Horizon Forbidden West Release Date, Review, Free Update, Price, And More

Horizon Forbidden West is set to launch Friday on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, bringing a highly anticipated sequel to 2017’s hit title Horizon Zero Dawn. The game will pick up roughly six months after the events of the original game, allowing players to explore the vast world and re-engage with human enemies and deadly animal-shaped robots. As the game comes to PS5 and PS4 consoles, players on current-gen consoles (i.e. PS5 now) will have a lot more fun playing the game, including the reduced load time , 3D audio and DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Sony has yet to reveal any plans to bring the popular game to PC – after all, Horizon Zero Dawn took five years to complete.

Sony’s Guerrilla Games enjoyed the success of a blockbuster title in Horizon Zero Dawn almost five years ago. Part of the reason for this success was the fantastic open-world design with excellent graphics and an emphasis on combat and tactics. This means that players have always had to keep their cool as they battle various types of enemies in the game, especially the dangerous robots – or Machines – using various combinations of melee weapons, arrows and moves. quick to destroy them. And from what we’ve seen of Horizon Forbidden West’s gameplay so far, it looks like things are about to get even more exciting.

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While playing the first game isn’t a requirement, those interested in Horizon Forbidden West should familiarize themselves with the story if possible. (There’s a little recap video at the start of the novella, for what it’s worth.) Here’s the gist: Set in the post-apocalyptic 31st century where few humans survived, Horizon Zero Dawn ended with the protagonist, Aloy, finally understanding what happened to the world. However, she has no time to rest because of the Red Blight, a new threat that crosses the planet. To put an end to it, Aloy must venture into the wild and unknown Forbidden West. If the name doesn’t already reveal it, the suite is located on the west coast of the United States.

Players can use the futuristic Shieldwing glider to move quickly through Horizon Forbidden West
Photo Credit: Sony/Guerrilla Games

During the new game, Aloy will travel to the post-apocalyptic ruins of San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Yosemite Valley – players will recall that the original game was set in Colorado and Utah. Gameplay also shows users how combat has been improved, and the red-haired protagonist looks better than ever on the PlayStation 5 as she takes on one robot after another in remote battles. using a bow and arrow, as well as in hand-to-hand combat with his staff. And while Aloy may have triumphed over the evil artificial intelligence (AI) Hades during the events of Horizon Zero Dawn, greater otherworldly threats lurk in Horizon Forbidden West – you’ll only get waiting for the game to come out.

With that, here’s everything you need to know about Horizon Forbidden West ahead of its arrival on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 later this week.

Horizon Forbidden West Release Date

Horizon Forbidden West is set to release on Friday, February 18 on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The game is expected to unlock at midnight local time worldwide. This is a global release, which means Indian players can start playing Horizon Forbidden West on the same date as their counterparts in other countries.

Horizon Forbidden West Download Size

Horizon Forbidden West is a massive game and involves a hefty 98GB download on the PS5. Preloading has been available since last Friday (February 11), which means players can have Horizon Forbidden West ready to go when the game unlocks on Friday.

Horizon Forbidden West Award

The new Horizon game is priced at Rs. 3,999 for the standard edition for PlayStation 4 and Rs. 4,999 for the PlayStation 5.

It’s been available for pre-order on PlayStation Store and Sony Center’s website for some time. You can also find it on Amazon India and Games The Shop, among others.

The game will also be available as a special edition for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, priced at Rs. 4,999 and Rupees. 5,999, respectively. The Special Edition includes the game and a Steelbook case to hold a physical copy of the game, a mini artbook, a digital soundtrack, and a Nora Legacy outfit and Nora Legacy spear that will unlock during gameplay.

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Horizon Forbidden West will feature underwater exploration and combat
Photo Credit: Sony/Guerrilla Games

Horizon Forbidden West PS5 Update

Before jumping on this Rs. 4,999 PS5 version, here is something you should know. Sony previously clarified that players who purchase the PS4 version of Horizon Forbidden West will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version at no additional cost.

Players playing on PS4 will also be able to transfer their saves to PS5, so progress won’t be lost when switching.

