70°

Forza Horizon 2, A Micro-Transactionless Haven of Speed And Beauty | Hardcore Gamer

In Playground Games' Forza Horizon 2, the name of the game is exploration. Gone are the restrictive circuits and close-knit reflex races of Motosport infamy, replaced by an open world of sprawling fields, gorgeously detailed vineyards, and muddy hills. Horizon 2 invites players to crash through the barriers, both metaphorically and literally, zoom through expansive spreads of land, drift across dusty roads and perform explosive jumps at every opportunity. Realism takes a backseat to fun, and Horizon 2's reimagining of Southern Europe is a beautiful, immense chunk of world in which to sow your wild racing oats.

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Lawboy23638d ago

I really can't wait to pick up this game....fall is going to be epic

3637d ago Replies(4)
Slick813638d ago (Edited 3638d ago )

THank god no more micros hello freedom

Scatpants3637d ago

I heard they were bringing in the micro transactions later, but at launch it wouldn't have them.

Bundi3637d ago

Heard from whom? Show me one link where Playground say they will put them in later.

Torgul3637d ago

I thought it was 30fps, if 60 is confirmed it will be great, not that I was not happy with 30fps but I would prefer 60. Anyway I can t waitttt

memots3637d ago (Edited 3637d ago )

poor soul I will guess you never owned a console before ? Last gen 90% of game were not over 30fps ..

All those game from the last couple of gen all suck right ?

Edit : i know i know. 60fps is better but if you start having negative feeling over a game because its not 60 then you will miss out on a lot.

ValKilmer3637d ago

Did the first Horizon have micro-transactions?

joab7773637d ago

Oh yeah, and it was $60, and the content was fairly limited.

Which makes me think, given that this game releases a year later, that the last For a was pushed out as a quick cash grab.

Sony gets berated for holding Driveclub, but it's a good thing they didn't just put it out there to cover a launch window with the illusion of quality gaming. Now we may get a great game. Also, when it was launch title they said ps+members would get it for free. Now ppl are mad that they only get part of it. Isn't it better that they worked on it and made it better?

marlinfan103637d ago (Edited 3637d ago )

You are aware forza 5 and forza horizon are completely different types of racing games, made by different devs right?

nicksetzer13637d ago

first, you are talking about forza 5, he was asking about forza horizon.

Second, FH2/forza 5 have/had 200+ cars, driveclub has 50 ... how is that a lack of content on forza's behalf exactly?

also you are complaining about micro transactions in forza 5 which had a faster earn rate than forza 4. At least MS/turn 10/playground don't claim their game "absolutely wont have microtransactions only to change their mind a month later.
http://ps4daily.com/2014/05...
https://twitter.com/Rushy33...

AceBlazer133637d ago

What in God's name does DriveClub have to do with this? DriveClub isn't a sim so why not compare Forza's car count to GT?

nicksetzer13637d ago (Edited 3637d ago )

@ace First I DID NOT bring up driveclub, he did. Second, so let me get this straight. Forza 5 which literally simulated cars functions down to the piece (almost every part in a car can be customized and effects how the car handles), replicated tire based physics based on weight and momentum of each car and tire, and created an excellent damage replication system (both physical and visual) NEEDS to have MORE than 4 times the cars of other games because it "is different?" IMO you should expect fewer cars from a game that takes all that into consideration, not more, what a stupid argument .... That aside, forza horizon IS an arcade like racer. (sure it still has all the above mentioned feature as options, but it is not a sim) So please, even if your deluded forza 5 theory were accurate, what is your excuse for forza horizon having 4 times the cars?

To be clear I am not bashing driveclub, looks good. I am simply pointing out how moronic his comment was in comparison to other games OF THE SAME GENRE. The fact you feel the need to support his irrational comment is pretty telling.

ALSO, it SHOULD NOT be compared to GT6, GT6 was still using models from the PS2 era. Some of them not even modified, Also GT6 uses different colors of the same car a "different" cars, where as in forza you can customize your paint jobs as much as you want on any car. Lastly, GT6 was at the end of a generation using an already produced engine and assets (as I said above) from previous games, all of forza 5's cars were all built ground up and on a new engine for XB1.

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cabbitwithscissors3637d ago

Micro-transactions is going to be the death of gaming. Furthermore, these so called micro transactions are not exactly micro in scope, more like scalping after they have cut off your arms and your legs. Talk about dumping barrels of salt on to your open wounds. Bah.

JBSleek3637d ago

Micro transactions have been in gaming for quite some time and gaming hasn't died yet or will it ever.

If people simply don't buy micro transactions the market will adjust and remove them.

Also I don't see the problem either. If people want to pay to have early access to content because they don't like to grind why shouldn't they? It doesn't personally affect you.

