Whenever a highly anticipated sequel comes out, there’s the inevitable question of how it stacks up to the original. “Horizon Zero Dawn,” Guerrilla Games’ award-winning, 2017 open-world RPG, set a high bar with its compelling story and gorgeous environments. I can definitively say after rolling credits on “Forbidden West” that it not only meets that bar, it parkours over it and soars off on a robo-bird into the sunset.
“Forbidden West” hits the ground running. Within the first hour, you’re introduced to one of the many new tools in Aloy’s arsenal: the “Pullcaster,” a grappling hook that puts a new dimension at your disposal for free climbing — and the first sign that “Forbidden West” is aiming for an entirely different scale than its predecessor. From a physical standpoint, it expands vertically in both directions through the addition of underwater exploration and gliding mechanics. And narratively, “Forbidden West” explores concepts both large and small with satisfying poignancy; dialogue with companions feels rich and alive. The excellent writing and world-building combined with the PlayStation 5′s haptic feedback facilitates a new degree of immersion.
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