This is how game devs should release a product. Well optimized, highly polished game. Not the broken, patch later bullshit that companies continue to make a modern trend for game development. I hope Playground Games carries this level quality over to Fable.
I hope microsoft has realised that playground games are their best studio right now and i hope they give them all the money and time they need for fable and horizon 6. The coalition is amazing as well. And i think the initiative is a good studio also
What a beautifully optimized game. Why can’t all games run like this? Almost 100% locked and very slight resolution dips. What an amazing technical achievement.
It requires too much effort make a game optimized like that, and more effort = more cost. And companies like Ubisoft, ea, activision don't want too much cost
Looking at those environments, can you imagine what Fable will be like from Playground games! Great video from John, which was a celebration of driving games, not just a technical analysis. I always appreciate John's enthusiasm, whom along with Richard, are the heart of DF.
And that also mean Fable 4 devs will be able to help Bethesda with The elder Scrolls 6, as i think, they must share some resources, as they both now are Xbox game studios Xbox next gen exclusives will be epic my dudes
Fable is likely being developed for PC before being ported over to the Series X, and remember that most PC players don't have SSDs or Ray Tracing cards. Don't get your hopes up.
This is basically the quality of Flight Sim on Series S/X and PC. Game Pass is truly starting to provide amazing options. The future looks so bright for Microsoft.
Gamepass is the reason i'm on my xbox most of the time instead of my ps5 which has been gathering dust since i completed GoT and Ratchet n Clank Such an amazing value gamepass is, it has the latest games and the library is huge Looking back i don't even know why i subscribed to PS Now lol
Don't get me wrong, i'm kinda happy for all of you guys the Gamepass exist, due it opens up to more players. But i'm still more classic in that regard and prefer to own said games...
This game is absolutely bananas, the fact that you can hop onto photo mode on the spot and angle up any car and it looks f'ing incredible is a testament to the incredible achievement that playground achieved. It's f'ing CRAZY. The graphics, the details, the sound, holy shit it's awe inspiring.
Ahhh yes, because developing “realistic” car games with ZERO player character animation because, well, you’re always stuck in a car - will absolutely translate to a scifi, medieval setting like Fable that includes no cars to speak of and is the exact opposite skillset that Playground has developed over all these years… can’t wait!!!
Horizon has developed into an obsession of mine. I set it separate from games I love as works of art as single player experiences. Games like Bloodborne, BOTW, Hollow Knight, etc. I love those games, I could talk about them for hours. But as for what takes up the majority of my gaming time? There's no contest, it's Horizon. Playground really have turned Horizon into a gaming playground for me. I don't even like online gaming, but Horizon implements it in such a carefree, no-friction kind of way that I play Horizon 4 daily, to this day, three years after it first came out. Just finding someone, joining their convoy, and drifting across the map in a tune of my own creation(Racing The Tide my Xbox handle btw :) ). It's approachable while being incredibly deep. Insanely deep. You could(and I regularly do) lose yourself entirely in single aspects of it; like drifting, without ever even getting seriously into grip racing, livery designing, rally racing, event creation, etc. etc. I believe it is pretty much the most perfectly balanced simcade handling model of all-time(I'm not going to get into an argument about how you define simcade, so please, don't bother), in that it is obviously circumscribed when compared with something like BeamNG or Assetto, or even Forza Motorsport, yet its physics model is still extraordinarily deep and emergent, and its 'competitors' like NFS Heat and The Crew are not in the same galaxy. It is the handling and physics model that really underpins everything about this game. The best way to get across how great this series is is to describe myself in 2016, before I ever bought Horizon 3. I had no interest in cars, and the only car games I played were Burnout. If you had to use the brakes at any point I considered that too much like hard work. Then I played Horizon 3...and quite quickly I became obsessed with it. I fell in love with cars. I started playing other racing games. Then all of them. I bought a Fanatec wheel, pedals, shifter, handbrake, and bought a gaming PC specifically so I could get into sim-racing and Assetto modding. I now watch car youtube channels, something I would have thought was the most boring thing on earth back before Horizon. None of that would have happened if it wasn't for Horizon. When they said they wanted to 'turn gamers into car lovers and car lovers into gamers' I can say with certainty that they did so with me.
He's right about the sound! I'm really impressed with how I can hear cars pulling up behind me, along with the usage of the height channels that are often ignored in games with Atmos.
When they were panning over the forest floor, I was thinking exactly that. It looks real. Fable is going to be the most beautiful RPG ever made, I'm calling it.
@@kwright663 was just about to say the same thing, fable is gonna look crazy. The fact they've been able to get the performance mode rendering at 4k still is astounding.
Can’t deny that! But still as gorgeous as it is can you imagine what forza horizon 6 will look like when it doesn’t have to scale/run at all on a nearly 10 year old xbox one. An amazing job for a last gen/cross Gen game.
I wouldn't say of this generation only because there will be games on next gen that exceed this soon. It is a stunning game however. Playground games are masterful. Microsoft has a much stronger lineup of devs this time around
Holy smokes the level of detail on the ground surfaces look incredible and the textures on the rocks and vegetation are almost photo realistic and I even saw a Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican Hairless) dog in one of the scenes running around awesome looking game can’t wait to play it.
Right ? I’m like *sigh* time to buy another Xbox. As a lifelong PlayStation user and fan I absolutely had to buy a Xbox one to play FH3 and Halo. I’ll be getting a ps5 first but you best believe I will be buying a series x in the future for the main sole reason of playing FH5
I've been flying around in drone mode on Series X and the detail in every inch of the ground and environment is so high it's actually obscene. I can't remember the last time I was so blown away by a game's technical grandeur.
It’s kind of crazy how some environment shots in this video looked like IRL B-roll at first glance. I used to think FH4 looked great but this game is just on another level
2021 has been a surprising year for me -- my top three games are Psychonauts 2, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, and Guardians of the Galaxy -- three games I had no intention of playing or even enjoying. This, however, is the one game I've been waiting for since it was announced and I'm so happy it looks like it won't disappoint.
@@scottd7222 Hoping Returnal comes to PC as per the leak, I was really impressed by that game even though I found the marketing subpar, maybe just confusing.
