Horizon Forbidden West (2022)

Got to fight a Horus in the DLC. Some of the fights are enjoyable. New machines are fun at times. World is beautiful, but the characters are somewhat dull and one-dimensional, even Sylens got nerfed imo. I liked exploring and side missions were good. I think aspects of stealth is somewhat unrewarding as is being a trapper. Zero Dawn made better use of hunter/trapper aspect of the game. Sniping with bow is super satisfying though, which I should've realized early on.

Story is definitely a step down from HZD. Pacing was weird, the actual plot seemed promising. But that ending? It felt like a chore than a proper climax, Tilda's betrayal should've been more fleshed out. Nemesis seems like a lazy way to announce the next big bad. Could've kept it a secret. But Hephy boy is out again, so next game can continue :p

I feel like the game dev's designed this game thinking that every player was an utter idiot. It's a game designed by focus groups and through non-gamer Q and A testing.

Puzzles:

move the box, do the thing. All the while alloy explains what to do. DESIGN THE GAME SO THAT I CAN FIGURE IT OUT. This fundamentally undermines what a puzzle is for, like my good lord what a decision.

Intuitive game design:

1. loot, I have no clue what I am looting or why. Every enemy drops 5 things and they all look the same.

2. Dodge roll, every enemy has tracking attacks that follow your dodge.

3. Climbing, I needed to turn on an overlay of yellow markers. That should say everything.

Open world:

This is not a bad game. If this game had truly allowed for different playstyles, axe, sword and so on. I would be so excited for this game series. my enjoyment of open world games escalate with the more ways that you are able to play them. Because that provides meaning to the gameplay loop: e.g. Elden Ring, Skyrim, Fallout, Zelda (sort of), Cyberpunk, GTA. In Horizon, you are locked to one character, you are locked to one play style. Combat encounters have a specific "route" to success. The gameplay loop is relatively limited to these rules. You get many ways to play but all from a central position.

The really bad:

If you do not like Alloy, you will not like this game. Because you are forced into becoming her. If you don't like the story, you will not like the game.

Writing:

I just... this games villains are so absurdly out of touch with any sense of logic it just isn't fun. Characters are just their trope, "I'm angry", "I like to torture people" and "I'm a good guy!".

And the worst thing, this applies to Alloy. The flaw of a sequel is when you undo character progression and make characters dumb. The 15th time (not hyperbole) I heard Alloy say "I'm going to save the world on my own" Just really made me mad.

The good:

In the case that you do like this style of combat, and you do like this story and you do like Alloy. Well, this is a well made version of the intended formula. For me I found this enjoyable. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful game for character animation. And the bows feel nice to use.

This might just be the most spread out playthrough of a video game in my life. I've spent nearly 3 months playing it on and off. I just didn't have the will to play it and had to force myself to sit down and crank out at least an hour or two. There's too much stuff to do, and all of it is dull.

It is important to note that I tried playing this game without focusing on the main quest at first. I completed the first few main missions to progress the game to the point when the world truly opens up, and then steered off the main path to do side quests. I advise you NOT to make the same mistake. More often than not, you'll be missing a special type of equipment to complete a side quest, or you'll have to progress the main quest before continuing a side quest, or side quests will want to take you to very faraway places on the map, or something. Just stick to the main quest.

The game introduces new combat mechanics that weren't present in the first title. Most of them are janky and all of them are completely unnecessary. But there's so much of it that I've spent the first 10 hours of the game asking myself whether I'm playing it right or wrong. The fact that it took me so long to find gear good enough to actually be able to fight off some machines didn't help. At the beginning, I struggled with taking down basic machines, and it contributed to the feeling of playing the game wrong.

The game introduced many different new types of sidequests. Good, right? No. Most of them are boring and tedious. A lot of them require tools that aren't found until a large portion of the main quest is completed.

The game also introduced a lot of new machines. Great machines. Very fun to fight them. Great? Not really. With the number of different machines in the game, it's hard to encounter any single specific type. And, what's even worse, I mostly encountered only two types of machines - bristlebacks and leaplashers, both very dull and tedious. Encountering something that wasn't one of those two felt like finding a rare, exotic animal.