The free PS5 upgrade for Horizon Forbidden West was a concession made by Sony in response to fan backlash regarding different pricing for PlayStation exclusives that will be sold on both PS4 and PS5. Going forward, Sony will not be offering free upgrades.

That means PS5 owners will have to pay Rs. 4,999 for the likes of Gran Turismo 7 and God of War Ragnarök.

Horizon Forbidden West Gameplay

If you’ve played Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West’s gameplay won’t be drastically different. However, Guerrilla Games has had five years to make improvements and the game promises significant improvements, in terms of movement and combat.

Unlike the first game, players can now use a grappling hook (Pullcaster) to quickly move around the map, as well as a futuristic glider (Shieldwing). Players will also be able to upgrade the protagonist’s weapons using a workbench and improve their skills through six skill trees (compared to four in Horizon Zero Dawn) – Warrior, Survivor, Infiltrator, Machine Master, Hunter, and Trapper. The game will also feature Valor Surges, rare abilities that Aloy can use to help defeat a particularly difficult enemy.

Horizon Forbidden West on the west coast of the United States, with areas such as San Francisco (pictured)
Photo Credit: Sony/Guerrilla Games

Horizon Zero Dawn came with its own set of robots, some resembling animals and dinosaurs, and they also seem to take a central role in Horizon Forbidden West. The developers have already teased the arrival of several new machines that Aloy will face against, including underwater and flying robots, such as Tideripper and Sunwing, while Shellsnapper could prove to be a tough opponent with a powerful hull. to protect himself. Other new machines include Bristlebacks, Burrowers, Clamberjaws, Clawstriders, Chargers, Rollerbacks, Slitherfangs, Snapmaws, Tallnecks, and Tremortusks.

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Meanwhile, gamers who choose Horizon Forbidden West for their PlayStation 5 will be able to enjoy near-instant loading thanks to the device’s SSD storage and dramatically improved graphics. Although reviewers who have played on both PS4 and PS5 say they haven’t noticed much of a difference in load times between console generations.

On PS5, Horizon Forbidden West players will have the choice of 4K resolution and a 30fps lens, or a more performance-oriented resolution (1800p checkerboard) at 60fps. Other useful PlayStation 5 features include haptic feedback and adaptive triggers on the DualSense controller.

Horizon Forbidden West also offers 3D audio on supported headphones and stereo speakers, Gadgets 360 can confirm this.

Horizon Forbidden West Trailer

The Horizon Forbidden West cinematic trailer was released on February 11 and shows Aloy exploring the Forbidden West as she tries to uncover the secret behind new threats to the world, including the Red Blight.

The Horizon Forbidden West gameplay trailer was released eight months ago and featured 14 minutes of gameplay during Sony’s State of Play on May 27. Players can get a good look at how the game looks, with no story spoilers.

Horizon Forbidden West Review

In our Horizon Forbidden West review, we found that the game looks and runs great on the PlayStation 5 – and has an excellent background score. The new navigation tools and Machine Strike mini-game are excellent, and the robots have been well designed in the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn. However, the world feels a bit artificial and players are forced to work to level up.

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At the time of writing, Horizon Forbidden West has an OpenCritic rating of “Powerful”, with an average rating of 89 and 94% of critics recommending the game. The Gadgets 360 review is part of the top review average on OpenCritic .

On Metacritic, Horizon Forbidden West also has a score of 89, with generally favorable reviews based on 100 critics’ perception.

Horizon Forbidden West PC release date?

While Horizon Zero Dawn finally made its way to PC in 2020, it’s currently unknown if or when Horizon Forbidden West will launch for PC gamers. Sony took Zero Dawn three years to transition from PS4 to PC, as I noted earlier, so it’s fair to expect a similar expectation.

That said, Sony has become more proactive in porting PlayStation exclusive games recently. Titles such as God of War, Days Gone, and Death Stranding have all made their way to PC over the past couple of years.

On the other hand, there’s the Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection – which released on PS5 last month and is heading to PC later this year. PC gamers have had to wait even longer with these Uncharted titles.

All things considered, it’s highly likely that Sony will bring Horizon Forbidden West to PC at a later stage, but there’s been no announcement from developer Guerrilla Games regarding plans for a PC release.

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