Finally finished with Horizon II: Forbidden West at 91 hours despite it taking me two months to complete nearly every single thing the game has to offer. Overall big improvement over the first time in almost every single way and just overall one of the highly produced RPG I've played.
First of all, let's just get the obvious out of the way, the graphics are jaw-dropping. Horizon II is legit one of the best-looking games I've ever played in my life. It's amazing how a nearly decade-old machine can put out visuals like this. The environments are great such as the nighttime, it's absolutely stunning and breathtaking with the lighting and fog. But those character models? Legit is some of the best I've seen. In fact, my sister thought I was watching a live-action TV show for a second when I was on a cutscene lol. The animation is so fluid and smooth as well, definitely a huge improvement over the first game. I don't think I will ever get over the fact the character models look like real people. Even now I am just so amazed Guerrilla Games managed to push out visuals like that, especially on old hardware.
You probably saw everyone fawn over the graphics by now, it's definitely praiseworthy at the very least but a game with pretty graphics does not equal a good game. Horizon II is definitely "more of the same". There is still a lot of platforming and scaling to perform across mountains, hills, and abandon buildings. As well as tons of environmental puzzles to solve when you're inside ruins. But there are a lot of improvements such as better melee combats with combos, more accessibility options, more weapons and outfits to upgrade, and more skill points to allocate to customize Aloy to your playstyle preference. To stealth, machine hacking and long-range warrior combat, a grander sense of open exploration such as underwater diving and flying with robots and more varation with side quests. Like I'm all for a strategy minigame and racing challenges lol.
Speaking of the side quests, they're so great. Usually, side quests are simple fetch/kill quests and Horizon II has some of that but each quest is presented like it's a main quest with more dialogue options compared to the first game. They just add so much flavor and give you a reason to do them since it fleshes out the world and its smaller problems much better. They are just really well done filled with so much detailed and vivid dialogue. I wasn't really expecting much with this department but I was just pleasantly surprised with how much you can talk to people on each side quest. It feels like each side quest is like an episodic TV series where you met completely different people in different tribes and clans and help them with their issues. Rather than just faceless kill/fetch quests. The side quests got their own involved stories that are worth doing and I'm impressed. It's rare for an RPG to put this much care into side quests.
Speaking of world-building, I always found its world to be really interesting as it's a new take on post-apocalyptic sci-fi and I'm down for more of that. I didn't really expect much at first and that's me playing Zero Dawn already but Forbidden West really expands upon all of these elements. I get this can come off as a bunch of sci-fi jargon nonsense to some people but I precisely love all of that. I just get super excited to see lore like different planets, space ships, clones, robots, advanced technology and weapons, artificially prolonged lifespans, holograms etc. But what's super cool with Horizon is all of that takes place in what is essentially a pre-historic environment but it's actually a post-apocalyptic setting that at least takes place 1000+ into the future. So it just feels very unique while scratching my sci-fi boner at the same time. I won't spoil much of the main plot but I was very please with how the story intergrades these elements all into one, even if sometimes it feels like not much happens in the main questlines. There are even little notes all over the world to explain what happened in the past and I think that is a very nice touch.
I feel like a lot of WRPGs struggle with characterization and that is one of my biggest issues since you don't feel as connected with your companions. You are just by yourself most of the time. And while Horizon II still has that issue, I noticed having a base you can come back to and talk to your companions about different things is a huge step up from the first game. It kinda reminds me of how you can interact with your party members in Mass Effect in a way. Plus it just adds so much lively characterization and color to the characters and I like they always interact with each other all of the time. It just feels very organic.
However, I do have some issues with the main character Aloy in this regard. I don't dislike Aloy, don't really have a reason to but also I just find it hard to care for her for some reason. It's just her personality feels "too safe" like she can be molded into any situation and it feels like she isn't allowed to be too emotional into any one emotion. Not even the side quests help, in fact, I just think the side quests are really just peeping into the lives of those that live in the Forbidden West that you don't have time to see in the main story. It's really just a world-building thing rather than character-building for Aloy. The rest of the major characters are more interesting than her if I have to be completely honest since they got their clearly defined personalities and traits. Aloy just feels like a blank character that got tons of lines with a pre-determined design and backstory and you hardly make any decisions. So it's a weird in-between from an RPG OC and a fully written-out character.
My biggest complaint with Horzion II has to be the open-world design. It's very...Ubisoft checkmarky and filled up, for a lack of a better term. While it's nice to always have something to do around every corner in the otherwise impressive world map, a lot of Horizon II content is collect-a-thons and checking off question mark symbols scatter everywhere. I can't help but feel like this method of game design is dated and tired out at this point. It also makes the game much more exhausting to complete every single thing since the more minor aspects of exploring aren't as interesting or engaging. Other elements I don't like quite as much are the melee side missions due to their unbalanced opponents and incorrect tutorials, some clunky combat aspects such as switching around weapons and hitting the level cap way too early on. I hit the level cap by the time I was 55 hours into the game. Which takes away a huge RPG component.
Overall Horizon II is a fantastic game with its world-building, visuals, quest design and storytelling, and sci-fi concepts. Some of the best I have seen in an RPG. Sadly I can't say Horizon II is one of the best RPGs I have played due to its open world and RPG design and character writing (especially Aloy) hold back the game a lot. Guerrilla Games managed to create an impressive and charming world to explore and despite a few flaws, I say it's a game that is definitely worth playing and submerge yourself into.