Another specific problem I had (don't know if this is something others have experienced and/or talked about) is that it took a while for my eyes to get used to the graphics. Don't get me wrong, the graphics are amazing. But everything kind of blends together, the game lacks... sharpness, I guess? It's kind of hard to describe what I mean exactly. Hopefully someone else noticed this too and can chime in.

I could mention other things about the game I didn't like, but I'll stop here. I won't even mention the story. Lots of others have written far better critiques than I could. Overall, didn't really enjoy the experience at all. The only reason why I'm giving it 3* instead of a lower grade is for the production quality - the art, animations, sound design and voice acting are exceptional. That is undeniable.

Horizon Forbidden West

Вы наверняка знаете такую франшизу игр как Half Life , вы сто процентов слышали о Моцерте и слушали его, вы знаете Пушкина , потому что это всё классика , который каждый человек знает. Дак вот в игровой сфере, если вы имеет консоль Playstation , классикой является серия игр Horizon.

Любой человек, который купил Playstation первым делом должен пройти Horizon Zero Dawn, а потом пройти Horizon Forbidden West так как это глубокая база и классика.

Понимаете игры студии Guerrilla Games, подходят всем. Новичкам - для них это будет классный тайтл открывший мир игр. Работягам - которые кайфанут от его простоты и легко юмора и Экспертам профессионалам своего дела , мастерам гейминга - которые будут проходить охотничьи поля на время и вникать в глубокий сюжет.

Знаете , то что я выше сказал я сам и не выполнил , а то есть не прошел игру первой же на Playstation, но я не знал базы которую вам сказал сейчас , ведь я ее сказал сейчас , а играл тогда , поняли?

Игра является продолжением первой части, и как бы логично сначала поиграть в первую часть, а потом играть во вторую , но это только повлияет на ваше восприятие сюжета, и я бы советовал 50 на 50 тут, если хотите полный кайф и понимание то играем сначало в первую часть, если хотите просто поиграть в классику , просто играем.

Что же мы имеем во второй части похождений Элой? Новых динозавров, мне особенно зашли слоники, гадюки и морские всякие приколы. Появление логично новых стихий , а то есть новые механики файтов и тактик. Интересные новые перки, которые кстати не особо влияют глобально на геймплей, но в отдельных миссиях сильно роляют, например чтобы пройти все бойцовские клубы вам нужны качать перки силы , так как они открывают новые удары копьем, а без них пройти бойцовский клуб нельзя, вам просто не дадут. Тут не хватает гениальной системы из Атомик Хёрт когда можно сбрасывать навыки и прокачивать другое , вообще такую систему надо ввести везде , а то я вкачал силу на макс , а в итоге в файтах копьем дратся не вариант так как тебя выносят за два удара, а тут не дарсоус чтобы перекат все контрил, и в итоге я просто слили навыки в пустую, печально. Вообще есть и новые ганы и новые мобы и новые перки , играть стало интереснее и свежее, конечно я всегда рекомендую проходить на хардах игру так вы получите больше впечатлений , лучше раскроете игру и больше ее исследуете - это база.

Перейдем плавно к технической стороне проекта, ну графон некст ген ребят туту проблем нет. Но вот с коллайдерами и паркуром пару раз конечно , доставляло беспокойств. Это и банальное застревание и не понимания куда ты прыгаешь и как. Не знаю может от этих ошибок очень сложно избавится, но видно, что по сравнению с первой частью их стало меньше, а охото чтоб вообще не было. Хочу отметить большой респект за интерфейс , он адаптивный если вы просто едете большинство ненужных вам в данный момент элементов уходят или уменьшаются, что дает насладится пейзажи и некст ген картинкой по полной - это лайк.

Так а что по сюжету и философии в игре? Сюжет логично продолжается с первой части нам даже целый переход бахнули в начале , что очень круто выглядит , ну а потом начинается. В этой части больше жестокости и смертей , всех раскидывают и все попадают под расход. Но некоторые касцены из-за этого прям очень кинематографично и натурально выглядят, я так понимаю разработчики метят в максимальную реалистичность и постепенно отходят от линии супергероя Элой к более реалистичной линии. Посмотрим, что будет в третьей части.

