Even with Playground Games dropping the full map for Forza Horizon 6’s Japan and the Prologue with its slick vehicles and biomes, there’s plenty more to learn about the open-world title. Various hands-on previews have gone live, and one feature that stood out the most is Aftermarket Cars.
You’ll often spot them by their sleek body kits – the 2003 Honda S2000 can have a rather fetching Rocket Body look – and unique parts (Duke Dynamics on a 2015 McLaren 570S Coupe? Why not). They’ll sometimes appear during Festival Races, serving as an attractive option, but you’ll find the vast majority out in the open. The key takeaway? They’re cheap as heck.
As design director Torben Ellert explains to Xbox Wire, that’s by design. “It’s a subtle suggestion of ‘hey, try this car out, take this car to this event’ – and it’s my hope that more people will experience these wonderful machines by us placing them in the open world, and making them cheaper to purchase.”
Considering this is the first Forza Horizon to feature a fog of war, where the map gradually becomes unclouded as you explore, it’s a great way to encourage exploration. You could also view it as one of many important stops on your journey through Japan – perfect for the new Collection Journal.
“This new system is designed to tell you where you have been and what you have seen in a really legible way. We have this rule with all of the Discover Japan content, where if you find it, you can play it,” said Ellert.
“Ultimately, freedom is a core design pillar for us – we’ve really tried to not force you to go and do a specific thing, but instead, tempt you into going and doing them.”
Of course, there’s plenty more to discover, from the time-honored tradition of Barnyard Finds to Drag Races, Time Attack Races, and the new Horizon Rush events. Since this is Playground Games’ “most dense and vertical map yet,” you’ll be spending as much time working your way through the Horizon Festival ranks as discovering the magic of Japan.
Forza Horizon 6 launches on May 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PC alongside Game Pass. It includes over 550 cars alongside new customization options, including window decals.
