When Horizon Zero Dawn came out 6 years ago, I enjoyed the stunningly realised open-world and the robot dinosaur antagonists. The story was intriguing and I found the moment to moment gameplay enthralling. However, unfortunately for the game, it coincided with the release of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which took the wind out of its sails - pun intended. The constant chuntering of Aloy alongside her martyr complex made her a frustrating character to warm to, especially when she built up friendships after years of being shunned yet discarded these connections to go on her solo missions.

Luckily, this time the developers have given Aloy's colleagues time to shine and the cadre of friends really helps the game. It's warming to see Aloy grow as a character and the story develops well as a result. Also, Aloy is now able to hack and fly robot pterodactyl equivalents- and that’s always going to be amazing!
Unluckily, Forbidden West coincided with the biggest game release of last year, the juggernaut that was Elden Ring. I've only just got around to completing Forbidden West after Elden Ring and God of War: Ragnarok and was suffering open-world fatigue, but thankfully at around 30 hours, the game doesn’t overstay its welcome.

I enjoyed my time and will eagerly pick up the set-up third game but hope, for the sake of the developers, that it doesn't get overshadowed again as it is a gorgeous game that is well worth your time.

Here are some screenshots from my playthrough: