB), but it's not a sim. It was never designed, built, or sold as one (nor has the series ever claimed to be).

This is just... I dunno.
No Sim?!
Mediocre FFB?!
Never designed, build as one...?!
Are we talking about the same Game... Apparently not.
Otherwise, Scaff?!

All posts must be in English, it's a requirement of the AUP.


Why? I'm not the one making the title out to be something it was never designed, developed, or intended to be.



I experience it the same way I do every title, in comparison to reality, that's the only baseline standard to use, and my position is 100% accurate based on that.

Never designed, developed or intended to be???
In comparison to reality... Like, you are aware we talking about a Video Game?!
Helloooo, mooornin'. 😁
You clearly have gone down a route which is a tad bit well, let me put it polite, quite polarizing to say the least.
But ok, Scaff, you are free to comment as you did, no biggi, yet i must say you are very very wrong amd it baffles me to be honest.
Well to each his own i guess 😅

Have you even taken the time to fiddle with them Settings?
What Plattform are you using?
Which Build Version?
Which Wheel/Pedal/Settings do you base your comments on?

I mean i can't believe we are playing the same Game, sorry Scaff.

 

[GMW]

Thanks to everyone for your responses!! Much appreciated. Been busy with work but FH5 is very very impressive! I actually play it more than GT7 at the moment but still put in time with GT7 since I have the PSVR2 and that experience is on its own level. I have found that both can co-exist in my gaming library and I'm very happy with my FH5 purchase that I also paid for the VIP membership to max out the credits I can win plus etc etc. BTW...where is Tesla in FH5 as I saw Rivian and Lucid plus some others I think. I'd like to compare the Plaid against some supercars, as well as have the CyberTruck against the Ford Lightening and Hummer EV.

 

[pez2k]

BTW...where is Tesla in FH5 as I saw Rivian and Lucid plus some others I think.

Tesla hasn't been in a Forza game since FH3. Presumably they're not interested - as you've noticed Playground aren't shy about adding new EVs to the game, so I assume they've tried.

 

[RS60NR]

Yep, I guarantee you it will definitely completely transform the driving experience.
Steering : Simulation
All driving assists : Off
Manual gear with Clutch.
That's first step.

The second step are the Wheel in game settings.
These have such a huge impact on the overall driving mechanics and car behavior that it really got me stunned.

I'm using a Direct Drive Wheelbase with a 32cm rim and a 7gear H Pattern shifter.
Combined with the correct wheel in game settings which are crucial to be set up precisely to feel every little detail like understeer, oversteer, weight transfer, tire load as well as self aligning torque which all have to be balanced very delicate to a degree that none of them is too pronounced or overwhelming and I guarantee you that the driving experience will become nothing but a very scary real world ride replica.

Hi - would you mind sharing your wheel settings for the DD+? Really love what you did for GT7 - thx

 

[VXR]

For many years I've jumped between GT7 and Horizon on Xbox, and the fact they can both exist in their own bubble, both near the top of their game is a wonderful duo of racing games to live with. Glad you're enjoying it now it's accessible.

 

[PirovacBoy]

Hi - would you mind sharing your wheel settings for the DD+? Really love what you did for GT7 - thx

Hi Neil, yes of course i'll share them with you.
I'm currently at work yet as soon as I get back home I'll Post them here.
Thx for acknowledging my efforts, much appreciated.
And always happy to share them here to make us all enjoy at its finest.

To be honest i dont get why the developer and Simulation Modeling Team dont provide some sort of FFB Presets.
Even just a rough Baseline.
Because the perceived out of the Box experience is definitely not represantative in the slightest and doesnt give credit or room for appreciating the efforts being put in.
To me Forza Horizon 5 doesnt show its true potentiell that way.
Either because the main audience simply dont give a dry fart bout it or... I dunno.
The underlying Physics and FFB Model are so versatile and delicately programmed, i gotta admit it took me quite some time to optimse and fine tune them, until i finally settled for some, imo, very authentic driving experience. The FFB Wheel response and diverse complexity has been balanced to the degree where you can drive and control the cars with such ease and intuitively as we all do in real world too.
Anything AND everything in regards of car control and physical behavior is implemented.
In comparison to GT7, Forza has the better FFB Tuning Setting.
Its not even close.
Its like a Neanderthal facing a Marine. Simplicity versus Versatility.

Anyway i gotta work 😅

 

[RS60NR]

The underlying Physics and FFB Model are so versatile and delicately programmed, i gotta admit it took me quite some time to optimse and fine tune them, until i finally settled for some, imo, very authentic driving experience. The FFB Wheel response and diverse complexity has been balanced to the degree where you can drive and control the cars with such ease and intuitively as we all do in real world too.
Anything AND everything in regards of car control and physical behavior is implemented.
In comparison to GT7, Forza has the better FFB Tuning Setting.

Just getting started w FH5 thx to the comments in this thread and PS sale

After reading through this article FH5 wheel setup & tuning I can see they put a lot of work into the simulation model and why it can take a fair amount of work to tune

Great to have access to the params in the settings but the in game info is a bit thin on how to begin - not so plug and play for the best experience while trying to get on w it so some help will be much appreciated

 

[PirovacBoy]

@RS60NR

Here you go Neil.



DD+ Wheelbase Settings:
Sen :Auto
FFB :100
NDP :25
NFR :5
INT :2
NIN : OFF
BRF : 90 Load Cell
Rest is Default

If you have any questions...i'll be there to guide you.
The In game descriptions are partly very very wrong.
If you wish to know how i did them Settings and what exactly each parameter does... Just ask.

Anyway... I'm 100% convinced that you'll be blown away.

And now...

Fasten your Seatbelt, Neil.
Enjoy the Ride 😁

 

[RS60NR]

@RS60NR

Here you go Neil.

View attachment 1466368View attachment 1466369


DD+ Wheelbase Settings:
Sen :Auto
FFB :100
NDP :25
NFR :5
INT :2
NIN : OFF
BRF : 90 Load Cell
Rest is Default

If you have any questions...i'll be there to guide you.
The In game descriptions are partly very very wrong.
If you wish to know how i did them Settings and what exactly each parameter does... Just ask.

Anyway... I'm 100% convinced that you'll be blown away.

And now...

Fasten your Seatbelt, Neil.
Enjoy the Ride 😁

OK off to a great start w that! thx so much

However can’t seem to get the clutch/h shifter recognized and the thing dumps me into reverse every time I get in the car

The button config is still a work in progress