Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition review: Exploring the beauty and blemishes of this visual spectacle

Dive into the captivating world of "Horizon: Forbidden West" and behold its breathtaking landscapes teeming with life and danger! From the mesmerising sway of underwater foliage to the neon-lit remnants of a cybernetic Las Vegas, every corner of this post-apocalyptic realm is a sight to behold.

Developed by Guerilla Games and powered by their impressive Decima Engine, "Horizon: Forbidden West" dazzles players with its stunning visuals, especially on PC where its potential truly shines. With the right hardware, this port surpasses its console counterpart, offering smoother performance and enhanced graphics, alongside DualSense and Ultrawide support to sweeten the deal.

Even on mid-level rigs, the game runs smoothly, providing an immersive experience at high resolutions and frame rates. However, the performance takes a hit in the DLC expansion, "The Burning Shores," due to its denser environments and increased enemy encounters. Yet, even on lower settings, the game maintains its visual charm, showcasing meticulous art direction beneath the surface.

While the technical prowess is evident, "Horizon: Forbidden West" struggles to recapture the magic of its predecessor in terms of storytelling and world-building. Despite introducing new lands and characters, the game feels formulaic, lacking the depth and intrigue of the original. Aloy's journey, while still action-packed, lacks the emotional depth and connection seen in her previous adventure.

Navigating the open world presents its own challenges, with climbing mechanics that sometimes clash with the visually stunning environments. Despite improvements, traversal can feel cumbersome, requiring frequent use of the Focus tool to identify interactive elements. Additionally, the introduction of the glider adds little to exploration, feeling underutilised in the vast landscape.

Combat remains a highlight, offering visceral encounters with robotic behemoths that require strategic thinking and precision. From targeting specific components to utilising an array of weaponry, each encounter is a thrilling test of skill and tactics. However, the inclusion of uninspired human enemies and lacklustre boss battles detracts from the overall experience.

"The Burning Shores" expansion injects some excitement with its new setting and characters, but its rushed narrative and pacing leave much to be desired. Despite its flaws, "Horizon: Forbidden West" still delivers an engaging gameplay experience, albeit one that falls short of its predecessor's brilliance. While it may not reach the heights of its predecessor, it's still a journey worth embarking on for fans of action-packed adventures in a visually stunning world.

This game was reviewed on the mighty ROG Strix SCAR 16 (2024) G634 gaming laptop featuring the Intel Core i9 Processor 14900HX 2.2 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU.