Horizon: Forbidden West

Horizon: Forbidden West is a sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn - a bestselling action game with an open world and RPG elements, released in 2017. It was developed by the Dutch studio Guerrilla Games, the authors of the original and also the creators of the popular FPS series Killzone.

Plot

The action of Horizon 2 takes place after the events presented in the previous game of the studio. In the postapocalyptic world balance is restored and people, animals and machines try to coexist. However, the idyll didn't last long, because a new danger appeared on the horizon in the form of a mysterious plague threatening all living beings. Facing it, the heroine - Aloy - must go on a long and dangerous journey to the west of America.

Game world

In Horizon 2: Forbidden West the action is shown from the third person perspective (TPP). Just like in the previous game, the authors give us a vast world reflecting the central and western states of the United States. On the map we can find dense forests, rocky mountains, snow-covered areas, wastelands, hot deserts and a lot of ruins of old civilization, including the remains of Las Vegas and San Francisco.

We can travel through the land on foot or on the backs of selected machines. Exploration is made easier by new tools at Aloy's disposal and new features of equipment known from the first part of the series. Focus can now point to places where the girl can climb, Pullcaster - a rope with a hook - allows the protagonist to quickly get to high places and easily jump between platforms, while thanks to Shieldwing - a kind of energy parachute - jumping from great heights is not a challenge for her. Another new feature is the ability to dive, helped by a special mask that allows Aloy to dive to great depths.

Game mechanics

The game is driven by quests pushing the story forward, accompanied by numerous missions and side activities. As before, fighting with enemies plays an important role. On our way we face both hostile humans (led by the warlike Tenakth tribe, whose members have discovered a way to tame even the largest robots) and machines.

These include previously unseen land machines (like the Clawstriders, which can be used by Aloy as mounts, or the mammoth-like Tremortusks), air machines (Sunwings) or underwater machines (the giant Snapmaw or the slightly smaller but also dangerous Burrower). Enemies are eliminated not only by using familiar tools of murder, such as the bow, spear and various traps, but also by using new weaponry (such as thrown javelins or grenades that cover targets in glue slowing their movements). There's also the option to silently eliminate enemies or use heavy cannons that fall off of larger machines during the hustle and bustle of battle.

As we progress, we gain experience, advance to subsequent levels and unlock new skills. Apart from that, we increase Aloy's potential by gaining more and more equipment and improving what we already have, based on the crafting system.

Game modes

Horizon Forbidden West can only be played in single player mode.

Technical aspects

HZD2 runs on the Decima technology that powered the first part of the series. However, the engine has been heavily modified for the PlayStation 5 version to deliver the highest quality visuals. Character animation and facial expressions have been tweaked, vegetation has been refined and the machine models have been given more detail.

Last updated on 28 September 2023