Videogame: Forza Horizon 2, by Playground Games
Racing fans are divided into two camps: for some it's pure authenticity, with every gear shift, tyre turn and road curve essential for the push into pole position. For others, it's all about the fun, and laws of physics be damned as they swerve, smash and generally speed their way to the finish line.
Playground Games
Forza Horizon 2 bills itself as a blend of the two, but it's mostly about the latter, with the game harnessing the pure, unfiltered pleasure of reckless driving. As the sequel to 2012's successful open-world racing game, one that gave gamers a large slice of Colorado to explore, the challenge for the developers was kicking things up a gear while keeping its go-for-broke spirit - bigger and better, but not overblown.
Their answer? The Top Gear approach, relocating things to the Mediterranean, from the northern tip of Italy all the way to the azure-blue waters of southern France. It's a massive setting without a doubt and, while not exactly life-size in scale, offers an unfettered sense of sandbox freedom stretching from slippery snow-capped mountains, across ancient medieval-style villages, through lush tree-lined hills and down winding coastal roads.
The increased size comes with its own scaling back, and not in a bad way. Those annoying rich kids who dominated proceedings the first time round are mostly gone, save your snotty sidekick, Ben. The tacked-on narrative has been removed and now your only goal is to win enough races to reach the finale, with the rest of your time spent road-tripping through Europe's gorgeous locales in a car of your choice.
Euro supercars, amped-up imports, muscle-powered retro motors and beastly SUVs - the selection is impressive, each ideally tailored to amateur drivers with a thrill-seeking bent.