This is absolutely fantastic. I never thought I'd have to choose between performance and quality but WOW. It's beginning to look like a great time to be an Xbox Series owner.
@@zombieimpact-vi5is a PC with better performance that a PS5/ XBOX SX is the same if u buy 3 next gen consoles, and im a PC owner too. for now the best option is consoles
What? The consoles are great for what they are but my PC massively outperforms both of them in every way. The consoles are good for the price if you can get them for msrp. I had both consoles and then I sold them to my buddy after I finished building my rtx 3080ti, Intel core i9 10850k gaming pc.
Right! If PG made this stunning game with the current Tech and engine. I can't wait to see what they make next with the upgraded engine later on this console generation, Fable included.
Would love for you guys to analyze the ray tracing update they just released. Ray tracing is available during actual gameplay now, not just in Forzavista. They also added DLSS, DLAA, and FSR 2.2 support!
Excellent work as always, John. I'm just stunned, honestly. I'm a PS acolyte through and through, but what Microsoft has been doing this generation - putting games of this caliber on a subscription service DAY 1 - is truly commendable. I have never been a racing fan, but I dipped my toes into Forza Horizon 4 and thought "wow, I really like this." I'm all-in for Forza Horizon 5.
Ummm it's their own game. It's not a challenge to put this on gp when it's all they've put out for the $1bn they made from gamepass this year 🙄🤦🏼♂️ Arw xbots this daft?
This just proves that playground deserve to be making the new fable, This new weather system alone is evidence enough, All the changes to the forzatech engine such as audio and weather by playground is helping make turn 10 effort with the new motorsport abit easier,
Thank you for including the audio performance in your analysis! I'd love to see a heavier focus on it in the future, as a great soundscape (as you already described) can elevate a good game to even greater heights.
im surpised they still make separate games, seems like they could just add all the tracks and features to FH so you can open world drive then switch to a track while keeping all your cars and settings and just start calling it Forza not motorsport or horizon
@@vitsadelhole The driving physics are different, Motorsport is somewhat more realistic. It'd be weird to have two handling models in the same game, even in separate modes.
@@PositronCannon not particularly weird the game already has sliders and games like msfs already are able to switch from arcade like to simulation there is plenty of precedent here
Amazing work, John Linneman. Will someone at DF give this guy a raise?! I might be biased about the subject matter but the production quality of this video and the thorough detail are at the top echelon of what's available on TH-cam. Thanks for the content, DF.
From a PS fan I have to give props to Playground for this masterpiece. Amazing job. This is the kind of quality that can push me to buy a Series console.
I've been trying to get a PS5 all year and it just hasn't worked out. I recently found a Series X available and jumped on it. Completely worth it with the value that Game Pass provides. I still want a PS5 for the exclusives but man, it feels good to play Xbox franchises like Forza and Halo again.
@@craigthebrute2848 It's good that you are giving Xbox free advertising, but I'm not sure why there are still any Sony fanboys what's the point? The console is weaker, the games released on ps5 are weaker it has no games you would want to play over, Gamepass laughs ar Sony charging £70, but lol the most highest rated new ip game is Deathloop a Microsoft Studio's game
@@Massproduce201 I really didn't enjoy Returnal, one of the most frustrating games I ever played. It would be a travesty if Returnal wins GOTY. Edit: Just checked there, Returnal only has an 85 on metacritic, no chance it's winning GOTY. Ratchet & Clank is the highest scoring PS5 game with an 88, Forza Horizon 5 currently has a 91. It will be between them two games, both are enjoyable experiences. I personally prefer FH5, let's wait, see who wins GOTY, would've no complaints about either game. They both showed what the next-gen consoles are capable of achieving.
I have nothing but respect for Playground Games for making such efforts to push the limits and optimize their games. Also to not rush to release in an incomplete state, especially in todays world where it pretty much became the norm to release a game each year even at the cost of quality, innovation, and buggines. It probably has to do with the publisher Xbox as well but idk.
I've been blown away by Horizon 5 in my 20 hours of play so far. From the large, beautiful vistas to the light briefly bouncing of your Ferrari's horse emblem during a dusk race, the detail is next level.
Beautiful game , it's in my top 3 Best looking games of this gen so far with Ratchet and Clank and a showcase u forgot to mention at the start of the video for Series X hardware , Flight simulator... which i cannot still explained how did they mapped the entire globe and Air traffic in real time with real weather conditions ... so impressive.
The weather especially the sky boxes, the sense of distance and height and the environmental lighting with day/night transitions is starting to approach a level where your mind thinks "I have seen or driven under skies looking like this and light conditions" Driving home from work just before nightfall looks so close to some of the night scene shown here. Biggest challenge for games and cgi now is creating believable looking people.
Had to set my console to New Zealand to play this early and it didn’t disappoint! It is absolutely stunning and the handling tweaks really make a difference. The level of detail is quite honestly mind boggling. The Playground Games team should so proud of their achievement! The only one weird graphical “issue” I saw so far was on the character customisation screen where there were a lot of temporal artifacts around the hair. Really a minor grumble, but still there.
Playground Games is a beast. This is the one game that makes me want a Series X. There's nothing similar on ps5. Amazing game, i enjoyed a lot this series on 360 e One.
FH5 looks like it's going to be the first certified classic of the generation. PS5 has had some good releases but nothing jaw dropping like this. I highly recommend getting an Xbox! I have both PS5 and XSX, and the Xbox still gets a ton of use from me. With it's vast back compat library, superior back compat capabilities for cross-plat games (AutoHDR, resolution and FPS boost), and the incredible deal that is Game Pass, it's a fantastic system that is a huge step up from the XB1.
@@fartknocker5708 For me, Demon's Souls Remake is also a masterpiece. And on the series X, we got FS2020 last summer. FH5 is the second masterpiece on the machine =)
@@luke_y_444 I wouldn't really know about Demon's Souls because while I have it and have played it several times, I still can't get past the first level (even when following a guide). I'm sure I could, but I don't have the free time to pour hours and hours into it just to get a tiny bit of progression. It's tough for me to believe that a game that's that inaccessible can be called a masterpiece.
