Forza Horizon 4 includes one of the richest recreations of a real life setting of any video game.
On top of beautiful representations of Ambleside, Broadway, and Edinburgh, the game is full of details that add to the sense of care the developers put in. We've also spotted some funny little elements that show the developers had a sense of humour!
Many cars have tiny real-life details that contribute to the realism of the game. Here are a few of our favourites!
Unhappy snowman
Snowmen pop up in various locations in the Great Britain of Forza Horizon 4 during the winter season. They really don't like getting bumped by cars though. Knock one over and watch its face!
Car dashboard display detail
Since we're in winter, here's another weather-related detail. Some cars display interesting information on their dashboards. We like that the odometers display the distance that particular car has driven. I think this element is even better though:
Cars with dashboard temperature displays match the current weather in-game. For example, take a look at this Clio Williams driving in the snow. It's the little pieces of extra effort that make the game feel so real.
Ford Escort barn find
Early in the game, there are a number of Barn Find cars. These abandoned cars are fun to find and help players start filling up their garages. There's a great piece of additional detail with the Ford Escort:
Wondering why that numberplate is so prominent when you first see the Escort RS? Search on the DVLA car check website and you can see that it matches a real 1985 Escort. The real-life B729 PEF Ford is also off the road presumably, being untaxed. Did Playground Games base the in-game barn find on a real-world abandoned car they found? It looks that way.
BMW 850CSi door sticker detail
This is going to be the nerdiest item on this list but one we were super excited to spot. If you open the doors of the BMW 850CSi in Forzavista you can see the manufacturer's labels.
We're not sure this is a real VIN but it's amazing to see this level of detail in a game!