If there’s one Xbox racing series that makes PlayStation owners envious as they wait for the next Gran Turismo to eventually show up it’s Forza. The first Forza Motorsport was Microsoft’s answer to Gran Turismo and it’s arguably stayed ahead of its main competitor ever since with superior car selections more realistic damage modelling and perhaps most importantly consistent release schedules. Whereas Gran Turismo Sport still doesn't have a concrete release date at the time of writing Forza has become the Call of Duty of racing games reliably churning out annual autumn releases from alternating developers.

In recent years Microsoft has tried to broaden Forza's appeal to difference audiences. Whereas Turn 10’s Forza Motorsport caters for fans of traditional track racing Playground Games’ Forza Horizon is its open world sister series. At the time the first Horizon game was a risky and radical detour for the franchise but the result was one of the most liberating racing games in years that captured the thrill of the open road thanks to its memorable Colorado setting which made you feel like you were in one of Top Gear’s ‘greatest driving roads’ segments. Set around a driving music festival the lighthearted party atmosphere was the perfect contrast to the more serious simulation-focused Forza Motorsport. If Motorsport is the studious hermit type Horizon is its raving sibling that stays up partying all night.

Forza Horizon 2 improved on the original in every way you would expect in the series’ move to current-gen consoles with an expanded car selection a more expansive open-world playground set in Southern France and eye-popping graphics that showcased the potential of Playground Games’ talents. Following Forza Motorsport 6 not only does Forza Horizon 3 have a lot to live up to it arrives at a pivotal point in the racing game genre. As developers strive to make racing games as realistic as possible Playground Games reminds us that they also need to be fun. And fun Forza Horizon 3 most certainly is in spades.

The scale is staggering. Forza Horizon 3’s Australian map is twice the size of Horizon 2 but it can’t match the magnitude of The Crew’s recreation of the United States. And yet Horizon 3’s comparatively smaller map is more densely packed with activities and discoveries which makes it more enticing to explore – every road is a new adventure.

Driving to your destination it’s easy to get distracted with the endless supply of side activities: there are speed traps to beat PR stunt challenges to complete and secret cars stashed in hidden Barn Finds to discover. It’s a completionist's worst nightmare – even after the credits had rolled from completing the campaign there were still new events and challenges to discover. Not since Burnout Paradise has a racing game world been so packed with distractions.

At times Forza Horizon 3 plays like a tribute to retired arcade racing game franchises. Surfers Paradise is straight out of Burnout Paradise the rainforests are reminiscent of MotorStorm Pacific Rift and it’s hard not to look back fondly at Project Gotham Racing when you’re powersliding around 90-degree corners in the city environments. Forza Horizon 3 fills the void rather nicely.

Bucket Lists are among the most addictive side-activities with one-off challenges in specific vehicles that can be brutally tough to beat. One challenge in which you max out a LaFerrari at over 230 mph while weaving through traffic to reach your destination is especially nail-biting and tough to beat without precision driving.

Compared to Horizon 2 the variety of scenery never gets dull encouraging you to explore – it’s telling that the game charges you for fast travelling to festival hubs. With the numerous radio stations cranking out upbeat pop punk indie electro or even classical music to accompany your journey it's easy to while away the hours simply cruising around the sprawling map in your favourite supercar and soaking in the atmosphere. Like any idyllic holiday destination you never want to leave – this is blissful racing game escapism at its best.

It’s also hard not to be distracted by just how breathtakingly beautiful Forza Horizon 3 is. Forza games have always been benchmarks for console racing game graphics yet Forza Horizon 3 exceeds all expectations.

Considering the game is set in a vast open world the level of fidelity Playground Games has achieved is astounding: draw distances are jaw-dropping the environments are dripping with detail and the lighting brings all that sumptuous scenery to life with unbridled realism as blinding sunlight beams through the trees. Even the skyline in the game world is authentically Australian because the developers recorded hours of real-time footage of the sky at the location.

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