What’s your most memorable driving game adventure? | Team Talk

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Forza Horizon 5​ puts gamers behind the virtual wheel and transports them to Mexico. That got us thinking about some other memorable driving adventures; whether it’s on the track or out in the wilderness, racing games give players an opportunity to visit familiar and exotic locations.

Where have you been? Where would you like to see the Horizon series go next? Let us know in the comments.

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by James Michael Parry

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​@James_Parry

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by Team PTC

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@pass_controller

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James | Prague, Forza Motorsport 5

Jumping into a new generation is always exciting, and with the release of the Xbox One came a very shiny and impressive look at Prague in Forza Motorsport 5. Having never been, but heard a lot about this picturesque city, it feels as though the folks at Turn 10 did a great job of bringing the city to life.

The famous Charles Bridge is present and correct, of course. You can drive over it at hundreds of miles an hour, scoffing at historical preservation, before flying through its archways (on a road similar to a modern flyover) and coming back into the city.

In the background as you speed along, St. Vitus Cathedral towers over the city on a hill as part of Prague Castle, and on a hairpin bend you’ll catch a glimpse of the Church of Our Lady before Tyn. No doubt those who are personally familiar with the city would be able to spot many more.

As a cherry on top of it all, the circuit itself is one of the most memorable and enjoyable in the game. It even proved popular enough to get an update in Forza Motorsport 7 a few years later.

While I haven’t been to Prague yet, FM5 definitely makes me keen to explore it in person one day.

Architecture such as this can only really be appreciated at 150 mph.

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Liam | Britain, Forza Horizon 4
 
Forza Horizon 4 came along at a time when I was living in Amsterdam, and though I considered that city home, it was nice to be able to revisit Britain in video game form.

While the Lake District inspired vistas and streets of Edinburgh were well realised, I didn’t feel any emotional connection to them. However, much of the regular countryside you drive through in FH4, particularly in the southern areas of the map, looks remarkably like where I grew up in the south of England.

It was a joy to suddenly be able to tear around a landscape so reminiscent of my home. Basic items that I’d encountered many times over the years, such as barriers, road markings and signposts, were suddenly loaded with nostalgia. I even picked some of the more bog-standard vehicles to fully replicate my youth (my household was (and still is) sadly lacking in the supercar department).

​I’ve since moved back to England, so all those everyday road items once again seem just that, but it was nice to be able to view them through the lens of nostalgia, if only for a little while. Now, if Playground Games could set the next Horizon game in the Netherlands, that’d be great.

Yep, just like home.

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Sam | Paradise City, Burnout Paradise

I’ve never really been into racing games. It’s one of those genres where I’m happy to let entries pass me by, even as they get rave reviews; driving is almost never a central hook, but rather a small component that can complement larger scale projects. One notable exception, however, is Criterion Games’ Burnout Paradise.

In discovering Paradise City I found a playground that was actually fun for my tastes. Speeding down busy roads at breakneck pace, jumping and smashing through billboards, wrecking competitors by ramming them into obstacles - all set to a classic rock soundtrack.

While Paradise City isn’t a real location, like London or Prague, it’s basically an amalgamation of iconic places in the United States. As a result, the game feels like a quintessential North American road trip and is a treat for fans of all things Americana.

Burnout Paradise Remastered makes the modern classic easily accessible, while also presenting the best rendition of Paradise City yet - it’s a win-win situation. Now, if only EA would greenlight a sequel instead of having Criterion helm the middling Need for Speed franchise.

It must be difficult building brand awareness in Paradise City with all the billboard destroying going on.

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What's your favourite driving adventure?