“Horizon Forbidden West” has one of the most gorgeous worlds ever to exist in a game, filled with rich characters and breathtakingly chimerical creatures. From the beaches of a flooded San Francisco to lush Colorado valleys, exploring this world is an enthralling experience. However, the experience can be weighed down by often punishing enemies as well as a narrative bogged down by a slow start, a clunky finish and some odd character development.
As a game, “Horizon Forbidden West” is generally fantastic. The deserts, plains, forests, swamps and badlands of this post-post-apocalyptic Earth are an absolute treat to roam, either on foot or from the back of a massive robotic creature. Movement is quick and agile which helps when fighting enemies. Combat itself is an intoxicating experience when it works. Luring an opponent into a trap or dispatching them from a distance with precisely aimed arrows. That said, this game can just as easily be a genuine pain to play at times. The massive mechanical enemies found throughout the world hit fast and hit like trucks. One or two hits can easily undo 10-15 minutes of combined setup and combat. It’s irritating when it happens once, but it gets infuriating when it happens multiple times in a row. Some enemies can chain attacks together so quickly that the slightest mistimed or misdirected dodge means getting immediately hit by the next attack.
“Forbidden West” falls short of its predecessor in terms of its overarching story. Its greatest narrative strengths lie in its characters. From a theatrical trio delving into desert ruins in search of their next act to an investor endangering his town to make a quick profit, to a calm, collected chief of a warrior society, most of the characters in the game feel like genuine people with real motivations. The supporting characters that assist Aloy -- the player character -- throughout her journey are all fantastic as well. From a warrior coming to terms with a missing limb to a researcher from a far-off land, they all have unique arcs and bring unique perspectives to their interactions with Aloy. Top-notch voice acting really helps bring the characters to life as well. As is tradition, Lance Reddick is fantastic. Ashly Burch also turns in an amazing performance as Aloy.
Unfortunately, Aloy herself is where “Forbidden West” starts to fall short. Like any great hero, Aloy has things she wants. Aloy wants to fix the destabilizing climate that threatens the globe. She has positive character traits. Aloy is compassionate, wants to help people. She also has deeply human flaws and there are things she needs to grow as a person -- even if she doesn’t recognize it. From the start, Aloy tries to take on everything herself, pushes people away who try to help and gets irritated with those who get in her way. None of this is bad, it’s actually a fantastic setup for a character to grow, but developer Guerrilla Games falls short in two distinct areas. First, Aloy’s flaws tend to take precedent over her positive character traits which are just as essential to who she is. Her outright frustration with a significant character in the back half of the second act feels contrary to the compassion she’s shown to all sorts of random people throughout this game and its predecessor. Moreover, Aloy’s character growth tends to come all at once rather than building up over the game. It doesn’t always work. When it does, it’s fine. But when it doesn’t, it feels contrived.
The overall narrative of “Forbidden West” is similar to the situation with its characters. It’s mostly great but has definite shortcomings. At the beginning of the game, it takes a while to get into the open world and start exploring, plus there’s a bit of clunky exposition designed for players who never played the first game. But once “Forbidden West” lets players into its open world, the environments and characters take hold and don’t let up until the story nears its climax. As a whole, the second act of " Forbidden West” is fantastic, but it’s capped off by a moment so telegraphed that it would’ve been a welcome surprise to have literally anything else happen. Both “Horizon” games are at their strongest when they’re delivering plot beats that make absolute sense but completely surprise players. The climax of “Horizon Forbidden West” is an immense visual spectacle and a ton of fun. But the narrative setup for a sequel shoved into it might as well be a knife to any sense of resolution for the narrative the entire game has told.
“Horizon Forbidden West” is a truly great game. It has its flaws, but those don’t outweigh the overall strength of this series entry. While I don’t see myself starting up a new game to re-experience the story, I’ll definitely be returning for all the sights left to see and all the tales left to hear.
Review Score: 8.5/10
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.