Horizon Zero Dawn tackled some big, ambitious ideas, but sometimes stumbled when it came to conveying them in an engaging way, with an over-reliance on audio and text files found in lifeless labs and abandoned offices. Guerrilla has definitely learned a lesson this time around when it comes to finding a balance between worldbuilding and telling a coherent story. That journey isn't a short one my playthrough (which was done at a fairly relaxed pace that included completing a healthy amount of side missions) took around 32 hours. Its twists and turns are numerous and had me guessing how it would turn out right until the end of Aloy's journey. Once again, Aloy is on a time-sensitive mission packed with mystery, not least in its characters, many of whom are firmly established in the grey area between friend or foe. The result is a fantastic open-world action-adventure that, despite falling into a couple of its old habits, emphatically delivers on the promises made five years ago. There’s a genuine sense of exploration and loads of completely involving lore behind it all to uncover. Horizon Forbidden West does this with aplomb, building on the already impressive foundations of 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn to tell a thrilling story full of familiar explosive combat against elaborate robotic foes and blockbuster action sequences, but also adding Witcher-like settlements to the map and filling it out with great side quests. In other words, they take a solid base and combine with new elements to create more advanced bonds, much like an alloy… or in this case, an Aloy. They all improve what came before them by conjuring up exciting new gameplay mechanics, developing characters through engaging stories, and switching up mission design to offer variety. ![]() ![]() Successful sequels build on their predecessors in multiple ways – think Mass Effect 2, Assassin's Creed 2, and Uncharted 2.
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