Forza Horizon 5 showcases the Xbox Series X in a stunning way. The cars look amazing, and I've enjoyed taking in the beautiful scenery as I raced through Mexico to blast classical music. It's one of the few games that truly showcases the Xbox's capabilities, despite it being a limited edition. It's also a great portable game.
Hear me. The graphics are stunning and can be enjoyed on large screens. Forza Horizon 5's easy-to-use gameplay and plethora of customization options make it great for a small device like a smartphone. It's been great to play the game through console streaming using my iPhone 12 Mini connected to a Backbone One controller.
Forza Horizon 5's most basic activity is to pick a point or enter a race, and then follow the blue driving line to get there. The line is easily visible even on my iPhone 12 Minis screen. I can often follow it without any difficulty. It is also easy to use the controls. I only worry about one trigger to start the engine, one for the brake and one for navigating using the left control stick. I find all of this manageable on the Backbone Ones' smaller layout.
Forza Horizon 5's generous rewind function also helps to alleviate any frustrations that may arise from playing on a smartphone screen. Although the racing line is useful, I have missed some turns due to my inability to see far enough ahead. If I end up swerving by a hairpin curve I can hit the rewind button and get another chance to make the turn more smoothly.
Pick-up-and play sessions are possible because of the game's core structure. Forza Horizon 5's vast map is full of activities and races (I don't know if I will ever finish them all), but most events take only a few minutes. It's easy to complete an activity even if you have only 15 minutes.
Console streaming has been very stable for me. Frame rate hiccups have been rare for me. This may be due to the fact that I am in a studio and rarely more than a few feet from my Series X, and my Wi-Fi router. However, when I have felt my racing sluggish, I have adjusted the difficulty settings to be more patient. Forza Horizon 5 has not been available on Xbox Cloud Gaming. However, Forza Horizon 4 does have a small but manageable amount of input delay for me. Your mileage may vary.
If you are a competitive racer, playing on your phone may not be the best idea.
If you are a competitive racer, Forza Horizon 5 may not be the best choice. I have to admit that I am a very relaxed player of Forza Horizon 5. I usually play against AI cars with average difficulty. I also make extensive use of the rewind and move on after a few races if I don't reach the podium. I have not raced against any other online players. I doubt I would keep up if I tried it while on my phone.
As games grow in size, it is important to have a portable method to play and goals that you can achieve. The magic of The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild on the Nintendo Switch was its ability to work in both short and long sessions in TV mode or mobile mode. I'm glad that games like Forza offer the same flexibility. The games design lends itself to mobile gaming in short bursts. Its addictive cycle works on any screen. It could also be a great showcase for the Steam Deck, as Forza Horizon 5 will be available on Steam.
Although Microsoft won't make a handheld Xbox at the moment, it may in the future. Forza and other games can be played on a handheld device if you have a compatible controller and a smartphone.
