Wikipedia

Forza Horizon 2

Forza Horizon 2is a 2014racing video gamedeveloped forMicrosoft'sXbox OneandXbox 360consoles. It is the sequel to 2012'sForza Horizon,the seventh instalment in theForzaseries, and the series' first multi-console instalment. The Xbox One version of the game was developed byPlayground Games,the team behind the originalForza Horizon,whileSumo Digitaldeveloped the version for Xbox 360, withForzaseries developerTurn 10 Studiossupporting both builds. The Xbox 360 version is also the finalForzagame released for the platform. The game received positive reviews from critics and a sequel,Forza Horizon 3,was released on 27 September 2016.

Forza Horizon 2
Standard cover art featuring theLamborghini Huracán
Developer(s)Playground Games[a]
Publisher(s)Microsoft Studios
Director(s)Ralph Fulton
Producer(s)Adam Askew
Designer(s)
  • Martin Connor
  • Lee Niven
Programmer(s)Alan Roberts
Artist(s)Benjamin Penrose
SeriesForza
Platform(s)
Release
  • NA:30 September 2014[1]
  • AU:2 October 2014
  • EU:3 October 2014
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player,multiplayer

The game was delisted from sale on 1 October 2018, following the expiration of its car branding licenses. The game's online servers, along with those forForza Horizon,were shut down on 22 August 2023.

Gameplay

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Gameplay inForza Horizon 2.Here, a player is driving theLamborghini Venenoto a destination.

Forza Horizon 2is aracing video game,featuring anopen worldenvironment.[2]The player participates in the Horizon Festival, a fictional racing competition set withinSouthern FranceandNorthern Italy.[3]The game has approximately three times more drivable area than that of its predecessorForza Horizon,with events set inProvence,LiguriaandCôte d'Azur(Nice) along with scaled down towns ofSisteronandSaint-Martin-du-Var.There is a small part of the map that includes parts of theAmalfi Coastand a fictional town calledCastellettowhich consists of features from the town ofAmalfi.There is also some small features in the map like the golf course, the docks (which are only accessible in theXbox Oneversion of the game except if theFast & Furiousexpansion is owned for theXbox 360version) and aerodrome. Players can explore the expansive map, taking part in races and special events in order to advance through the game. Events can take place at day or night, and a dynamic weather system was added for the first time in aForza-series game.[4]

Among new features in the game are "Bucket Lists", three groups of timed challenges for the player to complete, similar to the 1000 Club inForza Horizon.They can be completed in solo or co-op mode (when a player goes to the online version of the map, they can be completed with a random person or invited friend). These challenges are continuously updated to provide new challenges throughout the map.Car Meetsare an online mode where players can meet up online and compare their cars, similar to "Forzavista" mode inForza Motorsport 5.Players are also able to interact with each other in Car Meets, including sharing tuning setups and liveries. In the online version of the game, races such as circuits, sprints, and cross country are playable against other players, along with other game types such as Infected and King.[5]

The standalone expansion of the game based onThe Fast and the Furiousfranchise,Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious,addednitrous oxideboosts to theForzaseries. Unlike other racing games however, nitrous can only be used during most of the game's events, and only replenishes at the very start of said events. On the Xbox 360, it's only used in drag races.

Development

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Promotion atGamescom 2014

Forza Horizon 2is the second game in the series to be developed principally by a studio other thanForza Motorsportdeveloper Turn 10 Studios. Playground Games, the lead developer forForza Horizon,focused on the Xbox One version, using the graphics engine fromForza Motorsport 5as their starting point.[5]While the engine is capable of displaying content 1080p and 60 frames-per-second, the game was locked at 1080p and 30 frames-per-second, which was deemed necessary because of the game's open-world nature.[5][6]According to creative director Ralph Fulton, "one of the big technical challenges that we had to face was making sure that we could stream in a world that is next-gen beautiful, but fast enough to keep up with the fastest car."[6]

Sumo Digitaltook the lead for the Xbox 360 version, starting from the originalForza Horizongraphics engine.[4]As with the original game, Turn 10 Studios provided support to the primary developers.[4]The Xbox 360 version does not include the weather system such as rain or "drivatar"A.I.found in the more-powerful Xbox One version, and also omits tuning and the free-roam open-world (as very few barriers can be broken through and crossed), with Playground Games calling the two versions "different games".[7]

Many cars carry over from the originalForza Horizon,while many new cars, such as the 1970Chevrolet Camaro,have been added to the game.

On 22 July 2014,Turn 10 Studiosrevealed the first 100 of over 200 cars to be featured in the open world game, from exotics, rally cars, trucks, hot hatches, among others. Many cars from theForzaseries return, including many cars from the originalHorizongame. The list includes the 2014Lamborghini HuracánLP610-4 andVeneno,theMcLaren P1,theLaFerrari,theAgera,and theBugatti Veyron Super Sport.[8]Another new car that they had released was theFord CapriRS3100 which is a barn find. All ten barn finds can be found off-road, usually in hidden places.

