I can't put my finger on why exactly, but this game feels so much like a mobile game that I was surprised it didn't start there. It really doesn't play much like a racing game at all, and I'm not sure why that is.

None of this is to say it isn't fun (it really is) and the extreme simplicity of both the gameplay and the presentation makes it quite addictive. It becomes a significant challenge very quickly in the campaign mode. This means replaying races many, many times to shave off less than a second with each successive run, but the races are over in just a few minutes, so I don't mind at all.

The visuals and in-game graphics are the best part of the package. It reminds me a bit of the early 2000s Capcom racer Auto Modellista, but that game tried to straddle the line between arcade racer and simulation and didn't satisfy fans of either; Horizon Chase Turbo could not be any further from a simulation game, yet doesn't feel substantial enough to be an arcade racer either.

The game is a lot of fun, but if you're looking for an experience reminiscent of the games this one is purportedly based on—Outrun, Top Gear—or something more similar to modern arcade-style racers like Burnout, I would look elsewhere. This one really plays like something else entirely.