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Horizon Forbidden West
Critics Consensus (Play It)
Enthralling combat, great character design, and a phenomenal open world make Horizon Forbidden West well worth your time.
Game Info
Horizon Forbidden West continues Aloy’s story as she moves west to a far-future America to brave a majestic, but dangerous frontier where she’ll face awe-inspiring machines and mysterious new threats.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 123
Nom: Best Action (2022), Editors' Choice
Gold TIER
40% of scored reviews fell within the range of 86 to 92 / 100
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- RPG, Adventure
DEVELOPER(S):
- Guerrilla Games
PUBLISHER(S):
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- Horizon
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- Decima
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
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RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
123
Critic Reviews
89
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
100%
Median Score
90%
Low Score
60%
What did you think of Horizon Forbidden West?
Player Reviews1 Votes
0
Phil Hornshaw (GameSpot)
February 14, 2022
8/10
Horizon Forbidden West sometimes packs in so much that it gets in its own way, but the many well-drawn characters populating its quests keep it compelling.
Sam Loveridge (Gamesradar+)
February 14, 2022
4.5/5 stars
What Guerrilla Games has achieved here is nothing short of phenomenal. Story, gameplay, mechanics, and the world itself are all such an improvement on the original game – which in itself is a feat alone.
Simon Cardy (IGN)
February 14, 2022
9/10
A triumphant combination of enthralling combat, top-tier creature and character design, and a captivating open world, Horizon Forbidden West is an absolute blast and fantastic showcase for the power of the PS5.
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Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (123 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33bits | Jesús Díaz-Suelto Berrueco | 90 / 100 | 02-25-2022 | A classic formula polished to the extreme, with incomparable visual beauty, and worldbuilding of the highest level. Just a few rough edges and mechanical inconsistencies keep Horizon Forbidden West from being a masterpiece. | Read review |
| 3DNews | Алексей Лихачев | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Forbidden West exceeded all expectations. If the first game had some problems here and there, its sequel constantly amazes and will be remembered as one of the best PlayStation exclusives in history. | Read review |
| ACG | Jeremy Penter | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Despite some warts, Horizon Forbidden West is an incredible game and one that will be remembered most likely as a classic, and a sure-fire entry into Game of the Year award discussions. | Read review |
| AnaitGames | Víctor Manuel Martínez García | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | An incredibly solid sequel that makes everything that was good about the original bigger and better, from world building to combat or traversal mechanics. | Read review |
| Areajugones | Juan Linares | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Is more better? In this case for me it is not, Horizon Forbidden West is still an outstanding game, that nobody doubts it, but it failed to take a step further. If you liked the first installment this you will possibly enjoy the same or more. However I miss that he has sinned of little ambition and did not want to go for bigger goals, I blindly believe that Aloy and Guerrilla were well capable of it. It has the potential to be that SS3. | Read review |
| Atomix | Alberto Desfassiaux | 95 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | Building on all the impressive achievements of Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West feels like a natural evolution of the formula, presenting a sophisticated combat system, impressive variety of enemies, hundreds of activities to do, an exciting story that shines for its lore and characters, visual section of true next generation and a world much more explorable and free than that of its predecessor, As well as for certain design commitments, perhaps it makes the exploration more systematic than we would have liked. However, Guerrilla Games is delivering a game that lives up to the enormous expectations that were had and therefore, a clear candidate to become Game of the Year. | Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy | Diego Perez | 4 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a bigger, better game than the original in nearly every way. With tons of engaging side content, a wide array of beautiful biomes to explore, and multiple threatening new machines to take on, there’s a lot to see and do in the Forbidden West. | Read review |
| AusGamers | Steve Farrelly | 7 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | As an action-adventure, an RPG, a narrative, and open-world sandbox, and a way to simply spend time exploring a breathtaking world – it falls short. Engaging at times, thrilling too, but also disjointed, clunky, and unfocused in ways we didn’t expect. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | Bahram Bigharaz | 9 / 10 | 02-26-2022 | Forbidden West is a worthy sequel to the Horizon: Zero Down and builds up on an already solid action adventure and improves it in almost every possible way. The platforming gameplay could have been a bit deeper and the core story still offers nothing fresh, but nevertheless Forbidden West is definitely one of the best action adventures in recent years and one of the contenders for game of the year title. | Read review |
