What is the plot of Horizon Forbidden West?

With Horizon Forbidden West set to be released in the first quarter of 2022, it’s time to dive right back into the post-apocalyptic world. For some, the events of the original may not be remarkably fresh.

Unlike other sequels to games, Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t take years or even centuries after the events of Horizon Zero Dawn.

In fact, the story continues just six months later. Players will get to hunt, hide, and continue firing off arrows as Aloy, the fiery-haired protagonist of the original game.

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Horizon Forbidden West: Story, release date and more

The story so far

Aloy has witnessed a crimson blight amongst the machine-like animals, called the Red Blight. It doesn’t just attack life itself but also wreaks havoc on the weather. So, with a mystery to uncover, Aloy heads into the Forbidden West to find the source of the Red Blight.

Like in Horizon Zero Dawn, players will face dangerous machines, both above ground and in the water. Notable sites seen in post-apocalyptic San Francisco were the Golden Gate Bridge and even an underwater Palace of Fine Arts.

The size of the map is confirmed to be a bit bigger than the original, stretching from Utah to the Pacific Coast. That’s miles of land to traverse.

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Horizon Forbidden West’s release date

Guerilla Games’ latest IP is set to be released on February 18, 2022. It was initially slated for 2021 but was pushed further out due to the global pandemic. It allowed developers some time to make adjustments and additional time to polish the game.

Horizon Forbidden West is launching on PlayStation 5, in addition to PlayStation 4. Unfortunately for PC and Xbox owners, there are no foreseeable plans to release the game on any other platform other than the PlayStation console.

Horizon Zero Dawn did eventually make it to PC. But it doesn't guarantee that the sequel will follow suit. In fact, Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Worldwide Studios, went on record, stating:

“To maybe put a few minds at ease, releasing one first-party AAA title to PC doesn’t necessarily mean that every game now will come to PC.”

He followed up with:

“In my mind, Horizon Zero Dawn was just a great fit in this particular instance. We don’t have plans for day and date [PC releases], and we remain 100% committed to dedicated hardware."