In 2017, Guerrilla Games moved away from the Killzone saga to launch a brand new license. With Horizon Zero Dawn, the Dutch studio immersed us in an action-RPG with a fascinating universe with its wild expanses and strange machines. Five years later, Aloy is back in Horizon forbidden west. PlayStation promised us an ever more epic and above all tailor-made epic for the PS5. Has the promise been kept?
10
View PriceRead ConclusionHorizon Forbidden West
- A truly sumptuous universe
- Interesting storyline and characters
- Well-crafted side quests
- The fights against the machines still as exhilarating
- Sometimes confusing escalation phases
- Uninstinctive weapon selection
- Some collision bugs
Thus, after a first opus crowned with success, but not free from defects, the nascent saga of Guerrilla was already to reach a certain maturity through its sequel. Uncharted 2, Assassin's Creed 2, Far Cry 2 or even Mass Effect 2 have all achieved this feat and players probably expect no less from Horizon Forbidden West, a title presented by Sony as the spearhead of the PlayStation catalog in 2022. The machines are waiting for you!
Test carried out on PS5 via a code provided by the publisher (but unfortunately no 4K TV…). We also tested the PS4 and PS4 Pro versions for a few hours. Horizon forbidden west will be released on February 18, 2022.
Aloy lays down her law!
The story of Horizon Forbidden West takes place six months after that of the first game. Our Earth is ravaged by unprecedented cataclysms which quite simply threaten the survival of living beings on its surface. Storms, plagues that ravage crops without forgetting the machines that become more and more uncontrollable. A mass extinction is on the horizon (do you have it?) and only Aloy seems to be able to save humanity. To carry out her quest, our heroine will be supported by characters seen in Zero Dawn but also by many new faces. We won't say more as the plot holds some great surprises and many epic moments.
Because the first contribution of Horizon Forbidden West compared to its predecessor is on the side of its gallery of characters. Aloy has gained in charisma and suffers less from the events that befall her. The young woman here takes things in hand without hiding from time to time the doubts that haunt her. This makes him a complex protagonist with nuanced feelings. We quickly get attached to the savior of Meridian! The observation is similar with the secondary roles which take the lead by occupying a relatively important place in the plot. These characters who all gravitate around Aloy, benefit from well-written personalities, without ever falling into the cliché.
All this benefits the narration as well as the staging. The quests, both main and secondary, are all the more exciting to follow. The dialogues have also gained in dynamism and depth. Farewell to the frozen exchanges of Zero Dawn which conveyed little emotion. The camera regains a form of freedom during discussions by not hesitating to vary the angles of view. In many ways, the way of telling the story of Horizon Forbidden West is reminiscent of that of The Witcher 3. The lore is continually enhanced by optional dialogues and documents scattered around the map. The gain in terms of immersion is clearly palpable and we can only rejoice.
Exploration doesn't wait
Like any self-respecting open world, the PlayStation exclusive has a huge playground to explore on foot or on horseback. There is almost enough to panic when the map is revealed before our eyes. Fortunately, Horizon Forbidden West takes us by the hand during the first hours since our actions are confined to a delimited area. An ideal configuration to (re)find your marks. Overall, the gameplay hasn't changed a lot in this sequel. Guerrilla has rather sought to refine its formula instead of completely revising it… And that's far from being a bad thing since the many additions bring real added value to the experience.
We've known since the game was announced in 2020 that Aloy now has the ability to explore the seabed using a snorkel mask. If it allows you to stay underwater indefinitely, this gadget is not actually available right away. The diving phases are also surprisingly few outside the main adventure and caves to be emptied of their riches. Always in the news department, our heroine has an attractor. The latter is used to destroy walls or knock down beams with a blue metal hook. It also acts as a grappling hook, but only on specific points. But the most significant newcomer is the Ailegide, this Breath of the Wild paraglider practical for descending heights in complete safety. This equipment brings a saving verticality to the gameplay.
