Overview
What is Horizon: Forbidden West?
Horizon: Forbidden West is an open-world action-adventure game from Guerrilla Games, and it serves as the sequel to the hit PlayStation 4 title, Horizon: Zero Dawn.
Forbidden West follows Aloy’s next steps in saving the world after it has been overrun by rampant AIs and rogue machines. This time, she ventures deep into the western regions of America, where she pieces together what caused humanity’s downfall and uncovers the perpetrators behind this apocalyptic madness.
Gameplay retains the same third-person action combat the series is known for, with an emphasis on scanning and identifying a machine’s weak points using the game’s Focus mechanic. Aloy can deal devastating damage by targeting these weak points through a variety of methods, including bows and arrows, elemental attacks, bombs, throwable spears, and more.
Horizon: Forbidden West features:
⚫︎ Sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn
⚫︎ Deep Sci-Fi Story
⚫︎ Open World Adventure
⚫︎ Familiar Machine Hunting Combat
⚫︎ Pure Single-Player Experience
| Digital Storefronts | ||
|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 Playstation |
 Epic |
| $59.99 | ||
Horizon: Forbidden West Review: Still One of PlayStation's Best, Four Years Later
Aloy + The Machines
When the PlayStation 4 was announced, there were plenty of console exclusives that showcased what Sony’s proprietary hardware was capable of. Titles like God of War (2018), The Last of Us Part II, and even the perpetually trapped Bloodborne pushed the system to its limits. Among them was Horizon Zero Dawn, which proved Guerrilla Games’ mastery of open-world design through a story that lured players into its mysterious post-apocalyptic world, where humanity had regressed into tribal societies while monstrous machines roamed the land.
Fast forward seven years, and its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West for the PlayStation 5, brings Aloy back for another breathtaking open-world adventure set across ruined cityscapes and a broken America ravaged by rogue machines. The result is a complete upgrade over its predecessor, with the Decima Engine continuing to prove itself as one of the best game engines in the industry. Its near-flawless optimization delivers cinematic battles, stunning environments, and hyper-realistic character models.
Both Zero Dawn and Forbidden West have become flagship PlayStation franchises, with new Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hermen Hulst continuing to push the series in new directions. Aloy has crossed over into other games with her special appearance in Genshin Impact, starred in a PlayStation VR2 title, and even headlined a standalone LEGO game based on the events of the first adventure.
Today, the franchise remains one of PlayStation’s strongest, despite repeatedly launching alongside some of the biggest games in the industry. Zero Dawn had to compete with Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, while Forbidden West found itself overshadowed by FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. Even so, the series has managed to carve out its own place among these giants, with Aloy continuing to lead the charge for Sony’s open-world ambitions.
Four years later, Horizon Forbidden West continues to captivate both new and returning players thanks to its refined gameplay and original science-fiction story, set in a breathtaking post-apocalyptic world shaped by humanity's own hubris.
A World Gone Mad
Horizon Forbidden West takes place six months after the events of Zero Dawn, following Aloy's victory over the rogue AI, HADES, before it could destroy Meridian. She travels west in search of more answers, leading her through once-thriving states like Nevada and California, now reduced to overgrown ruins filled with abandoned cars and crumbling skyscrapers.
The moment you begin your first journey in a Horizon game, the world-building is what immediately stands out. Why are robotic beasts roaming the land? And why are these characters wearing tribal outfits cobbled together from old-world technology like RAM sticks and CDs? Questions like these are gradually answered the deeper you venture into the story, especially for players who finished the original Horizon Zero Dawn.
Despite its seemingly obvious fantasy influences, the Horizon series is firmly rooted in science fiction. Beneath its tribal aesthetic lies a world shaped by rogue artificial intelligence, advanced robotics, shadowy organizations, and humanity's place in the universe. These themes have always been at the heart of the franchise, and Forbidden West doubles down on them by introducing new storylines involving secret societies and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.
Aloy, being the series' sole protagonist since day one, continues to show even greater resolve following the revelation of her true origins in the first game. Her thirst for knowledge and the truth serves as the driving force behind the sequel, while conflicts like tribal civil wars and personal disputes often feel like obstacles standing in her way.
