‘Horizon Forbidden West’: First Impressions
The search for GAIA continues, and we’re here with a fanboy’s review of the newest installment in Guerrilla Games post-apocalyptic adventure saga!
In 2017, Dutch studio Guerrilla Games brought us the most dynamic and captivating video game I have experienced since the launch of Final Fantasy VII. Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the most unique, captivating, and memorable storytelling experiences in recent memory… But will Horizon Forbidden West live up to the hype of its predecessor? This week we hope to find out!
Horizon Forbidden West Art Courtesy of Guerrilla Games
From the moment I first saw a cosplayer dressed as Aloy in 2017 (before the games was even released), I knew this game would be a BIG DEAL. I didn’t get around to playing Horizon Zero Dawn until 2020 when the world ground to a halt, but it consumed every waking hour of my time until I completed it. I have subsequently binged the game on Playstation 4 and PC, purchased every comic, the board game, and every other piece of Horizon lore I can get my hands on.
Actual footage of me, the ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ Superfan, courtesy of Guerrilla Games
Suffice to say, I am a superfan who has lived in hope that Guerilla would break the sequel stereotype. When Horizon Forbidden West was announced, I put the Regalla Edition on pre-order and crossed my fingers. Now that it’s finally here, let’s dive into some first impressions of Horizon Forbidden West.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ art courtesy of Guerrilla Games
The Story So Far
Horizon Zero Dawn introduced audiences to Aloy, an Outcast of the savage Nora Tribe, raised in the wilderness by a mysterious protector named Rost. Upon her coming of age, Aloy discovers that she is a small part of a larger story going back a thousand years, and sets off on a mission to discover the secrets of humanity’s lost past.
She travels through foreign lands, making friends (and enemies), hunting machines and traversing cauldrons to unearth the truth behind her origins. Through it all, Aloy learns that she has a larger part to play… And may be the only hope to save humanity from complete and utter extinction. The game comes to a startling conclusion, leading Aloy to head West in search of the lost hope for mankind.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ art courtesy of Guerrilla Games
Into The Forbidden West – The Search For GAIA
Horizon Forbidden West picks up six months after the conclusion of the Battle of The Alight. Aloy has traveled west through Oseram lands in search of GAIA, hoping to reinstate the AI and bring balance to the spiraling terraforming system that Hades and the mysterious extinction signal threw into chaos.
She comes into direct conflict with a tribal warlord, encounters mysterious new enemies, and tries to piece together the remaining elements of the puzzle left behind by Ted Faro’s purge of the Apollo sub-function before Earth’s terraforming system fails completely.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ art courtesy of Guerrilla Games
Horizon Forbidden West features a dynamic leading lady on a quest to save the world – at any cost. Have you ever had the urge to bring low a tribal warrior clan by destroying their gigantic (yet surprisingly fragile) stone wall? Have you ever wanted to ride a mechanical raptor into battle, or glide through a mountain pass hanging by your fingertips from a force shield? If so, this is absolutely the adventure for you.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ content courtesy of Guerrilla Games
The Gameplay
Welcome to the era of the Playstation 5! Horizon Forbidden West goes above and beyond in its efforts to improve player experience from Zero Dawn. The Decima Engine has provided an absolutely stunning visual feast with Horizon Forbidden West. The landscapes are excruciatingly detailed and cinematic.
The facial expressions and hand gestures are dynamic and lifelike, (including the fine facial hairs on Aloy, startling dude-bros the world over). In short, every moment of the game has me gasping in awe at its beauty. It is obvious that the game developers love their subject matter and took painstaking efforts to master its quality. The wait for Forbidden West was definitely worth it, visually.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ art courtesy of Guerrilla Games
Forbidden West adds additional layers of complexity in its game mechanics as well. The simple skills menu from Zero Dawn has transformed into a full blown skill tree, with customization options, Valor Surges, and passive boons to Aloy’s skills.Every element from the previous game has been built upon or elaborated in some way that makes the game an entirely new experience for players.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ content courtesy of Guerrilla Games
Machines in Forbidden West are a mix of the familiar and the new. While some machines make an appearance with new difficulty and strategy, most are entirely new. The battle mechanics have evolved as well. That leads characters to prioritize stealth and strategy over outright physical attacks in most cases. You CANNOT approach Forbidden West the same way you played Zero Dawn – it’s all new again.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ content courtesy of Guerrilla Games
Overall Review
Horizon Forbidden West DELIVERS. This game is everything I was hoping for. I admit that playing Zero Dawn on PC recently has spoiled me a bit for Playstation mechanics, but the use of the R3 slowdown of time is CRUCIAL here.
The storyline has taken some FASCINATING turns from the beginning. And a new layer of complexity keeps me on the edge of my seat. In the first 20 hours or so of gameplay, I have been challenged, thrilled, and left wanting much, much more. Which is convenient, since my 20 hours of gameplay has only gotten me about 15 percent through the game. There is a VAST world to uncover in Forbidden West… and it is absolutely worth it. I rate this game an astounding 9.75/10 Nora Seeker Face-Paints.
‘Horizon Forbidden West’ art courtesy of Guerrilla Games