| Bazimag | Fardin Bagherian | 8 / 10 | 03-10-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is the most standard big budget video game you can find and that is the game’s most glaring flaw because as much as everything looks and feels expensive, it also feels as by-the-numbers as possible and lacks the kind of personal touches a product needs to become a true masterpiece. | Read review |
| But Why Tho? | Quinn Hiers | 9 / 10 | 02-21-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West builds upon Zero Dawn by adding new enemies, traversal options, combat, and a massive new map to explore. With the absolutely stunning cinematics, gorgeous ecosystems, and compelling story, there’s so much to love about Horizon Forbidden West. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Julian Bieder | 8.8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | You notice immediately that Horizon Forbidden West massively builds upon the first game and offers a lot more of machine models and side activities. The Gameplay stays excellent, only the story takes a lot of time to gain momentum. Forbidden West is still a sequel how most fans would’ve wanted it to be. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | David Walters | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | A sequel should always be better, and Horizon Forbidden West is much better than its predecessor, by a distance as great as the journey itself. | Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming | Luke Mitchell | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | 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. | Read review |
| Chicas Gamers | Adrián de Francisco | Recommended | 02-25-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West currently ranks as the best game available on PS5 and as one of the best on PS4. It has a clear and concise story that attracts you from the first moment and all this seasoned with careful, addictive gameplay full of variants with which you can enjoy each combat, each step down the side of a mountain or each line of dialogue thanks to graphic care and animations. It is a must if you liked Horizon Zero Dawn, and a game that can be enjoyed separately, but for which it is highly recommended to have finished the first game. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Paul Sullivan | 94 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | So while Horizon Forbidden West isn’t changing the rules of the genre, it’s an excellently crafted, entertaining, and satisfying adventure. It looks phenomenal and offers a sandbox of gameplay that remains just as unique as the original. Is it more of the same? In a way, I suppose. But I know I wouldn’t say no to more of Horizon Zero Dawn as it was 5 years ago, and Forbidden West is an improvement in nearly every way. | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Ryan Stevens | 8 / 10 | 02-24-2022 | While it doesn’t reinvent the open world or stray too far from its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West is a worthwhile endeavor for those in the mood for more open world adventures, with surprising nuance and complexity for those who make the trip. | Read review |
| Daily Mirror | Eugene Sowah | 5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is an amazing sequel that fulfils most of the missing elements from the first game. Its immersive adventure is easily one of the best experiences on offer on the Playstation 5. Guerrilla Games should really take a bow for crafting not only a brilliant action game but manages to do the seemingly impossible by improving on Horizon’s already fantastic lore, adding stunning new locations and stellar characters. | Read review |
| Daily Star | Tom Hutchison | 5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | After a strong 2021, Sony is hoping to capitalise on its growing first-party exclusives catalogue on the PS5 with a follow-up to 2017 hit Horizon: Zero Dawn | Read review |
| DASHGAMER.com | Dan Rizzo | 10 / 10 | 03-08-2022 | A questionably massive escapade through an uncharted territory that takes Aloy beyond her comfort zone, fulfilling her conviction in finding out her past, and what the intent was behind her creation. A sequel which seeks to decidedly push the envelope with everything that made Zero Dawn a success, and turn it into one of PlayStation’s keystone franchises for years to come, only personifying it by relaying an excellent chapter in one of gaming’s greatest mascot’s celebrated journey. The Horizon series has sought itself to be PlayStation’s pick over its gold standard collection of first party titles, and Forbidden West sits firmly amongst as one of gaming’s greatest, ever. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Chris Carter | 8.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won’t astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Alex Tudor | 9 / 10 | 10-13-2019 | Horizon: Forbidden West is a masterclass open-world game for gameplay and visual flair, but falls flat with its story. While it gets close, Forbidden West never reaches the potential heights of what it attempts to set up. Instead, Forbidden West serves as a solid chapter in what could be a fairly large tale that is an absolute joy to play and take in. | Read review |
