FH5, Series 39, Week 1

Treasure hunt. Drive ugly, fake Mustang from the 1990s. Win CR90,000. Oh, ha ha.

Rivals. Subaru SVX round Emerald Circuit. Horrible gears stock. Then Chihuahua in the Soarer. Horrible gears and terrible handling. Both cars about as exciting as cold spam fritters on a grey Sunday morning.

Weekly in the Ferrari F50. This is a car I like, but I think I need to rebuild it. No probs with the various tasks.

I took a snap of the 22B-STi. I got some ghastly clothing that makes me look like one of those poor unfortunates outside shops handing out flyers or scaring small children in a vain attempt to seem cuddly.

I did the Eliminator. Even got to 11th before someone provided me with the keys to my freedom. I think I might add this to my list of things to shun. Actually, I almost got timed out when I wandered into Guanajuato looking for a car drop, and the barrier went whizzing past me.

I started the PR stunts in the Elise GT1, but switched to the overpowered Cerbera. I eventually managed to PB the danger sign for an awful SWS. I one-shotted the speed trap for… an awful SWS. The speed zone took several attempts, but, well, the Cerbera. Another rubbish SWS.

Eventlab (1). The Refinery. Oh dear. Foggy, dark, hard-to-see corners, lack of visual variety, uninspiring circuit. Rubbish SWS.

Eventlab (2). Jurassic Dragon Rally. Not a bad track or use of props, but nighttime again. No, the 1990s weren’t a decade of perpetual night. And more stupid clothing.

Eventlab (3). GT Cup. Oh great, S2 class extreme track toys. The main nuisance was the hairpins, but otherwise this wasn’t too bad of an idea. Another Hoonigan RS200. Fine. I think they’re overrated. There, I said it.

90s Icons: Subaru 22B. B700, Subaru. The lumbering combination. I probably should’ve opted for the BRZ, but I went with the 22B to win the 22B in Street Scene. Coast Run? Again?! I get frustrated with races B700 Subarus and Mitsubishis. You either go handling, but the cars are like driving concrete blocks on superglue wheels, or all engine, but the cars are like oily nuns in thong bikinis going down a water slide.

Seems Reasonable. B700 again. However, the Nissan Pulsar. In spite of that, another Anything Goes travesty where I’m driving a car that’s specced up for dirt racing. The drivatars are in cars that belong on tarmac, but are still beetling along as if they’re Group B rally cars. Another fake Mustang from the 90s.

The Trial. I wish I’d known that the Nismo GT-R was eligible. I opted for the 1992 Supra 2.0. I started mid-pack in Jungle Descent, but my launch off the line was appalling. I still managed a 3rd because I can turn corners, and I was actually making my way through the field. A team loss… No, a team win. I started from the back row of El Lago Blanco, and again made my way through the field. I finished 7th because some drivatar sailed past me in the final sector and in spite of my best efforts, I couldn’t get past them. A team loss. On to Cruce del Valle. Last place start, but I managed a 6th. Bit of a cockup near the end because I thought another player was a drivatar, and I kept trying to block them till I realised my mistake. Team win, job done. Probably like the Subaru race, I was meant to go all engine and sod-all handling. I added a bit more power to the engine, but possibly overdid the tyres. Perhaps semi-slicks and narrower tyres + aero. Or a different car.

I haven’t done the expansions. I probably will, but I’m not in the mood for it. I may consider the rewards for the seasonals and decide that I have no interest in a third <insert car here>.

The Backstage Pass returns and FH5 would appear to be entering its final phase. I don’t really need the Backstage Pass this time, but I appreciated it in FH4 because I was able to get cars that I’d not seen, or which were permanently locked behind the 80% barrier. If anything, Horizon games need to cycle through the exclusives far more effectively. One of the biggest pains in FH4 was the 2017 Alpine A110, which eventually reappear as an acquirable reward, but it took ages for it to do so.

I thought the Chaser, modestly built, was actually quite enjoyable to drive, but the C30 Polestar felt floaty.

Series 40 could be interesting; or it could just be more Japanese (retro) sports cars. It might – from my perspective – be the game’s last hurrah. Could we be going to get some anniversary cars as Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini have all celebrated some milestone fairly recently? The Mustang is 60, but we have the GT and the Dark Horse. Jaguar is 90. I can’t see that mad McMurtry Spéirling being classed as a track toy (overexcitable fanboys). I hope that the Maserati MC20 might yet make an appearance. I saw a yellow one not so long ago. Stunning.

As for the plethora of Japanese cars possibly heralding the setting of FH6 in Japan, it could equally be compensation for the game not being set in Japan (although it seems a little soon if the release of FH6 is autumn next year), or simply be that the Japanese market is being mined as a source of new cars to the game.