Horizon Forbidden West’s gorgeous world is easy to recommend as part of PlayStation Plus Leave a comment
It’s safe to say that this console generation has gotten off to a slow start. As both a PlayStation, and Xbox owner, I am hard-pressed to really say anything on Series X/S or PS5 is an absolute, cold-hard ‘must buy’ system seller. Halo Infinite was a bit of a wet wipe in the end, and I’m just not that into all the over-the-shoulder, hide-in-the-grass cinematic stuff that Sony exclusives like to peddle. I don’t think the new God of Wars are that good, really. Xbox, too, needs something more than Forza to show off what its machine can do.
But, that’s not to say there haven’t been games on the current generation worthy of note. The Last of Us Part 1 had some standout moments (mostly thanks to that incredible lighting engine), and some of the big action sequences in Halo Infinite lived up to the Master Chief fantasy. Returnal still slaps, Demon’s Souls is a fantastic remake, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is gorgeous. But, for the most part, I think we’re still waiting for the proper watershed moment that signifies this generation has finally kicked off.
But there are some oases in this bland, cross-generational desert. And one of them has just been made available for no extra cost on PlayStation Plus. Horizon Forbidden West has its problems, sure, but it absolutely excels as a graphical powerhouse that really shows off what the PS5 can achieve on a good day. Whether you’re standing on a rocky outcrop, watching the clouds bleed into mist in the sky, or admiring the way that a campfire illuminates the soft peach fuzz on Aloy’s face, I cannot get over how good Forbidden West looks.
