Forza Motorsport 5

A team of people are shaking their heads as they examine my beat-up race car. There’s extensive body damage to one side, the bumper is just barely hanging on, and there are so many scratches it’s hard to tell what the original colour was.

It's the end of my first race in Forza 5, and to say it wasn't the smoothest ride is putting it mildly. That's not the fault of the game – it was more that I kept getting distracted by the surroundings. Forza 5 is one of the first Xbox One games to hit the platform, and it takes full advantage of the power of the new generation.

The environments are beautifully detailed, providing spectacular views as you race – which can be a hindrance when you're trying to keep from slamming into the car in front – and a dose of lens flare that wouldn't look out of place in a JJ Abrams movie. That rewind feature that takes you back a few seconds was heavily used in the initial few runs. Other than that, you get pretty much what you've come to expect from Forza: realistic car models and damage that hinders you as you race.

There are fewer cars in Forza 5 (200 vs 500 in Forza 4) and fewer tracks as well, with only 14 circuits and the absence of the Nurburgring. Monthly car packs will bring this number up, but they obviously come at a cost. Jeremy Clarkson provides some in-game commentary; how that one goes down depends on whether you're a fan of the Top Gear presenter. (For the record, I'm not.)

One addition to Forza 5 is the Drivatar, which is a sort of online clone that will race as you do. It learns your quirks – both good and bad – and can go off and race in other races when you're offline. It's an interesting concept and one that will be worth watching to see how it develops.

Aside from all the bells, whistles and snazzy graphics, the most important thing is that Forza is fun. High octane, addictive racing.