Horizon Forbidden West — Review (2026): Is It Worth Playing?
Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to Aloy's adventures, released in February 2022 on PS4 and PS5, with the Burning Shores expansion in 2024. It is one of Sony's most technically impressive exclusives: a huge open world, machine beasts, and a story that holds for dozens of hours.
What is the game about
Six months after Zero Dawn, Aloy travels to the Forbidden West — lands along the coast of former California — where deadly storms, a mysterious plague, and new machines reign. She seeks a way to restore the Gaia system and stop the biosphere collapse, while encountering new tribes, ancient ruins, and answers about her world's origins.
Gameplay
- Machine combat: each machine is a puzzle — strip armor, target weak points, use rope casters and spears.
- Huge open world: from snowy mountains to flooded ruins of San Francisco — dozens of hours of exploration without loading screens.
- Upgrades and crafting: gather resources, improve weapons and armor, unlock new skills in three branches.
- Underwater diving: a new mechanic lets you explore sunken objects — rare for open-world games.
Should you play it in 2026
Yes, especially on PlayStation 5. The game received a next-gen update with better graphics, faster loading, and adaptive trigger support. The Burning Shores expansion adds a new region with vertical locations and one of the most spectacular finales in the series. For newcomers, we recommend starting with Horizon Zero Dawn — the stories are directly connected.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Impressive graphics and world design | Many secondary "checklist" activities |
| Deep combat against machines | Story sometimes slows down |
| Interesting story and characters | Requires knowledge of the first game |
| Excellent PS5 optimization | Burning Shores DLC is PS5-only |
FAQ
Do I need to play Zero Dawn first? Recommended — the story directly continues the first game, and many characters return.
Is there Russian voice acting? Full text translation and subtitles; voice acting is English only.
How many hours? Main story about 30 hours, with side activities 60+.
Is it on PC? As of September 2026 — no, only PlayStation 4 and 5.