| Digital Spy | Ben Rayner | 3 / 5 stars | 02-18-2022 | If you loved Zero Dawn and simply wanted more, warts and all, this is easy to recommend. But if you were looking for something groundbreaking with a lot more polish, then Horizon Forbidden West is really a mixed bag. | Read review |
| Digital Trends | Giovanni Colantonio | 4 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West establishes the Horizon franchise as a power player in Sony’s first-party arsenal. | Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded | Matt Sainsbury | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | It builds on the success of the first game in a way that I am quite certain that those who loved Aloy and her first quest will find even more to love about this one. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Brandon Jones | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West takes all the notes gathered from the first game and fashions one of the deepest and most satisfying action games in recent memory. | Read review |
| Echo Boomer | David Fialho | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | The sequel of one of the defining games of the past generation may not be a revolution, but it is certainly welcome and breathtaking evolution. | Read review |
| EGM | Josh Harmon | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West builds upon the formula of the first game in smart (if not always revolutionary) ways to craft an even stronger open-world experience. The stunning visuals make for a great showpiece of what Sony’s first-party studios can accomplish on PlayStation 5, with gameplay that holds up its end of the bargain. Unfortunately, storytelling missteps and a lack of polish keep Aloy’s latest adventure just shy of joining the all-time greats. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Malindy Hetfeld | Not Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Another beautiful technical achievement, Horizon Forbidden West is held back by clunky characters and new features that lack purpose. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Giuseppe Arace | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | A natural evolution of Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West fulfills its mission as a sequel: to aspire to higher peaks, and reach them. | Read review |
| Explosion Network | Dylan Blight | 7 / 10 | 03-10-2022 | Instead of honing in on what made their world so exciting to explore in 2017, they’ve made it prettier but sacrificed the narrative, which takes a deep dive into ridiculous and uninteresting in the last third. | Read review |
| Fextralife | Fexelea | 8.4 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is a gorgeous and highly polished experience that takes full advantage of the Playstation 5’s superior hardware. And while a dream come true for explorers, the sub-par story just prevents it from being a true masterpiece. Recommended for fans of the genre. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Kimberley Wallace | 9.3 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West reaches a new high bar for Guerrilla Games. It does more than surpass its predecessor; it takes Horizon’s fiction to captivating places and builds a rich world that rewards you for the effort you put into it. | Read review |
| Game Rant | Unknown | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West takes everything that fans loved about Zero Dawn and makes it better, with Guerrilla delivering another must-play PS exclusive. | Read review |
| Game Revolution | Jason Faulkner | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Aside from some very minor bugs, Forbidden West was a treat to play and is an early contender for Game of the Year. | Read review |
| Gameblog | Unknown | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West vastly improves the formula that Gerruilla created a few years ago. The open world is vivid and very immersive, helped by gorgeous visuals. The rock climbing system could be a little more open and give us a bit more freedom thaugh. | Read review |
| Gamefa | Unknown | 9 / 10 | 02-23-2022 | The Horizon Forbidden West game is an elaborate classroom in world design and its stages that will surely hold a precious legacy in the memories of gamers and even game-makers. | Read review |
| GameMAG | Азамат Тегаев | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best open world games from the last couple of years. Whether you a fan of the original title or just love yourself a grand adventure | Read review |
| GamePro | Linda Sprenger | 89 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | A consistent sequel that surpasses the first part in gameplay, but is far behind in terms of story. | Read review |
| Gamerheadquarters | Jason Stettner | 9.4 / 10 | 03-02-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a simply stunning experience that’s very familiar to the first game while boldly expanding the scope of what Aloy is aiming to achieve. | Read review |
| Gamersky | 前朝刘沛公 | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | In addition to ensuring a solid storyline and combat performance, Horizon Forbidden West also makes a lot of attempts in the application of new technologies and deserves to be evaluated as a work full of the spirit of exploration. However, from the perspective of gameplay, for Horizon Forbidden West, it is a bit unsatisfactory in the control of the pace of gameplay and the content enrichment of the open world. | Read review |
