4/5 ★ – PhatBaby's review of Horizon Forbidden West.

In a lot of ways, Horizon Forbidden West reminds me of Mass Effect 2. Much like the original Horizon, when Mass Effect 1 came out, ALL you could see was promise. The world and story were superb and the gameplay was so clearly on to something, but an array of small issues prevented it from becoming truly great. Three years later, Mass Effect 2 dropped and capitalised fully on that vision. It was a bolder, ballsier and generally more confident sequel that corrected all of the mistakes that left its predecessor lacking. Horizon Forbidden West is exactly that kind of sequel. It's prettier, it plays better, its story is more compelling, it's more refined, its characters are more fleshed out; the list goes on. Every aspect that needed tweaking in the last game, no matter how big or small, has been thoroughly polished for this second go around and the result is a superb experience that makes the mark its predecessor couldn't quite etch. I've seen folks arguing that it's a "safe" game and that it's too similar to Zero Dawn, and honestly, I think they're missing the point. Guerilla really isn't trying to reinvent the wheel here; they weren't in Zero Dawn either. They're attempting to create a compelling open-world adventure that weaves spectacle, substance and rich world-building through every single fibre, and if you ask me, they're wholly successful. While the core feel and gameplay is similar (albeit with a host of new and reworked mechanics), there's a tighter focus on storytelling, huge blockbuster moments, character work and, above all else, fun shit to do. I had a better time exploring the initial, Great-Plateau-esque area of Forbidden West than I did anything in Zero Dawn, mostly because Guerilla has worked on making every optional activity feel like a compelling pitstop for the core narrative. Side missions are meaningful and come with storylines essential to fleshing out Aloy's main quest, so much so that they might be some of my favourite optional missions I've played in a LONG time. Meanwhile tracking machines comes with more lucrative rewards this time around and the large variety of side activities are always dealt in manageable chunks. I heard someone say Forbidden West was an open-world adventure for people who hate open-world adventures, and honestly, that sums up exactly why I rate it. Everything here is about making you feel like you're playing a linear, triple-A, story-focused adventure, even though it's a vast and ostensibly traditional open-world experience. As such, story is the main attraction of Forbidden West, and while I know Horizon's world has been divisive for some, I personally adore it. Guerilla is just so good at weaving engaging core mysteries and evolving sub-plots without stringing you along and forcing you to wait for a sequel to see them resolved. The narrative is also some WACKY shit this time around, and honestly, I dug the hell out of it. It really feels like Guerilla isn't afraid to use Horizon's sci-fi grounding to tell stories with wild concepts, even if they're risking Aloy's quest becoming hokey as a result. There's definitely a lack of compelling villains this time around as the core antagonists (as cool from a lore-standpoint as they are) just aren't threatening or present enough to really make much of an impact, but there's enough core intrigue through revelations about Horizon's world (and the era that came before it) to make up for its lack of adversity. It's a shame Elden Ring came along and kind of stole Forbidden West's thunder, because I think this had the potential to find the audience the first couldn't quite appeal to. It's the killer app your PlayStation 5's been waiting for, from the stunning visuals (this game is next-level pretty) to the excellent story and blockbuster set pieces. Hopefully it'll garner that acclaim once Miyazaki's masterpiece has had its time in the sun, cause there's something truly exceptional here. Regardless of whether people acknowledge how good it is, it's clear we're getting more, with Guerilla capping things off with an eerie final twist that hints a climactic third entry is a few years away. And, ya know what, as much as the sequel bait is VERY baity, I'm so down for a third helping of solid story and wacky-ass plot twists, even if the curse is destined to strike again and GTA 6 will release the same week, ensuring no one acknowledges how good this series is for a third time running...