Really enjoying this on the PC, running slightly above the extreme setting at native 4K with no resolution scaling and averaging between 70fps to 100fps, and with HDR it looks stunning, definitely a massive improvement over FH4 especially in environment details. Really does look like a true next gen game.
@@GeminiFate I'm playing FH5 on a Lenovo Legion 7i laptop with a I7 11800H and RTX 3080 (165 watts vr.) and getting average 60 to 80fps at 4K Ultra settings.
Really good to have DF spend a portion on sound, I get that graphics is the main thing and it's easier to measure, but it's good to have this discussed.
@@spenny2cents in performance mode the game can hit 4K 60 digital foundry just did a whole video on it and they were extremely impressed the game doesn't look much different from the full quality mode
Hoping for PC coverage from Alex regarding graphical differences to console, comparing Steam and Microsoft Store versions and giving us optimized settings 💪
I miss the 'Project Gotham Racing' series. It wasn't just about racing, but also driving in style, stunts, challenges and Kudos combos. On a side note, what happened to custom music that integrates well into games?
I currently own a PS5, and ive gotta say this looks absolutely stunning, super nice to see Series X really stretching its legs, demonstrating its capability and getting the games it deserves!! awesome work! Am i tempted? very... I just cant see how GT is gonna top this, I think the star of the show here is the open world environment and that sense of exploration...
2 different games imo. GT is the most realistic driving sims while racing on world renowned circuits. FH is more arcade like with beautiful open worlds. Personally, for myself, it comes down to casual/wild driving or pro level racing.
Dude, Starfield, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport 8 are coming next year, along with Gamepass day 1 deals like Stalker 2 and Plague 2. Halo Infinite drops in a month. The future of Xbox is exciting.
@only a northern cyclist: the open world is the star here. Sometimes i don‘t even drive events, instead i just drive around and look at stuff, search for the hidden signs and other stuff. There are also weekly challenges where you get special points for a special store that keeps sucking you back in. (They change with the seasons once a week.) I loved GT1-3 back then, but racing sims kind of got stale for me. Tried motorsport and it they are great games as well, but basically the same as GT. Horizon is a totaly different experience. If you are interested try it. i played around 120hours of horizon 4 (with dlc) and didn‘t even do everything you could do. 😅
@@GViRuS84 yeah that’s what I really like, I had Test Drive Unlimited back on the 360 years ago and it was amazing, spent so much time just driving around exploring Hawaii, this seems very much in the same vein. I’ve zero interest in Halo, never liked it, but the other stuff like Starfield looks really good
Forza Horizon has been my favorite game for a few years now. It's got the perfect combination of sim and arcade and it's very well optimized. Been playing since the 3rd game since I only play on PC. Amazing. Can't wait for tomorrow!
Seeing the graphical fidelity, attention to detail and general care shown by Playground Games here makes me both intrigued and excited to see what they do with their Fable reboot. Extremely excited to see one of my favourite franchises make a comeback, especially with Playground behind the wheel.
This just makes me want a modern Smuggler's Run game even more. Horizon 5 looks like the CG they used to tell us was "representative of gamemplay" last gen
Amazing review. Weirdly enough, reviews by reviewers who actually enjoy the game in question tend to be some of the best reviews. Also - if any game would be able to single-handedly press me into buying the new XBOX, this would make the Top 3. Well done - and greetings from Latvia.
After buying this game i fell in love! i've been playing forza horizon games ever since horizon 2, and forza horizon 5 is defiantly the best out of them all, makes me feel like a little kid again lol
When I play on performance mode I have noticed pop in on the bushes on the side of the road, it's like they're half loaded. It's very distracting, has anyone else noticed this?
I'm blown away by the level of detail Playground Games packed into this game. Can't wait to see what they do with Fable. Fable is in good hands for sure.
maybe the best tech game review i have seem in my life.... and i am close to Richard Leadbetter age, i played in spectrum, commodores, amiga etc... John Linneman ...magnificent review
29:00 The switch from Outrun to Forza Horizon 5 is astonishing. I had my focus on the car and yes, I thought it switched to a live action video. Forza really does pas the "small screen test".
Playing at 4K with the extreme settings on PC with an RTX 3080 Ti, doesn't drop below 60fps. Averages about 80 FPS with a peak to 100. About 15 more FPS at Ultra, insanely well optimizted on all systems
Watches a 30 min video on a amazing game and you find it necessary to find something to criticize. Can guarantee you and your opinion mean nothing, get over yourself
@@metallicafan416 ya why point out bugs in an overview of how the game runs? oh wait thats exactly what we should do. You need to get over yourself. things you like can still be criticized
@@metallicafan416 digital foundry is known also for commenting even on the smallest thing not to call ever a game, perfect. It’s a small thing, the game looks great as i said.
This is how game devs should release a product. Well optimized, highly polished game. Not the broken, patch later bullshit that companies continue to make a modern trend for game development. I hope Playground Games carries this level quality over to Fable.
The people over at "Earth 2" would give their left nuts to have a terrain generation system as good as Forza has.
I hope microsoft has realised that playground games are their best studio right now and i hope they give them all the money and time they need for fable and horizon 6. The coalition is amazing as well. And i think the initiative is a good studio also
Even the Cyberpunk car worked properly in Forza Horizon 4 lmao
@@gtavshortclips4740 I could see Microsoft flight simulator 2020 and Forza becoming merged as the same world, A true "the CREW."
@@ChiefExecutiveOrbiter if possible that would be amazing!
What a beautifully optimized game. Why can’t all games run like this? Almost 100% locked and very slight resolution dips. What an amazing technical achievement.
It requires too much effort make a game optimized like that, and more effort = more cost. And companies like Ubisoft, ea, activision don't want too much cost
@@Gabriellopesv lmao literally
@@Gabriellopesv you can also count rock star with em
First party titles are always like this. It is why they are so key to a consoles success.
This is why exclusives always seem to be better than multiplatform releases (console-wise).
The fact that this game is included on Game Pass is tremendously good.
Game pass is the future
Yes, as are all Xbox first-party games.
Gamepass is king. I don't even have to buy the game when all I gotta do is wait a few days to play it via gamepass.
