Compare Forza Horizon 5 vs Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4

Open-world design receives near-universal praise for its massive, varied, gorgeous Mexico map and its ability to support racing, exploration, and events.

Open-world design scored poorly overall because multiple reviewers disliked or mourned the removal of THPS4’s freer career structure, even when they accepted the compromise.

Sound design is strongly praised for improved car audio, engine detail, and immersive environmental audio.

Sound design had limited evidence, with one reviewer noting odd audio dips that disrupted flow.

Mission design is viewed positively because Expeditions and story events use Mexico’s culture, spectacle, and pacing to add purpose beyond standard racing.

Mission and goal design was divisive: some praised the streamlined objectives and new goals, while THPS4 fans missed NPC missions, original goals, and structure.

Level design earns praise for standout roads and elevation changes that create memorable racing routes.

Level design was broadly positive, especially THPS3 classics and the new Waterpark/Pinball/Movie Studio stages, though some THPS4 conversions drew criticism.

Multiplayer design is broadly positive, with better grouping, seamless linking, and revamped online modes.

Multiplayer design was generally praised for returning modes, HAWK mode, Graffiti, and arcade competition, with some playlist and choice caveats.

Art direction is praised for making Mexico’s culture, music, murals, and ambience feel authentic.

Art direction was usually strong, but some darker or altered level presentations, especially Zoo/London comments, were criticized.

Animation quality is criticized in character scenes, where some characters appear to be missing animation polish.

Animation quality was positively noted when tricks, jumps, and redone moves looked satisfying and modernized.

Tutorial quality is criticized where Event Lab creation lacks guidance, making custom content harder to learn.

Tutorial coverage was repeatedly praised as useful for onboarding, refreshers, and explaining systems clearly enough for new or rusty players.

Crash stability is mostly solid on console, though one PC-focused review reports frustrating crashes.

Crash stability was a concern mainly on Switch versions, where reviewers reported multiple crashes or home-screen returns.

Environmental detail is very strong overall, though a few reviewers criticize lifeless cities or NPC behavior.

Environmental detail was mostly praised, but NPCs and some character/environment population details were criticized in places.

Atmosphere is highly praised for sense of place, festival energy, and breathtaking Mexico scenery.

Atmosphere was mixed where reviewers felt personality had been stripped from THPS4 or some altered levels.

Online stability is a concern, with connection problems and disconnect messages appearing in multiple reviews.

Online stability was mostly positive in tested sessions, but one reviewer disliked the always-online requirement.

The learning curve can be approachable with assists but still daunting for new players who engage deeper tuning and systems.

Most reviewers saw the game as approachable but still skill-heavy, with simple basics and a higher ceiling once combos, balance, and precision matter.

Progression is broadly praised for constant rewards, player choice, and less overwhelming event unlocking, with only minor concerns about excess rewards.

Progression was viewed as useful and content-rich, but some reviewers disliked simplified goals or locking endgame challenges behind completion layers.

Pacing is mixed: one reviewer found the abundance of interruptions scatterbrained, while another thought character-led detours improved the flow.

Pacing usually benefited from the traditional timer and quick restart loop, though that same choice was controversial for the THPS4 half.

Graphics quality has the strongest consensus, with reviewers repeatedly calling the game stunning, gorgeous, photorealistic, and among the best-looking racers.

Graphics were praised across most reviews for modernized stages, strong lighting, and nostalgic reconstruction, with some platform and art-choice caveats.

The core loop centers on open-world exploration, racing, and rewards; one reviewer loved the structure while another found its always-on excitement less personally compelling.

The two-minute arcade loop remained a major strength, producing strong one-more-run momentum and familiar Tony Hawk flow.

Difficulty balance is mixed, with good accessibility and adjustable challenge offset by complaints about uneven settings and occasional over-ease or over-hard spikes.

Difficulty was treated as fair but demanding, with tough Pro Goals and satisfying high-score execution once players learn the systems.

Fun factor is unanimous across scored reviews, with reviewers repeatedly calling it glorious, joyful, and genuinely fun.

Fun factor was one of the strongest themes: even critical reviewers often admitted the game was fun, addictive, or joyful to play.

Content variety is one of the strongest attributes, with reviewers repeatedly noting races, activities, modes, challenges, and event types.

Content variety was considered generous, with many modes, skaters, goals, unlockables, and new levels, though missing THPS4 stages and music hurt some scores.

Bug frequency is moderate, with rare issues in one review but repeated dialogue/subtitle oddities in another.

