Horizon Chase 2 Review (PlayStation 5)

by Jim Smale · Published May 29, 2024 · Updated July 23, 2024

For this Horizon Chase 2 Review, we play the evolution of the award-winning racing franchise. Born under the arcade sign, this game fulfills your senses through immersive and high-speed gameplay. This is the golden era of arcade racing brought to life over a modern and completely evolved experience.

Horizon Chase 2 Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
4.12GB Download size.
Platinum trophy.
You get the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5 versions of the game.
3 save slots.
Driving gameplay.
Three ways to play – world tour, playground, and tournaments.
Online mode modes – local 4-player split-screen, online crew, and create an online crew.
Cross play – on/off option.
Online leaderboards.
The touchpad brings up your Epic Games friends list.
Big bright locations.
Earn medals from events to unlock new ones.
Blue coins are collected on the track.
Credits are earned from racing and used to buy new cars and customize them.
Really fast-paced driving game.
Arcade excellence with its presentation.
Speech bubbles come out as you pass cars, get overtaken, crash, etc.
Earn EXP for every car you drive, and level up to get an upgrade point.
You can replay levels.
Fast loading times.
To upgrade your car stats – suspension, air intake, differentials, gearbox, and nitro boost it requires blue tokens or upgrade points.
Visual customisation options for your car – rims, paint color, and body shape.
Does have turbo start and slow start mechanics.
Driving is tight and to take corners you can usually get away with either turning at the right time or letting off accelerate to do a slight drift.
It Plays and looks like an Outrun love letter.
Very moreish and fun to play.
You have a set of starting nitro uses but some courses have them as a pickup.
Time Trials unlock new rims for your car.
In time trials you collect time coins to decrease time.
Day and night tracks and some tracks will change as you race.
Fast crash respawn and hitting someone is not as detrimental as you would expect.
The Playground mode has a challenge mode where events and modifiers change periodically, rewards use tickets that you get from playing the modes and are like a battle pass. Online mp is here aswel with a daily bonus.
World Tour is a series of four races back to back.
12 cars in total to unlock all requirements for unlocking are shown.
You can win cars that come with upgrades already installed.
Six locations around the world to unlock.
Races can have environmental effects and weather types that hinder your performance and sight.

Horizon Chase 2 Review Cons:

Both versions of the game have their own library entry instead of them being grouped together.
So easy to accidentally press the friend’s list button (touchpad) and it doesn’t pause the game.
Cannot remap the controls.
Only one control scheme is available.
The controls show the touchpad as the horn which it isn’t or if it is it never works and just brings up the friends list.
Couldn’t see any Epic Games login management so it has to be done on a seperate browser.
Multiplayer mode is a button press, not a menu choice.
You have to sign in to play online or access the leaderboards amd initially it won’t let you log in, to fix it you have to go into playground mode and accept data collection. This won’t affect everyone, however.
Starting a new car in terms of leveling up means a lot of grinding old races and events. (this is aimed more at the base cars)
Getting money and upgrades is very grindy.
Only one driving view.
No way to change the metric used.
Sometimes the hits you take are overblown in how they stop you dead.