First of all, let's just get the obvious out of the way, the graphics are jaw-dropping. Horizon II is legit one of the best-looking games I've ever played in my life. It's amazing how a nearly decade-old machine can put out visuals like this. The environments are great such as the nighttime, it's absolutely stunning and breathtaking with the lighting and fog. But those character models? Legit is some of the best I've seen. In fact, my sister thought I was watching a live-action TV show for a second when I was on a cutscene lol. The animation is so fluid and smooth as well, definitely a huge improvement over the first game. I don't think I will ever get over the fact the character models look like real people. Even now I am just so amazed Guerrilla Games managed to push out visuals like that, especially on old hardware.
You probably saw everyone fawn over the graphics by now, it's definitely praiseworthy at the very least but a game with pretty graphics does not equal a good game. Horizon II is definitely "more of the same". There is still a lot of platforming and scaling to perform across mountains, hills, and abandon buildings. As well as tons of environmental puzzles to solve when you're inside ruins. But there are a lot of improvements such as better melee combats with combos, more accessibility options, more weapons and outfits to upgrade, and more skill points to allocate to customize Aloy to your playstyle preference. To stealth, machine hacking and long-range warrior combat, a grander sense of open exploration such as underwater diving and flying with robots and more varation with side quests. Like I'm all for a strategy minigame and racing challenges lol.
Speaking of the side quests, they're so great. Usually, side quests are simple fetch/kill quests and Horizon II has some of that but each quest is presented like it's a main quest with more dialogue options compared to the first game. They just add so much flavor and give you a reason to do them since it fleshes out the world and its smaller problems much better. They are just really well done filled with so much detailed and vivid dialogue. I wasn't really expecting much with this department but I was just pleasantly surprised with how much you can talk to people on each side quest. It feels like each side quest is like an episodic TV series where you met completely different people in different tribes and clans and help them with their issues. Rather than just faceless kill/fetch quests. The side quests got their own involved stories that are worth doing and I'm impressed. It's rare for an RPG to put this much care into side quests.
Speaking of world-building, I always found its world to be really interesting as it's a new take on post-apocalyptic sci-fi and I'm down for more of that. I didn't really expect much at first and that's me playing Zero Dawn already but Forbidden West really expands upon all of these elements. I get this can come off as a bunch of sci-fi jargon nonsense to some people but I precisely love all of that. I just get super excited to see lore like different planets, space ships, clones, robots, advanced technology and weapons, artificially prolonged lifespans, holograms etc. But what's super cool with Horizon is all of that takes place in what is essentially a pre-historic environment but it's actually a post-apocalyptic setting that at least takes place 1000+ into the future. So it just feels very unique while scratching my sci-fi boner at the same time. I won't spoil much of the main plot but I was very please with how the story intergrades these elements all into one, even if sometimes it feels like not much happens in the main questlines. There are even little notes all over the world to explain what happened in the past and I think that is a very nice touch.
I feel like a lot of WRPGs struggle with characterization and that is one of my biggest issues since you don't feel as connected with your companions. You are just by yourself most of the time. And while Horizon II still has that issue, I noticed having a base you can come back to and talk to your companions about different things is a huge step up from the first game. It kinda reminds me of how you can interact with your party members in Mass Effect in a way. Plus it just adds so much lively characterization and color to the characters and I like they always interact with each other all of the time. It just feels very organic.
However, I do have some issues with the main character Aloy in this regard. I don't dislike Aloy, don't really have a reason to but also I just find it hard to care for her for some reason. It's just her personality feels "too safe" like she can be molded into any situation and it feels like she isn't allowed to be too emotional into any one emotion. Not even the side quests help, in fact, I just think the side quests are really just peeping into the lives of those that live in the Forbidden West that you don't have time to see in the main story. It's really just a world-building thing rather than character-building for Aloy. The rest of the major characters are more interesting than her if I have to be completely honest since they got their clearly defined personalities and traits. Aloy just feels like a blank character that got tons of lines with a pre-determined design and backstory and you hardly make any decisions. So it's a weird in-between from an RPG OC and a fully written-out character.
My biggest complaint with Horzion II has to be the open-world design. It's very...Ubisoft checkmarky and filled up, for a lack of a better term. While it's nice to always have something to do around every corner in the otherwise impressive world map, a lot of Horizon II content is collect-a-thons and checking off question mark symbols scatter everywhere. I can't help but feel like this method of game design is dated and tired out at this point. It also makes the game much more exhausting to complete every single thing since the more minor aspects of exploring aren't as interesting or engaging. Other elements I don't like quite as much are the melee side missions due to their unbalanced opponents and incorrect tutorials, some clunky combat aspects such as switching around weapons and hitting the level cap way too early on. I hit the level cap by the time I was 55 hours into the game. Which takes away a huge RPG component.
Overall Horizon II is a fantastic game with its world-building, visuals, quest design and storytelling, and sci-fi concepts. Some of the best I have seen in an RPG. Sadly I can't say Horizon II is one of the best RPGs I have played due to its open world and RPG design and character writing (especially Aloy) hold back the game a lot. Guerrilla Games managed to create an impressive and charming world to explore and despite a few flaws, I say it's a game that is definitely worth playing and submerge yourself into.