"The lesson will be taught in due time, Aloy. Until then, we wait."
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This article is about the game Horizon Forbidden West. You may be looking for the previous installment in the series, Horizon Zero Dawn.
Horizon Forbidden West is an open-world action role-playing video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. The game was released on 18 February 2022.[1] It was officially revealed during Sony's The Future of Gaming reveal event for the PlayStation 5. It is the second game of the Horizon series and is a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn and its expansion DLC The Frozen Wilds.
Horizon Forbidden West continues the story of Aloy half a year after the events of the Zero Dawn, a young huntress of the Noratribe sent on a quest to a mysterious frontier spanning Utah to the Pacific coast to find the source of a mysterious plague that kills all it infects. On her journey across the uncharted lands of the Forbidden West, she encounters hostile regions filled with natural threats and ravaged by massive storms, dangerous enemies and deadly machines, both new and old. As Aloy attempts to explore the wider and deeper parts of the Forbidden West, she discovers a vast array of diverse environmental ecosystems, including lush valleys, dry deserts, snowy mountains, tropical beaches and ruined cities, both above and below the water.[4]
"The land is dying. Vicious storms and an unstoppable blight ravage the scattered remnants of humanity, while fearsome new machines prowl their borders. Life on Earth is hurtling towards another extinction, and no one knows why. It's up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world. Along the way, she must reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past – all the while trying to stay one step ahead of a seemingly undefeatable new enemy. Uncover the secret behind Earth's imminent collapse and unlock a hidden chapter in the ancient past... one that will change Aloy forever."[5]
Plot
"Not enough... must be... perfect!"
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In the six months following her victory over HADES and the Eclipse, Aloy has been searching alone for a backup of GAIA to repair the terraforming system. Thanks to Ted Faro's purge of APOLLO a millennium prior, her efforts have been in vain. Meanwhile, the terraforming system has begun spiraling out of control, causing supercell storms, toxic algae blooms and a poisonous red blight, all of which bring life on Earth closer and closer to extinction.
Gameplay
Players are able to explore wider and deeper into a bigger map compared to the previous game.
Underwater exploration is a new element that allows players to uncover the mysteries beneath the surface of seas, lakes and rivers.[6]
Engage in strategic battles against enormous machines and mounted human enemies by using weapons, gear and traps crafted from salvaged parts.[5]
A new weapon system will allow players to upgrade their weapons at a workbench,[7] while outfits now give Aloy access to new outfit-specific skills.
The mission structure for quests better supports variety in objectives with compelling reward systems in Horizon Forbidden West.
Horizon Forbidden West features a menagerie of familiar and new machines. 43 machines have been shown off, 22 of which are new to the Forbidden West. Machines have expanded behaviors, with some of those machines having several elemental variants like Bellowbacks, and overridden machines can be commanded between different programming (offensive and defensive).
Set in an open world of post-apocalypticCalifornia, Utah and Nevada, the game explores the setting of a mysterious location known as the Forbidden West, which, throughout the majority of Horizon Zero Dawn, was hinted as being extremely savage and dangerous.
Special Editions
Regalla Edition
Contents
Horizon Forbidden West PS4/PS5 game(digital)
Regalla Tremortusk and Aloy statues
Replica Focus
Focus stand
Two art cards
Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
Sunwing Machine Strike piece
Steelbook display case
Mini art book
Digital soundtrack
Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 1: The Sunhawk digital comic book
Photo mode unlocks (special pose and face paint)
Bonuses
Carja Behemoth Elite outfit
Carja Behemoth Short Bow
Nora Thunder Elite outfit
Nora Thunder Sling
Nora Legacy outfit and spear
Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
Resources pack
Collector's Edition
Contents
Horizon Forbidden West PS4/PS5 game(digital)
Tremortusk and Aloy statues
Steelbook display case
Mini art book
Digital soundtrack
Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 1: The Sunhawk digital comic book
Photo mode unlocks (special pose and face paint)
Bonuses
Carja Behemoth Elite outfit
Carja Behemoth Short Bow
Nora Thunder Elite outfit
Nora Thunder Sling
Nora Legacy outfit and spear
Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
Resources pack
Special Edition
Contents
Horizon Forbidden West PS4/PS5 game
Steelbook display case
Mini art book
Digital soundtrack
Bonuses
Nora Legacy outfit and spear
Complete Edition
Contents
Horizon Forbidden West for PS5
Burning Shores DLC for PS5
Digital soundtrack
Digital art book
Horizon Zero Dawn Vol. 1: The Sunhawk digital comic book
In-game items:
Extras in Photo Mode (special pose and face paint)
In-game items unlocked via story progression:
Carja Behemoth Elite outfit
Carja Behemoth Short Bow
Nora Thunder Elite outfit
Nora Thunder Sling
Apex Clawstrider Machine Strike piece
Resources pack
Trivia
The setting of Horizon Forbidden West, the Forbidden West, was alluded to multiple times throughout Horizon Zero Dawn. Rumors of the region's more dangerous machines and mysterious tribes were repeatedly mentioned, serving as a hint to the location of the next game.
For the PlayStation 5 version, the game will take advantage of the console's increased processing power, custom solid state drive storage, Tempest Engine and Dualsense controller to support features such as advanced haptic feedback, 3D spatial audio, enhanced lighting, special water rendering, improved visual effects and reduced loading times, enhancing the player immersion experience.[18][19]
This version also features an optional "performance mode" at 60 frames per second with a lower base resolution.
The game will feature an updated version of the Decima engine with support for high dynamic range.[20]
Additionally, the game has improved animation works and cinematics from the series' first installment.
The game will feature enhanced melee combat, revamped climbing mechanics and improved traversal options over the original game with the addition of the Valor Surge system, freeform climbing and tools such as the Shieldwing, Focus Scanner, Diving Mask and Pullcaster.[21]
The game's special edition comes with a SteelBook display case, mini art book, and digital soundtrack.[22]
On 10 January 2022, a Reddit user posted some photos from an unfinished version of the game, that has been accessed by PS4 jailbreak.
Many returning and new characters appear to be human.
In Horizon Forbidden West, large machines frequently spawn outside their respective sites. This is in contrast to the previous game, where large machines only spawned outside sites in one-time quest-specific occurrences.
Similar to Zero Dawn, multiplayer was planned for the game, but was ultimately scrapped so the development team could focus on other areas of the title. Reportedly, the multiplayer idea was saved by Guerilla for a future project, namely Project H, or "Horizon 3."[23]
Forbidden West marked Lance Reddick's final performance as Sylens before his death in March 2023.
Gallery
Images
Videos
Horizon Forbidden West - Announcement Trailer PS5
Horizon Forbidden West - Guerrilla Talks PS5
Horizon Forbidden West - State of Play Gameplay Reveal - PS5
Horizon Forbidden West - New Threats Gameplay Trailer - PS5, PS4
Horizon Forbidden West - Machines of the Forbidden West - PS5, PS4
Horizon Forbidden West - Tribes of the Forbidden West - PS5, PS4
Horizon Forbidden West - Story Trailer - PS5, PS4
Horizon Forbidden West - Challenges of the Forbidden West - PS5, PS4
Horizon Forbidden West - Cinematic Trailer - PS5, PS4
