PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews

Horizon Forbidden West is everything you could hope for in a sequel. Not only does it provide more content to sink your teeth into, but it makes smart design decisions that refine its systems to be near faultless. Aloy’s personal story continues to evolve, this time with an even stronger supporting cast and memorable antagonists propelling her journey to another level. Above all, its moment-to-moment gameplay expertly combines the fun traversal, exciting combat, and creative problem-solving to awesome effect, meaning it always feels excellent to play. Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best open-world adventures available today and is a stellar experience from its strong introduction all the way to its dramatic conclusion, and beyond.

Horizon Forbidden West pulls players along on a breathtaking journey – one so lifelike and human it’s almost unbelievable just how good it really is.

It’s not just that Horizon Forbidden West is bigger, it’s better. Guerrilla had already crafted an incredible title in Zero Dawn, but they’ve graduated into building an immaculate one in Forbidden West. Its strengths are taken to new heights, tuned to being the best they can be, and what were once weaknesses transform into pillars the series can build on. Besides a few minor technical issues, Horizon Forbidden West is the perfect example of what you want a sequel to an already great game to be, and it’s certainly a challenger for best game in 2022.

Horizon Forbidden West is a masterpiece. With a gripping story and a world ripe for exploration, you won't be disappointed.

Everything about this game just feels good. It’s beautiful, narratively complex, empowering, and a true testament to what the PS5 can do.

Horizon Forbidden West is an exceedingly clever sequel, a deep and addictive action RPG, a dense world that unfolds with an impeccable sense of pace, a visual tour de force and the masterful delivery of a promising concept. Somehow, by some sheer creative force a big, blockbuster open world game about post-apocalyptic tribal warriors with AR headsets fighting robot dinosaurs works even better the second time around. If you have access to a PlayStation you owe it to yourself to play this right away.

Horizon Forbidden West is a spectacular sequel to one of the PS4's best exclusives. Its narrative is one of its strengths, with unforgettable characters and twists and turns that maintain a solid pace throughout, and it's combat has been expanded on, adding in new weapon and ammo types to make eliminating machines and humans an immensely satisfying experience. All of this is wrapped up in a world that feels more alive and meticulously crafted than its predecessor with visuals and animations that bring that special blockbuster feel Sony's exclusives are now renowned for to the PS5.

If you’re willing to take your time and explore through the ruins of a fallen society, where every other corner is teeming with machines that you’ll need to be at the top of your game to destroy, then Horizon Forbidden West is an incredible game and a world that we wanted to return to many hours after the credits rolled.

Bigger and better than its predecessor in every single way, Horizon Forbidden West is a game that’s ever so easy to get lost in. It’s got a surprisingly heart-warming story in which Aloy finally realises the value of friendship, thrilling combat that never loses its edge, and a dense world that’s not only cram-packed with things to do, but is also utterly gorgeous. It’s yet another must-have first-party title for PlayStation gamers. And on PS5 with its lightning-fast loading times, stunning visuals and brilliant DualSense implementation, it’s a real showcase of what the hardware can do.

But while some of these visual issues are still waiting to be rectified with an update, Horizon Forbidden West improves on Zero Dawn in so many different ways. The story and combat remain high points for the series, with the latter getting even better with increased diversity of machines and looting providing another complex layer to think about. Side quests have improved and there are new side activities to suit all types of players. Added to all this, the world of the Forbidden West remains beautiful despite its hostility and it’s been a long time since I’ve lost hours in a game without once getting bored. Those who enjoyed Aloy’s previous adventures should definitely consider adding this one to the collection.