| GamesBeat | Mike Minotti | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Anyone who digs these kinds of dense, map-based open world experiences is going to feel happy with what Guerrilla Games is offering here. This is something you could spend a lot of time with, first enjoying the story, then going out of your way to see and complete every last bit of content. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Josh Broadwell | 8 / 10 | 02-28-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West could be much more, but what’s here is beautiful, cleverly designed, and just plain fun to play. | Read review |
| GameSpace | LaSt04Ka | 9 / 10 | 03-17-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is a worthy sequel to Zero Dawn, reaching new impressive heights in terms of story, gameplay, mechanics and the open world design. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Richard Seagrave | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | 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. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Phil Hornshaw | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West sometimes packs in so much that it gets in its own way, but the many well-drawn characters populating its quests keep it compelling. | Read review |
| GamesRadar+ | Sam Loveridge | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | What Guerrilla Games has achieved here is nothing short of phenomenal. Story, gameplay, mechanics, and the world itself are all such an improvement on the original game | Read review |
| GameXplain | GameXplain | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Video Review | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Rob Larkin | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the best games of the last console generation. I’m not sure I see any reason why Horizon Forbidden West won’t go down as one of the best of this generation. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Shubhankar Parijat | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is an impressive achievement in storytelling, game design, and technology, and in improving upon its predecessor in nearly every way possible, it delivers one of the finest games of its kind in recent memory. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | David Burdette | 100 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | 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. | Read review |
| Geek Culture | Jake Su | 9.8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Polishing an already glittering diamond to shine even brighter, Guerrilla Games has done a spectacular job with Horizon Forbidden West, delivering an adventure that is bigger, better, and more entertaining on all levels, and a must-play title for all in the PlayStation ecosystem. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Chris White | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a masterpiece. With a gripping story and a world ripe for exploration, you won’t be disappointed. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | DM | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Red-haired Aloy returns in a little new, a little old adventure and immediately steals our hearts. Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t revolutionize sandboxes, but it’s still one of the best games in the genre in years. | Read review |
| Guardian | Keza MacDonald | 4 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | I don’t think I’ve seen half of what Forbidden West has to offer. It bored me sometimes with endless dialogue and exposition, but is equally generous with things to do and places to explore and creatures to unwisely provoke. Unlike many open-world games it is continually offering you something new, and a couple of the tools you acquire later in the game really open the whole place up. It’s got the spirit of a Metroid or Tomb Raider-style puzzle adventure on the scale of an Assassin’s Creed. And once again: by god, it is beautiful. I’ll happily endure 10 minutes of being lectured about terraforming, in exchange for marvelling at these sunken caves, forbidding plains and mechanical T-rexes. | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Kevin Dunsmore | 4 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | If you’re a fan of classic Castlevania, you’re gonna like Infernax – and it’s so refreshing to play something that isn’t a soulslike or a roguelike and instead offers a true return to the days of old. | Read review |
| Hey Poor Player | Andrew Thornton | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-24-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West improves on its predecessor in nearly every way, offering a stunning follow-up to an already excellent title which shows just how much a game can improve through refinement. Fans of the original will feel immediately comfortable, but they’ll find a far better adventure waiting for them. If you disliked the original game, Forbidden West won’t change your mind, but this is a must-own for everyone else. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | David Martinez | 90 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | Forbidden West is a beautiful game, full of epic moments, specially when fighting mechanical beasts. Being a sequel, the game has grown in every aspect. We enjoy the new abilities, such as diving or gliding with the shieldwing, but we also found uninspired secondary missions and repetitive tasks. We found some bugs in our review. | Read review |
