Forza Horizon 3 returns with beautiful visuals and fast cars.

The open-world version of the Forza racing simulator franchise heads to Australia to offer players a new place to drive the world’s best cars.

Horizon 3 puts players in charge of the Horizon Festival, a place that mixes a high-energy music scene with adrenaline pumping racing.

Players race through various climates including a rainforest and the Australian Outback to gain fans who help expand the festival across the country.

As the festival boss, players can sign music station contracts to listen to a wide variety of songs while driving.

The 350 car roster ranges from classic muscle cars to the most exclusive hypercars available. A more extensive customization list giver players the chance to make their cars unique to their style.

A beautiful Australian landscape gives players miles of open road and even off road play space to push cars and trucks to the limit. As the in-game mechanic says, “sometimes in life you have to stop and enjoy the view, or at least drop into second gear.”

The vehicles also received a visual upgrade which forces me to stop and use the camera feature to take many photos of my favorite rides. But the visuals aren’t just the highlight of the cars.

The sound each car makes is intoxicating. From the roar of the Shelby GT350R’s V8 to the scream of a Lamborghini Centenario’s V12, each sound is unique to the vehicle.

Another sound improvement comes from the option of new music. The best music improvement is the new ability to stream Groove Music into the game.

One of the best improvements comes from the new online co-op campaign. Players are able to join their friends and race together in the same campaign which will keep players progress for when they return to their own solo adventure.

The downside to Horizon is the same as the previous Horizon game. It’s the same as its predecessor.

For example, showcase events, which make their return, feel recycled from the last game.

It’s a great Australian adventure with new cars and a new locale, but it’s still Horizon, and that’s all it needs to be.