Forza Horizon 2 (2014)

Forza Horizon 2 is a complete and wonderful continuation of its previous version, which came with minimal problems.

An amazing example of online and offline racing built around an engaging, satisfying handling model with the looks to match. Very, very nearly worth buying an Xbox One for alone.

It's a racing game learned from many other racing games, but when it comes to open world racing games, Forza Horizon 2 is the best of its kind.

Forza Horizon 2 is a spectacular achievement for Playground Games, and a game that makes you feel like part of a community, even when you're not playing with anyone; a game that captures the joy of driving, and more importantly, sharing that joy with others. It feels like the kind of game Microsoft has been trying to make for years, one that finds success in its mechanics, but is defined by its community, one less a collection of random players, and more a club of enthusiasts.

It's a tough game to criticise. The setting is perhaps not quite as striking as the original game's clay-coated Colorado, but that could be as much to do with the familiarity of the European landscapes for a European reviewer as it is the actual layout of the roads. Perhaps the offline mode could have a little more structure to keep you locked in to its most thrilling events, but that would damage the freeform amiability of everything. It's just a very special racing game. There's a depth of content here that matches the game's undoubted class, and ensures Playground Games is a genuine powerhouse in the world of digital racing. Forza Horizon 2 is a gorgeous, confident and relentlessly gratifying drive, and easily the best first-party exclusive on Xbox One.