New characters like Beta, Zo, and Kotallo are fantastic additions to Aloy's journey alongside returning companions like Varl and Erend. Not every new face lands, however. Despite Angela Bassett's (Black Panther) star power, Regalla feels like a wasted casting, with the character ultimately being underutilized early on. As for the rest of the cast, each has their own motivations that play an important role in the story, and some require a great deal of convincing before they can accept the world's true problems, having been shaped by the traditions they've known their entire lives. Paired with the game's exceptional voice acting, especially Ashley Burch as Aloy and Noshir Dalal (best known as Charles from Red Dead Redemption 2) as Kotallo, every conversation feels incredibly natural, as if you're watching real people interact with one another.
It's genuinely moving to watch Aloy open their eyes to the fact that there's a much bigger world beyond what they've always believed, reinforcing the series' strong science-fiction foundations with thoughtful character development.
What to Expect in the Wild, Wild, West
For the entirety of Forbidden West’s 40-60 hours of story, you're taken to locations of a ruined future where humanity's own hubris led to machines taking over the world. Aloy journeys across some of America's most iconic landmarks, now left to decay with the passage of time. The Las Vegas Strip, once illuminated by pulsating neon lights, is now a shell of its former self, with its famous landmarks buried beneath the Nevada dunes. California, once a bastion of America's technological innovation, has become a literal concrete jungle, filled with abandoned cars and decrepit skyscrapers.
What makes the experience even better is how Guerrilla Games' Decima Engine continues to go above and beyond when it comes to visuals. Even on my standard PlayStation 5, there wasn't a single moment that looked ugly. No matter which direction Aloy looks, there's always something breathtaking on the horizon (heh). My first venture into the small settlement of Chainscrape, for example, greeted me with stunning mountain ranges surrounding the town. Later, when I reached Nevada, I was welcomed by vast sandy plains and the Utaru settlement of Plainsong, with its ingenious homes built from towering satellite dishes.
It's absolutely gorgeous, and the game never stops looking beautiful the deeper you venture into its world, especially during its final sequences, where it fully embraces its grand science-fiction spectacle.
And much like other open-world games, Horizon Forbidden West can sometimes feel overwhelming because there's simply so much to do. I admit there were moments when I genuinely wanted to stop wandering around and just focus on the main campaign, but the temptation of checking out the countless question marks scattered across the map kept pulling me back. Before I knew it, I'd climbed multiple Tallnecks just to uncover more of the map, all while completely ignoring my supposedly urgent mission to save the world.
While there are a couple of fun distractions, like the Melee Pits and Hunting Grounds, none of them ever felt worth my time because they came across as tedious detours. Machine Strike, Forbidden West's version of chess, was especially a chore to play. Every move feels painfully slow, and the AI can be frustratingly unbalanced. It never captures the same level of excitement or addictiveness as minigames like The Witcher 3's Gwent or Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's Queen's Blood.
By the time I snapped back to my senses, I'd realized these activities had only pulled me away from my real goals: becoming the late Lance Reddick's best friend in the game and taking down a swarm of clankers with my bow and arrow.
Combat is Machine Monster Huntin’
Combat has never been better in Forbidden West, and it's also the reason I kept getting sidetracked from the main missions. Whenever I came across one of the game's machine enemies, I simply couldn't resist taking it down.
The ranged combat feels far more refined than before. Watching Aloy dodge and weave through a pack of Scroungers before landing a perfectly timed arrow into the canisters on their backs is incredibly satisfying in smooth 60fps encounters. The feeling becomes even better against the game’s larger machines, from the iconic Thunderjaw to new threats like the Slitherfang and Tremortusk, where every encounter feels like I’m playing a futuristic version of Monster Hunter.
Aloy's expanded arsenal also makes hunting these machines even more satisfying. One of the biggest additions is the Spike Thrower, which lets me hurl a massive spear fitted with an explosive tip and watch machines blow up in spectacular fashion. As fun as it is, though, I wouldn't recommend relying on it too much since the explosions can destroy valuable machine parts needed for crafting. Crafting itself is still present, although it remains largely unchanged from the previous game.