| IGN | Simon Cardy | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | A triumphant combination of enthralling combat, top-tier creature and character design, and a captivating open world, Horizon Forbidden West is an absolute blast and fantastic showcase for the power of the PS5. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Davide Mancini | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West expands, improves and deepens all aspects of Horizon Zero Dawn. Guerrilla Games brought to life an incredible open world with fun mechanics, intriguing storytelling and meaningful interactions, despite some technical imperfections. | Read review |
| IGN Middle East | Moustafa Gad | 9.2 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West offers immersive content and an amazing world in which you will be lost for dozens of hours. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | Rafa Del Río | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West surpasses the first title in the saga with a sequel that surprises in its history and improves all aspects of its predecessor. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | James Wright (Impulsegamer) | 5 / 5 stars | 02-17-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is an enjoyable game from start to finish which easily allows you to become lost in its virtual mythology. The gameplay, sound and graphics work hand-in-hand to create an engaging PS5 title. It’s also well-written and directed by the developers with fantastic voice acting and a soundtrack that sounds it has been taken from a Hollywood blockbuster which makes this game a masterpiece on the PlayStation 5 and a must play game… no, masterpiece of 2022! | Read review |
| INDIANTVCZ | Filip Kraucher | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Evolution of Zero Dawn is much more enjoyable to play, with the AI enemies on higher difficulties offering a challenge for skilled players for many hours. Horizon Forbidden West continues the excellent foundations of Zero Dawn. It expands on them with themes from well-known and new characters, explains the details of an incredibly intriguing sci-fi story, and offers a fantastic experience in a dying world that only you and Aloy can save. | Read review |
| Jump Dash Roll | Rob Kershaw | 8 / 10 | 03-01-2022 | When Horizon Forbidden West lets you enjoy its incredible open world in peace, Aloy’s second outing is a marvel to play, even if its swollen map doesn’t fully make up for a lack of true invention. | Read review |
| JVL | Nyam Hazz | 8.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | While a few tweaks are still needed, if you liked Horizon Zero Dawn, you’ll love Horizon Forbidden West. | Read review |
| Kinda Funny Games | Kinda Funny Games | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Video review. | Read review |
| Kotaku | Ari Notis | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | I thoroughly enjoyed Horizon Forbidden West, and I suspect anyone who loves open-world RPGs will thoroughly enjoy it as well. But despite getting a kick out of fighting robot dinos, despite the enthralling time sink of “Machine Strike,” despite finding myself ravenous to return to this rich, inspired open world, I can’t shake how plainly Forbidden West misses the one philosophical throughline that helped its predecessor ascend to greatness: Sometimes, the question is more interesting than the answer. | Read review |
| LevelUp | Pedro Pérez Cesari | 8.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | If you loved Horizon Zero Dawn at the time, Forbidden West has enough arguments to leave you with your mouth open. Surely he will manage to hook you for several dozen hours and have you intrigued with everything he presents about his lore. Good work by Guerrilla Games, but there is potential for much more. | Read review |
| M3 | P-A Knutsson | 9 / 10 | 02-21-2022 | That Horizon: Forbidden West takes the best parts from the acclaimed Horizon: Zero Dawn and makes them even better was expected. Somewhat more unexpectedly, even the weaker links of one are greatly improved, which together with new elements and sources of inspiration leads to an excellent adventure that makes both the predecessor and most other games in the genre fade. | Read review |
| Merlin’in Kazanı | Ersin Kılıç | 90 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West makes up for the shortcomings of the first game with its wonderful world, variety of missions and fun gameplay and manages to be a more solid game. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | A solid sequel to the crowd-pleasing original, which still doesn’t make enough of its unique setting but manages to add an impressive amount of depth to its combat and side content. | Read review |
| MMORPG.com | Jason Fanelli | 9.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is everything I wanted from a follow-up to the excellent Zero Dawn, from the twisting story and fierce combat to the cast of memorable characters. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Alex Varankou | 80 / 100 | 02-22-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a sequel that mostly relies on its great roots to hold itself up. It’s bigger, has an enjoyable main story and thrilling combat, and adds a few new branches | Read review |
