EDIT: Just so you guys know, today only (Dec 19), they are running a promo on Xbox Live. Forza Horizon is 50% off ($14.99), and the season pass it a whooping 70% off ($14.99). You probably won't see a better deal for that content any time soon, and I know a few of you were looking for it. I grabbed the season pass myself.

I'm finally doing it. I'm addressing that whole backlog problem. Everybody has that list of games that you'd just like to go back to. Mine has gotten excessive over the past few years. I honestly think I have a tinge of an addiction when it comes to buying new games. It feels so damn good. Luckily, I don't have the same problem with hording, and I'm able to get rid of the shit that I know I have no intention of playing (sorry, Revengeance).

As I have a break fast approaching (guys, work on a campus, I can't recommend it enough), I've decided to right my wrongs and make a solid effort at finishing some of that backlog.

Remember last year when those battle lines were drawn and we all decided which racing game we swore allegiance to? Well, I made the wrong call. Hey, it was practically the Burnout team making practically a new Burnout game. Unfortunately all the Need for Speed bits got mixed up in there and ruined it. Annoying. And, maybe I'm weird, but a non-simulator (and this isn't an invitation to debate whether or not the Forza Motorsport games are sims or not, but just acknowledging the very non-sim approach that Horizon obviously is) and non-Turn 10 made Forza game, kinda sounded less appealing than the game made by the guys who made crashing your car during a race feel fucking great.

I recently started thinking back to that time and how disappointed I was made with my choice (and I may have been subconsciously avoiding racing games since then), when I remembered that Horizon still exists. Weird. So, I grabbed a copy for about thirteen dollars from one of those 'Cyber Monday but you're actually buying this on Tuesday, so I don't know why this is even called Cyber Monday, okay here just take a few more dollars off' sales.

You know what? This game is good. Weird that pacing goes a really long way in a racing game. Or maybe it's weird that so few developers have realized that sitting in menus for fifteen minutes isn't what I want to do with the game that shows fast, fast, speedy, GO FASTER cars on the cover. Shit, apparently even Turn 10 doesn't know that. I ended up playing the game for five or so hours, when my only intention was to install it and load it up to make sure it functioned. This is the best racing game since Burnout Paradise, because it is faster and therefor beats all the other games. There, I said it.

Have you guys had any crazy surprises on your backlog? Go back to any games that you didn't expect much from, but ended up loving?

Forza Horizon is fucking great and it's criminal that I haven't played it more.

So Final Fantasy XII's first few hours are paced badly. It takes quite some time for the actual story to kick off and, along with it, the game's mechanics. When playing it, I could see the game that was there, but it just wasn't grabbing me. For the first eight or so hours, that is.

Once the game finally lets go and gives you all the party members permanently and the world really opens up a whole hell of a lot, that game became pretty damn great, especially since that's when Vaan loses almost all relevance. You still have to control Vaan in town, though, but I just think of him as a gofer while everyone else stops at the local bar for a beer. And that's what I've played a lot of for the month of November. It's been sitting in my PS2 library since 2011. I've played it off and on since, and this latest time just happened to be at the point where the game gets good and interesting.

Just remember

Don't believe Ondore's lies!"

I think everybody that is remotely interested in racing games should play Horizon, I could probably make an argument for it as best racing game of the generation...BUT I WON'T. As far as my backlog goes, shitload of pc games that I bought on sale like everybody else...WHO KNOWS if I'll ever play them.

An argument I probably would have laughed at a few days ago. But now, man, I think it's certainly in the running. I definitely need to spend more time with it, but I kind of doubt it ruins itself. One complaint, it does seem to be testing the water a bit for the 'microtransaction' bullshit that plagues Forza 5. It's not as crazy here, but it is blatant in a few spots, and that's always disappointing to see.

This game is great. I loved it when I played it last year. I still want to play that Rally expansion but the $20 price tag is ridiculous.

This game is fucking fantastic, hoping for Horzion 2 next year.

Yeah, that's my biggest complaint with the game. The level of micro transactions in Forza 5 is disheartening...that was going to be one of the biggest reasons for me to buy an Xbox One. I'm not sure if they'll be willing to go back to the old ways, but I hope they do. BUT YEAH, Horizon has some great music like the first two Forza games did, which made me like it even more. The music, visuals, racing, and car selection I thought were top notch. I really hope they make another, and hell, I might cave and buy it even WITH shitty micro transactions.

@grilledcheez: Well Horzion also had microtransactions.

Yes to all of this. Spent a decent amount of time playing online with some folks from GB back when I was deep into Horizon, good times. And I can't remember the last time I actually played all the way through the single-player of a racer. I think it really is the excellent pacing of the single-player with all the different event types and things to do, and just being able to drive around the gorgeous open-world in between those activities instead of fucking around in a menu.

That was basically what my first sentence was supposed to be addressing, but I am doing a poor job of communicating at the moment :) I was referring to Horizon and then suddenly jumped to 5.

Forza Horizon was one of the few games that I've picked up close to launch over the last few years. Despite my initial disdain for a few aspects of it that I noticed from watching the quicklook (racing against airplanes, micro-transactions), I thought it was a great game. The driving felt perfectly tuned, and it was really fun to just cruise around the open world looking for the hidden cars, and building score combos.

i bought my 360 last year for forza 4... I only played forza horizon as it had come out a matter of a week or so earlier... Damn that game is fun. I would Totally look into a Xbone if they came out with horizon 2.. But until then, they wont see a dollar!

Yeah that game was a ton of fun. I have been thinking of replaying through the single player using different cars.

Unfinished Swan was sitting there for a while and it turned out to be my favorite indie PS3 game somehow.

Oh, and I didn't play Bioshock: Infinite til October. Turns out it's pretty good!

While Horizon did have the micro transactions they weren't shoved in your face all the time. I only really noticed when i would go buy a car and it would ask if I wanted to use tokens or cash. You earn money so fast in that game it never seemed like a problem either. 5 seems to have a whole different level of reminding you that it's there. Last week i broke out horizon and played and loved it as much as when it was new. Anyone who is thinking about playing it should.

Forza Horizon is the best racing game of last generation. It just is. It's insane that I haven't played more of it.

I almost never play racing games that don't feature the cast of Super Mario Bros. and even I bought and enjoyed the hell out of Forza Horizon.

Best game of last year imo, really sad when the GB crew dismissed it for GOTY because "it's a racing game."

I really liked Horizon. I played 1-3, and skipped 4. I was going to be like Jeff and really look forward to 5 once I got a One because of my enjoyment of Horizon, but I would be setting myself up for disappointment.

That Miike Snow song and "R U Mine?" is in my head all the time.

EDIT: @zombie2011: Yeah, I was bummed as well. I think Jeff was the only person really into it (or played it), and maybe Ryan wasn't going to back it up to Vinny and Sleeping Dogs?

I wonder if Jeff likes Horizon more than Syndicate now.

Fuckin right! I played the shit out of forza horizon, it was my first game in the series i played. I got forza 4 after that and love it just as much (dat sweet 60 fps) but damn that open world and those graphics was so fuckin great. Ah I wish I owned that game, I gamefly'd it and now I've been itching to play it again, maybe get some of the season pass stuff.

Hey, the season pass is on sale today only. It's 70% off. Comes to $14.99. That includes all those car packs and the Rally expansion. Just a heads up!

I had to stop playing Horizon after I beat my brother at 3am one night by crashing into his car at such an angle that flipped me over the finish line.

Oh god I loved that game.

Got the game for $15 when they were running that promo on the MS store, but you can't beat that price on this fantastic game.

@iodine: XBOX RECORD! DAMN IT.