Ну а так игра плотная супер геройская сага , вот знаете Марвел ,дак вот Хорайзон это марвел в мире игр. Элой буквально супер герой имеет суперспособность , что имеет гены , самого гениального человека прошлого, и имет супер приблуду из будущего. За счет чего все двери перед ней открываются, а все враги как пирожочки. Но несмотря на это сценаристы интересно выстраивают диалоги и поведения Элой на выполнения всяких миссий. То Есть вроде Элой такая крутая, но вот какой-то особенный прием этого поселения она не знает и она спокойно с юморком реагирует на это все обучается ему, за счет такого позиционирования нам вроде на супер герое интересно проходить всякие мелкие миссии и помогать простым работягам. Ну вообще помимо того, что это крутая супер геройска игра , тут и есть плотная база философии, которую мы получаем ближе к концу игры. В принципе конец этой игры, был рассказан еще в первой части как только мы загрузили ее и открыли, а что мы увидели первым , каие то разрушенные здания , таких навороченных роботов и кучу военной техники. Тут уже не сложно догадаться авторы поднимают тему развития технологического прогресса человека и влияние ИИ. А вывод из этого всего , что все сдохли , так как не сумели поделить деньги и объединится. По сюжету мы встречаем единственного выживших людей , не в лучших обстановке , они сразу нас хотят замочить и не идут на контакт как будто не мы аборигены , а они . Ну может за 1000 лет существования они там поняли смысл жизни и вообще прошлое эту жизнь , но банальные манеры вежливости забыли. И в итоге долгожданная встреча с людьми которые жили сотни лет до нас оказался фигня, мягко сказать. Тут разрабочтики доносят до нас мысль, что люди никак не меняются, что они уже настолько переполнились в потреблении контента и отдыха , что смысл не в этом. И что бессмертие не даст человечеству ничего хорошего. В принципе логичные ответы на вопросы , все стандартно , разработчики не стали там экспериментировать и что -то придумывать если не знаешь как это работает в жизни значит это плохо. Даже какие то нотки хороших поступков у них идут в угоду своей же прибыли и мечте стать божествами. Вроде простой сюжет , показывается интересно , постепенно раскрываются все линии , тебе интересно изучать мир будущего , его технологии их мысли и их решения и анализировать все это.

В совокупности с открытым миром простыми бытовыми-второстепенными линиями игра выглядит очень колоритной. В ней множество контента, который после окончания сюжетной линии открывается с новой стороны, ведь вам дают летать возможность летать на динозавре , а это вообще отдельная история. Также после завершения основной сюжетной линии. Проблемы местного населения не исчезают в одночасье, также нужно урегулировать войны между кланами , помочь в борьбе с машинами , узнать новые тайны этого мира.

Подводя итог, Horizon Forbidden West огромная отлично проработанная игра, и она может смело называться классикой Playstation, уровень катсцен, графики, проработанности геймлея и открытого мира, всех сюжетных поворотов и раскрытия философских мыслей понятным и открытым путем. Я считаю, что в истории Элой каждый сумеет найти себе занятие по душе , в сочетании с понятностью и дружелюбием к игрокам вы получите незабываемый экспириенс.

Перед тем как сказать мою итоговую оценку этой класиике. Хочу вам напомнить про свой Мульти ссылка на всё

• https://taplink.cc/hegrigorii

Закрытое игровое сообщество и рецензии в текстовом формате

• https://t.me/chipapuly

Убежище геймеров и сервер для игр вместе

• https://discord.gg/KHTeV7em7c

Тик ток и это база

• https://www.tiktok.com/@hegrigorii

Прямые потоки и живое общение

• https://www.twitch.tv/hegrigorii

И так барабанная дробь Horizon Forbidden West, продолжение великолепной Horizon Zero Dawn получает от меня 92 балла. Пишите свои оценки и рецензии в комментарии , на самую базу отвечу и запишу себе в блокнот.

I transfered my save from PS4 to PS5 so I was able to play the DLC. When I opened the game for the first time in the newest console it was in quality mode by default and I was left speechless. It was the most beautiful videogame I've seen. I couldn't believe my eyes.

