Okay, time to get some things off my chest about the game:
1) Why can't we control the weather/time of day when in free roam? This is something Burnout Paradise allowed. I think the game really comes alive when it is raining and/or night time. And is it just me, or does rain not last longer than a few minutes? I think it's a shame effort was put into adding weather, but the game chooses when we can appreciate it.
2) Many have said this already but I'll say it again, not being able to choose the car class you want for online road trips is just dumb.
3) While money is not hard at all to get thanks to VIP wheelspins and Forza Rewards, it's still odd that cars can't be sold.
4) Now the big one: The career mode doesn't really feel like a career mode.
I'm pretty disappointed by the lack of any sort of rivalry or spirit of competition in this game, which was very prominent in the orginal Horizon. Sure, at the beginning of the game, you get the idea that you have to impress Ben but he acts more like a tour guide. You don't even race him at any point in the game, despite it being pointed out that he's the best driver.
As cliche as it was, I liked the underdog plot in Horizon 1. It made beating Darius Flynt and the other hot shots more satisfying. And because this is missing from Horizon 2, the build up to the Horizon Finale just isn't there like in the orginal game. That event is supposed to be the climax, but it didn't feel like it. I'm just doing road trips from one championship to the next, not getting the impression that I'm facing more skilled and elite drivers. In my initial 15 championships, I started with Class D cars and worked my way up to the S2 cars, just so I could get that feeling of progression. Even the colored wristbands don't feel like they have a purpose in this game.
Don't get me wrong, the racing in is still a lot of fun but it sort of feels like I'm completing a checklist of races to do instead of a career. Perhaps this is the result of the game letting you choose whatever car you want to do championships in.
I understand elements in the orginal Horizon like the trash talking rivals were probably left out so the game can appeal to more "mature" players, but let's be honest, nothing in Horizon is about being professional.
But despite these things, I still love this game to death. If I could use my CSR with it, I doubt I would play any other racing game, until Horizon 3 comes out anyway.