Horizon Forbidden West review: What it means to make a true sequel

sportskeeda.com:

For a brand new franchise, sequel games, like Horizon Forbidden West, always hold more weight than any other release that comes after. Was the first game a fluke? Was the initial entry to the series a one-hit-wonder that the sequel could never replicate?

For Horizon Forbidden West, the same scrutiny is present, and the Sony-based franchise is put to the test to prove that the Horizon name can be far more than a single release. Guerilla Games was aware of the watchful eye that follows a sequel to any slice of entertainment, and they made sure to deliver in more ways than one.

Horizon Zero Dawn was praised by critics and players alike for the unique themes of the game, accompanied by stellar gameplay. In true sequel fashion, Horizon Forbidden West manages to maintain those qualities that we all loved before on top of adding a crisp next-generation layer of polish that's so refreshing in the gaming industry.

One of the best aspects of Horizon Zero Dawn was the story of Aloy and the world in which she lives. Not only is the human level of the story a compelling narrative worthy of watching on its own, but the world is what makes the Horizon games so unique.

The games occur in a post-post-apocalypse, which means the world effectively ended, went through a period of decay, and restarted anew. In the first game, it is up to Aloy and the player to discover what that means.

Machines have nearly no explanation, and neither does the period. People seem to be based on primal living, but they also carry tech and live among machines that surpass ourselves. That mystery is one of the main reasons the first game is so compelling. I point this out because Horizon Forbidden West is missing much of that same mystery.

In the sequel game, players