Horizon Chase 2 Review – Gamecritics.com (2025)

Retro Racing Revamped

HIGH Solid racing and a gorgeous retro aesthetic.

LOW Slight rubber-banding.

WTF Sega needs to get back into the racing market.

Back in 2018, Brazilian developers Aquiris Game Studio released Horizon Chase Turbo — a solid arcade racer with a retro style. Taking inspiration from classics like Sega’s OutRun or the original Top Gear on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, this title tasked players with competing in different races around the world, from the sunny vistas of Los Angeles to vibrant Dubai. Now, after a little over five years and some exciting DLC releases (including one based around the late Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna), Aquiris returns with Horizon Chase 2.

Initially released on iOS in 2022 and the Switch in ’23, this retro-themed arcade racer finally makes its way to Xbox and Playstation consoles. Following the first entry’s well-polished formula closely, players race through several events spanning the world. the races are either standard runs, or a few laps against eleven computer-controlled racers.

The cars handle like a dream, with snappy braking allowing for some over-the-top drifts around corners and a solid boost mechanic that’s limited to three uses. Every race sees the player competing to place in the top three, but other challenges are present, such as collecting tokens scattered across the course, beating certain times or attempting to complete races without using boosts.

Vehicles range from supercars, pick-up trucks, SUVs and even coupes, modeled after real-life brands and models. Players might also recognize cars that look eerily similar to a brand new Ferrari or a pick-up that parallels Toyota’s Tacoma line.

Every car has its own set of stats that can be upgraded by earning XP from completing races. Other rewards include coins that let players change cosmetics, like car liveries or new rims. The varied garage and mix of car attributes meant that I didn’t stick to just one car during my playthrough, but instead I experimented with different ones. For example, the size of a pickup passing through other racers much easier, while the small form factor of a coupe made it easier to drift in tight corners.

There are a few gameplay quirks here, of course, like some inconsistent AI during the main World Tour mode. There were more than a few instances where I came close to taking first place, only for a nearby opponent to suddenly gain an almost impossible burst of speed. It feels… odd… but it wasn’t an issue that took too much away from my enjoyment.

Horizon Chase 2‘s presentation is as refined as the gameplay, and the colorful aesthetics of each track coming alive. Palms trees and sunshine dress the beaches of the Florida Keys with impeccable summer vibes, while Death Valley features shortcuts along its desert roads and barren vistas. This strong palette recalls some of the best racing from the 16-bit years, only now rendered in 3D. The music is just as good, and those who enjoy retro-style synth are in for a treat.

As this version is a port of a Switch title, Xbox and PlayStation players can look forward to performance improvements. I played the original Switch version at launch and loved what I played, but framerate drops on the handheld were abhorrent, and soured the experience. Thankfully, those issues are remedied in this release, and a solid 60 FPS running speed finally delivers on this great game’s potential by making it as smooth as silk.

While it doesn’t revolutionize the groundwork set by its predecessor, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 remains a great racer that gets plenty right. With a solid career mode, a varied,, colorful garage and some of the best retro aesthetics ever, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 is an easy winner for arcade racing fans.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disclosures: This game is published by Epic Games and developed by Aquiris Game Studio. It is available on Switch, PC, XBO/X/S, PS4/5 and iOS. This copy was obtained via publisher and was reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours were spent in single-player and the game was not completed but the game was previously played and completed on Nintendo Switch. There are multiplayer options but no time was spent on them.

Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated E. No rating information is online but the game is quite harmless. Parents should note that there is nothing in this game other than racing. No car wrecks and no violence here.

Colorblind Modes: Colorblind modes are not present in the options menu.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Gamers: There are speech bubbles that randomly pop up throughout gameplay but they cannot be adjusted. No subtitles either (there is no dialogue) but pop-up boxes containing information are present. Other visual cues are on screen as well, making this game fully accessible.

Remappable Controls: The controls cannot be remapped but there is a control diagram.

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Cj Salcedo

Cj has loved video games ever since he watched the opening cinematic to Sonic Heroes (with that killer Crush 40 song) back when he was six years old. Over 20 years later, he’s found himself at GameCritics writing about the things he loves.

He has a knack for talking about anything he's passionate about, be it movies, games or even sports. If anyone needs an expert on Jim Jarmusch, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Donkey Kong Country, or the Miami Heat, he’s your guy.

Don’t say we didn't warn you, though.

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Tags: Aquiris Game Studios arcade racers Driving Epic Games formula 1 Horizon Chase Turbo OutRun Racing racing games Sega Top Gear

Horizon Chase 2 Review – Gamecritics.com (2025)
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