PLATFORM: PS4, PS5 (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Horizon Forbidden West picks up shortly after the events of 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, which saw Aloy save humanity from almost certain extinction. Just a few months later, it turns out that the big threat in Zero Dawn wasn’t totally eradicated and, at the same time, Aloy’s plan to restore earth’s slowly degrading land goes awry when GAIA – the automated terraforming system that holds the key to returning the world to its former glory – is missing. What follows is a 50-plus hour odyssey across a 31st-century post-apocalyptic USA, where rogue machines roam freely and civil war threatens to erupt amongst the clans and tribes who live there.
Being a sequel, Forbidden West doesn’t spend too much time filling in the backstory, instead assuming you’re already familiar with Zero Dawn‘s plot points and characters and just dropping you straight into its new storyline. It’s safe to say that you’ll definitely get more out of the story if you’re familiar with the events and characters from the previous game, but enough of the basics are filled in for those who need bringing up to speed and the events of Forbidden West unfold so quickly over the opening couple of hours that you’ll soon forget about what happened five years ago.
Those first two hours or so give you a tantalising preview of what’s to come over the course of the game. Kicking off with a linear path that takes you on a thrilling mission through relatively small enclosed areas gives you chance to familiarise yourself with the basics of movement and combat while also soaking in the lavish production values that give Forbidden West a ridiculously high-quality feel. At first, it comes across like a hard sci-fi version of Uncharted or even a souped-up Enslaved (hands up who remembers that one?!) and really gets off to an exciting start, but when the world eventually opens up and you get your first breathtaking glimpse of the landscape that forms your new playground, it’s difficult not to be filled with awe, wonder and anticipation.
Thankfully, Forbidden West absolutely delivers on the promises made in the early going. Like all the best sequels, it carries over the best bits of the original, improves on things that didn’t work quite as well as intended before and adds enough new elements to keep returning players entertained. All of the usual RPG staples are here, from visiting settlements to trade with the locals and deal with their problems and petty squabbles (also known as “picking up side quests”) to crafting equipment, upgrading your gear at workbenches and enhancing your abilities via a whopping six (six!) skill trees. Elsewhere, Aloy’s tech from the previous game is still here, so you’ll be scanning enemy machines to gather information about their behaviours before setting a wide variety of elemental traps to capitalise on their weak spots or using your trusty bow and arrow to take them down before gathering up all the precious loot and resources that each mechanical explosion leaves behind. Her tool belt has seen a bit of an upgrade, with new additions like the Pullcaster and Shield Wing lending many sections of the game more of a puzzle-platformer feel than anything we saw in Zero Dawn. The addition of underwater areas expands things even further, and results in a visit to one of the most memorable locations you’re likely to witness…
Speaking of memorable locations, there’s no other way to describe how Horizon Forbidden West looks other than “absolutely stunning”. Its landscapes and vistas are unbelievably sharp and clear, full of colour and detail, and the awe-inspiring and unique environments you travel through are full of imaginative flourishes. Trying desperately to keep things spoiler-free because it’s so much better to discover these things for yourself, let’s just say if you’re in the mood for spending some time in another world (these days, that’s likely all of us!) then – as deadly as Forbidden West‘s inhabitants can be – there aren’t many better-looking places you could go.
Character and enemy design are similarly excellent. Just two games in and Aloy herself is well on her way to being one of the most iconic female protagonists of all time, and the supporting characters are all likeable (the ones who are supposed to be likeable, that is) and full of personality. Facial expressions and movements are so lifelike at times that interactions between characters often make you feel like you’re watching a high-budget CGI movie rather than a bunch of lifeless dead-eyed polygons and meshes, which helps no end in terms of immersing you in the story and world of the Forbidden West. And let’s not forget the animal / dinosaur machines, some of the most instantly-recognisable foes of recent years. They look especially great here, with cogs turning and liquid sloshing around their fuel tanks, shining and glinting in the light. Their mechanical clanks, howls and roars sound great, too. Forbidden West really is a feast for the eyes and, if you’re lucky enough to be playing on a PS5, it’s all done without a single loading screen in sight!
This really is an incredibly ambitious title, and the fact that it succeeds pretty much right across the board is certainly worth celebrating. A unique setting, quite possible the most beautiful open world ever seen in a game, full of engaging stories, adrenaline-pumping battles with eye-catching and terrifying robots, varied side quests and enough content to keep you going for months. There might be the occasional bit of open world jank here and there, with the odd floating item and things sometimes getting stuck in places where they really shouldn’t, but they’re few and far between and definitely not prevalent enough to cause any real issues. Overall, there’s not much more you could ask for in a game like this. If you’re up for an epic sci-fi adventure across a futuristic American wasteland, Horizon Forbidden West is an absolute must-have.
