Last night, developers from Playground Games dedicated another episode of their extensive developer diary about Forza Horizon 5. They presented more footage from the game in 30 minutes and talked mainly about the processing of Mexico, where the upcoming game is moving from the UK. When we watched the new Forza Horizon for the first time, we were amazed at the level of detail and believability of the game world, but with every shot and photo, this feeling is even stronger and, as in Flight Simulator, we are clearly witnessing a small graphics revolution. Forza Horizon 5 will include 11 different biomeswhich will be affected by the system of seasons known from the previous part.
“We knew from the beginning that we wanted to create the largest Forza Horizon. But if we were to achieve that, we had to ensure the highest possible degree of diversity, “says creative director Mike Brown. “Mexico is almost like the whole world in one country: snow-capped peaks, tropical jungles, impressive canyons, beautiful beaches, ancient architecture and modern cities,” says Brown. When they add references to Mexican culture to all of this, there is reportedly no more exciting place for the Horizon Festival to take place. And even if we guess that it will only apply to the next part, the current Mexico really looks like a destination directly intended for all lovers of racing and untamed nature. “Our team collects reference photos from the sites, creating artwork that highlights the beauty and unique details of each biome. We then use techniques such as photogrammetry to accurately represent individual locations. The goal of the whole artistic process is to make you feel like you are right in Mexico, ”adds art director Don Arceta.
So where will the Horizon 5 race be everywhere? The first of the biomes introduced is the canyon – this is the place where the footage for the first trailer released in June was filmed. There are many rock formations, many of which are eroding and are completely unique for this location. Each of the biomes also has its own set of unique sounds, and in the case of the canyon, players will also enjoy a great deal of echoes. The second biome is the tropical coast, which is dominated by palm trees, seagulls and white sandy beaches, which perhaps do not even resemble a place where vehicles should be driven. However, the developers promise that this materialized paradise may change completely when the storm season comes – not only will it start to rain and there will be bigger waves, but pieces of the mentioned palm trees can also fly through the air, directly affecting the course of the race.
There will also be fertile plains, dry grass-covered hills, the above-mentioned tropical jungle, desert, swamp or detailed cities. Each of the 11 locations has its own specifics, such as old shrines and jungle temples, a lake that will dry up in the winter, or a golf course that you can ride through, despite the complaints of local golfers. It is also interesting to know about the mangroves in the swamp, whose roots you can break during the ride and adjust the route of the whole race for the next lap. After all, developers have talked about the destructibility of the environment before and it is certain that it will have an impact on the overall experience.
Forza Horizon 5 will be released on November 9 on PC, Xbox Series and Xbox One and will be available in the Game Pass from day one, along with the ability to stream the game via xCloud.
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