Horizon Forbidden West Review – The Huntress Wilder Journey

Reviews

Another highly anticipated game that makes its way into the gamer’s list is the Horizon Forbidden West. Developed by Guerilla Games, this open-world sci-fi action game is a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, and once again, you’ll play the role of Aloy! So if you’re thrilled and genuinely love playing Horizon Zero Dawn, where you experienced Aloy fighting dangerous robot dinosaurs in a baneful wasteland. Well, you will surely be amazed by Horizon Forbidden West.

horizon forbidden west aloy
Image Source: Horizon Forbidden West Walkthrough

Not only have the devs refined it, but you will also definitely be hooked for hours as you take the breathtaking experience of Aloy in this open-world game. Though there are some drawbacks, you will not notice them once you’ve started playing the game. So, to give you an idea about Forbidden West, let this review help you!

The Journey of Aloy in the Forbidden West

As mentioned above, you’ll once again take the shoes of Aloy, who’s known to be a fearless altruistic tribal woman. Here, you will find Aloy rushing towards the massive horizon, searching for a way to get rid of the infectious red disease that predominantly affects the lands. As the blight ravages the land, time runs out, and Aloy must see a cure through GAIA. Moreover, if you haven’t played Zero Dawn, you’ll find it hard to understand this sequel as it offers rich dialogues that include well-written references and jargon. However, if you are keen on details and fluent when it comes to storylines, you can skip it and take this sequel right away.

Becoming an Accidental Hero

Going back to the story, after Aloy’s victory against the HADES, she became a hero of the Meridian, and people created a memorial for her bravery. Aloy’s getting trouble adjusting to the overwhelming praises of the people, because they used to take her as an outcast to the tribe. Now, many people are looking forward to her finding a way to prevent the spread of the plague, which is quite pressuring on her side. However, she chose to do it for the sake of the people’s lives. While on her journey, she will meet loads of characters that will offer to help, but Aloy prefers making this journey all by herself.
Horizon Forbidden West Varl and Aloy

To find the source of the fatal plague, Aloy needs to go into the Forbidden West. It’s a place that has an arcane frontier. To reach the destination, she needs to open the gates to the Embassy, which is closed for peace treaty purposes between the other clans. Her power did not work successfully here, and thankfully her comrades Varl and Erend came to offer help and lead Aloy to easier passages. Though very adamant, Aloy receives the help and moves on with her journey.

Horizon Forbidden West – The Gameplay

Unlike Zero Dawn, wherein the traversal is limited, in Forbidden Forest, you will witness Aloy climbing up into rocks and crevices to make her way on the top, making it more satisfying and natural. If you’re a fan of Assassin’s Creed or Uncharted, you will understand what this means. However, there are limited climbing points. You can scan out these points, especially when you are hunting loots and looking for new locations. You will make this game less mesmeric and easily understood when it comes to exploration.
Horizon Forbidden West to the brink

Another game that best describes this open-world game is The Witcher 3. As you play the game, you will quickly notice the lively environment, full of cunning designed machines, scavenging, and waiting for a perfect time to onslaught humans. Furthermore, in Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy can take into different towns and settlements. She can also interact with various people for more in-depth lore or unlocking new quests. Though the conversation seems too long, you can cut it short and check it later if you have time. More importantly, Aloy will get a chance to talk with traders, merchants, and even chefs that can offer a short-term performance boost.

Weapons & Combat

Like in the previous Horizon games, weapons and gears are upgradeable. To do this, you can get into various stations to upgrade them quickly. If you lack resources for upgrading, you can go for the “jobs” and get it from there. There are quests you can take where you can acquire items for crafting. There’s no need to wander from place to place like you usually see in most games. Here, the game will point you in the right direction you must go. Additionally, in the Horizon Forbidden West Game, you will notice that Aloy primarily relies on walking or riding machines. These machines are like special gears you can collect in the game, which you can use on your journey.

Powerful Gears

In the early game, you will get a chance to have a special gear named Pullcaster. It’s a gear you can use in retrieving difficult-to-reach objects and getting into higher areas. You will also get a diving mask that enables you to dive into the deep sea for infinite time. Moreover, in the highlight of the game, which is the combat. You can use the spear as your melee weapon like in the previous sequel. However, there will be a lot of artillery available in the game. So, you need to improve them to get extra steps on the battlefield.
Horizon Forbidden West pullcaster

In addition, you can craft fire and acid arrows, especially when dealing with huge machines. You can try unlocking the perk of “Valor Surge” to activate the rain of fiery arrows. It’s very advantageous when hitting a group of enemies. And once you’re in the combat part of the game, you will notice the blight causes the machines to behave more strangely. Unlike before, which ramp-ups the intensity to a new level. Also, there are times that your opponents are not moving at all, which you can take advantage and hit them.
Horizon Forbidden West weapons

 

Is Horizon Forbidden West Worth Playing this 2022?

If you’re looking for a game that will be worth your time, Horizon Forbidden West is definitely the right choice! There are a lot of things to do here, from core missions to the other objectives. Surely, a day is not enough. And if you love playing Zero Dawn and simply want more, this game is highly recommended! Overall, Forbidden Weste is a mixed bag worth exploring! For more updates, information, and reviews on the most anticipated games nowadays, stay tuned here at PlayPC.