I already thought it looked incredible on PS4, but this was another level. Not even the newer (and also great-looking) God of War Ragnarok looks this good in my opinion.

I still changed it to performance mode because of course, but even then It is the prettiest game ever (in AAA "realistic" graphics terms).

Gameplay: 7/10

Presentation: 10/10

Story: 8/10

Overall Score: 8.3/10

Gameplay= Mechanics, gameplay options (freedom), repetition, goals, difficulty

Story= plot, engagement, characters, world-building

Presentation= graphics, animation, environment/character design, Art direction, Script, music

Truly a stunning-looking game aside from a lack of polish on the very procedural feeling facial animations. The design of the environments and the characters are something that I spent literal hours admiring. Using the built-in photo mode I probably spent at least 5 hours of my 70hours of play just snapping beautiful pictures.

What the game excels in graphics it does not do in gameplay or narrative. As far as gameplay is concerned it is very much the same as the first with most new mechanics being more of a burden than a benefit. A very fleshed out skill tree leads you to believe that you would want to priotitize certain points in certain places for a unique build only to learn that if your bow skills aren't up to snuff it doesn't matter where any points go. Also nearing max level you will most likely have filled out about 100% of at least 2 skill trees. Doing objectives outside of leveling will give you what you need to fill the rest out.

The worst part of the combat was the responsiveness and control. Often times I would roll far out of an enemy's attack and yet still take damage and get knocked down for far too long a time only to get smacked by another machine as soon as I am on my feet again. This was pushed to the max in the Arena sections of the game. So little to almost no terrain built to help you have a fighting chance of completing the challenges in time while on normal difficulty.

A secondary issue with the combat is clutter. Often times with the addition of new ammo types of which some don't even really make sense what they do, your weapon wheel can get cluttered fast. The same goes for the environment if you want to go ride smoothly on your mount or slide to dodge an enemy good luck not hitting way too many small details on the ground that will ruin your flow and even potentially cost you your life.

On the narrative side what it lacked was a grand mystery reveal like learning the fate of the world and GAIA in the first game. Those points in the story of the first game were given a strong execution. In this game every mission in the game felt moderately well done, but the weight and importance was lost in some sections. There are more mysteries revealed, but its lackluster compared to the first game. Also a revelation at the end of the game kind of makes you feel like they really just need to force a third game to happen. The concept at the end is a bit more abstract than anything else the series has done yet, but we will see how that all turns out later.

We live in a post-Breath of the Wild world. This type of open-world gameplay is simply a lazy and easy remnant of last-gen thinking. I know it'll fully be a while before the effect of games like BOTW and Elden Ring are felt in the industry at large but this Ubisoft style of game just doesn't resonate with me anymore. Assassin's Creed drove it kilometers into the dirt before Guerilla even start planning Horizon Zero Dawn let alone by the time they churned out its mediocre sequel.

There is a certain poetic justice in the Horizon franchise getting blotted out by superior, convention defying, titles on both of its launches. HZD at least had an interesting setting to buoy it against BOTW but being a sequel means that HFW doesn’t get the same mileage from that. Where BOTW and Elden Ring allow the player to explore and experience a world with little to no detail on the map (until discoveries and exploration is done by the player) HFW opts to blast the player with a barrage of icons and tasks immediately. If you played an open-world game in the PS3 or PS4 generations then you’ve already played Horizon.

Perhaps the greatest sin in its design is that it refused to learn from what the industry around it was doing, opting to stay the course and follow the Ubisoft model. It’s easy, it’s safe, it’s expected. And yet, by those very standards it can’t do what BOTW did, what Elden Ring did. It can’t be challenging and different, it doesn’t take any risk to make it stand out amidst the pack of every other open world experience, it can’t surprise you if it’s exactly what you’d expect it to be.

It is maybe unfair to constantly compare it to BOTW and Elden Ring, but it’s impossible not to. To be fair to HFW I make this comparison with Watch Dogs and Assassin’s Creed now too, there is a higher standard, there is a goal post that nobody else is even trying to reach at this moment.

