Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to the successful Horizon Zero Dawn. Created by Guerrilla Games, it tells the story of Aloy, an outcast from the Nora tribe who fights machines and uncovers Earth’s past secrets. The original game is one of my favourites for its mix of gameplay, story and graphics. When the sequel was announced, there was slight worry it couldn’t live up to what came before. However, that changed when the first look of Horizon Forbidden West dropped a couple of years back.
The graphics for Forbidden West is the best I’ve seen from a game. The textures of the characters and the surrounding areas are realistic. There are moments when you’re forgiven for thinking you’re watching a live-action movie. This is especially true during a particular sequence near water and sand that takes your breath away. The upgrade in graphics also brings forth particular aspects of characters the last game didn’t show as much.
The mechanics for the facial expressions make it easy to connect with the characters. To call the game’s look beautiful may seem flowery but it’s the best compliment I can give.
The story is more ambitious than the first. Sometimes going bigger ruins the story. Yet, that’s the opposite here. In lieu of spoilers, I won’t be saying much about what isn’t in the trailers. There are many surprises in Horizon Forbidden West and spoiling it does a disservice to the game and the makers. What I will say is be ready for a story that sends you on a rollercoaster of twists, turns and makes you feel every emotion you can.
Aloy is one of my favorite video game characters and this sequel cements why. She’s brave, witty, tenacious and refuses to stand down no matter what happens. Aloy has her weak points too like any fleshed-out character and that’s what makes her great. If Guerrilla wants to churn out more games with her I’d buy them every time. She’s even on her way to beating out Lara Croft as my favorite video game character.
The performances are also incredible. Ashly Burch returns as Aloy and gives everything she has to the role. Joining her are Lance Reddick, John MacMillan, Lesley Ewan, John Hopkins, Angela Bassett and Carrie-Anne Moss, among many other talented people. Every performer, from villagers to side quests to the main cast are fantastic.
Even though it’s only the end of February, Horizon Forbidden West is a contender for game of the year. It’s a rare example of a sequel being better than what came before. This is one of them. If you’re on the fence, I recommend you to play it. It might be a long game, but as someone who took 45 hours to complete the main story with some side missions, it’s well worth it.
