Horizon Forbidden West: How The Sequel Raised The Bar

Following the Open World success of Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West takes players into new environments and locations. It was a fresh take on Aloy’s arc and saw her take on new foes and machines alike. Although the Open World essence was still there, new opportunities approached like underwater exploration for example.

Horizon Forbidden West was Released on 18 February 2022 to developer Guerrilla Games. The reception for the sequel breaks the trope of sequels being significantly worse than their predecessors. Find out how Horizon Forbidden West improved from Zero Dawn here!

Continuing Aloy’s Journey

In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy embarks on a new and perilous quest as she ventures beyond the borders of her homeland, the Nora Sacred Lands, into the mysterious and dangerous Forbidden West. She sets out to uncover the truth behind a devastating event known as the “Red Blight. Which is spreading across the land, corrupting both the machines and the environment.

As Aloy explores the diverse and vibrant landscapes of the Forbidden West, she encounters new tribes, allies, and adversaries. She must navigate through lush jungles, arid deserts, and underwater depths, utilizing her exceptional combat skills and resourcefulness to survive in this treacherous world.

Along the way, Aloy discovers clues that lead her to believe there is a way to halt the spread of the Red Blight and restore balance to the land. She encounters ancient ruins, advanced technology, and enigmatic artefacts left behind by the old world, uncovering the secrets of her past and the origins of the machines.

However, Aloy soon learns that she is not the only one searching for answers in the Forbidden West. A powerful and fanatical cult called the Eclipse, driven by their own sinister agenda, seeks to control the corrupting forces and reshape the world according to their own twisted vision. Aloy must confront formidable enemies, including towering machines and human adversaries, to prevent the Eclipse from unleashing chaos and destruction upon the world.

With the help of her loyal allies, Aloy’s journey takes her to the heart of the Red Blight. She uncovers a shocking truth about its origins and the impending danger it poses to all life. In a race against time, she must gather the knowledge and strength to confront the ultimate threat and save the world from annihilation.

Biggest Improvements

Time Of Day

The second game allows players to rest for an extended period of time which will pass the time in the game. This can be useful if you prefer playing in the daytime compared to the dark night.

Melee Combos

In Zero Dawn, the usefulness of the Melee Spear became more limiting the further you progressed. The sequel allows for more combos and melee boosts as you venture down the warrior skill tree.

Shield Wing Glider

Advertised heavily in the trailers, Forbidden West is allowed to explore the world more vertically with the hand glider Aloy now wields. It has amazing height advantages and zero downtime or uses limitations.

Underwater Exploration

The shores of the West include luscious clear waters that Aloy can swim under and explore. Even though Aloy can’t swim forever, a breathing apparatus is included later on to allow for long exploration.

Stash

A problem with the first game was the lack of storage given, a problem as players would get massive amounts of weapons to try out. The inclusion of a stash allows players to store weapons and materials for later upgrades.

If you are maxed out on personal storage, any picked-up materials will be automatically sent to your stash.

More Climbable Options

The second game allows you to ping around to see climbable areas and objects. This is a great improvement compared to the limitation of the first game. Of course, there are still the classic yellow-tinted climbable objects, but the second game allows for more options when tackling climbing.

How about you? Have you played Horizon Forbidden West? Let us know, we’d love to hear from you!

Other things you might want to know:

Did Forbidden West sell well?

Horizon Forbidden West has sold over 8.4 million units worldwide as of April 16, 2023.

Will Forbidden West come to PC?

As of right now, there is no news on the topic of a PC port for Horizon Forbidden West. If you take Horizon Zero, Dawn, it took 3 and a half years to get a PC port, so it might be as far as 2026 before we see one.