| Next Gen Base | Ben Ward | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Another magnificent visual showpiece for the PS5, that runs surprisingly well on the PS4 too, Horizon Forbidden West is a great new chapter in Aloy’s story. If you liked Zero Dawn, you’ll absolutely love this, making it a must-play. | Read review |
| Niche Gamer | Jonathan White | 8.5 / 10 | 02-28-2022 | A successor to Horizon Forbidden West would need a refined story with a little less depth for unimportant secondary characters, less weapons with better focus so they’re used more, and improved mount controls (and hopefully flying access from the start). I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll love her next episode as much as I’ve loved the previous two. | Read review |
| NoesPaisparaFrikis | Impozible Julin | 9.1 / 10 | 03-08-2022 | It takes everything good that was in the first part, builds on it by smoothing out practically all the rough edges of the first part. | Read review |
| NoobFeed | Adam Siddiqui | 98 / 100 | 02-24-2022 | Guerrilla Games really went all out when developer Horizon Forbidden West and it shows, pushing the standard in animation and natural conversations along with open-world design and world-building. Horizon Forbidden West is a monumental exceptional adventure and it would be criminal to miss out on it. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Erce Güven | 9.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is not only bigger, but much more detailed, much more enjoyable, much more memorable experience. If they made a movie, I’d watch it breathlessly! | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Garrett Martin | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Forbidden West isn’t a game that will surprise you or make you rethink the possibilities of what games can do, but it’s proof that games can still be really fun even if they don’t try anything new, and that’s something we don’t often see from big budget corporate games like this one. | Read review |
| PCMag | Will Greenwald | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West takes everything that made Horizon Zero Dawn an excellent action-adventure title, and adds more environmental variety and quest verticality to create an even better game. | Read review |
| PlayStation LifeStyle | Rebecca Smith | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | 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. | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | John-Paul Jones | 9.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | In every way that it can be, Horizon Forbidden West is Horizon Zero Dawn 2.0 and while I might crave some more variety in its open-world activities, Guerrilla Games has nonetheless crafted a triumphant sequel that earns its place among the very best that PlayStation Studios has to offer. | Read review |
| Polygon | Nicole Clark | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Returning to Aloy’s machine-threatened world is well worth the wait | Read review |
| Post Arcade (National Post) | Chad Sapieha | 9.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | The second entry in Guerrilla Games’ far-future sci-fi opus is a magnificently realized open-world adventure that will not disappoint | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Adam Mathew | 8.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is still a top-tier game that’s well worth emptying one’s pouch of metal shards to purchase. | Read review |
| Press Start | Kieron Verbrugge | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | 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. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Ivan Nikolai Barkow Castilho | 100 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a masterpiece. The foundation that Horizon Zero Dawn has laid is improved in every way, whether it’s gameplay or story. We have amazing graphics, charismatic characters, an intriguing plot and an addictive, varied and challenging gameplay. | Read review |
| Push Square | Stephen Tailby | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Overall, Horizon Forbidden West is a huge improvement on its predecessor. | Read review |
| Rectify Gaming | Unknown | 9.5 / 10 | 02-17-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is better in every way. Aloy and the combat has matured, and top notch accessibility options ensure many types of players can experience her journey. | Read review |
| RPGamer | Sam Wachter | 4.5 / 5 stars | 03-18-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West embraces everything about its predecessor and makes strides in producing an even more compelling world to explore, with intense combat and story moments, and shiny new robo-dinosaurs to punch in the face. | Read review |