Gamepass is the reason I bought a series s
@@paularnold4021 It's a good deal, a year playing games and the console becomes free
Looking at those environments, can you imagine what Fable will be like from Playground games! Great video from John, which was a celebration of driving games, not just a technical analysis. I always appreciate John's enthusiasm, whom along with Richard, are the heart of DF.
I’ve no doubt fable will be a gorgeous game, I just hope they recapture that original fable formula
Probably an mmo at this rate. Lol.. no cap
And that also mean Fable 4 devs will be able to help Bethesda with The elder Scrolls 6, as i think, they must share some resources, as they both now are Xbox game studios
Xbox next gen exclusives will be epic my dudes
Fable is likely being developed for PC before being ported over to the Series X, and remember that most PC players don't have SSDs or Ray Tracing cards. Don't get your hopes up.
@@samdenisse2705 Where did you get that from?
What the devs have achieved here is simply astounding.
All the developers involved in this game should hold their head high at this technical achievement. Truly masterclass.
Lmao no, the PC Port fucking sucked, full of glitches and bugs, they did the launch now patch later
the way forza does music for their events and openings always give me chills, its amazing
The first song in this video is Blue Blazes from the Maximum Tune 2 arcade game. It always gives people goosebumps.
I always mute music in racing games. The engine needs to be heard over anything.
@@xboxrules8472 Plus I don't get how people like the music in these games so much. I find most of it obnoxious and just plain bad
@@alexsilva28 That's just like, your opinion, man.
@@Kynect2Hymn Uh yes. That's why I said *I find it* bad
This is basically the quality of Flight Sim on Series S/X and PC. Game Pass is truly starting to provide amazing options. The future looks so bright for Microsoft.
Gamepass is the reason i'm on my xbox most of the time instead of my ps5 which has been gathering dust since i completed GoT and Ratchet n Clank
Such an amazing value gamepass is, it has the latest games and the library is huge
Looking back i don't even know why i subscribed to PS Now lol
Don't get me wrong, i'm kinda happy for all of you guys the Gamepass exist, due it opens up to more players. But i'm still more classic in that regard and prefer to own said games...
@@TheLightningYu everyone can choose so thats the good part, its good to be a gamer rn.
@@TheLightningYu I don't get it xbox gives you both there is no decision to make.
@@TheLightningYu you can still buy your games with Xbox.
This game is absolutely bananas, the fact that you can hop onto photo mode on the spot and angle up any car and it looks f'ing incredible is a testament to the incredible achievement that playground achieved. It's f'ing CRAZY. The graphics, the details, the sound, holy shit it's awe inspiring.
Now, remember the fact Playground is developing Fable. Holy Sh*t Fable is going to look insane
Ahhh yes, because developing “realistic” car games with ZERO player character animation because, well, you’re always stuck in a car - will absolutely translate to a scifi, medieval setting like Fable that includes no cars to speak of and is the exact opposite skillset that Playground has developed over all these years… can’t wait!!!
@@spenny2cents obsidian is helping Playground
IF it uses the same game engine.
@@spenny2cents Playground is probably responsible for the environments, which they obviously do extremely well
@@spenny2cents your comment was the corniest thing I’ve seen on TH-cam
Horizon has developed into an obsession of mine. I set it separate from games I love as works of art as single player experiences. Games like Bloodborne, BOTW, Hollow Knight, etc. I love those games, I could talk about them for hours. But as for what takes up the majority of my gaming time? There's no contest, it's Horizon. Playground really have turned Horizon into a gaming playground for me. I don't even like online gaming, but Horizon implements it in such a carefree, no-friction kind of way that I play Horizon 4 daily, to this day, three years after it first came out. Just finding someone, joining their convoy, and drifting across the map in a tune of my own creation(Racing The Tide my Xbox handle btw :) ).
It's approachable while being incredibly deep. Insanely deep. You could(and I regularly do) lose yourself entirely in single aspects of it; like drifting, without ever even getting seriously into grip racing, livery designing, rally racing, event creation, etc. etc. I believe it is pretty much the most perfectly balanced simcade handling model of all-time(I'm not going to get into an argument about how you define simcade, so please, don't bother), in that it is obviously circumscribed when compared with something like BeamNG or Assetto, or even Forza Motorsport, yet its physics model is still extraordinarily deep and emergent, and its 'competitors' like NFS Heat and The Crew are not in the same galaxy. It is the handling and physics model that really underpins everything about this game.
The best way to get across how great this series is is to describe myself in 2016, before I ever bought Horizon 3. I had no interest in cars, and the only car games I played were Burnout. If you had to use the brakes at any point I considered that too much like hard work. Then I played Horizon 3...and quite quickly I became obsessed with it. I fell in love with cars. I started playing other racing games. Then all of them. I bought a Fanatec wheel, pedals, shifter, handbrake, and bought a gaming PC specifically so I could get into sim-racing and Assetto modding. I now watch car youtube channels, something I would have thought was the most boring thing on earth back before Horizon.
None of that would have happened if it wasn't for Horizon. When they said they wanted to 'turn gamers into car lovers and car lovers into gamers' I can say with certainty that they did so with me.
Beautiful comment
@@nikipavlin8032 Thanks :)
Mine are more the FPSs especially the PVP so I gots a treat coming.
@@SheepAmongG.O.A.T Halo Infinite?
@@thesprawl2361 yup can't wait.
He's right about the sound! I'm really impressed with how I can hear cars pulling up behind me, along with the usage of the height channels that are often ignored in games with Atmos.
Fable is going to at least look stunning that’s for sure!
When they were panning over the forest floor, I was thinking exactly that. It looks real. Fable is going to be the most beautiful RPG ever made, I'm calling it.
So true. That's all I keep thinking about. 👍👍👍
Does the same develop team work on the new Fable game?
@@attilariczak8345 yes
@@attilariczak8345 Playground games is making the next Fable. I think it’s safe to assume they will use a modified version of this engine for Fable.
This game is gorgeous. One of, if not the best looking games of this generation. Hats off to Playground Games for pulling off this masterpiece!
