FH5, Series 42, Week 4

Treasure hunt. Win a race in a track toy. Go to the balcony below the hotel jump. Well, I say “go”, but I flopped in an undignified fashion to get the treasure.

I was dreading the weekly in the Ariel Nomad because of the loathsome Hide-and-Seek task at the end of it, but a visit to the forums revealed that the final task never happened, which turned out to be true. When I did the speed zone task, I actually PB’ed one of them. I used the pair not far from the Horizon Tour start area. In spite of failing the Mulegé jump, I actually got credited for the 100m jump.

I was going to go drifting for the HA task, but the game has been disconnecting me and only managed to get this done later. Again, my drifting skills, which were never great to begin with, were fairly sus. No sign of wreckage skills as an option.

I one-shotted the danger sign and got a one-third very good SWS. Took me a couple of attempts to get the speed zone for a rubbish SWS. I managed to one-shot the trailblazer, although muffed that final turn a little. My speed rescued me, and my reward was one-third very good.

Eventlab (1), Scale X Tricks, was another night race with switching checkpoints. Grrr! Perhaps – oh silly ideas that old people have – you could create a circuit or build something like a bridge. Probably a bit obvious – unlike this vexatious intersection.

Eventlab (2), Synthwave Speedway Road Course, was another night race. Layout not bad, but daylight would’ve made it better, and the removal of all those vile-coloured lights, their lavender vomit illuminating the darkness, would’ve made it even better. This also got me the Valkyrie.

Photo. Sunglasses. Well, aren’t I Mr Fashion-Statement?

I took several attempts to do Horizon Open in the Opel Manta mainly because I kept getting disconnected, and partly because reality intervened. When I finally managed to do this, there were two of us. The other player was attempting dirt racing in a 718 Cayman. Er, why? He quit in fairly short order and I raced alone. I won. I’m the greatest. [You’re delusional, you old git. –ed.]

The HW PR stunt took several attempts. Usual problem with the speed trap was the car’s tendency to bottom out through the loop, and my inability to recall which car I used last time. I lifted the suspension of the F40 Competizione and got it done. “You can have a rubbish SWS,” said the game.

I didn’t even have to check the map to identify the annoying RA speed zone. Yes, it was the one in the north-east corner of the map. F40 Competizione again. Couple of goes, which got me a one-third very good and a one-third excellent SWS. About bloody time.

The Trial. I went with the Toyota GR 86 when I knew I should’ve opted for the 2013 Subaru BRZ. The car had a sluggish launch and no acceleration worth mentioning. I started on the front row in Wetland Charge and managed a 7th. Team win followed by a very good wheel spin (the sort that puts SWS’s to shame). For Las Afueras I was at the back, getting a very late 5th, but the difference between that and first was very, very slight. Again, job done. I did take my B-class 2013 BRZ out for a race afterwards, but would be lying if I said that it was such a great choice.

I see that there’s some minor MS gaming conference or something, but don’t expect any news about FH6 until the big conference in June. The release date for FH6, as Black Panthaa noted on YouTube, might be a problem if it’s up against GTA VI (and ACE), but possibly MS will just have to grin and bear it. I feel that FH5 is already at risk of being dragged out beyond its best-before date if FH6 doesn’t appear round October time this year; and with the appearance of all the DLC in a single bundle, it’s probably beyond its best-before date. I predict that FH5 is going to limp to the finish line.