Nearly five years after the critically acclaimed original, Horizon 2: Forbidden West arrives on PS5 (and PS4), a title eagerly anticipated by many. The game promised stunning environments and full utilization of the new generation’s hardware capabilities. This review assesses the extent to which it delivers on these promises.
Horizon: Forbidden West directly follows the events of the first game’s final battle. Aloy, the protagonist, embarks on a quest to locate a backup of the Gaia terraforming program, which leads her to the perilous Forbidden West. This region presents exotic landscapes, formidable new machines, and encounters with a previously unknown, and hostile, tribe.
Given the ongoing Playstation 5 supply constraints, even a year and a half after launch, and the PS4’s substantial existing user base, Sony opted to release Horizon 2 on both platforms. This provides wider accessibility, but also introduces a technical limitation, as the game must function on hardware nearing a decade in age (the original PS4 debuted in 2013). PS5 owners benefit from enhanced graphics, higher resolution output, and a 60fps mode, among other enhancements. This review focuses primarily on the PS5 version.
Guerilla Games, the Dutch developer, has a reputation for visually impressive titles on Playstation. Their Killzone demo remains a benchmark for visual fidelity on Playstation 2, and the original Horizon: Zero Dawn delivered a beautiful, albeit somewhat repetitive, open-world experience on PS4 (particularly on the Pro model). Horizon 2 retains the core concept and refines upon it. The visual presentation is immediately striking, featuring vibrant colors, sophisticated lighting effects, and detailed textures, especially evident in enemy designs and metallic surfaces. On PS5, the game offers a choice between a higher resolution mode (up to 4K via checkerboarding) with enhanced detail at 30fps, or a lower resolution mode (1800p) with reduced detail targeting 60fps. While 60fps is generally preferred, the choice here is nuanced. Horizon 2 exhibits noticeably richer detail in the Graphics mode, and the 30fps frame rate does not significantly detract from the gameplay experience. While the 60fps mode is welcome, the visual fidelity is reduced, sometimes exhibiting a slightly “milky” visual effect. Given the ease of switching between modes, experimentation is recommended. We found ourselves primarily using the Graphics mode.
The development of Horizon Forbidden West was subject to delays intended to mitigate “crunch” conditions. Despite this, the game is not entirely without bugs at launch. We have been testing the game for several weeks, and subsequent patches have addressed major issues. However, some object pop-in and occasional color anomalies in cutscenes persist. These issues will likely be resolved through future patches, but currently detract from the otherwise polished visual presentation.
The sound design is excellent, particularly when experienced through a high-end home theater system at a sufficient volume. The audio mix is dynamic and precise, providing accurate positional audio for enemies. The score is immersive and complements the cinematic presentation, while dialogue remains clear and intelligible. The soundtrack itself is a particular highlight, enhancing both the atmosphere and emotional impact.
Horizon Forbidden West, like its predecessor, is an open-world adventure. While the open-world format can be highly engaging, as exemplified by Witcher 3, even that title contains elements of padding, such as tedious fetch quests. Horizon 2 borrows inspiration from Witcher 3 with “machine battles,” a rendition of the card game Gwent. As our time becomes increasingly valuable, we find ourselves less tolerant of repetitive tasks that serve primarily to extend playtime. Horizon 2 commendably reduces the prevalence of such errands and limits the size of its explorable areas, avoiding the overly expansive and potentially overwhelming map design seen in games like Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. However, this comes at the cost of some areas feeling somewhat constrained, and the platforming elements are not consistently well-designed. It can be difficult to discern which surfaces Aloy can interact with. The Uncharted games provide a superior example of platforming design. The ruins, which serve as side activities for artifact collection, suffer from these shortcomings and are not as compelling as other aspects of the game.
On a positive note, the narrative is well-crafted, and the combat encounters are engaging. The game provides a sufficient variety of weapons to acquire, upgrade, and master, and the main storyline maintains momentum, even when pursuing optional side quests.
In conclusion, Horizon Forbidden West builds effectively upon the foundation established by Zero Dawn. The narrative and streamlined map design are commendable, although the presence of bugs and inconsistencies in some game mechanics (particularly level design) detract from the overall experience. Nevertheless, it remains a compelling action-adventure title. While it is tempting to speculate on the potential of the game without the constraints of older hardware, the fact that PS4 owners (and those who are unable or unwilling to purchase a PS5 at this time) can also enjoy the experience is a significant benefit. Therefore, Forbidden West is a recommended purchase for Playstation owners this spring.
Playstation provided a review copy for this assessment. Provision of materials does not influence our editorial independence. We maintain an objective perspective, prioritizing the interests of our readers and consumers.