Yep, Microsoft strucked gold with acquiring Playground Games. Can’t wait to see what Fable is going to be like
@@kwright663 was just about to say the same thing, fable is gonna look crazy.
The fact they've been able to get the performance mode rendering at 4k still is astounding.
Can’t deny that! But still as gorgeous as it is can you imagine what forza horizon 6 will look like when it doesn’t have to scale/run at all on a nearly 10 year old xbox one. An amazing job for a last gen/cross Gen game.
@@neilranson4185 Forza 6 is going to look so good👌👌
I wouldn't say of this generation only because there will be games on next gen that exceed this soon. It is a stunning game however. Playground games are masterful. Microsoft has a much stronger lineup of devs this time around
Put 10 hours into it today. It's phenomenal. Performance mode does have some pop in but it's the only way to play for me personally.
10 hours⁉️
This games looks absolutely stunning. Playground Games is easily one of Xbox’s best studios. Can’t wait to play this on my Series X
Imagine how Fable will look and play? 🤯
@@PantherCrane 👌👌🔥
@@PantherCrane I wonder if they hired some ex-Lionhead Studio developers; It would be awesome if they did.
@@kavonstuart9803 I think I read somewhere that some of the members from lionhead were at playground, I could be wrong tho
@@bankaispirits That would be awesome, the ONE PROBLEM Lionhead had was Peter Molyneux(lying king).
"Masterpiece" is indeed a suitable word to describe Forza Horizon 5.
He would've said racing game of the generation had it been only on PlayStation...
@@MichaelDoesLife yeah he's a mug isn't he?
@@MichaelDoesLife without a doubt. He’s a guy who openly dislikes Xbox while gushing over PlayStation every chance.
Holy smokes the level of detail on the ground surfaces look incredible and the textures on the rocks and vegetation are almost photo realistic and I even saw a Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican Hairless) dog in one of the scenes running around awesome looking game can’t wait to play it.
The game looks stunning and you've done an incredible job with this video, not just from a content pov but the editing too
Thank you for not referring to the video itself as "content."
Some of the "content" were provided by the devs.
As a Playstation fan FH5 is absolutely stunning. Well done Microsoft and Playground.
You a fan LMAO 🤣
Right ? I’m like *sigh* time to buy another Xbox. As a lifelong PlayStation user and fan I absolutely had to buy a Xbox one to play FH3 and Halo. I’ll be getting a ps5 first but you best believe I will be buying a series x in the future for the main sole reason of playing FH5
@@kriskater you lying to yourself. Xbox fans don't buy games.
@@Tinbeef22 lol! Yeah, right.
@@Tinbeef22 I buy games and I play Xbox. 🤷♂️
I've been flying around in drone mode on Series X and the detail in every inch of the ground and environment is so high it's actually obscene. I can't remember the last time I was so blown away by a game's technical grandeur.
Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition, Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Battlefield 3, Crisis
@@ponraul1221 Easy, tiger.
Jay whats the lowest frame rate your using on x-series?
@@xcaliburG37S 30
@@Jayy997 , thanks!😎👍
It’s kind of crazy how some environment shots in this video looked like IRL B-roll at first glance. I used to think FH4 looked great but this game is just on another level
Y’all need to get outside more
@@spenny2cents oh boy you sure got me there stranger
It is on another level. This game looks superb. I can't wait to see Fable under this team... its going to be epic.
@@alolanstarboy I mean yeah it looks great but how you gonna confuse it for real life lmao
@@sonder006 quite literally said it looks so at first glance lol
Fable is going to mind-blowing visually
Facts
I.... can't.... wait....
2021 has been a surprising year for me -- my top three games are Psychonauts 2, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart, and Guardians of the Galaxy -- three games I had no intention of playing or even enjoying. This, however, is the one game I've been waiting for since it was announced and I'm so happy it looks like it won't disappoint.
Check out Returnal. My favorite of the year so far.
@@scottd7222 Hoping Returnal comes to PC as per the leak, I was really impressed by that game even though I found the marketing subpar, maybe just confusing.
This is absolutely fantastic. I never thought I'd have to choose between performance and quality but WOW. It's beginning to look like a great time to be an Xbox Series owner.
Even better to be a PC owner. I can't wait to play this in 4k max settings at 120hz.
Go performance 60fps👍
@@zombieimpact-vi5is a PC with better performance that a PS5/ XBOX SX is the same if u buy 3 next gen consoles, and im a PC owner too. for now the best option is consoles
What? The consoles are great for what they are but my PC massively outperforms both of them in every way. The consoles are good for the price if you can get them for msrp. I had both consoles and then I sold them to my buddy after I finished building my rtx 3080ti, Intel core i9 10850k gaming pc.
@@zombieimpact-vi5is no one care about u PC Dude
This makes me really excited for the next Forza Motorsport.
Right! If PG made this stunning game with the current Tech and engine. I can't wait to see what they make next with the upgraded engine later on this console generation, Fable included.
They used like 5 years on Forza 8 so far. Will probably be a new benchmark game for racing. It will also have Ray Tracing in game.
This along with GTA VI is going to blow our minds in 2027
@@pouification that's a little optimistic for gta 6
Why? Those track racing games are boring. Only world is the only way to go now
Would love for you guys to analyze the ray tracing update they just released. Ray tracing is available during actual gameplay now, not just in Forzavista. They also added DLSS, DLAA, and FSR 2.2 support!
Most impressive. I would love to see this attention to detail and tech being used in a new PGR game.
You and me both
I think there alot of shared stuff with horizon and PGR. I think quite a few ex-PGR developers work there.
Oh man, would love another PGR..
Horizon is literally PGR. We won’t see pgr again.
Surprised you say that as the Ferrari footage screamed PGR to me.
Imagine a PGR remake in which you can cruise around the cities open world style with other players like in Forza Horizon and make custom content.
I love this more technical "deep dive". Really impressive game, too.
I would love to see them hold any playstation under a similar microscope, for a true comparison
This presentation is "next gen", fantastic editing and narration! Wow!
