Home Gaming Kinect is your backseat driver in Forza Horizon 2

Kinect is your backseat driver in Forza Horizon 2

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E3-PressKit-06-WM-ForzaHorizon2-jpg

Forza Horizon 2 stands as one of my more anticipated titles for this year, purely because the first one was just far too awesome. Microsoft spoke a lot about the title at E3, including its vast open world, some of the various cars you get to abuse and its impressive visuals.

What they didn’t speak about was how the title would integrate with Microsoft’s now abandoned Kinect. We’ve been force fed Kinect features for years now, and Forza 5 even included an incredibly useless “look around the cockpit” feature which made use of the first camera. Forza Horizon 2 won’t have that. Instead, you’ll get ANNA.

ANNA is Forza Horizon 2’s equivalent of a GPS system, and will allow you to quickly set waypoints on the map and find nearby events. The entire system is integrated with Kinect voice control, so you don’t have to whip out the map and manually do things. That’s the way gaming worked in the past, friends.

All you have to do is scream at your Kinect a few times, pray to at least seven different deities and then you’ll hopefully be rewarded with the trademark Forza green line, which guides you to a waypoint you probably didn’t ask for. At least that’s what I’m expecting after my experiences with the new Kinect.

If it does work well in practise, you’ll be able to set waypoints on the fly by shouting out location names. Better yet, using the simple phrase “what’s next?” will get ANNA searching for the nearest new event, automatically setting down a marking and letting her guide you there. Pretty cool feature, especially if it’s complimented by a sexy GPS voice.

Forza Horizon 2’s Kinect integration will be limited to voice only, so I really do hope it works as it should when the game launches for Xbox One and Xbox 360 later this year.

Last Updated: July 4, 2014

No Comments

  1. Liquid Kaz (Umar)

    July 4, 2014 at 14:10

    I don’t know, I don’t find playing a game and shouting commands that appealing. Just seems annoying for the next person. It was kinda fun in Binary Domain though

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      July 4, 2014 at 14:29

      I usually game in the early mornings (before work) so the last thing I want is to be shouting at my damn TV…. it’s uncivilised and unbecoming a young gentleman scholar.

      Reply

      • Spaffy

        July 4, 2014 at 14:37

        Like you don’t shout at the tv anyway.
        “Behind you!!!! O.M.G.!!! He’s coming!!!!!!!!!!!!”

        😛

        Reply

      • Rince&pop

        July 4, 2014 at 14:53

        I thought your neighbour moved out? 0_O

        Reply

      • Liquid Kaz (Umar)

        July 4, 2014 at 15:12

        You would never see a scholar shouting at his TV. This is not taught at Hogwarts

        Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    July 4, 2014 at 14:19

    Will the backseat Kinect driver also get shirty with me when I start screaming at other road users? It’s just not the same if it doesn’t.

    Reply

  3. oVg... what castle?

    July 4, 2014 at 14:19

    How sweet is the
    Nurburgring DLC on Forza 5?

    Reply

  4. Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)

    July 4, 2014 at 14:21

    This is why I find the “no Kinect” option to be bloody stupid. Kinect is frikken’ cool when utilised properly. I discovered that properly in Forza 4 where head-tracking and menu navigation added a whole new layer onto the game.

    We’ll only see a handfull of XBox One titles make any effort to be clever with the Kinect now that it’s not a mandatory peripheral.

    Reply

    • Spaffy

      July 4, 2014 at 14:28

      an Adult game would be nice to test out the Kinect…

      Reply

      • oVg... what castle?

        July 4, 2014 at 14:30

        Im sure Japan can think of something 😛

        Reply

        • Rince&pop

          July 4, 2014 at 15:01

          boom

          Reply

  5. oVg... what castle?

    July 4, 2014 at 14:24

    Nice

    Reply

    • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

      July 4, 2014 at 14:29

      NextGenCeption – that curious moment where a previous gen title looks the same as a supposed next-gen title.

      Reply

      • oVg... what castle?

        July 4, 2014 at 14:32

        I feel the game was rushed to meet the Xbone launch date. A pity only 33% of the game is on the retail disc. The rest you have to download.

        Reply

        • Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)

          July 4, 2014 at 14:34

          Clearly, the future is now – full price for demos with the bulk of the game released as DLC.

          Reply

      • Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)

        July 5, 2014 at 18:01

        The devil’s in the details, bud. When you look closer your jaw will loosen. 😛

        Reply

    • Rince&pop

      July 4, 2014 at 14:56

      4 looks betta.

      Reply

      • Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)

        July 5, 2014 at 17:56

        Hows so? The materials and textures are far more incredibly crisp in Forza 5. Never mind the smaller details like the dashboard and your steering wheel and gloves reflecting *on* your windscreen.

        Also bear in mind that the weather effects are not the same in this comparison: Forza 4 is overcast and Forza 5 is clear sunny skies. 😉

        Reply

  6. Admiral Chief Fairburne

    July 4, 2014 at 14:35

    Comment

    Reply

    • Praise Lord GabeN

      July 4, 2014 at 15:36

      Witty reply

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Fairburne

        July 4, 2014 at 15:40

        Implied laughter

        Reply

  7. Rince&pop

    July 4, 2014 at 14:53

    I wouldn’t trust the damn thing either.

    Reply

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