Horizon: Forbidden West (Horizon Zero Dawn Sequel) PS5

quokula

Such a great game this. Didn't play too much of it at first because Gran Turismo 7 was taking up all my time (Sony really should space their releases) but really getting into it now. I'm around level 20, maybe 50% of the map uncovered. Think it might be the best open world game out there, such a fascinating setting with strong lore and world building and a solid cast of characters. The combat is pretty much unlike anything else out there, some truly epic battles.

I do wonder if I'm using all the tools at my disposal though, I end up sticking with my trusty bows all the time, only really switching for different ammo types. I feel like I want to experiment with stuff like the ropecaster and tripcaster but haven't quite figured out how they should be used. I used the tripcaster once and the guy charging at me just jumped over it. I also invested in the override skill tree early on only to find out I don't meet the criteria to override anything I meet and haven't collected enough materials to build overrides yet. Also it seems you need to knock out a machine before you can override it, which seems almost more work than just killing it? In my head I figured I'd be able to override anything I could stealth kill, then let it run wild while I hide in the grass.

I only played through the early stages of HZD because life circumstances got in the way of playing at the time, so I think I've no context for a lot of the things the game assumes you know how to do.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118833397#Comment_118833397

To override machines, you need to unlock their overrides at Cauldrons (triangular-type symbols on the map once unlocked). You'll be able to unlock some machines directly, and with some you'll have to get some components from that type of machine to be able to override them. There are some machines like Chargers that you should already be able to override as those machines are from the previous game, but most of the machines in this game are variances of the last game with new names, and so need you to unlock the override again.

You will be able to override them from stealth too. Once they're not aggro to you, you can override them without having to have knocked them down. It's also the best way to do it as it means they'll be full health. I'd recommend focusing on the other skill tress for now though. Overriding machines helps, but only in some circumstances, and it wears off most machines after 30-60 seconds. You're better off even going more down the stealth tree to help make it easier to override machines from stealth.

Penn

Started back into this tonight, going to finish off everything for the platinum.

Getting back into the swing of things with regards controls. Only thing is I'm reminded of how frustrating it can be to try hit a tiny canister on the underside of a giant machine that's flipping about like Simone Biles on a trampoline.

Penn

Platinumed last night. Didn't take long, thankfully not a lot of collectibles trophies but rather you just need one or two of each type. Mostly just had to do a few side missions to get up to level 50 for the last trophy. I seemed to have bad luck in that I picked up small side missions that seemed easy and usually ended with having to fight some of the toughest machines. One mission I even took down a Thunderjaw, and straight away a f*cking Stormbird arrived.

It's a shame that Horizon has once again been overshadowed by another game. It's a great game, the franchise has great potential, the world they've created is magnificent, and it may not get everything right but it doesn't do anything inherently wrong either (well, except the mount races, those can f*ck right off). As great as the graphics are though, they need to get rid of lens flare and tone down some of the shading or something. Some areas are blindingly bright. And it can be difficult to see in snowing areas as the sheer level of particle effects from the slow snowfall are hugely distracting.

Mr.Fantastic

Finished this , this evening. A few trophies off the platinum but I think I will leave it off.

Spoiler Warning

Jesus the plot for me was terrible in comparison to the first one the last third act , and the reveal of nemesis , very disappointing. I enjoyed the game but feel overall the story was very much a letdown just was all over the shop

El Gato De Negocios

Still chipping away, disappointed that the levelling is capped at 50 though. Have done all cauldrons, think I have all tall necks, have all black boxes, 1 or 2 more ornaments to collect.

Thargor

Loved it but I absolutely despised that Alva character, wrecked every scene she was in at the end.

chrislad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118849588#Comment_118849588

Agreed 100%. By the end, it was just getting through it. I didn't have anywhere near the level of interest in the story, but still got the platinum and will still get the DLC. It was an 8/10 game - basically just Zero Dawn, but bigger and prettier - I will say load times were a pleasure though!

farada

Enjoying this so far.

But I think I am experiencing a bug where I can’t use my bow or melee attack.