Excellent work as always, John. I'm just stunned, honestly. I'm a PS acolyte through and through, but what Microsoft has been doing this generation - putting games of this caliber on a subscription service DAY 1 - is truly commendable. I have never been a racing fan, but I dipped my toes into Forza Horizon 4 and thought "wow, I really like this."
I'm all-in for Forza Horizon 5.
Ummm it's their own game. It's not a challenge to put this on gp when it's all they've put out for the $1bn they made from gamepass this year 🙄🤦🏼♂️
Arw xbots this daft?
@@thedude8128 bruh I dropped Xbox for ps this gen but Microsoft could have easily banked off charging full price only
Im happy that its exclusive ❤️ and the New bethesda games will exclusive too, f you bro
It's the very first game of this caliber to go to gamepass day 1
I’ve always said the newest PlayStation and a good pc is the best combination, and that’s more true now than ever.
This just proves that playground deserve to be making the new fable,
This new weather system alone is evidence enough,
All the changes to the forzatech engine such as audio and weather by playground is helping make turn 10 effort with the new motorsport abit easier,
Thank you for including the audio performance in your analysis! I'd love to see a heavier focus on it in the future, as a great soundscape (as you already described) can elevate a good game to even greater heights.
If FH5 looks this good and runs this well in series x/s, i cant wait see what they could achieve in fm8/fh6 with the new forzatech engine.
im surpised they still make separate games, seems like they could just add all the tracks and features to FH so you can open world drive then switch to a track while keeping all your cars and settings and just start calling it Forza not motorsport or horizon
@@vitsadelhole The driving physics are different, Motorsport is somewhat more realistic. It'd be weird to have two handling models in the same game, even in separate modes.
@@PositronCannon not particularly weird the game already has sliders and games like msfs already are able to switch from arcade like to simulation there is plenty of precedent here
@@vitsadelhole well forza motorsport is heading towards more simulation based physics so I don't see that happening
This didn't age well
Amazing work, John Linneman. Will someone at DF give this guy a raise?! I might be biased about the subject matter but the production quality of this video and the thorough detail are at the top echelon of what's available on TH-cam. Thanks for the content, DF.
From a PS fan I have to give props to Playground for this masterpiece. Amazing job. This is the kind of quality that can push me to buy a Series console.
Don't buy it yet, wait for elder scrolls 6
@@craigthebrute2848 dawg 💀
I've been trying to get a PS5 all year and it just hasn't worked out. I recently found a Series X available and jumped on it. Completely worth it with the value that Game Pass provides. I still want a PS5 for the exclusives but man, it feels good to play Xbox franchises like Forza and Halo again.
@@Turrbulence PS5 exclusives? Don't see many of those and their games are too short, the highest rated new game of 2021 is this one
@@craigthebrute2848 It's good that you are giving Xbox free advertising, but I'm not sure why there are still any Sony fanboys what's the point? The console is weaker, the games released on ps5 are weaker it has no games you would want to play over, Gamepass laughs ar Sony charging £70, but lol the most highest rated new ip game is Deathloop a Microsoft Studio's game
What a great Time to have a Series X and be able to enjoy this masterpiece ❤️😍
Playground really nailed it with Horizon 5.
really excited to see how they'll do with Horizon 6 and Fable reboot.
This is cross gen? Imagine when they go all in on series s/x! 😲
Games will be mindblowing once they are built specifically for next gen soon
If i'm not mistaken, that's what the next Forza Motosport is going to be. Can't wait.
Isn’t the next Forza Motorsport going to only be on next gen?
@@Totone56 I think you’re correct. I think it releases next year.
My god, imagine what Fable will look like...
A touch of class from John for using the "DF RETRO" in the back plate of the cars 😂
Game of the year, completely blown away by how good it looks, plays and sounds.
Haven’t you heard?? Returdnal already won that. Lol!
Ive been telling everyone since April it’s gonna be hard to top Returnal!!
@@Massproduce201 I really didn't enjoy Returnal, one of the most frustrating games I ever played. It would be a travesty if Returnal wins GOTY.
Edit: Just checked there, Returnal only has an 85 on metacritic, no chance it's winning GOTY. Ratchet & Clank is the highest scoring PS5 game with an 88, Forza Horizon 5 currently has a 91. It will be between them two games, both are enjoyable experiences. I personally prefer FH5, let's wait, see who wins GOTY, would've no complaints about either game. They both showed what the next-gen consoles are capable of achieving.
@@karl343 Idk man it just ticked a lot of boxes for me let’s see what happens…
@@Massproduce201 Returnal was very niche though, not everyone's cup of tea. R&C, FH5 appealed to a wider audience.
I have nothing but respect for Playground Games for making such efforts to push the limits and optimize their games. Also to not rush to release in an incomplete state, especially in todays world where it pretty much became the norm to release a game each year even at the cost of quality, innovation, and buggines. It probably has to do with the publisher Xbox as well but idk.
I can't wait for Forza Motorsport 8.
I've been blown away by Horizon 5 in my 20 hours of play so far. From the large, beautiful vistas to the light briefly bouncing of your Ferrari's horse emblem during a dusk race, the detail is next level.
thank you DF you are truly the greats and i am loving Horizon 5 on Series X performance mode, truly something Special, Horizon 1 feels all over again.
Premium edition early access unlocked at 12.01 am 🤔 😉
@Let me offer you this It has been out for 7 hours in the UK, by changing your console location to New Zealand.
This has been one of my favourite reviews. This game is so next gen… just amazing what the devs have done and so excited for the future
The car being air dropped and then transitioning into a race was sick!
Wow best looking racing game I've ever seen!
Beautiful game , it's in my top 3 Best looking games of this gen so far with Ratchet and Clank and a showcase u forgot to mention at the start of the video for Series X hardware , Flight simulator... which i cannot still explained how did they mapped the entire globe and Air traffic in real time with real weather conditions ... so impressive.
Flight Simulator is not that impressive, and cannot be compared to Forza or Ratchet that have proper gameplay.
@@kostasbousbouras2654 do u think before posting shit?
@@futurearagorn Flight Simulator doesn't look as good as Ratchet and Clank, as impressive as it is.