| Saudi Gamer | عصام الشهوان | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | A thrilling adventure in a fascinating world. It might follow the formula of other games, but it does so impeccably. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | Leo Faierman | 4.5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | It’s hard to imagine how a Zero Dawn fan could be at all dissatisfied with Guerilla Games’ choices here | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Táňa Matúšová | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West builds on the solid foundations of Zero Dawn and does not only expand them, but stabilizes them by fixing a number of unnecessary shortcomings of the first game. Fixing some annoying mechanics, reworking combat, exploring and side quests are some of the positive changes that will be appreciated especially by players who have found the open world of Zero Dawn boring. | Read review |
| Shacknews | Bill Lavoy | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is an ambitious game that builds off the strengths of its predecessor in almost every way. | Read review |
| Sirus Gaming | Lexuzze Tablante | 10 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Despite minor technical issues that can be patched up, Horizon: Forbidden West’s compelling narrative, a spectacular cast of characters, its impressive graphical feat, and superb combat will make your time worthwhile. Horizon: Forbidden West is simply a masterpiece, a game that a PS4 and PS5 owner should not miss. | Read review |
| Skill Up | Ralph Panebianco | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West delivers a world so full of discovery that you cannot but get lost in it, such ferocity that you will never feel safe in it and such beauty that you’ll scarcely believe a $500 console can produce it. | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Justin Clark | 4.5 / 5 stars | 03-09-2022 | There are dozens of stories across Horizon Forbidden West that are every bit as cool, engaging, and thoughtful as that one. That makes it somewhat disappointing that the main story doesn’t quite hit the same heights in the end, as there’s a sagging middle that takes a little of the wind out of the finale. But it’s not something that’s worth sweating over, as the company that Aloy keeps consistently makes the trek work taking every step of the way. | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Martin Kubeš | 95 / 100 | 02-14-2022 | Guerrilla Games have outdone themselves. Horizon Forbidden West is a thrilling adventure with full of exciting moments that surpasses expectations. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Unknown | 9.1 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Aloy’s new journey is one to remember: the Forbidden West is a living, captivating and fascinating world, and everything you loved about Zero Dawn is back in a bigger, better and deeper way, in one of the best open worlds by PlayStation Studios. | Read review |
| Stevivor | Joab Gilroy | 6.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West] is a game of contrasts. A game about robot dinosaurs where you spend far too much time fighting robot meerkats and boars instead for some reason. One with brilliant voice acting that you begin to hate because some characters won’t shut up. Where the side quests are great, but they’re so simple as to feel pointless. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Tyler Chancey | 8 / 10 | 03-01-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a more confident sequel building on what made its predecessor great. What holds it back are some pacing issues and a few antiquated gameplay elements. | Read review |
| Telegraph | Dan Silver | 3 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Guerrilla Games have turned everything up to 11 for Aloy’s return – but is bigger necessarily better? | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Danilo Dellafrana | 9.3 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is an excellent second chapter, corroborated by an artistic direction and a sekaikan of the highest order. The plot dares to take an unexpected direction with results that are not entirely appreciable, but overall it is a worthy continuation of Aloy’s adventures that deserves to be experienced. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Tuffcub | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West improves upon Zero Dawn in almost every aspect. The story is particularly well written and ebbs and flows from air punching highs to dark, horrific lows. Like later Jurassic Park movies it suffers from the fact that we’ve already seen massive robotic dinosaurs on our TVs, the wow factor is reduced, and that the puzzles, crafting, and RPG elements could have been lifted from any number of games. Even so, it’s still a spectacular robo-beast smack down and thoroughly enjoyable to play. | Read review |
| ThisGenGaming | Justin Oneil | 10 / 10 | 03-02-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West takes mostly everything that the first game did so well and improves on it to make it one of the early must-have titles for the PlayStation 5. The story is once again full of unexpected and emotional moments and the characters throughout are memorable. The gameplay has seen many improvements to make exploring this gorgeous world and fighting the dozens of different machines fun and exciting. Add those things with the top-notch visuals, soundtrack and performances and you have what is sure to be a Game of the Year contender come the end of 2022. | Read review |
