Forza Horizon 2: Storm Island is an Xbox One expansion centered on off-road driving across a separate island, with extreme weather, new events, vehicles and rally-inspired upgrades. Critics generally liked the breadth and atmosphere of the add-on: Metacritic records an 82 Metascore from 19 critic reviews. The main reservation was that some new event formats felt familiar rather than genuinely novel.
What Storm Island adds to Forza Horizon 2
Microsoft announced Storm Island as an expansion exclusive to the Xbox One edition of Forza Horizon 2, originally released through the Xbox Live Store in December 2014. Its setting is a separate island designed around rougher roads and off-road driving. Forza’s retrospective describes the expansion as focused on off-road gameplay, with a tropical island, extreme weather and custom rally upgrades (Forza.net).
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Forza Horizon 2 for Xbox One (Renewed) | $47.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Forza Horizon 2 for Xbox One | $79.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Forza Horizon 2 for Xbox 360 | $80.50 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Xbox 360 500GB Console - Forza Horizon 2 Bundle | $200.87 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Forza Horizon 4 | $56.98 | Buy on Amazon |
- New island roads, locations and events, plus online routes and arenas.
- Additional vehicles and rally-inspired body kits for selected cars.
- Off-road suspension, tire and transmission upgrades.
- 23 Xbox Live achievements worth 500 gamerscore points, according to Microsoft’s 2014 launch announcement.
Pure Xbox counted over 90 new events in its 2014 review. That figure is the publication’s count, rather than a number independently established by Microsoft.
What reviewers liked
Metacritic’s 2014 review record gives the expansion an 82 Metascore, labeled “Generally Favorable,” based on 19 critic reviews: 16 positive, three mixed and none negative on the page. That aggregate indicates a broadly favorable reception, not unanimity.
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#1 Best Overall
- Race through a massive wide-open world featuring dramatic weather and day-tonight cycles. Instantly connect with friends in the ultimate celebration of speed, style, and action-packed driving. Explore beautiful and exotic locations in more than 200 of the world's greatest cars, all created with precise detail in stunning 1080p.
Reviewers often praised the amount of added activity and the way the island’s weather changed the feel of driving. In its December 19, 2014 review, Pure Xbox highlighted heavy rain, fog and wind, challenging Bucket List activities, extra cars and upgrades, and the volume of events. Eurogamer scored it 90; its review, reproduced on Metacritic, called it “an excellent expansion” that “complements the main game” (Metacritic critic reviews).
Why some reviews were more cautious
Positive reviews did not all find the expansion equally distinctive or valuable. Pure Xbox scored it 7/10, praising the content and weather while noting that the new race formats felt familiar, the island required a loading transition from the main map, and the weather could have been more varied (Pure Xbox review).
Rank #2
- Explore a Massive, Living Open World
- Action-Packed Driving
- Instantly Connect with Friends
- Your Ultimate Car Fantasy
Digital Chumps was also positive, but cautioned that the $20 launch price could disappoint players expecting a larger selection of Championships and Gauntlets, as reported on Metacritic’s critic-review page. The divide in these reviews is less about whether the expansion adds substantial material and more about how much novelty and value each player expects from that material.
Was Storm Island worth its launch price?
Microsoft announced a US launch price of $20, with a 50% discount for Forza Horizon 2 VIP owners. Pure Xbox recorded North American launch pricing of $19.99 and UK/Europe pricing of £15.99. These are December 2014 launch prices, not current prices or evidence of present-day availability (Microsoft launch announcement; Pure Xbox review).
Rank #3
- Race through a massive wide-open world with friends in the ultimate celebration of speed, style, and action-packed driving. Explore beautiful and exotic locations in more than 200 of the world's greatest cars, all created with precise detail. A world of beauty and freedom awaits.
At launch, the strongest case for the price was the substantial set of off-road events, vehicles and upgrades, particularly for players who wanted a more demanding driving environment. The weaker case was for someone mainly seeking wholly new race formats: one of the reviews’ central criticisms was that some activities felt like variations on what the base game already offered. Your own value judgment therefore depends on whether island terrain, weather and a large volume of additional events matter more to you than event novelty.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you buy or install Storm Island now?
The available evidence confirms its original Xbox One and Xbox Live Store launch in December 2014, but does not establish whether a new customer can buy it today, whether previous owners can still redownload it, or what current account and installation requirements apply. Check an authoritative Xbox or Microsoft store/support source for the current status before relying on an old purchase route; the historical launch announcement is not proof that the expansion remains listed.
Rank #4
- 500GB Xbox 360 Console, full-game digital download of Forza Horizon 2, Xbox 360 black wireless controller, one month of Xbox Live Gold and an AC Power Cable.
- Your favorite entertainment apps are on Xbox 360 like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and HBO GO.
- Watch HD movies, TV shows, live events, music and sports.
- A month of Xbox Live Gold for advanced multiplayer, games, and exclusive discounts.
- Lots of room for games and movies with a spacious 500GB hard drive.
Storm Island is downloadable content for Forza Horizon 2, not the base game. A listing for the base game alone does not establish access to the expansion.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 0889842392500
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