At the Microsoft press conference, the company gave a close look at the new direction for the next installment of the Forza franchise.

Forza Horizon takes the sim-based racer off the track and onto country and city roads. The game is based around racing festivals, where contestants will compete in what appear to be cross-country races. You'll see divergent paths, nighttime racing, plenty of damage (including roll-overs), and there will also be lots of festival atmosphere like live music, helicopters, crowds, and even auto show-like setups.

What do you think of this new kind of Forza racing?