| Too Much Gaming | Carlos Hernandez | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | While Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t break the mold of the action-adventure open-world genre, it further enriches its blend of entertaining combat within a unique world that still stands out among other post-apocalyptic offerings. They might not have stuck the landing very well, but that wasn’t enough to completely stain the complete experience. | Read review |
| TrueGaming | Unknown | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Forbidden West takes Horizon to the next stage of evolution, where we see a huge open world game full of content, fun moments of play and unforgettable characters. | Read review |
| TrustedReviews | Ryan Jones | 4 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a superb sequel, adding even more robot monsters to slay while introducing a deep crafting and upgrade system that creates a rewarding Monster Hunter-style gameplay loop. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Chris Jecks | 5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a spectacular sequel | Read review |
| Unboxholics | Θέμης Μπολτσής | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West, without reinventing the wheel, evolves the series in a natural and organic way. New ideas and gameplay mechanics, such as the hook and underwater exploration, stand next to the enriched combat system, to create a well-made experience. If you’ve played Zero Dawn in the past you already know what to expect, so grab the bow and get ready for a second round! | Read review |
| Use a Potion | Unknown | 10 / 10 | 02-24-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West is a remarkable game that blew me away with its excellent storytelling, deep and engaging gameplay, and breath-taking visuals. I found myself eagerly anticipating every twist and turn of the story, the set pieces left me in awe of just how fun and varied combat is, whilst exploring the world and uncovering all of its secrets and side quests was a real treat. And did I mention it looks ridiculously stunning? It really has it all. | Read review |
| VG247 | Dom Peppiatt | Recommended | 02-14-2022 | Horizon: Forbidden West does a great job of building on the foundation that Zero Dawn laid out | Read review |
| VGC | Jordan Middler | 5 / 5 stars | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is an incredible game set in a world that we wanted to return to many hours after the credits rolled. | Read review |
| VGChartz | Paul Broussard | 7.5 / 10 | 03-06-2022 | In the midst of a number of popular open world games that seek to reinvent the wheel, Horizon has instead chosen to polish and refine the typical open world format. And that’s not a bad thing at all; while innovation is important, I’d argue iterative improvement is just as important. | Read review |
| Video Chums | Mary Billington | 8.9 / 10 | 02-19-2022 | Aloy’s journey through the Forbidden West is a grand one complete with awe-inspiring environments as you take down new machines with an expanded arsenal. Although the story is lacking the personal touch of the first game, if you’re looking for an action-filled adventure with thoroughly enjoyable gameplay then you certainly can’t go wrong with Horizon Forbidden West. | Read review |
| VideoGamer | Josh Wise | 8 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | With Horizon Forbidden West, Guerilla is armed with the grunt of the PlayStation 5, and we get not just a catalogue of alluring tones but a richer palette of ideas. | Read review |
| Washington Post | Christopher Byrd | Recommended | 02-18-2022 | After playing for more than 40 hours, I’m still mesmerized by the core gameplay loop of building up my tool kit and adjusting my approach to take on new, more powerful machines. More than that, though, I’m mesmerized by the world. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Alessio Palumbo | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Horizon Forbidden West is a worthy sequel to Zero Dawn in every way, proving that Guerrilla is no one-hit wonder when it comes to the action RPG genre. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | Kieran Stockton | 9 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | An expansive, beautiful and engrossing new adventure that deepens the series’ lore while doubling down on what made the original such a classic. A masterclass in meaningful open-world design, where exploration and curiosity is encouraged and rewarded. | Read review |
| Worth Playing | Chris “Atom” DeAngelus | 9.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | Overall, some minor technical nagging is the only thing that really holds back Horizon: Forbidden West back. It has a delightful protagonist, an engaging story, a wonderful setting, fun combat and exploration, and lovely visuals. I enjoyed just about every moment I spent with the game. If you were a fan of the original, then the sequel delivers on everything that it promises. Newcomers will likely want to finish Zero Dawn first, but as long as the idea of hunting robot dinosaurs with a bow and arrow sounds good, then two of the finest open-world games await you. | Read review |
| Zoomg | محمدحسین جعفریان | 9 / 10 | 02-26-2022 | Guerrilla has delivered us a great action adventure with role-playing elements in a great fictional universe. | Read review |
| ZTGD | Ken McKown | 8.5 / 10 | 02-14-2022 | There is a ton to love here and I really loved coming back to this world. This is a must own for PlayStation owners. | Read review |
Awards & Recognition
RECOGNITION
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