@@kasjamm Yeah a 6hr linear cartoon game for children looks better than the entire planet rendered to lifelike aunthenticity. 🤦
@@Ryan-yi5ro It's not life like lol From up high it looks nice, but it looks like Google earth close to the ground.
Excellent video! Beautifully put together. Reminds me of DF retro, love the technical analysis.
The best arcade racer ever made. Mind boggling what Playground Games will do next when the next one is Series X/S exclusively.
Love the car popping into existence at 25:16 LOL.
Drop-dead beautiful game, of course, just thought that was an amazing sight.
The weather especially the sky boxes, the sense of distance and height and the environmental lighting with day/night transitions is starting to approach a level where your mind thinks "I have seen or driven under skies looking like this and light conditions" Driving home from work just before nightfall looks so close to some of the night scene shown here.
Biggest challenge for games and cgi now is creating believable looking people.
Thank you for discussing the sound design in the game!! It's such an important part of the immersion of a game that doesn't get talked about enough.
Really great looking game. I'm looking forward to play it in a couple of days.
But the bug at 25:15 was hilarious.
you ninjed me
That car has hops, hope we can get the same upgrade!
Yup, just commented on that myself. I wasn't the only one to catch that I guess. If this were FH3, I'd suspect Drop Bears.
What bug?
@@jvillaro at 25:15 there is a car in the oncoming traffic that jumps/pops almost into the ceiling of the tunnel.
Just bought an X and waiting for its delivery, I got FH5 with it and I can safely say this is the most excited I’ve been for a purchase in a long time
This makes me even more excited to see what they do with Fable.
Roll on next Tuesday!!! Love it when John is clearly enthusiastic about a title, the breakdowns are all the better for that!
Always such a premium quality video experience with DF. Keep up the good work, you guys are amazing.
Hearing Wangan Midnight's - Blue Blazes gave me chills at 2:00
This game is a spectacle.
Had to set my console to New Zealand to play this early and it didn’t disappoint!
It is absolutely stunning and the handling tweaks really make a difference. The level of detail is quite honestly mind boggling. The Playground Games team should so proud of their achievement!
The only one weird graphical “issue” I saw so far was on the character customisation screen where there were a lot of temporal artifacts around the hair. Really a minor grumble, but still there.
Do you just change your clock, or your location totally
@@hermnkiel1080 you have to change the location
I already own a PS5 and yesterday I bought a Series X and forza blew me away, looks and plays amazing
Just the video I was waiting for. The guys at Playground games are super talented. Some of the best devs out there.
My eye was tricked into thinking the environment was real a few times. Wow.
The reflections of the cars interior/ exterior bouncing off the interior windshield *chef kiss*
Playground Games is a beast. This is the one game that makes me want a Series X. There's nothing similar on ps5. Amazing game, i enjoyed a lot this series on 360 e One.
FH5 looks like it's going to be the first certified classic of the generation. PS5 has had some good releases but nothing jaw dropping like this. I highly recommend getting an Xbox! I have both PS5 and XSX, and the Xbox still gets a ton of use from me. With it's vast back compat library, superior back compat capabilities for cross-plat games (AutoHDR, resolution and FPS boost), and the incredible deal that is Game Pass, it's a fantastic system that is a huge step up from the XB1.
@@fartknocker5708 I second this.
@@fartknocker5708 vouch
@@fartknocker5708 For me, Demon's Souls Remake is also a masterpiece. And on the series X, we got FS2020 last summer. FH5 is the second masterpiece on the machine =)
@@luke_y_444 I wouldn't really know about Demon's Souls because while I have it and have played it several times, I still can't get past the first level (even when following a guide). I'm sure I could, but I don't have the free time to pour hours and hours into it just to get a tiny bit of progression. It's tough for me to believe that a game that's that inaccessible can be called a masterpiece.
Really enjoying this on the PC, running slightly above the extreme setting at native 4K with no resolution scaling and averaging between 70fps to 100fps, and with HDR it looks stunning, definitely a massive improvement over FH4 especially in environment details. Really does look like a true next gen game.
What pc setup?
how much different compared to fh4?
😂
@@GeminiFate I'm playing FH5 on a Lenovo Legion 7i laptop with a I7 11800H and RTX 3080 (165 watts vr.) and getting average 60 to 80fps at 4K Ultra settings.
Really good to have DF spend a portion on sound, I get that graphics is the main thing and it's easier to measure, but it's good to have this discussed.
even the 30 fps runs better than most 30fps games
30fps capping from 12 t-flop console
@@spenny2cents at max pc settings...
@@spenny2cents You tried, kid.
@@spenny2cents in performance mode the game can hit 4K 60 digital foundry just did a whole video on it and they were extremely impressed the game doesn't look much different from the full quality mode
@@spenny2cents You get an "F" for effort, little guy.
Hoping for PC coverage from Alex regarding graphical differences to console, comparing Steam and Microsoft Store versions and giving us optimized settings 💪
Alex is probably going to review it negatively and say that the game is too vulgar because the exotic cars are too sexy.
Just buy a 3090
@@metalmacias6632 Please, for the sake of the rest of us, go outside and mate with grass.
the 3090 review yeah
@@Aggrofool i'm not spending that much on just a GPU alone lol
25:14 the traffic car hop lmao, Btw gr8 work done by DF for explaining the tech involved for such cross gen game
I miss the 'Project Gotham Racing' series.
It wasn't just about racing, but also driving in style, stunts, challenges and Kudos combos.
On a side note, what happened to custom music that integrates well into games?
I currently own a PS5, and ive gotta say this looks absolutely stunning, super nice to see Series X really stretching its legs, demonstrating its capability and getting the games it deserves!! awesome work! Am i tempted? very... I just cant see how GT is gonna top this, I think the star of the show here is the open world environment and that sense of exploration...
2 different games imo. GT is the most realistic driving sims while racing on world renowned circuits. FH is more arcade like with beautiful open worlds. Personally, for myself, it comes down to casual/wild driving or pro level racing.
Dude, Starfield, Redfall, and Forza Motorsport 8 are coming next year, along with Gamepass day 1 deals like Stalker 2 and Plague 2. Halo Infinite drops in a month. The future of Xbox is exciting.
