Forza Horizon 5 is one of the very best open-world racing games due to its incredibly polished and responsive gameplay, wealth of content, and gorgeous Mexico location to explore. Each new entry in the long-running Forza Horizon series brings more detail and content to the table, and Forza Horizon 5 is no different. The amount of passion poured into this racing adventure is highly evident.
One of the best parts of playing Forza Horizon 5 is the freedom to explore and play as you see fit. You aren't directly down a linear path but can instead drive almost anywhere you want right from the get-go. Heck, if you want to try and drive straight up a cliffside in a Corvette, you can do that, or you can at least try to do that. Simply put, Forza Horizon 5 has an intricately crafted word for you to drive around in one of your hundreds of cars. The best details in the game are often hidden so be sure to check these ones out.
6 The Remote Volcano Lake
Forza Horizon 5 is chock full of incredible locations to explore, however, you are often whizzing by them so fast to even notice them. One such location is the remote volcano lake. While you do start the game driving down an active volcano area, you are meant to simply keep moving forward. If you opt to return to one of the caldera locations, you can find a beautiful lake.
This lake is not an easy place to get to because you have to drive up winding mountain trails to even get there. Fortunately there is an XP board once you make it to the top, but until then, it's a lot of work to get there. This location is purely serene and will help you to step away from the racing shenanigans for a short period.
5 A Fantastic Star Gazing Location
Forza Horizon 5 has a great day and night cycle to keep the explorable Mexico region dynamic and immersive. Did you know there is an entire astronomical observatory outpost high atop the western area volcano? If you want to get to this location, simply mark the caldera on your map and get started driving up the winding trails. You certainly won't regret the time it takes to get there.
Once at the top, you are greeted to what looks like a research base of sorts, but one that houses a massive telescope. If you scour this area near the caldera, you will find houses, facilities, and other little nuggets of detail that help flesh out this observatory. This would definitely be the best place to stargaze in the game when night falls.
4 Hidden Oceanside Arch
One of the best aspects of Forza Horizon 5 is the ability to drive almost anywhere you want, no matter how unrealistic it may be. If you head to the western part of the Mexico map, you can find a long peninsula-like jetty filled with massive rocks leading straight into the ocean. If you follow the sandy shoreline around the peninsula, you can actually find a perfectly carved stone archway with an XP board.
Location-based moments like this are part of the reason people love the Horizon series so much. This archway feels historical, although a bit odd with a Corvette near it. Be sure to seek out this archway to get away from the hustle and bustle of the Horizon festival, mostly because it allows you to unwind with the sound of the surf.
3 The Wildlife
The sheer amount of superfluous detail in Forza Horizon 5 is stellar. The developers at Playground Games have refined this world to ensure each biome feels distinct and alive. One such feature that many people will miss is the wildlife. Due to the speed at which you move through the game world, it's easy to miss the finer, detailed moments.
For example, you can stumble across small farming communities that have chickens roaming around and pecking at the ground. While completely pointless in terms of the actual game, small details and moments like this showcase why the Horizon series excels at world-building.
2 The Picturesque Waterfall
Beauty surrounds you as you drive through Mexico in Forza Horizon 5. There is such a wonderful diversity of biomes and locations to discover from historical ruins, to beachside resorts, to mountains, and everything in between. Easily one of the best locations to seek out is a gorgeous waterfall deep in the jungle part of the map.
If you drive to the southernmost point on the map where the roads start to end, you can find a roaring waterfall and some mini islands to park your car to whip out that photo mode. Yes, this waterfall, which isn't easy to find, is downright picturesque and will make for some great backgrounds. Just be sure to pack your poncho or umbrella.
1 Skill Songs
Forza Horizon 5 features a plethora of radio stations for you to listen to as you cruise around Mexico. Did you know there are specific songs that earn you double the experience while they play? Yep, this game has songs that help you to level up faster. It's not a feature you really learn about in the game so it begs to be mentioned.
It's hard to tell if there are only certain songs on certain stations that give you this "skill song" boost, however, it does seem to happen at random. Be sure to crank up your favorite tunes while that juicy XP boost fills up.