Skill trees also make a return in Forbidden West, letting players specialize Aloy in different playstyles such as stealth or ranged combat. Unfortunately, not much has really changed, as most of the upgrades feel like minor improvements to an already well-equipped arsenal. I made it all the way to the late game by investing almost exclusively in Aloy's ranged skill tree, while the melee-focused branches were left virtually untouched because once again, melee doesn’t really feel too satisfying in this game. It was a problem that existed in the first game and not much was improved here.
Even the new Valor Surge system doesn't do much to shake things up. While the abilities look flashy, I rarely found myself relying on them to get out of tough situations because the game simply wasn't challenging enough on normal difficulties. It also doesn't help that Aloy constantly points out puzzle solutions and objectives, making it feel like the game is holding my hand far more than it should.
There's also a special late-game weapon that I felt arrived far too late, ultimately robbing it of much of its impact. By the time I unlocked it, my Warrior Bows had already been upgraded to the point where they consistently outperformed it, making the new weapon feel underpowered and largely unnecessary. I imagine it's designed with multiple playthroughs in mind, especially New Game+ or higher difficulties like Ultra Hard, where machines are much tougher and Aloy takes significantly more damage.
The New Big Bads
New to Forbidden West is a brand-new enemy faction, which I think is fair game to talk about now that the game has been out for four years.
Instead of facing the usual tribal warriors from rival clans, Aloy eventually comes up against a group of highly advanced human enemies equipped with futuristic technology. They wield energy shields, enhanced weaponry, and even pull off attacks that feel straight out of Dragon Ball Z.
These new antagonists seemingly come out of nowhere in the story—or maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention. To be fair, Horizon has well over a hundred data points and collectibles to read through. But before I go on a tangent, the Far Zeniths serve as Forbidden West's central antagonistic force, and while they're undeniably cool with their mysterious, Illuminati-like aura, they also leave behind far too many unanswered questions. They're also surprisingly fragile even with all their advanced technology and overwhelming power. By late game, several prominent Far Zenith members ultimately were largely incompetent as Aloy and her friends took them down in one go.
Their origins and motivations feel intentionally withheld, especially once their grand plan is revealed in the latter half of the game, introducing an even bigger and more terrifying threat that completely threw me for a loop. It makes it clear that much of their story is being saved for the franchise's inevitable third installment.
Is Horizon: Forbidden West Worth It?
Four Years Later, Horizon Forbidden West Still Sets the Standard
Even with its obvious flaws and its unfortunate streak of launching alongside multiple Game of the Year contenders, Horizon Forbidden West continues to stand on its own thanks to its original storytelling and stellar gameplay, delivering cinematic action that rivals some of the best third-person games in the genre, including Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series. On top of that, Guerrilla Games' Decima Engine continues to prove itself as one of the industry's premier game engines, delivering a highly optimized open-world experience that also powers Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding series.
Because of these strengths, Horizon Forbidden West remains well worth playing even four years after its release. Its visual splendor and technical polish haven't faded, making it the perfect game to show off a 4K display or simply experience what modern AAA open-world games should aspire to be.
There's still a long wait before Guerrilla Games announces the inevitable third entry, and plenty of questions remain about where the story will go next, especially how the developers will handle Sylens following the untimely passing of Lance Reddick. In the meantime, players can dive into The Burning Shores expansion, which takes Aloy to the volcanic ruins of Los Angeles for another visually spectacular adventure with a new flying mount and new machines to face.
Yet even without its expansion, Horizon Forbidden West's base game is a feature-complete addition to Sony's lineup of PlayStation exclusives. While games of this scale don't come around often, the Horizon series consistently pushes the limits of what PlayStation hardware is capable of. Now, there's every reason to be excited for Aloy's third, and potentially final, adventure to take another massive technological leap in both gameplay and visual fidelity with the inevitable PlayStation 6 on the horizon.
FAQ
Is Horizon: Forbidden West a Multiplayer Game?
No, Horizon: Forbidden West is not a multiplayer game. It is a pure single-player adventure and a sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn. The multiplayer game you are looking for is Horizon: Hunters Gathering, which is Sony’s unique spin of the co-op action RPG formula.
Do You Have to Play Horizon: Zero Dawn to Enjoy Horizon: Forbidden West?
Yes, you have to play the original Horizon Zero Dawn before Horizon Forbidden West, as the latter is a direct sequel that takes place six months after the events of the first game.
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