Horizon Forbidden West | PS5 Review

Horizon Zero Dawn from Guerrilla Games was my (and the podcast’s) favorite game of 2017, beating out even Breath of the Wild. If you know my love for The Legend of Zelda, then you know how impressed by the game I was. The story enraptured me, and I had an absolute blast tearing pieces off of metal machines resembling animals. Five years later, Horizon Forbidden West has been my most-anticipated of the year. It’s technically superior in almost every way with a very intriguing plot that sticks the landing, leaving players wanting more. Although Aloy isn’t quite as interesting this time around, the characters surrounding her more than make up for it.

The Next Step of the Journey

Forbidden West takes place not long after the events of the original game. Those who stayed for the after-credits scene of that adventure know that the threat to Aloy’s world is far from over. She meets familiar faces as well as a multitude of new ones while heading into the vast unknown that is the West. It’s difficult to explain exactly what Aloy’s new adventure holds without spoiling either game, but the writers at Guerrilla crafted a narrative with fresh surprises that make sense for the universe. The planet is once again in danger of extinction, but this time at the hands of a new enemy. Our hero travels beyond the barrier of her familiar land in a massive landscape in an attempt to save the only world she knows.

This Aloy doesn’t feel like the same one we met in 2017. She’s much more experienced, and her presence commands much more than the girl who was once learning her place in the world. This makes her slightly less interesting to me, however. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy her as the protagonist. Part of me just missed learning and growing with Aloy as she learned the mysteries of her surroundings. At the start of the game, I knew more about what was going on that she did, which made her discovery slightly less exciting.

Thankfully, the characters surrounding her were vastly more intriguing. Each of Aloy’s new friends have back stories that are almost strong enough to carry their own game. This made tackling side quests more exciting than your typical “gather so many widgets for me” tasks that plague other open-world games. Helping your new friends felt like experiencing an interactive history lesson before earning their trust and bringing them into her posse.

Reiteration at its Finest

If you were a fan of the combat in Zero Dawn, you’ll feel right at home in Forbidden West. Firing arrows at mechanical animals and collecting their parts feels very much the same. This time around, however, elemental weaponry takes more of a prominent role. You can still take down enemies in any way that fits your play style, of course, but you’ll have a much easier go scanning enemies and using weapons that have a greater effect on certain ones.

Aloy’s arsenal is almost overwhelmingly complex. Sometimes there is such a thing as too many options, and that often feels the case here. After completing the main story, I still only used about half of the abilities available to me. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, as it allows you to play the game according to your play style. The way I played, while different than others, worked naturally for me. With so many options, there should be a play style that works for any player.

My biggest issue with the gameplay is the lackluster skill tree. You’re given the ability to go down one of several columns to spend skill points on after leveling up and completing missions. I chose one ability towards the beginning of my adventure that worked for me well. Unfortunately, I never used another, because I truly didn’t feel the need. I was comfortable where I started, so every new one I purchased felt like wasted points. But you had to make those purchases in order to unlock helpful things like holding more health packs. There are seriously so many things I unlocked that I never even used a single time. I would have literally preferred simple boosts to my weapon damage or something.

On the positive side, Aloy’s new core abilities are very welcome. She now has the ability to use her pullcaster to propel her to higher ground, Batman-style. In addition, she can use a new glider to float down from high places. Sure, it feels like it’s stolen straight from Breath of the Wild, but it feels awesome.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Horizon Forbidden West is simply stunning in terms of its visuals. Everything from the environment to its character models feels completely ratcheted up from the first game. Conversations no longer feel laborious, as those with whom you interact now use hand gestures and body movement to make dialogue feel more natural. The attention to detail for even the most minor side characters in immensely impressive. Where most games seem to give more attention to only those in the forefront of the story, here it seems as if equal treatment was given to everyone. This goes a long way in making the world feel more immersive than I ever could have imagined.

I experienced some pretty significant pop-in textures and screen tearing during the opening hours, which worried me some. Within a couple of days, however, I literally never experienced it again. I’m assuming there must have been a patch, but I was pleasantly surprised to not have to deal with that ever again. The world of Forbidden West is an absolute delight to explore. Aloy traverses deserts, forests, snowy mountains, and underwater caverns, and each feels significantly different from the last. Often times I felt as if I were playing a different game. The machines are equally impressive with exquisite detail that made me wish for a collection of physical statues to display in my man cave.

All of this is capped with an incredible score by composers The Flight, Joris de Man, Niels van der Leest and Oleksa Lozowchuk with vocals by Julie Elven and Arianna Gillis and songs by Lovisa Bergdahl. While it lacks a hummable tune, it rivals epic film scores that cover all the bases of this adventure. It’s been in my playlist rotation since the game released. Yes, it’s that good.

Horizon Forbidden West Final Verdict

Much like its predecessor, Forbidden West suffers from poor release timing. Once again, it’s sadly being overshadowed by another incredibly popular open-world game. It’s a shame, because it’s an incredible game to experience, so long as you’re not daunted by its massive size. The writers put together a spectacular story that goes to very unexpected places (including a surprise voice actor), and the world is gorgeous. Although I take small issues with the skill tree and a less-likable Aloy, the rest of the game more than makes up for it. I already miss it, which is something I rarely do with games these days.

To hear me talk more about Horizon Forbidden West, be sure to listen to Episode 386 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 1:14:22 time stamp.

This review is based on a purchased copy of Horizon: Forbidden West. It is also available on PlayStation 4.