Horizon Forbidden West is one of Sony's flagship games to generate excitement about the PlayStation 5 after its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, became a breakout success in 2017. With a surprisingly unique story, gripping combat and a lush world to explore, the series could become one of the new decade's biggest hits if its second game lives up to expectations.
Guerrilla Games, the game's developer, has kept much about Horizon Forbidden West secret so far, but there's a good reason for this. Exploration-focused games like Forbidden West are at their best when the player has a chance to discover its wonders themselves. That being said, hints have already been found in the series' lore, and there's plenty of general knowledge out there for any fan looking forward to Aloy's next adventure.
Horizon Forbidden West's Trailer
Horizon Forbidden West was announced in June 2020 with a substantive trailer. Rather than a title reveal and little else, the trailer featured the gorgeous post-apocalyptic setting of San Francisco, unique machines Aloy will come face-to-face with in her travels and even new mechanics. For the first time, Aloy will be capable of exploring underwater -- with many secrets likely hidden in the Pacific Ocean's watery depths.
Though the jungle-like wilderness of San Francisco was most heavily featured, glimpses of a desert suggest that Forbidden West will feature various climates just like Zero Dawn. Thanks to lore from the first game's data points, we know that this desert is located in Nevada, confirming players will have a chance to roam through at minimum parts of Nevada, Utah and California. Said lore also indicates that Aloy will come across at least four new tribes.
The Story So Far
Horizon Forbidden West continues after the end of the previous game. In a post-credits scene, we see Sylens -- Aloy's enigmatic ally -- capture the world-destroying supercomputer HADES, which everyone else assumed was destroyed. Sylens seems to have his own plans for HADES and, in a mocking tone, tells it, "We've still so much to discuss, so much you never revealed. Your masters, for example. The ones who sent the signal that woke you ... Knowledge has its own rewards, don't you think?"
This moment hinted at what will likely be the broader plot of the series: facing off against whoever -- or whatever -- sent the signal that freed HADES and all the other rogue functions from the benevolent GAIA. Glimpses of Sylens in Forbidden West's trailer suggest that much of the game's plot will follow his machinations, but whether he'll become an enemy or continue to be an unreliable ally is anyone's guess.
Sylens has no desire to see humanity fall to extinction and will help Aloy eliminate threats to their survival, but he's also been shown to be deeply amoral in his pursuit of knowledge. He wouldn't be beyond siding with HADES' former masters if they made him the right promise. Regardless, it's inevitable that the series will continue its story of ancient secrets and god-like AIs in Horizon Forbidden West.
Horizon Forbidden West's Gameplay
In May, a State of Play presentation gave viewers a first look at Horizon Forbidden West's gameplay. The overall ethos of the gameplay is similar to Zero Dawn, but it seems the combat, exploration and graphics have all been vastly improved. Not only are there new ancient ruins to explore and dangerous machines to fight, but Aloy has been given new tools to handle them as well.
Some reveal highlights include the Pullcaster and Shieldwing that have been added to Aloy's arsenal. The Pullcaster functions like a grappling hook and allows Aloy to speed up climbing and bridge wide jumps. The Shieldwing is a futuristic-looking glider that lets her safely leap from immense heights. Both of these additions will add new depth to climbing the ruined skyscrapers and cliffs of Aloy's post-apocalyptic world. They were also shown to enhance maneuverability in combat.
During the December Game Awards, Guerrilla Games released the above gameplay trailer. While the trailer mostly just showcased the game's fluid combat, it also revealed several new outfits for Aloy and confirmed that ones from the first game will make a return. Three new machines were highlighted in the trailer, including an absolutely massive snake-inspired machine that is all but guaranteed to be a formidable fight.
When Will Horizon Forbidden West Release?
Horizon Forbidden West will release on February 18, 2022, a date that was finally announced during Gamescom's Opening Night Live. The game will be releasing simultaneously on PlayStation 4 & 5; it was originally not going to receive a free PS4 to PS5 upgrade, but Sony relented following fan backlash.
While the game was originally meant to release during the 2021 holiday season, Guerrilla Games has stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed production. The delay isn't much of a surprise; given Guerrilla's reluctance to confirm a release date during their State of Play in May, it was expected that we were looking at a late 2021 or early 2022 release window. Some fans may be disappointed at the delay, but the extra time should allow Horizon Forbidden West to launch when it's ready. Additionally, February 18 feels like a more natural release date for the title, as Horizon Zero Dawn was also released in February back in 2017.