a long-awaited rush to the west that keeps its promises

Horizon Zero Dawn delighted players and critics when it was released in 2017. Sunique half-animal, half-mechanical creatures and its colorful post-apocalyptic world had brings a real breath of fresh air to the Playstation. The continuation of the adventures ofAloy takes place in the American Wild West and cso it is with l’excitation own to the participants ofa gold rush that the fans wait of this new opus treasures like no other.

Aloy, the heroine of Horizon, leaves Colorado to head for the west coast of America. Six months have passed since his last adventure and the Earth must face the multiplication of a red plague which eats away at the vegetation and threatens the survival of what is left of humanity. Impossible for the huntress of the Nora tribe to sit idly by: she will have to investigate the origin of this evil and therefore go deeper into this dangerous and prohibited West.

The environment created by the intertwining of devastated old technology and reclaiming wilderness is simply breathtaking. Each texture of clothing or decorative element is worked with art and intelligence and seems to give meaning to everything we see. The buildings seem to have been constructed more than designed and the eye is constantly drawn into the distance by cyclopean silhouettes that invite discovery.

From the snowy plateaus to a lush jungle via the San Francisco Bridge, the Forbidden West is spread over the equivalent of three American states and offers, in addition to sumptuous panoramas, a permanent challenge to whoever wants to travel it. Jumping, flying, climbing or diving into the depths, Aloy must know how to do everything if she wants to reach the end of her journey.

Emphasis has been placed on greater ease of exploration with the arrival of essential gadgets such as a mini sail that allows you to glide over short distances or a fast-reacting grappling hook that can even be used in combat. These new features make the movements more varied and the puzzles linked to them more extensive. Abandoned in the first opus, climbing becomes more fluid and natural thanks to the scanner which now highlights possible holds on cliffs or buildings. In general, even if some places are still inaccessible, we feel much freer to explore as we see fit a universe that is gaining in verticality. The map integrates the relief well and gives an idea of ​​the extent and variety of the environments.

Horizon would not be Horizon without its machines. Even more beautiful and dangerous than in the first opus, they have grown in size for some and often borrow their form from the bestiary of prehistory and mythology. Whether autonomous or led by warriors, their behavior has been improved and the artificial intelligence is more responsive. So be careful with these new creatures because even if you can sometimes hack them, meeting them will most of the time be synonymous with combat.

But if the machines were boosted, Aloy did not sit idly by. Her melee attacks have been revised and new moves have appeared, making the heroine much more lethal at close range and expanding the scope of her pugilistic possibilities. From setting traps to hacking, six skill trees now allow you to specialize in the type of combat that suits you best. The developers of Guerrilla Games have highlighted their desire to leave players free to approach confrontations as they wish. It is true that between the use of exploration gadgets, infiltration, ranged fire, traps and close combat, the possibilities of having fun when attacking are numerous.

Aloy’s melee attacks have been revised and new moves have appeared, widening the field of action possibilities. (SONY ENTERTAINMENT)

New weapons are also appearing like this lance, slow to use but whose late explosive charge makes it possible to afford beautiful fireworks. In addition to the classic improvements, each weapon is equipped with a secondary fire over time, which gives the impression of gaining power perpetually. Finally, it is now possible to turn the elemental powers of certain creatures against them. A poison arrow aimed at a toxin tank, for example, causes a devastating chain reaction.

Horizon is above all a narrative game with really pleasant writing. The scenario is full of twists and confronts you with new situations and surprises. We have sometimes been able to reproach the developers forHorizon Zero Down to focus too much on the main character to the detriment of the others and we feel that Guerrilla Games was keen to make an effort at this level. New protagonists thus make their appearance such as the mysterious Tilda brought to the screen by Carrie-Anne Moss, the essential Trinity of Matrix. Former allies also make their return and come to tickle Aloy’s friendly fiber, thereby giving her even more depth and humanity.

In general, the world seems more populated and more alive. The settlements are full of stories and side-activities and should be a delight for anyone who enjoys wandering around and discovering what is inaccessible to the layman. Because if the open world is barely larger than that of the previous episode, the side quests are much more numerous, as are the individuals encountered. The tribes are not necessarily warlike but each have characteristic traits: peaceful farmers, happy revelers or fervent believers, humans are all different and pursue their own goals. We have the impression of contemplating a world living its own history, a world that we not only want to discover but also to protect.

If the first opus of Horizon had attracted a lot of sympathy from the players, the latter should not be disappointed afterwards. With its still sparkling plastic and its more elaborate characters, Horizon : Forbiden West definitely goes further than its predecessor. The open world teeming with adventures is a real invitation to travel and discovery. The improvements made to the fights make them particularly intense and give an impression of unparalleled power. The story keeps us in suspense with a heroine in the position of survivor, always under pressure and who must fight against machines, plague and tribes. But its real success is the beauty of the landscapes and the quality of the characters encountered who constantly push us to try to find out what is happening behind this new horizon.

“Horizon: Forbidden West”, available on PS5 and PS4.

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Manu Lafont