There are many issues with this game, but honestly, they’re the same issues with every game it imitates. With every Creed, with every Ghost, with every Dog, they’re all the same. It’s the same game with a different aesthetic, that’s all. It is endemic to a stagnant genre and an industry that is averse to change and risk. HFW is a symbol of creative failure and honestly it deserved to get blown out of the water not once but twice by vastly superior products that had the gall to push and fight to lead the pack instead of comfortably settling in among its peers and settle for mediocrity.

There is a lot more to be said about the game, its story, but there are already better written reviews out there (particularly one by BMO on this very site!) the delve into that. For me, this game is barely worth the effort to lambaste. What an utterly mediocre title, I can't even be arsed to come up with a quip or clever ending, it doesn't deserve one.

This game is proving to be quite the chore to play. Everything is very much the same as the last game but I find the open world design is really hampered by "you don't have the tool to do this" situations.

I understand that the devs want me to get involved with the story but what's the point of an open world game if exploration isn't rewarded? Why am I being railroaded just to go re-explore areas that I'm over leveled for to get rewards that aren't particularly useful for my current needs?

It just feels like it was poorly thought out and constructed...

Great game, great sequel. It took what was great about the first game and expanded on it, while fixing and removing some stuff that wasn't great, and adding in enough new stuff to make it really feel like an evolution of the game. And narratively, the plot remained cohesive with that of the first without living in its shadow, or making either feel like it can't exist without the other, or feeling like a "let's do that again" rehash of the first.

Beautiful visuals, gorgeous music, immersive worldbuilding, engaging gameplay, and compelling plot and dialogue... even the open-world stuff is formulated well, with significant freedom and variety but not too much onerous grinding or repetition.

Waiting five long years to roam again with Aloy in one of the most original post-apocalyptic worlds in recent years was certainly worth it. Just about everything is now better, and, while it was obvious that nothing could compare with Aloy’s anagnorisis from the first game, the story is still a delight for the sci-fi fan.

The world is bigger and extremely beautiful. Every time you look up, you’ll see a breathtaking landscape and the new traversal options allow you to behold even more impressive scenery. The level of detail is incredible. Guerrilla have not reached exactly Rockstar’s level, but the world they have created is probably the most detailed since Red Dead Redemption 2.

Combat has been improved, with a lot more options, and it generally feels more satisfying. That is, ranged combat. Melee combat… well, not so much. It is somewhat improved, but the combos are some of the worst out there. Still, taking down machines with ranged combat and traps is some massively cool action, especially since there are a ton of new machines. There are also many additions to general gameplay, most of them worthy. Climbing is still very clunky, though. "Strike" is a tabletop mini-game introduced in Forbidden West, but I don’t have any opinion about it, since I haven’t played it (never played Gwent or others, either, they don’t have any appeal to me).

In the Forbidden West, Aloy encounters new tribes that dwell in some fascinating places, which feel much more lived-in compared to the ones in the previous game. Like the Eastern tribes, these new ones have cultures shaped not only by geography and climate, but also (mostly) by remnants of the old world. Doing side quests for the people of these tribes is always a little adventure, with some of the most intense battles. Their stories are not as interesting as the sci-fi backbone of the game, but they could make an average little science fantasy game by themselves.

The game introduces new characters that are generally more interesting or likable than those in the first game. I found myself liking some of Aloy’s new friends after just a few dialogues, something that didn’t happen in Zero Dawn. Also, some of Aloy’s old friends are back and they are developed further, becoming slightly more interesting themselves.

Unsurprisingly, the characters who steal the show are again Aloy and Sylens. Like many characters in high-concept sci-fi, they represent ideas, which is not to say they don’t feel like real people, too, because they certainly do. Both are driven by a desire for knowledge and will go to any lengths to preserve life on earth. But they also represent opposite versions of the same archetype, namely "hero scientist." Sylens is essentially a psychopath (which determines his teleological approach to saving the world), while Aloy is essentially an empath (therefore, having a deontological approach). Sylens is considerably more arrogant and unpleasant than Aloy, who has been often accused of being a Mary Sue type of character. Just like in Zero Dawn, they need each other, but stay away from each other (which is largely Sylens’ fault), unless working together is the only way to achieve their goals. The contrast and dynamic between them makes this duo one of the best in gaming and sci-fi in general. If you read sci-fi, you know that characterization isn’t usually its strong suit. It is, however, one of the best aspects of the Horizon series.

