Horizon Forbidden West review roundup – ‘nothing short of phenomenal’

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By Adam Vjestica
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Aloy’s adventure is attracting the plaudits

Horizon Forbidden West Aloy wielding a bow
(Image credit: Sony)

Reviews for Horizon Forbidden West are now live, and Aloy’s new adventure is a hit with critics. 

Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5, and is the sequel to 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn. This game is currently sitting on a Metacritic score of 89 after 92 critic reviews, which means the game has received “generally favorable” scores.

We were big fans of Horizon Forbidden West, too, saying in our Horizon Forbidden West review: "While the scale and visuals never cease to astonish, underneath all that plating, the lasting impact is a human story about reconnecting with what is important in life - the ones around us."

We've rounded up what other gaming critics had to say about Guerilla Games' latest title below.

Game Informer’s Kimberly Wallace awarded the game a 9.25 out of 10 and said: “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. Mostly, it’s an entertaining experience, complete with jaw-dropping moments and unforgettable fights.”

IGN's Simon Cardy felt similarly, giving the game a 9 out of 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."

Our friends at GamesRadar said Horizon Forbidden West is "nothing short of phenomenal" and that the game's "story, gameplay, mechanics, and the world itself are all such an improvement on the original game - which in itself is a feat alone."

VGC gave Horizon Forbidden West a perfect score, saying: "Horizon Forbidden West is an incredible game set in a world that we wanted to return to many hours after the credits rolled."

Our friends at T3 said: "Horizon Forbidden West is Guerrilla's best game to date, taking Aloy to new heights with a blockbuster release that meets the high standards set by PlayStation in recent years".

Not everyone is as enamored with Aloy's second outing, though. The Telegraph compared Guerrilla Games' sequel to an "example of difficult second album syndrome" awarding it a 3 out of 5, and NME called Horizon Forbidden West a "competently made and fun action-adventure" that "can't resist getting in its own way".

Bring me the Horizon 

The overall consensus on Horizon Forbidden West is extremely positive, then, with many claiming that the sequel is a significant improvement over Horizon Zero Dawn, which wasn't exactly criticized too harshly when it was released (it has a score of 89 on Metacritic).

If you really weren't keen on the original, Horizon Forbidden West might not do enough to change your mind. However, if you did click with Zero Dawn, Forbidden West sounds like a must-buy.

Adam Vjestica
Adam Vjestica

Adam was formerly TRG's Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.