Horizon Forbidden West: PS5 Review

Developed by Guerrilla Games

Platform: PS5

Published by Sony Interactive Games

Five years ago, PlayStation gamers were introduced to new IP in the form of Horizon Zero Dawn and its female protagonist, Aloy. 

A coming-of-age tale set against a futuristic world where machine animals roamed as prehistoric hunters fought to survive, Horizon Zero Dawn was an impressively well-constructed game that had an extremely playable hook in among its mythology and world-building.

Suffice to say Horizon Forbidden West builds on the formula and then massively expands the game and its map - and that's putting it mildly. The latest is a veritable onion of a game - each adventure and quest opens up a branching network of other avenues to explore, ensuring that you remain in Aloy's world for a long time. 

This time around Aloy is prompted back into action as the world around her is suffering from an illness called the Blight, a red plant whose appearance is choking plants and slowly killing off all life. Believing that she can stop the Blight from spreading, Aloy sets out on a mission to essentially re-set the terraforming device and restore balance to the world.

But her mission is not as simple as she believes it to be....

To say more about Horizon Forbidden West's narrative is to rob the developers of some of the surprises they've included within, and some of the thrills of experiencing it for yourself. It's not that this game is without its foibles, but for the large part of it, the massively expansive open world proves to be fertile ground for both the story itself, but also just the desire to simply explore.

But there are some issues with the narrative - much like the previous game, there's a hell of a lot of exposition to be dished out in encounters, and decision trees to be negotiated, making most of the investment in the lore of the land a bit more of a chore, and one that will have you pressing the X button to speed things along. This was one of the biggest grumbles of the first game, that its interactions felt stilted and not as organic as perhaps the creators would want them to be - and with an infinitely larger world this time around, there are more people to meet - and subsequently more conversations to be had.

Occasionally as well, the game's seen Aloy placed in some positions where restarting from a recent save point is the only way to reset it. From being stuck in walls, to trapped in rocks and trees, there are a few glitches that halt proceedings and disappoint - it's especially disappointing after you've been involved in a long fight and have emerged victorious.

That said, there's much to admire in Horizon Forbidden West and much that will make the game once again a strong contender for Game of the Year status.

As Aloy traverses new environments along the western coast of America, the game's environs change and adapt to different surroundings. From weather systems that deliver blisteringly cold winter snaps to sun-kissed vistas that offer lens flare on the PS5 (making photo mode a truly wonderful affair) to simple things like the changing of flora and fauna in desolate climes, this is a game that's taken its world very seriously and is all the better for it.

It would be easy for the developers to rest on their laurels and once again deliver up a raft of exactly the same creatures as before - but this time, they're galvanised by the success of the first, and more audacious in their designs and adaptations of nature. From a behemoth beast that's based on an elephant to metal creatures that look like Ant-eaters, the design and execution of the world's critters is simply awe-inspiring and enough of a freshening of the format to keep any collector happy.

As for the game's combat, it's vastly harder this time to complete - even on the basic levels. The difficulty has been ramped up substantially, with most encounters unable to be completed on a first go; combat necessitates adaptation, and the use of the wider range of weapons, skills and upgrades that are on offer. Fortunately, the game isn't shy on holding back on offering a range of health, weapon resources and valuables around the land. 

It's a relief - especially in fights when you may think you're ahead of the game, but a few simple attacks see you suddenly on the backfoot. Workbenches are scattered through the world, so you can upgrade your weapons, improve your clothing and gear and ensure that you're in the best possible state to survive the wilds.

From new gadgets like a paraglider to being able to explore fully underwater, Horizon Forbidden West has taken everything as far as it could go to ensure exploration is immersive and enjoyable.

There are new weapons to explore, new devices to utilise and new skills to unlock - Guerrilla Games has clearly not held back in anyway, looking to ensure there are more than enough challenges and things for gamers to complete or try their hand at - it's a game that reveals more and more as time goes on and the more players invest within.

There's no need to race through Horizon Forbidden West - nor should you. With its cache of hidden quests, side missions and depth of a new mythology to explore, this game has more than enough to see off all other contenders during 2022. In many ways, Horizon Forbidden West is the game you were expecting - but so much more. It builds audaciously on the first and creates a world you'll never want to leave.

A code for Horizon Forbidden West was provided by PlayStation NZ for the purpose of this review. 
Horizon Forbidden West launches exclusively on PlayStation on February 18.