Was in a fight earlier and L2 wouldn’t aim and I couldn’t hit with R1 or R2 either. Just had to run around and dodge.

eventually just kept switching weapons and it came back again.

Satturnfalls

Good game but didnt blow me away like the first. Still very much enjoyed it tho

quokula

Completed this tonight. I thoroughly enjoyed it and got invested in the story but the ending was a disappointment for me.

Spoiler Warning

I can live with them introducing a new threat to set up a sequel but the way the ending played out kind of nullified everything you did. You start the game trying to fix the ecosystem, you get sidetracked fighting the Zeniths, you eventually defeat them, but it turns out they were planning to leave anyway and you let Hephaestus go in the process, so by the end you haven't actually achieved anything and the problem you set out to fix at the start of the game is still present.

Hopefully we get some DLC that gives a more satisfying conclusion.

Aside from that though I enjoyed the story through the game. It's a fascinating world with well thought out lore, and the characters are all well written and acted. I always enjoyed the little interludes when I'd return to base and go around speaking to each member of the team to see what they've been up to.

The game says I'm at 45% total completion. I've done a fair amount of side quests and did a couple more after completing the game too. The standard of writing is usually pretty solid for those too so I'll probably continue to dip in and out. I have zero interest in the completionist stuff like rebel camps and ruins though, that kind of busywork is not for me.

jones

I havent bought this yet but exams will be finished at the end of the month so i'll treat myself then. Its weird it seems to be a bit of a forgotten game already to my mind. Launched with massive praise and kinda vanished with Elden Ring seemingly stealing its limelight. I loved the first one and the DLC so pretty confident i'll love this too.

Hodors Applecart

Im on the Tilda boss now. Having a horrific time with it. I’ve very little resource for crafting etc.

I’ve a hard save from just before the Singularity mission so gonna go back to that and level up a bit more.

great game. Not as good as HZD, but then not many are 🙂

Markitron

Just got back to this after playing the first few hours just after it came out, before Elden Ring and Cyberpunk got in the way.

Is it just me or is it a bit harder than the first one? I have died a few times now. The machine's definitely seem a lot more aggressive anyway.

OptimusTractor

St. Patricks Day in Las Vegas. GOTY.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005855#Comment_119005855

Shamrock and not clover. Nice.

Hodors Applecart

Need help to find Tides Reach. Sick to my teeth of trying to get frostclaw sac webbing. Apparently there is a merchant. Anyone?

OptimusTractor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119025196#Comment_119025196

The errand quest Tides of Justice takes you there but I think you need to have Wings of the Ten completed 1st.

EoinMcLovin

if you turn on Easy Loot and make sure to not destroy it's chest, you should get it when you kill one, that's what I do if trying to farm materials. I think a merchant at memorial grove could have them too.

Hodors Applecart

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027400#Comment_119027400

Ive Just finish Singularity and I’m done.

Hodors Applecart

Finished the main story last night. Overall a brilliant game. Preferred the first one though.

Storyline, as with the first one, is a bit of a convoluted mess and there is too much dialogue (happily easily skipped).

Door wide open for a part 3.

Markitron

Really enjoying the game but getting really pissed off at how many items are blocked off by not having the correct tool. It seems very excessive in this game. There is a tallneck I can't override despite the fact I have already done almost everything in the vicinity of it.

El Gato De Negocios

Im selling my copy of this on adverts currently, PS4 version with the PS5 upgrade. Have it on for €50 but happy to apply a boardsie bonus and let it go for €40 posted within ROI.

recyclops

Starting this tonight and going in with expectations low so let's see how we go.

recyclops

About 4 hours in now and it's so paint by numbers it's really y hard to enjoy.

Sony really have a template for first party games it's becoming tiresome now. Will keep at it but something needs to change quickly or it'll never be finished.

I just don't see this as something that would sell a console if it was multiplat it'd be as well regarded as immortals fenyx rising.

It does look glorious though.

Potential-Monke

I get the same feeling, stunning looking game, some of the best dialogue facial mocap, gameplay just as good as the first, new interesting ideas, swimming, etc. But, I just can't keep going. I feel like I've done it already. I've every intention of getting back to this at some point, but I'm not pushed right now.