SpiralTear3637d ago

"If people simply don't buy micro transactions the market will adjust and remove them."

While that's true, that's like saying we could cure childhood obesity if everyone just stopped going to Burger King all the time. That's dependent on a huge amount of people, and that's not even counting all the ways that the publishers are tricking players into buying into microtransactions.

You know why the microtransactions are usually so small, like 99 cents? Because the publishers know that they're more likely to hook people with dozens of low-priced microtransactions than one big fat payment. It's the nature of marketing; people are instantly more interested in low prices than higher ones.

It's also the reason that people end up buying so many things on Steam Sales. Those low prices are more hypnotically appealing than higher prices, so we're convinced that they're so cheap that they won't stack up, even when they eventually do.

joab7773637d ago

Yeah and if ppl just stop smoking weed, driving drunk and putting a needle in their arm, we won't hav a drug problem.

There is a reason that they do this...a reason why many publishers actually choose this model as something other than a fall back plan..b/c we r addicts.

I wouldn't hav a problem if games were offered different ways. You can either buy it or play it for free...and pay for what u want. Even a monthly sub to play any games u want would be cool. That's a real possibility and probability in the future. We will just pay MS or Sony a monthly fee and be able to play anything.

DCUO is a great example of f2p gone horribly wrong. It used to be sub so when the schism occured, the sub option remained in addition to Micros. That's a nightmare. U need the sub to access everything, DLC is $10, and the marketplace is full of at least pay to get ahead items. I loved that game but gladly pay Square $15/month for FF14 b/c u know they will never ask me for another penny.

It's gotta b one or the other. If there are micros u cannot charge $60 or a sub.

memots3637d ago

its a balancing act. They need to offer enough for people to buy in the first place.

I am sure they will have DLC and that i dont mind as long that it doesnt feel like cheap stuff that was held back from the full release.

mhunterjr3637d ago (Edited 3637d ago )

I doubt micro-transactions will kill the gaming industry... Considering they pretty much spawned the industry...

Does anyone remember arcades? The original microtransaction! Games were intentionally designed so that you'll have to frequently feed it $. Inexplicable spikes difficulty, cheap boss battles, you name it. In retrospect things are much better now...

There are a ton of different business models, all coexisting... One is not going to eradicate all others.

zero_gamer3637d ago

Online passes came and went, and in the case of Forza, MTs came and went. Either way, gaming isn't in hot water. Things were drastically different from the late Atari 2600 days. We complain about shooters flooding the market, but this is nothing like what happened 30 years ago.

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130°

Looking Back To 2014 and Forza Horizon 2

Paul writes: "Forza Horizon 2 then, a game from 2014 - a game that still stands up today"

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thexboxhub.com
xRacer74x1710d ago

Would love to see a PC port of this game Forza 3 and 4 are just gorgeous on XBOX but Jaw dropping on PC.

ilikestuff1709d ago (Edited 1709d ago )

I remember when gran turismo was the driving sim king, I miss those days, I played the crap out of gt1, took me forever to get enough credits to get that viper, gt2 brought those muscle cars! Gt3 was a banger, gt4 was the downfall in my opinion, it was like they half assed the game, I think at one point they scanned a model car and used the bottom of it for the bottom of a car on their game. They gave up the crown and dont seem to care. Man though, gt1,2, and 3 were great.

sizeofyou1709d ago

Seriously even comparing FH to GT? 🤔

sampsonon1709d ago

not like DC does. they were 10 yrs ahead of their time.
https://youtu.be/pBEip6goHb...

but FH2 was pretty good as well.

ilikestuff1709d ago

Awesome video, those weather effects are nuts. I know that game didn’t start off to good but they should’ve gave them one more chance before they got shit down. Loved motorstorm

sampsonon1709d ago

i made sure i bought it before they de listed it from the ps store. those graphics are still one of the best this gen. and the best when it comes to realism. it looks soo real sometimes.

ramiuk11709d ago

i was blown away by driveclub ,infact still am tbh...
the rain !!!!!!!!!

porkChop1709d ago

DriveClub had some really impressive weather effects. It's a shame they didn't get another shot.

spicelicka1709d ago

Graphically that's true DC is the best looking racing game ever, but the article isn't talking about graphics only. Game design and gameplay in FH2 was miles ahead and has consistently improved with each iteration.

sampsonon1709d ago

they are saying it still holds up. to me that's a graphical thing. but if they think the open world car games are is the thing that makes a racing game hold up then The Crew is the winner.

in 10 yrs you can show DC and people will still think it's one of the best looking games.

but i get your point.

xRacer74x1709d ago

Just think if DC did not have prerendered backgrounds and the narrowest roads of any game i had played in a long time and it felt like it was on rails. DC was subpar and it cost the studio their jobs.

sampsonon1709d ago (Edited 1709d ago )

first of all the studio was shut down because of the launch of the game and all the free dlc they had to give away because of it. not the game itself.
pre-rendered backgrounds? lol thanks i needed that laugh.

