5 best racing games like Forza Horizon 5 to play on Xbox Game Pass in 2022

Forza Horizon 5 is undoubtedly one of the best open-world racing simulator games out there. Players get the opportunity to venture around the massive map of Mexico with over 500 diverse cars to choose from. One can also dive into the endless possibilities of car builds and fine-tune their vehicles to curate the perfect setup for racing.

Although the game may not be a core driving simulator like the Forza Motorsport series, it features a lot of fun elements like creating custom races, stunts, and challenges. Forza Horizon 5 also features the most diverse map in the series with over 11 unique biomes and different weather conditions, where players can explore the sceneries of lush jungles, large canyons, the city of Guanajuato, and more.

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5 racing games to play on Xbox Game Pass like Forza Horizon 5

Racing games are one of the most sought-after genres in the gaming community. Various gaming studios have introduced amazing racing titles and tried to deliver the best racing experience to the players. Xbox Game Pass is a safe haven for racing fans as it offers tons of excellent racing games from popular franchises.

The games in the following list are some of the best titles that can be considered as alternatives to Forza Horizon 5 and include:

• F1 2020
• DiRT 5
• GRID
• Need for Speed: Heat
• Burnout Paradise Remastered

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1) F1 2020

F1 2020 is the thirteenth installment of Codemaster’s flagship Formula 1 series. The official Formula 1 racing simulator has been a fan-favorite for many years due to its excellent graphical representation and engaging career mode.

Players will be able to play both as a driver and manager of their team, which makes the career mode more interactive. After a lot of tweaking by the developers, F1 2020 offers the perfect blend of racing and management to the players.

Seasons are much shorter than the game's predecessors and take about 9-10 races to complete each season in the 10-year career mode. While Forza Horizon 5 offers laid-back racing ergonomics, players will surely love the adrenaline-filled races in F1 2020.

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2) DiRT 5

DiRT 5 was one of the earliest racing games launched on Xbox Series X|S consoles. Codemaster’s DiRT series is a track-based off-road simulator that offers loads of fun and intense off-roading races to the table.

However, developers have dialed down the core simulation elements in DiRT 5 and made it a more easy-going game than its predecessors. Along with various game modes, players can also experience dynamic weather during races in DiRT 5.

Similar to Forza Horizon 5, players will be able to test their highly modified cars on various off-road routes based on different kinds of terrain.

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3) GRID

GRID was released in 2019 in an effort to return the arcade joys of the franchise’s first installment, GRID (2008). The game acts as the epitome of disciplined racing and offers an authentic racing experience to the players.

The career mode lets players choose from four categories: Stock, Tuner, Touring, and a ‘Fernando Alonso’ category that they can switch to anytime. Forza Horizon 5 fans won’t be disappointed with how the cars feel to drive in GRID.

Developers have particularly emphasized the performance and feel of the cars. Players will be able to clearly distinguish each vehicle by its handling, acceleration, and other performance metrics. Though the game may not offer gamers the freedom to explore the map, it's on par with Forza Horizon 5 in terms of core racing and driving mechanics.

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4) Need for Speed: Heat

Need for Speed is one of the largest racing game franchises in the world, boasting a huge fan base. Electronic Arts released Need for Speed: Heat in 2019 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Need for Speed series.

The open-world street racer is a major improvement over 2017’s NFS: Payback and features a lot of elements inspired by classic games like NFS Underground and Most Wanted. NFS Heat features a Miami-inspired map known as Palm City, where players get to take part in illegal street racing for huge cash payouts.

Similar to Forza Horizon 5, players can deeply customize their cars and explore almost every part of the map. Both games also offer similar open-world gameplay and animation, particularly when cars whizz past stone walls and trees.

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5) Burnout Paradise Remastered

Criterion Games’ Burnout Paradise is one of the most invigorating games in the racing genre. With an impressive Metacritic score of 88, the game has claimed several awards for its detailed open-world gameplay and perfect sense of speed.

Based on the fictional world of “Paradise City,” players need to complete various events and races to unlock different rewards ranging from upgrading driver’s license to new vehicles. The remastered version was released in 2018, which included support for higher-resolution displays and expansion packs.

The game showcases some jaw-dropping car crash visuals and game physics, making it an absolute joy to watch. Forza Horizon 5 players will find themselves right at home with exceptional open-world visuals and similar online multiplayer modes.

Note: The article reflects the writer's own views.