You mention Immortals, which I found a joy to play, it was fun. It was still open world Ubi, but it was fun. I'm not getting the same from this. At least, not right now. Saying that, I did just drop 41+ hours into Dysmantle, so maybe I'm finally getting that open world burn people are talking about, even though Dysmantle is open world!

recyclops

Yeah immortals while being an generic as this and majority of open world games it was fun and didn't take itself seriously.

If it was a Sony exclusive I honestly believe it would be held in much higher regard. Gets a tough rep as its a ass creed reskin, but I view this as a reskin of the original horizon, which was copied by days gone and tushima, they all look amazing but just are so copy and paste its really annoying. Sony need to take a step back and really utilise their IPs (like they did with GoW) or kill them

Climbing in this is no different to uncharted and that's what 10 years old, you can nearly tell which yellow ledges will pretend to collapse 😂😂

recyclops

I have tried to get into this but it really should just be called horizon forgettable West.

I just can't be pushed onwards its just nothing new and anything it does we have seen before. Amazed development took as long as it did as its so similar to the first.

It does look amazing but thought the haptic were unnoticeable even after turning them on, tried to run as far west as possible once out of the training area but it stopped me so that's the prime time to stop playing.

flazio

Late to the game, played Zero Dawn last year and loved it, held out on Forbidden West until I got my hands on a PS5, bought the game with the console and have loved it as much. One question though, is there any way to clean up the traps wheel, I'm right up to the point where Aloy gathers everyone at the beach looking at the Zenith island, am putting the game on hold until the Burning Shores DLC comes out as having completed Frozen Wilds really helped out finishing Zero Dawn, but it's so frustrating to have to cycle through blast, shock, acid then advanced blast, shock and acid and then elite blast shock and acid, plus whatever "food" you purchased just so you can call a mount or throw a frigging rock.

5uspect

Hold down on the d-pad to remove stuff.

flazio

Covered elsewhere but marking it here because it may well have some big knock on effects on the next game.

Rest in peace, Lance.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp7S1HfNEev/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

jobrien874ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120375158#Comment_120375158

Brilliant actor/voice actor 😊

EoinMcLovin

https://youtu.be/oIchGA6p5ZY

https://blog.playstation.com/2023/03/22/horizon-forbidden-west-burning-shores-is-available-to-pre-order-today-pre-order-bonuses-detailed/

Available to preorder now, only 19.99

flazio

Seen a video from Guerilla Games that confirms that Burning Shores is set after Forbidden West, not like Frozen Wilds which was set about 2/3rds of the way during Zero Dawn. So decided to plough through and finish off FW, and while I'm sure a lot of it is to do with me playing Story mode, breezed through it pretty quickly. A couple of elite blast bombs took care of that Zenith that killed Varl and a lot of the machines were already dead going through. No doubt if I had been playing at a higher level those machines probably wouldn't have been dead yet.

Not a massive gamer so Platinum doesn't matter to me, what matters is how much I have loved this game. I could spend hours just flying around either by bird or by campfire exploring this beautiful landscape. The music is top notch and I even have it on in the background as I go about my day. Agree that the story went a bit meh towards the end, especially once the Quen are introduced. If they came by boat over what we know as the Pacific ocean, you'd kind of expect them to have a more Asian look to them. I'm sure I was supposed to fight the guards as I'm leaving Ted Faros volcano home but eff that, every man for himself.

One final factor that was missing is the control over Aloy's response to conversations. I think we only had 4 instances of choosing the brain, fist or heart options in replying to situations.

But, overall this felt like an interactive James Cameron epic movie and I loved it.

Naturally I'm sad that Lance Reddick has passed away and can no longer portray Sylens but I think David Harewood is a decent shout to take over if he voices him like his Supergirl character.

https://youtu.be/UAQKxh4mA90

farreca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120408484#Comment_120408484

Could have done with a couple of spoiler tags in there

flazio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120414124#Comment_120414124

The game's been out over a year now. I think anyone this far into the thread has done platinum by now or at least got up past Wings of the Ten

Potential-Monke

Nope. But at the same time I expect spoilers at this point. Not sure why I'm even still checking this... I'll get back to it. Eventually...