Bug frequency was not dominant but some reviewers reported black screens, clipping, out-of-bounds moments, or repeated bugs.

Exploration is a standout strength, with reviewers enjoying the sense of scale, discovery, and simple pleasure of driving around Mexico.

Exploration was praised when goals, hidden routes, and level secrets encouraged players to learn maps rather than just chase scores.

Facial animations are criticized as awkward and poorly synced in character interactions.

Facial or head rendering received limited criticism, mainly around underwhelming skater heads or NPC appearances.

HUD clarity gets limited positive evidence from trackable pinned Accolades.

HUD/readability evidence was limited but positive where reviewers emphasized clear visibility of ramps, rails, and collectibles at speed.

Load times are mixed: one PS5 review complained about frequent loading, while another praised quick next-gen loading.

Load times had limited evidence, with Nintendo versions and character loading drawing the clearest criticism.

Matchmaking quality has limited positive evidence through Forza Link’s event-preference matching.

Matchmaking quality was positively mentioned by reviewers who found matchmaking smooth or issue-free.

Accessibility is a clear strength, with reviewers highlighting broad options, beginner friendliness, inclusivity, and reduced skill barriers.

Reviewers appreciated forgiving modifiers such as longer timers, perfect balance, and comfort-oriented options, especially for newcomers or returning players who need help easing back in.

Community features are a strength, especially Event Lab, shared courses, creation tools, and online creativity.

Community features were praised through Create-A-Park, custom goals, shared parks, and creator tools that could extend playtime.

Frame rate stability is generally strong, with solid modes noted, though one stress test found dips.

Frame rate stability was often solid, especially on PS5/Series X/Switch 2, but some Switch, split-screen, and performance-mode caveats appeared.

Vehicle movement feel is praised because each car feels distinct and satisfying to control.

Movement and skating feel earned very high marks, with reviewers praising physics, momentum, board control, and the joy of simply skating around.

Reviewers consistently describe the racing play as crisp, satisfying, and strong, with only minor variation by platform or preference.

Core skating mechanics were consistently praised as smooth, tight, polished, and satisfying, even by reviewers disappointed in other remake choices.

Haptic feedback is positive on PS5, making driving feel more tactile, though not revolutionary.

Haptic feedback had limited but positive evidence, especially Switch 2 and DualSense rumble impressions.

Faithfulness to franchise is positive because the game refines the Horizon formula rather than replacing it.

Faithfulness to franchise was mixed, praised for preserving skating spirit but criticized for losing THPS4 identity, original edge, and PS2-era personality.

Camera behavior has a weak spot in replay presentation, which one reviewer says remains underwhelming.

Camera behavior had isolated criticism due to a stuck-camera issue.

Social features receive positive evidence through convoys and group driving, especially the ability to roam with many friends.

Social features had limited but positive evidence around relaxed public free skate and skating with others.

Soundtrack quality is mostly positive, with praise for licensed radio and variety, though one reviewer wanted broader music options.

Soundtrack quality was the most polarizing attribute: many liked the new mix, but many longtime fans strongly disliked the missing original tracks.

Performance optimization is mixed: some reviewers report flawless ports, while others note mode issues, slowdowns, or hardware-dependent problems.

Performance optimization was strong on current hardware for many reviewers, though platform-specific issues and crashes prevented universal praise.

Value for money is mostly positive through Game Pass and overall quality, but PS5 pricing tempers the score.

Value for money was mixed-to-positive for fans and Game Pass users, though strongly negative from a reviewer who saw the remake as not worth it.

Platform-specific feature support is a pleasant PS5 surprise through adaptive triggers and Pro enhancements.

Platform-specific support was mixed, with Switch 2 called solid but missing mouse support and other platform-specific caveats noted.

Replay value is very high because the world, expansions, activities, and ongoing discovery continue after the campaign.

Replay value was strong thanks to Pro Goals, solo tours, challenges, unlocks, custom parks, speedruns, and reviewers expecting long-term returns.

Cross-play support is praised as a major PS5 advantage for playing with PC and Xbox racers.

Cross-play support was consistently seen as useful for playing with friends and broadening multiplayer availability.

Cross-save support is weak because the PS5 port cannot transfer existing Xbox or PC saves.

Cross-save support was only discussed as a missing/wanted feature, so it scored poorly.

Menu usability is mixed, balancing an intuitive car collection display against bloated menus.

Review evidence supported this attribute with mixed reviewer sentiment.