Another great narrative aspect is the ability of the writers at Guerrilla to add emotional depth to most scientific concepts. Sci-fi works throw mind-blowing concepts at the audience, very often in a sterile manner, devoid of emotion. Here, the story combines scientific concepts and subjective emotional experiences in a way that few other have ever managed. For instance, possibly the most emotional scene in Forbidden West is fundamentally a thought experiment on the nature vs. nurture debate, but played out with such unexpected compassion that it had me in tears.

On the downside, we have the villains, who are not nearly as interesting in Forbidden West. They are pretty basic scum, a rather surprising fact, considering what they’ve been through and the resources they possess. Or maybe that's how people like them would turn out, who's to say. The fate of one villain is pretty interesting to discover, but that’s about it. A significant downside, to be sure, but not one that is capable of ruining the story.

An extraordinary overall experience, Horizon Forbidden West is a fantastic second part of one of the best epic sci-fi series. The big open world is unique, extremely beautiful and extremely detailed. The combat is exhilarating, one of the best in an open world game. Not many things in life are better than going on this adventure with Aloy.

I'm a mark for this series, and I admit it. The first was the most I'd enjoyed a game's story and world in some time (I didn't play BOTW until several months later), and as a follow-up, this one didn't disappoint. I had some technical hiccups here and there (playing on a PS4), and it's a bit slow to start, but I loved the overall feel of the world—minus the still-not-great-but-slightly-improved climbing—the utterly batshit story full of massive swings, the music and visuals...

Mostly, though, it's the characters and their various interactions. Aloy has quickly become one of my favourite characters in gaming, and while I hate this phrasing, is maybe the most I've felt "seen" by a character in any fiction in a very long time. The acting is top tier across the board, and I love a) just how many women are in positions of power and authority, and are not at all to be trifled with, and b) how openly and wonderfully queer this world is without ever really feeling the need to comment on it. It's not perfect—the optics around the Black best friend being the one to bite it are never not going to be loaded, especially when based in what is essentially a white saviour narrative—but it's effectively progressive in a number of areas that I greatly appreciated. It's not what I come to this world for, but it's a lovely and welcome addition (and if it's not for you, I am super not interested in hearing about it, nor do I give a shit).

Also, I can't help but love (massive spoilers) how in a post-post-apocalyptic world ruled by roving bands of murderers and bandits, and robot creatures from twenty-foot-tall fire bears that body slam you from fifty yards away to orbital cannon-wielding T-Rexes to acid-spitting king cobras the size of a building to the goddamn lochness monster, the scariest, most threatening thing this creative team could come up with was… millennia-old billionaires from beyond the stars (and one left on earth who spent ten centuries mutating into a brainless lump of a monster hidden in his Mara Lago-like fortress/bunker beneath the earth). And then to have the even bigger bad be revealed as, in essence, a sentient AI made up of the digitized minds of the very worst one-percenters the world has ever known who so hates them and what they made of it that it's deteremined to eradicate all life is just... It's a wild fucking swing and I can't help but admire it. I love it when games get this gloriously weird.

EDIT: I wrote this when I'd finished the game and all its side missions/errands/jobs, etc. Now, having spent some time with the other odds and ends, I would like to add—without either of these issues affecting my overall enjoyment or score—that machine strike is boring as hell, and that the person who designed the races, the third in particular, should not be allowed to design anything ever again. Ever.

... Fuck that third race. Like rubbing your belly and patting your head at the same time, only less fun.

A small collection of my favourite shots I took with the awesome photomode in Horizon Forbidden West.

I absolutely loved the Game, it's just as beautiful as the first part and I'm excited for more.

~Michael

[Photography: Photomode]

"It's Not About The Distant Hope Of Creating A New World... It's About Preserving The One We Have." -Aloy

Because now I have to make everything I do into content, I wrote a guide to get all the legendary weapons and armors on the game.