JVFR
If these tools lead to new perspectives, Guerrilla has not forgotten the fundamentals. We are of course talking about the escalation phases which come back in force in this episode. We must constantly climb or descend to reach our goal. And one of the game's few flaws is here. These climbing phases turn out to be quite confusing, as Aloy struggles to hold on to the available holds. If they can now be highlighted by pressing R3, the surfaces that can be climbed are unfortunately not easily identifiable. Trails that even lead to dead ends that are as incomprehensible as they are frustrating. These passages lack fluidity and clarity (without it being unplayable either of course).
JVFR
Hunting is like cycling, you can't forget it
Apart from this slight hitch, the world of Horizon Forbidden West is a joy to explore. This gaming pleasure is all the more palpable when faced with the formidable machines. There again, nothing radically new under the sun except for small touch-ups here and there. Aloy should prioritize attacks on bot weak spots that appear distinctly yellow once the enemy is scanned. Machines are generally vulnerable to one or more elements such as poison, fire, lightning, plasma or ice. The strategic counterpart is at the heart of the gameplay and some gigantic machines give rise to battles of rare nervousness.
JVFR
The body-to-body has also undergone a nice facelift. If stealth attacks are in the game, Aloy now has access to different combos to chain her enemies with her spear. Fast, powerful, heavy and other critical blows are on the program. The fights against humans are thus more varied and interesting thanks to these sequences. The artificial intelligence does not systematically follow the cadence, but this blunder is generally compensated for by the aggressiveness of the antagonists.
JVFR
Overall, the feel of the controller in hand is extremely convincing. You have to use the weapon classes (bows, slings, cable throwers, etc.) wisely by creating a versatile and quickly accessible arsenal via a circular menu. From Horizon Zero Dawn, this interface is not very well optimized and, in the heat of the moment, it is easy to select the wrong weapon. Traps are back to promote a smooth approach. Anyway, the player enjoys a certain freedom in the way of apprehending the fight. There is rarely just one way to do it since this Horizon Forbidden West leaves countless alternatives to our hunter. It was already a strength of the first episode and this feeling of accomplishment when shooting down a machine remains intact.
JVFR
A mature RPG
If the “action” part is predominant, Horizon Forbidden West has also gained in density on its RPG component. The resources to be collected allow you to craft ammunition, potions or even traps via a quick menu that opens by holding down the down key of the directional cross. The workbenches are used to improve Aloy's equipment thanks to machine parts or the skins of animals sadly massacred over the course of our travels. The arrival of a reserve greatly simplifies things because once our inventory is full, the surplus is sent to this container accessible in town and in shelters. We almost never run out of materials. A comfort that in no way alters the level of difficulty that is sometimes quite high. In addition, six skill trees (warrior, trapper, hunter, survivor, infiltrator and leader of the machines) invite us to spend our experience points with the aim of improving Aloy's abilities.
JVFR
As in any role-playing game, the secondary activities briefly mentioned at the start of this test are legion. Outposts to clear, crucibles to visit (to hack new machines), objects to collect, personal services to render, hunting areas to complete or even combat pits to complete will keep you busy for hours. Getting to the end of the main quest took us about fifty hours. All this by completing side effects but without having revealed the card in its entirety. The lifespan is really colossal but once again, Guerrilla Games leaves the choice. It is perfectly possible to focus exclusively on the scenario without being blocked... On the contrary, others will be able to spend their time walking around in order to discover all the secrets of the forbidden forbidden west. Guerrilla has also added Attakth, a board game which, like Gwent in The Witcher 3, has complex rules giving rise to stakeholders against NPCs.
JVFR
Thus, like many titles of the same genre before it, Horizon Forbidden West uses (and abuses?) question marks scattered on the map. The good news is that the rewards obtained after completing a task are very satisfying. Enough to motivate a careful exploration of the surroundings. Of course, all these activities are, as their name suggests, annexes. We must also applaud the desire of the developers to vary the pleasures thanks to sometimes demanding environmental puzzles. Personalization is also part of Aloy's outfits, the dyeing of which can be changed. Face paints are even available from vendors.