Control feel receives uniformly high praise for being slick, responsive, and unusually accommodating for arcade and sim-leaning players.

Controls were one of the strongest points, with reviewers calling them responsive, precise, smooth, and central to why the game still works.

Age appropriateness is positive overall, with little objectionable content, though some all-ages writing feels juvenile.

Character customization was one of the weaker areas, with several reviewers criticizing Create-A-Skater as limited or disappointing despite unlockable clothing.

The protagonist is more appealing than before because the created driver now has more of a voice.

Voice acting is a weak-to-mixed point, with reviewers criticizing peppy delivery and limited voice options.

AI behavior is mixed to weak, with rubber-banding, hard spikes, and occasional runaway opponents offset by one reviewer noticing improvement.

Character development gets positive evidence where the campaign gives more attention to the people behind the cars.

The skater roster was generally viewed as large, modern, and more diverse, with some disappointment around missing classic secret characters or unlock handling.

Co-op experience is mostly positive through Horizon Arcade and Tours, though one reviewer found longer co-op events can become a slog.

Competitive balance is a clear concern in later evidence because ranked racing and drifting were removed.

Dialogue quality is tolerable but uneven, described as likeable and sometimes loud or cringe-y.

Driving mechanics are one of the strongest consensus points, with reviewers praising handling, realism, speed, and arcade-sim balance.

Economy and rewards are mixed: reviewers like constant rewards, but some feel cars and prize-wheel elements can dilute progression.

Emotional impact is strong for reviewers who describe awe, adrenaline, and lingering admiration for the world.

Endgame content receives positive evidence because reviewers say there is still plenty to do after completing the campaign.

Family friendliness is supported by very limited objectionable content and a fun-first tone.

Fast travel convenience receives limited but positive evidence through outposts and houses that make map movement easier.

Grind level is low-pressure because the game lets players relax and avoid forced activities.

Immersion is strong through tactile feedback, visuals, and presentation that make the racer feel lively.

Innovation is described as evolutionary rather than revolutionary, with meaningful changes but few disruptive new ideas.

The wheelspin reward system is described as enjoyable and motivating through its steady stream of prizes.

Microtransaction impact is a negative caveat where in-game car-pass promotions remind one reviewer of MTX-heavy design.

Mission variety is positive overall, though one later review says some races and missions become repetitive over time.

Monetization fairness is questioned on PS5 because pricing is called high for an older game.

Narrative quality is mixed: some see the story as thin, while others appreciate a more personal campaign and engaging voice-led missions.

Onboarding is praised for spectacular openings and smooth early introductions, though one reviewer felt the game later floods players with content.

Originality is mixed: reviewers see thoughtful evolution, but also note limited novelty and safe iteration.

Polish is a major strength, with several reviewers calling it flawless, polished, and technically clean.

Remake/remaster quality was the central tradeoff: most reviewers liked the package as a modern Tony Hawk game but disagreed sharply on THPS4 changes and missing content.

Sandbox freedom is a major strength, with reviewers emphasizing the ability to do almost anything in any preferred order.

Seasonal content quality is mixed: some reviewers like the freshness, while others find storms and seasons underwhelming or wasted.

Side characters add more car culture, local context, and human texture than prior entries.

Skill-tree depth is criticized because upgrades remain tied to individual cars, making progress feel less broadly useful.

Split-screen quality had limited negative evidence because split-screen halved frame rate on Switch 2.

The upgrade system is strongly praised for deep tuning, auto-upgrade convenience, stat changes, and broad customization freedom.

The vehicle roster is a major strength, with reviewers praising the huge and expanding car list and varied classifications.

Visual effects quality is praised for smoke, dust, lighting, and particle effects.

World interactivity is strong when destructible scenery reacts to the car, though crowd behavior is criticized as lifeless.

Writing quality is mixed, ranging from criticism of juvenile writing to praise for thoughtful, people-focused changes.

DLC value is strong, with Rally Adventure and Hot Wheels called excellent, cool, and must-play additions.

Live-service support is praised for years of updates, playlists, new content, and reasons to return.

Server reliability receives limited negative evidence because one reviewer initially struggled to connect to Horizon Life.

Map and navigation design is mixed: many praise the map’s beauty and structure, but others criticize decision support and road diversity.

User interface design is mixed-to-weak because the game can feel overloaded or messy despite useful systems.

World-building is praised through Mexico’s culture, accents, and festival identity, even when stylized.