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Entertainment • Video game

Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Forbidden West is a 2022 action role-playing video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Horizon Forbidden West is a 2022 action role-playing video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn and follows Aloy as she explores the Forbidden West, a post-apocalyptic region of the western United States, to investigate a mysterious plague. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in February 2022.

Gameplay

Horizon Forbidden West is played from a third-person perspective as an open-world action role-playing game. It expands the series with new traversal options, underwater exploration, and more developed melee combat.

Premise

The story follows Aloy after the events of Horizon Zero Dawn as she travels through the Forbidden West. Her goal is to uncover the cause of a mysterious plague that is killing plants, animals, and people.

Setting

The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic western United States populated by dangerous machine-like creatures. The Forbidden West is described as a frontier stretching across parts of the western U.S., including areas such as Utah and the Pacific coast.

Release and editions

The base game was released on 18 February 2022 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. A Complete Edition was later released for PlayStation 5 in 2023 and for PC in 2024, including the Burning Shores expansion.

Key facts

  • It is the second main game in the Horizon series.
  • The game is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the western United States.
  • Players control Aloy, a hunter and protagonist from Horizon Zero Dawn.
  • Its story centers on a journey into the Forbidden West to find the source of a deadly plague.
  • The game introduced new traversal tools, underwater exploration, and expanded melee combat.
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Canadian context

The game was widely released in Canada on the same platforms as elsewhere and is part of a major PlayStation franchise with a broad Canadian player base.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of game is Horizon Forbidden West?
It is an open-world action role-playing game with a third-person perspective.
Who developed Horizon Forbidden West?
It was developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
When was Horizon Forbidden West released?
It was released on 18 February 2022 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Is Horizon Forbidden West a sequel?
Yes. It is the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn and continues Aloy’s story.
Where is the game set?
It is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the western United States, known in the game as the Forbidden West.
Does the game have an expansion?
Yes. The Burning Shores expansion was included in the Complete Edition released later for PlayStation 5 and PC.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_Forbidden_West
    Supports: Developer, publisher, genre, release date, setting, gameplay details, sequel status
  2. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_(video_game_series)
    Supports: Series context and release date
  3. Wikipedia (German) — https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizon_Forbidden_West
    Supports: Release date, platforms, expansion, Complete Edition, setting
  4. PCGamingWiki — https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Horizon_Forbidden_West
    Supports: Complete Edition, PC release, expansion inclusion