By Dean Moses
Game: Horizon Forbidden West
Platform: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
Rating: T for Teen
Cost: $69.99 (Special edition is $199)
Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel we have all be waiting for. Set directly after 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, this single-player game follows Aloy, a hunter from the Nora tribe, on her quest to find out the source of a mysterious plague ravaging her land. The tale takes place in a dystopian future where robotic machines overrun the world, and characters must use their survival skills to voyage throughout a post-apocalyptic United States. During her search, Aloy uncovers uncharted lands and several surprising truths about the world she lives in and herself.
In the second reiteration, Aloy has left Meridian on a quest to find a backup of GAIA, for many this is the Goddess of the land, but Aloy knows this is not the case. Upon arriving to Far Zenith, Aloy and her companion Val discover that Zero Dawn has sabotaged the backup, and now she must venture out into the Forbidden West for a way to restore the planet’s degrading biosphere. Along the way players will see treacherous storms and the plague continues to ravage her world, while more machines take over pushing humanity into extinction—Aloy may be the only hope to restore order.
Looking Good
The game’s open world atmosphere allows players to take in all of the majestic beauty, and dangers, of the Forbidden West. Rolling green hills, piercing lightning bolts, deep sea exploration in crystal-clear water are just some of the gorgeous scenery on display—which looks amazing on the PlayStation 5. Characters appear life-like and the voice acting, and narrative is top notch. Gamers will be enraptured by Aloy’s—voiced by Ashly Burch—adventure, as they battle machines and take on side quests, which serve as a perfect complement to the overall storyline, and in fact enhance the entire experience.
Conclusion
Horizon Forbidden West has all of the right ingredients for a good game: excellent graphics, compelling storyline, great voice acting, and smooth gameplay. Usually side quests in an open world game can become tedious, but Horizon Forbidden West has found a way to make these missions so intricate that they truly become the backbone of the narrative.