When choosing the locale forForza Horizon 2,the developers investigated over 30 locations around the world, includingCaliforniaandAustralia,ultimately choosing Southern Europe.[5]Creative director Ralph Fulton cited Europe's "fantastic driving roads, amazing environmental diversity, and just stunning vistas that you really want to explore" as some of the major points in selecting it forHorizon 2.[5]Fulton also noted that most of the recent open-world driving games were set in North America and that Southern Europe "just felt fresh, it felt different, it felt new, and it was a gimme for us".[5]

The Playground Games audio team recorded exhaust, intake, supercharger, and turbocharger sounds on real cars, and each sound is independent and modelled separately. To create loops through the rev range, they paired the sounds to each rotation of the engine. The mix of intake or exhaust notes depends on the camera position inside or outside the car. The team used the increased power of the Xbox One to playback assets of higher quality and loop length. They recorded environmental sounds like raindrops hitting the car, skidding on wet and dry surfaces, and debris kick-up.[9]

Release

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On 27 August 2014, Microsoft announced that a demo version of the game would be made available on Xbox One on 16 September 2014.[10]On the day of the demo release, Microsoft confirmed that the game had been declaredgold,indicating it was being prepared for duplication and release.[11]The standard "10th Anniversary Edition" of the Xbox One version (consisting of the base game and the 10th Anniversary Car Pack) was given to Xbox Live Gold members for free throughout August 2018 as part of Microsoft'sGames with Goldprogram.[12]Forza Horizon 2and its downloadable content were delisted on 1 October 2018. Those who already own it can still download and play the game and its DLC.[13]On 23 June 2023, it was announced by Turn 10 Studios that they would be shutting down the online servers forForza Horizonand all versions ofForza Horizon 2(including theFast & Furiousstandalone expansion) on 22 August 2023, thereby removing access to game features including leaderboards, matchmaking, and access to user-generated content, with support for offline play still being available past that date.[14]

Expansions

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On 16 December 2014, Microsoft launchedStorm Island,an expansion pack for the Xbox One edition of the game.[15]Storm Island adds, along with the new setting and associated tracks, five new event types, an expansion of the game engine's weather system, five new vehicles and an additional barn-find car.[15]On 25 February 2015, Microsoft announcedForza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious,astandalone expansionto promote the release ofFurious 7.It was released on 27 March 2015 for free until 10 April 2015.[16]The expansion added music fromFurious 7,composed byBrian Tyler,exclusively for the Showcase events. ActorChris "Ludacris" Bridgeswho played Tej in theFast & Furiousseries was also featured in the game with his voiceover. In June 2015, Microsoft announced a newPorscheexpansion pack for the game that was released on 9 June 2015.[17]The expansion, which was authorized byElectronic Arts,the then-license-holder for Porsche vehicles in video games, adds ten vehicles, such as the944,911 GT3 RS,theMacan Turboand theCayman GTS.[17]The expansion also adds new Bucket List items, new Rivals events and 15 newachievementsbased around the Porsche models.[17]All the DLCs contents are only exclusive to the Xbox One edition of the game.

Reception

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The Xbox One version ofForza Horizon 2received highly positive reviews. It received an aggregated score of 86.25% onGameRankingsbased on 53 reviews[18]and 86/100 onMetacriticbased on 82 reviews.[19]Writing for IGN, Luke Reilly said that the game had "comprehensively updated" the standards for open-world racing games and that it was "Test Drive Unlimited,PGR,Smuggler’s Run,andForza Motorsportall crammed into a T-shirt cannon and fired into your face ".[23]Conversely, Polygon's Arthur Gies, while giving the game a positive review, said that the track design inForza Horizon 2"can't compete" with the licensed tracks used inForza Motorsport 5.[26]Jonathan Leack of CraveOnline called the game "racing paradise" and "a highly enjoyable destination for anyone willing to buckle up behind a wheel".[29]Leack also compared the two separate versions of the game and discovered a number of differences.[30]As an example, when players are given the option to choose their first car at the start of the game, the Xbox 360 version uses a graphic interface, while the Xbox One version lets the players choose the cars in-world.[30]Calling the Xbox One version a "system-seller" and "a good time to invest in next-gen", Leack said that Sumo Digital "has done a fantastic job" with the Xbox 360 version and that it was "one of the best-looking racing games on the platform".[30]

During the18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards,theAcademy of Interactive Arts & SciencesnominatedForza Horizon 2for "Racing Game of the Year".[31]

Notes

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  1. ^Additional work byTurn 10 Studios,ported to Xbox 360 bySumo Digital