I need to monetize that Platinum Trophy.

Anyway, here's my guide in spanish and this is my favorite weapon.

This is probably my last Forbidden West thing in a while. I'm ready to let Aloy rest. Bye.

IT

IS

DONE!!

I got the Platinum, completed all side quest, got all collectables and did all activities with the exception of completing the arena quests (too hard for me).

I'm really happy. This is definitely not Aloy's best adventure, but I'm still glad I experienced it.

¡VUELA SOBRE LAS ALAS DE LOS DIEZ, ALOY! ¡NOS VOLVEREMOS A VER!

I'm literally just missing one trophy to get the platinum, but I still have a few quests and collectables to get for the 100% so I'm letting that trophy (finishing Alva's quest) for last. It would be anticlimatic any other way.

Anyway... why is that? Why give the Platinum when you haven't really completed all the activities of the game? I usually understand "getting the platinum" as doing everything the game is offering. It doesn't make sense to me that you can getting before that. At least on most single player games.

Just random thoughts. I don't really care that much.

Ok, I’m baffled by the reviews on Horizon, this game needed a couple of years in the oven to fix the numerous issues plaguing this game. The climbing is atrocious at worst and tedious at best, the combat is all over the place, with some monsters being a complete mess of a fight on hard, with no damage output by Alloy and a barrage of damage and one shot bullshit, whereas the lower difficulties are too easy and not challenging enough, and for some monsters hard is too easy as well.

There are FAR TOO MANY systems and stuff to keep track off and it’s a complete mess to manage. Far too many weapons to upgrade and you keep getting new ones like it’s some sort of MMO or something. I wasn’t a big fan of the first game, but at least all of those things were polished and straightforward.

The jank and bloat are out of hand here.

After finally clearing a lot of games I had to review, I'm finally back on this to get the platinum. But I'm no longer enjoying it as much. I still love Aloy, her world and want to discover more plotlines and characters in side missions... but the combat finally lost its polish.

I'm probably still gonna do it, but I no longer want it as much.

I’m really having two very different experiences with Horizon Forbidden Dawn. Whenever I’m hunting some big game to get a piece for my new weapon, clearing a rebel hideout, or doing some sidequest involving destroying a bunch of machines, I’m having a blast.

However, when I do the main quest or some sidequest that involves lots of jumping and climbing, I am baffled at how bad it feels to play. The jumping/climbing is either some Uncharted automated snooze fest or it’s suddenly a precision game akin to Tomb Raider 1 where you are supposed to do some crazy jump or you will literally have to redo about 3-4 minutes of tedious gameplay.

It’s also really chatty, and most of it is boring crap. I will say in their favor that the NPCs and the dialogue are an upgrade from 1, probably cause they knew they didn’t have this really good story to tell this time around.

This article articulates one of my biggest issues with Horizon Forbidden West:

'Horizon Forbidden West's’ post-racial world turns culture into costumes

Horizon’s use of Indigenous culture as an “early civilization” aesthetic shorthand — along with terminology that uses “primitive” and “tribal” as descriptors for its characters — was criticized when Zero Dawn released in 2017, notably by critic Dia Lacina in an article for Mic. Then, as now, the implication that the aesthetic shorthand of culturally indistinct Indigenous clothing signifies a lack of progress signals the same kind of insidious worldview as that which motivated the “progress” of Manifest Destiny — that of ethnic cleansing and racism in the name of European-defined civilization building.

Five years later, Forbidden West harbors the same problems by continuing its flattened, nation-agnostic use of clothing and architectural design while strengthening its intent to make its post-apocalyptic setting more explicitly American (undermining denials that its inspiration ranges further, to include Vikings, at the same time).

The plot setup described earlier sees Aloy heading west to assert herself into the affairs of factions who have long resisted incursions and slave-capturing raids by an eastern empire called the Carja. She goes there to save the world from a mysterious blight. Determined to solve this problem, Aloy journeys into a region that’s presented explicitly as a frontier, which is in one character’s words, home to people for whom “violence is the native tongue.” Though Forbidden West is able to justify her role as white savior through science fiction doomsday rationale, her story carries echoes of a very real history.