JVFR
What about the PS4 and PS4 Pro versions?
If Horizon Forbidden West is a real visual success on PS5, many are those who will play it on a console of the previous generation. This is pretty good since we were able to launch the game on PS4 and PS4 Pro. On the latter, Aloy gets away with the honors. The textures are necessarily less worked but nothing too shocking. The framerate is locked at 30 FPS without having the option to opt for a performance mode (which is unfortunate). But rest assured, everything is playable without any problem. We were not faced with excessive fluidity losses. On the other hand, a slight flickering effect on the vegetation is to be emphasized and the lighting seems less natural.
As for the basic PS4, it is the victim of additional concessions. Here, it is especially the decorations in the background that seem less detailed. For example, trees visible in the background of the image on the PS5 version can sometimes be completely removed. Like the PS4 Pro version, small elements also appear at the last moment (like pebbles on the ground, foliage...). The loading times are also more numerous and logically longer. Finally, the menus related to crafting from a workbench or even the map have a little trouble displaying right away. But we repeat, there is nothing catastrophic. The PlayStation 4 benefits from a version more than descent.
JVFR
The West forbidden for all!
What many expected at the turn with Horizon Forbidden West is the graphic slap that Sony's exclusivity was supposed to give us. The game offers breathtaking panoramas with a well-managed day/night cycle and dynamic weather. The landscapes are also very varied with beaches, dense forests, desert expanses and other snow-capped mountains to discover. The change of scenery is constant and we took pleasure in regularly activating the photo mode to immortalize moments of great beauty such as a sunset with machines tearing themselves away. On PS5, the resolution mode (4K at 30 FPS) is stunning!
JVFR
As for the performance-enhancing mode, the 60 FPS is there in most situations. If the resolution is inevitably diminished, the game remains pleasant to admire. The vegetation sparkles slightly in places, but that doesn't diminish the feeling of wonder. Let's just note the micro loading times which can (rarely) disturb the exploration. Apart from this problem which could quickly be corrected by a patch, all the lights are green. The facial animations may seem uneven from one character to another, but they are nonetheless of excellent quality overall. Special mention to Aloy who obviously benefited from more in-depth work. His face is screaming with realism.
JVFR
If the graphic gap is not abysmal compared to Zero Dawn either, the game, despite its cross-gen positioning, does honor to the capabilities of the PS5. Finally, Horizon Forbidden West has the luxury of being a real delight for our ears. The Spanish dubbing commands respect aside from minor lip-syncing issues. The soundtrack goes as far as familiar with the most beautiful melodies heard in the whole field of entertainment. The music is superb and transports us to the wild universe of Horizon.
JVFR
Horizon Forbidden West, l'avis de JVFR
The hour of the verdict has come. Yes, Horizon Forbidden West has the makings of big games. It bends over backwards in almost every way to provide us with an adventure ideally paced and endowed with the richest content. It is unthinkable to be bored for a single moment in the forbidden west. The story is fascinating, the fights against the machines always more exhilarating and the general atmosphere is carried by sound effects as well as incredible music. Not to mention the magnificent environments that we delight in admiring along the way.
Horizon Forbidden West is generous, grandiose and moving. Like any game, it's not perfect. We can for example complain about the perfectible climbing phases or the imprecise weapon selection menu… But that does not weigh very heavily in the balance. We plunge back with sincere happiness into the captivating universe of this saga which has already reached extraordinary maturity. Horizon Forbidden West is a must.
Horizon forbidden west10
Horizon Forbidden West is driven by a gripping story and an absolutely beautiful world. Add to that monstrous content, daunting battles and interesting side activities for one of the best PlayStation exclusives of recent years.Most
- A truly sumptuous universe
- Interesting storyline and characters
- Well-crafted side quests
- The fights against the machines still as exhilarating
- A masterful soundtrack
- PS4 versions up to snuff
The lessers
- Sometimes confusing escalation phases
- Uninstinctive weapon selection
- Some collision bugs