And for myself at least, I read that and it means feck all to me. I know by the time I get to these parts I'll have completely forgotten the words I read. Probably a bit more understandable if you're further into the game than I was. Probably still no harm for spoiler tags at the same time.

EoinMcLovin

new machine

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/1641425053664563200?s=20

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120425039#Comment_120425039

Oh god, I was looking forward to the DLC until this just reminded me about the swimming in the game....

Potential-Monke

Kinda getting into this lately. Short bursts. Haven't done anything swimming yet, nor flying. Feel like I've been playing for ages but still getting nowhere, and locking out tallnecks is a crappy move. But I'm slowly getting into it again. Have to give them kudos for crafting something with such high quality. It's visually stunning, the interactions are the most realistic in any game I've played (not taking the content of the conversations into account, just the movements). The combat is meaty and enjoyable when it works. But my gawd it's big. And full of repetitive activities. I feel it would benefit from being more like GoW, but then it wouldn't be Horizon.

Potential-Monke

Definitely into this now. My only real complaint is how slow it is to move as Aloy in general. Unless you're on a mount, it's far too slow. She needs like a hoverboard or something. Swimming is grand, now that she can breathe (somehow). Locations are stunning, especially Vegas after you light it up. Still have about 35% of the map covered, haven't been far west yet. My side job ocd is strong and I'm already overpowered for most missions, which tbh is grand as while the combat is fun, it gets samey. Gimme me damn flying already!

Also, the fast travel system. Free from fires, but costs a travel pack otherwise, but the travel packs are so simple to make you should never be without them so it seems kinda pointless.

EoinMcLovin

https://youtu.be/0cxk6_L6jnw

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/1646498473565462530?t=5Hs1Jx-vJ2ToYjwZ4VvoYQ&s=19

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Potential-Monke

Are they adding blocking and parrying? Because while I'm enjoying the combat, the fighting pits really show how poor the melee system really is. Got to The Enduring, and the lack of block and parry are frustratingly evident with the BS fight. It's actually putting a downer on it for me.

I've no idea if I'm near end game, I feel like I am but still no fecking flying so don't know really. I tried to Google when it would happen, and when I got to a death spoiler I stopped (not that this characters death will have any impact on me). It's a good game, but the more you play it the more you see the rough edges. For all the solid work in making it look amazing, they still need some work on the movement in general. I thought they might have patched the initial complaints of Aloy being slow as fook to get up. Nope. Her climbing is erratic at times. Mounted movement is frustrating at times, just randomly stopping because of a twig or something in the way, getting stuck. And the jump animation could be a lot smoother from running. I will say that this is only a small part of the overall experience, but it sticks out.

I'm gonna stick with it, as I am still enjoying it, issues aside. But it could also get quickly dropped if something else tickles my endorphins first.

EoinMcLovin

What's your current main mission? , I'll be able to tell how far you are by that

J. Marston

Just started it. Gorgeous game and I'm only playing on a 32" HD tv on performance mode. Must be stunning in 4K.

Sephiroth_dude

Those pit challenges are a bitch, I'm on the last one and I can't get the combos right to save my life.

jones

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120483246#Comment_120483246

I never bothered with them at all in forbidden west as I hated them in zero dawn.

The dlc looks interesting I just have too much to play RE4, Deadspace, Hogwarts etc.

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120483246#Comment_120483246

I think I found there's an issue with the button inputs displayed for some of those combos. Something like how the first button of the second string (eg. the first button of the second part of the combo) doesn't need to be pressed because the last input of the previous combo counts as the first button of the second part. Something stupid like that anyway, might be worth googling the one you're stuck on. There were one or two I couldn't get right to save my life but after googling it and following that instruction, worked very quickly.

Sephiroth_dude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120483876#Comment_120483876

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120483921#Comment_120483921

Don't ask me how I did it but I just completed them there, I need a drink after that 😂😂 .

Now to fight the enduring.

J. Marston

Minor nitpick but it's annoying how you momentarily stop and crouch when looting. Just animate a hand going out and grabbing while you're moving instead of stopping the player.