@only a northern cyclist: the open world is the star here. Sometimes i don‘t even drive events, instead i just drive around and look at stuff, search for the hidden signs and other stuff.
There are also weekly challenges where you get special points for a special store that keeps sucking you back in. (They change with the seasons once a week.)
I loved GT1-3 back then, but racing sims kind of got stale for me. Tried motorsport and it they are great games as well, but basically the same as GT. Horizon is a totaly different experience.
If you are interested try it. i played around 120hours of horizon 4 (with dlc) and didn‘t even do everything you could do. 😅
@@GViRuS84 yeah that’s what I really like, I had Test Drive Unlimited back on the 360 years ago and it was amazing, spent so much time just driving around exploring Hawaii, this seems very much in the same vein.
I’ve zero interest in Halo, never liked it, but the other stuff like Starfield looks really good
Gran Turismo is simply linear. This game isn't.
Forza Horizon has been my favorite game for a few years now. It's got the perfect combination of sim and arcade and it's very well optimized. Been playing since the 3rd game since I only play on PC. Amazing. Can't wait for tomorrow!
This fantastic looking game has made my mind up, I'm gonna try to find the series x for sale.
You wont regret it a Series X with Gamepass is the best thing in gaming right now.
You'll notice in time that it's a very smart move, regardless if you play on other consoles as well. Series X is a wonderful console.
If you buy any console for a single game you are doing a big mistake. Always find a bigger list of games you actually want to play.
I knew it would be a good "Forza" but this game is really a MasterpiecE.
Seeing the graphical fidelity, attention to detail and general care shown by Playground Games here makes me both intrigued and excited to see what they do with their Fable reboot. Extremely excited to see one of my favourite franchises make a comeback, especially with Playground behind the wheel.
This game is just sooo beautiful!
As a PlayStation user, I wanna buy an Xbox Series X just for this game!
Well buy it I got a ps5 for God of war ect
get a PC much smarter move. You can play all xbox games at higher quality, and all the extra perks of having a pc.
You could play it on PC if you have one
You could play it with xCloud for cheap if your connection is good enough.
@@joeydirt420 true, if you want to spend $1000+.
This just makes me want a modern Smuggler's Run game even more.
Horizon 5 looks like the CG they used to tell us was "representative of gamemplay" last gen
Amazing review. Weirdly enough, reviews by reviewers who actually enjoy the game in question tend to be some of the best reviews. Also - if any game would be able to single-handedly press me into buying the new XBOX, this would make the Top 3. Well done - and greetings from Latvia.
As a playstation 5 owner I must say: I envy you this game. It's such a bummer that there isn't that good arcade racing game on ps. Good job xbox
After buying this game i fell in love! i've been playing forza horizon games ever since horizon 2, and forza horizon 5 is defiantly the best out of them all, makes me feel like a little kid again lol
When I play on performance mode I have noticed pop in on the bushes on the side of the road, it's like they're half loaded. It's very distracting, has anyone else noticed this?
a masterpiece review of a masterpiece game. thank you digital foundry ❤🌹
Superb review/analysis again, John. Really nice to watch.
Can’t wait for their next game. Fable will be gorgeous.
I remember thinking Dirt 5 looked pretty good, but this really makes it look last gen.
Dirt5 looks so bad in comparison. Forza is cornering the market with these stunning visuals.
The thing I'm most excited about is them shifting more focus on Fable. Super talented studio and can't wait to see what they do with that reboot.
If your one of those people who doesn't turn the HUD off, I invite you to try it on this game makes the experience that much better.
havent tried turning the hud off. i do play with a wheel in cockpit view though so a lot of it is redundant, might give it a shot.
Fantastic analysis, and congratulations to Playground Games for crafting a masterpiece for Xbox. I can't wait to play!
I'm blown away by the level of detail Playground Games packed into this game. Can't wait to see what they do with Fable. Fable is in good hands for sure.
maybe the best tech game review i have seem in my life.... and i am close to Richard Leadbetter age, i played in spectrum, commodores, amiga etc... John Linneman ...magnificent review
We've come a long way since Road Fighter.
I wish there was a 40fps quality mode for 120hz tvs ... like Ratchet and Clank. That mode was a perfect blend for me.
@Anonymous Not how it works.
@Anonymous Yeah. Allowing to cap it at 60 without drs would be nice for vrr users.
This is one game I really wish we had on PS. Looks incredible. Great video!!
Get a Xbox or a PC.
All the best first-party Microsoft studio stuff comes to PC on release day, so that's an option. Xbox console isn't required.
@@griffgames9538 I don’t have a gaming PC unfortunately :(
This is the best game I've played in years. It's a masterpiece.
It actually supports Dolby Vision HDR now. Was added at early access launch
Simply stunning in the mode
29:00 The switch from Outrun to Forza Horizon 5 is astonishing. I had my focus on the car and yes, I thought it switched to a live action video. Forza really does pas the "small screen test".
Playing at 4K with the extreme settings on PC with an RTX 3080 Ti, doesn't drop below 60fps. Averages about 80 FPS with a peak to 100. About 15 more FPS at Ultra, insanely well optimizted on all systems
How well do you think it will play on a 3070?
@Lov Mir Yeah but at what settings? I doubt its running extreme settings as you can on PC!
@Lov Mir Its not native 4k! Dynamic res! If you have seen the video it says from around 1600p at its lowest to native 4
Can’t wait to play on my 1660 ti. The last game ran flawlessly so I’m expecting pretty good results.
@Lov Mir It wouldn't. It's already dropping in resolution.
Great looking game! I just saw two bugs.
- after going thru the red flares, the light disappears instantly. 28:54
- there’s a car flying at 25:15
The flying car is probably some sort of network desync issue, since that's another player. That kinda thing happens.
Watches a 30 min video on a amazing game and you find it necessary to find something to criticize. Can guarantee you and your opinion mean nothing, get over yourself
@@metallicafan416 ya why point out bugs in an overview of how the game runs? oh wait thats exactly what we should do. You need to get over yourself. things you like can still be criticized
@@metallicafan416 digital foundry is known also for commenting even on the smallest thing not to call ever a game, perfect. It’s a small thing, the game looks great as i said.