References

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  1. ^"Forza Horizon 2 Opens Up a Whole New World for Racers".news.xbox.com.Microsoft Corporation. 9 June 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 17 October 2015.Retrieved10 June2014.
  2. ^abRoberts, David (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 Review".GamesRadar.Archivedfrom the original on 31 December 2019.Retrieved25 September2014.
  3. ^Gitlin, Jonathan M. (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2:massive multiplayer online, massive fun ".Ars Technica.Archivedfrom the original on 31 December 2019.Retrieved1 July2016.
  4. ^abcRyan McCaffrey (2 June 2014)."IGN First: Forza Horizon 2 Announced".ign.com.Ziff Davis.Archivedfrom the original on 31 December 2019.Retrieved10 June2014.
  5. ^abcdefLuke Reilly (4 June 2014)."Forza Horizon 2: Resolution, Framerate, Music, & More Detailed -- IGN First".ign.com.Ziff Davis.Archivedfrom the original on 21 September 2018.Retrieved10 June2014.
  6. ^abTom Phillips (5 June 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 runs at 1080p 30fps on Xbox One".eurogamer.net.Gamer Network.Archivedfrom the original on 19 May 2018.Retrieved23 October2014.
  7. ^"Forza Horizon 2 On Xbox One And Xbox 360 Are" Different Games "".egmr.net.Blotch Network. 23 June 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2016.Retrieved30 September2014.
  8. ^Staff (22 July 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 Cars Revealed!".forzamotorsport.net.Microsoft Corporation.Archivedfrom the original on 11 November 2018.Retrieved24 July2014.
  9. ^Doke, Shunal (23 June 2014)."Forza Horizon 2: How to record a Lamborghini".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on 30 June 2021.
  10. ^"Forza Horizon 2 Xbox One demo arrives September 16".CVG. 27 August 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 3 September 2014.Retrieved27 August2014.
  11. ^"Forza Horizon 2 Gone Gold".CVG. 15 September 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 21 September 2014.Retrieved15 September2014.
  12. ^Reed, Chris (31 July 2018)."Xbox One's Free Games With Gold For August 2018 Revealed".GameSpot.Archivedfrom the original on 21 August 2018.Retrieved21 August2018.
  13. ^Fingas, Jon (19 August 2018)."'Forza Horizon 2' leaves the Xbox Store on September 30th ".Engadget.Archivedfrom the original on 21 August 2018.Retrieved21 August2018.
  14. ^Yang, George (23 June 2023)."Forza Horizon 1 and 2 Servers Will Shut Down in August".IGN.Ziff Davis, Inc.Retrieved24 June2023.
  15. ^abLauren Puga (16 December 2014)."What's New in Forza Horizon 2: Storm Island DLC".ign.com.Ziff Davis.Archivedfrom the original on 16 December 2014.Retrieved16 December2014.
  16. ^Wesley Yin-Poole (25 February 2015)."Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious is a standalone expansion".Eurogamer.Archivedfrom the original on 31 December 2019.Retrieved25 February2015.
  17. ^abcSeyth Miersma (8 June 2015)."Porsche returns to Forza with Horizon 2 expansion [w/video]".autoblog.com.AOL, Inc.Archivedfrom the original on 10 June 2015.Retrieved8 June2015.
  18. ^ab"Forza Horizon 2 for Xbox One".GameRankings.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2014.Retrieved31 October2014.
  19. ^ab"Forza Horizon 2 for Xbox One Reviews".Metacritic.Archivedfrom the original on 28 May 2018.Retrieved22 October2014.
  20. ^Brett Zeidler (25 September 2014)."Review: Forza Horizon 2".Destructoid.Archivedfrom the original on 28 April 2019.Retrieved25 September2014.
  21. ^Ben Griffin (25 September 2014)."CVG Review: Forza Horizon 2".computerandvideogames.Archivedfrom the original on 4 October 2014.Retrieved25 September2014.
  22. ^Oli Welsh (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 review: Festival of Speed".Eurogamer.net.Archivedfrom the original on 13 March 2018.Retrieved25 September2014.
  23. ^abLuke Relly (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 review: Fence Splitter".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on 14 December 2014.Retrieved25 September2014.
  24. ^Ludwig Kietzmann (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 review: Fetch the Bentley, we're going for a drive".Joystiq.Archivedfrom the original on 25 September 2014.Retrieved25 September2014.
  25. ^Paul Taylor (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 Xbox One".Official Xbox Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2014.Retrieved25 September2014.
  26. ^abArthur Gies (25 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 review: Road not Taken".Polygon.Archivedfrom the original on 20 May 2018.Retrieved25 September2014.
  27. ^Ken Barnes (6 October 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 Review".Pure Xbox.Archivedfrom the original on 10 May 2022.Retrieved10 February2015.
  28. ^Beck, Adam (25 September 2014)."Review: Forza Horizon 2".Hardcore Gamer.Archivedfrom the original on 22 September 2018.Retrieved29 September2014.
  29. ^Jonathan Leack (24 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 Review - Racing Paradise".craveonline.com.Evolve Media, LLC. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2015.Retrieved30 September2014.
  30. ^abcJonathan Leack (27 September 2014)."Forza Horizon 2 Xbox One vs Xbox 360 Comparison Shows Two Great Versions".craveonline.com.Evolve Media, LLC. Archived fromthe originalon 2 August 2015.Retrieved30 September2014.
  31. ^"2015 Awards Category Details Racing Game of the Year".interactive.org.Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.Retrieved29 November2023.
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