"Just think if DC did not have prerendered backgrounds and the narrowest roads of any game i had played in a long time and it felt like it was on rails."

that's called a racetrack dumb dumb :)

FH2 had some of the worst graphics in a racer so of course you could have an open world. too bad the crew did a better job than FH2 and still does when it comes to open world racing.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

https://youtu.be/5WS55RHXyz...

xRacer74x1709d ago (Edited 1709d ago )

@sampsonon Except Genius(Intended Irony) not all the tracks were race tracks. And No feeling like the game is on rails does not mean its a race track either. DC was a subpar racing game. I really enjoyed the invisible barriers when you drove on the burm too. Forza was such a better game but that does not need to be said its why the studio is still making games and the other was FIRED. I get it though its not like on the PS4 their is a great arcade first party racing game. So you do not know any better.

sampsonon1708d ago (Edited 1708d ago )

@xRacer74x they were race tracks, just not off road tracks.
sub par my ass. Like i said sony only disbanded the company because of the bad launch. they also have GT so they could afford to close the company.

FH2 looked like shit and still does compared to the superior graphocs of DC. even 3 looks shit compared to DC.
One game was using tracks and the other was an open world. one looked way better and the other one allowed you to "REWIND" HAHA! when you race = garbage.

Forza Horizon is a fun game, don't get me wrong. but it was lacking in so many places compared to DC.
https://youtu.be/aa6qZ2pny6...

spicelicka1709d ago

I don't think simply being open world makes a game hold up, there were plenty of things FH2 did so well. IMO it did many things better than the Crew, which is why it's rated so much higher as well. Better graphics than the crew, the multiplayer was amazing with FM drivatar tech, and the handling of car just feels better than any arcade racer given the variety. The soundtrack is still my favourite.

Imortus_san1709d ago

LMAO, all the people that add no internet sucked balls since the phisical edition did not had those effects.

Forza Horizon 2 metacritic = 86 user 83
https://www.metacritic.com/...

Drive Club metacritic = 71 user = 63
https://www.metacritic.com/...

There is no real comparation, Drive CLub floped and the company went down while Forza Horizon 2 triumphed.

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3-4-51708d ago

* I've still yet to beat the game and haven't bought FH3 or FH4 because I still have stuff to do in FH2....I just haven't played in a while. It's an awesome game and yes it still is just as good now as when it originally released.

80°

7 Ultimate Xbox Gamerscore Grinds for Those with Way Too Much Time on Their Hands

Jacob writes: "Following on from my list of insanely difficult achievements, it’s time to shine the spotlight on another type of hellish achievement. The dreaded grind. These are the awards that will take you hundreds of hours at the absolute minimum, and often involve repeating menial tasks over and over. It’s safe to say that these were definitely not made with the casual gamer in mind. Only the most committed will ever see these pop."

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BillyG0AT1797d ago

rewording countless other articles, yayyy

130°

Pay much more for playing a bit earlier – this new emerging trend is alarming

As different as they are, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Forza Horizon, FIFA 19, and the new Tomb Raider have something in common. You could play all of them earlier than others. But there was a catch – you had to pay extra. And this practice doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon.

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gamepressure.com
InKnight7s2052d ago

Meanwhile selling Switch at MSRP price is considered an amazing offer. PATHETIC.

CDbiggen2051d ago

What's that got to do with this article?

Segata2051d ago

Is this how they trick people into paying $80 Us Dollars for games next gen? Then I will get every game used.

princejb1342051d ago

if games cost $80 next gen i will problably quit console gaming

Sokol2051d ago

Games have been priced at 79.99$ in Canada for almost six years now.

It won't change anything.. Sadly.

princejb1342051d ago

@sokol sorry to hear that its been $60.00 in the US. If it goes up in the US it will probably go up in canada also

sawoosevens2051d ago (Edited 2051d ago )

With their current practices bringing up prices is not practical unless they remove MT and get back to making awesome games like the old days I'm still at a complete loss as to how our technologies has come so far and our games have become hot pieces of garbage of course some games are exceptions. Only games I feel okay with $ 80 towards are all made by Sony and that's me thanking them for providing me with the true gaming experience from when I was young when games we're actually fun.

sawoosevens2051d ago (Edited 2051d ago )

If they remove MT and actually make games fun again like they used to I'll gladly pay $ 80 for game hell I already do that for Sony's games.

Jinger2051d ago

As long as the early access is just an additional feature of the edition that comes with the season pass and all that then I'm fine with it. But I'm not going to pay extra JUST for early access.

AK912051d ago

Don’t buy it, speak with your wallets not your words.

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