The release of Horizon Forbidden West marks the second entry in a series from Guerrilla Games, the first of which was 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn. Early reviews indicate that Horizon Forbidden West is better than the original, which already set a decently high bar, but as a direct sequel there's a risk of becoming lost while trying to follow a story that has already been developing over the course of a whole, rather expansive game. Anyone seriously interested in the series will probably want to start with Zero Dawn, but Forbidden West will have a mostly self-contained story, so it's not strictly necessary to start from the beginning.
Horizon Forbidden West launched in February 2017 and has become one of the more prominent PlayStation Exclusives of recent years. Its PC release in August 2020 was a significant milestone for PlayStation exclusives arriving on other platforms, and brought the open world game to a larger audience. The series follows protagonist Aloy in the 31st century, where humanity has regressed to tribal civilizations. Horizon Forbidden West will have environments and towns not unrecognizable compared to those in Zero Dawn, and will similarly have a story derived from an overarching threat to humanity at large - the mysterious, animal-like machines that once peacefully roamed the wilderness, but have recently grown hostile.
The Horizon games are heavily narrative driven, and skipping straight to Forbidden West may be detrimental to the experience. That said, Zero Dawn and (presumably) Forbidden West have many other elements that are worthy of consideration. Aloy's story may be the primary reason for wanting to start from the beginning, but there's plenty of value in the series' gameplay alone. The ranged combat against machines especially provides an incredibly fun gameplay loop, and Horizon Forbidden West's new weapons and combat mechanics might be enough for some who didn't get invested in the story. Ultimately, the decision whether or not to play Horizon Zero Dawn before Forbidden West comes down to individual preferences, but it is generally recommended that players experience Zero Dawn before Forbidden West.
Horizon Zero Dawn Should Be Played Before Forbidden West
PlayStation exclusives have a reputation for delivering compelling single-player experiences, and Horizon Zero Dawn is no different. Voiced by Ashly Burch and modeled after Hannah Hoekstra, Aloy has quickly become a beloved character. Much of the value in Horizon Zero Dawn's story comes from the exploration of Aloy as a main character. She is introduced as an outcast of a tribe known as the Nora, but the reasons for her exile are largely a mystery at the game's outset. Uncovering Aloy's origins and shedding light on the mysteries of the machines is the main focus of Zero Dawn, and is instrumental in the series' world-building. Horizon Forbidden West's story connects to the original, but it may be a difficult task for newcomers to get immersed in the world without exploring it the way Guerrilla Games first presented it in Zero Dawn.
As an open world game, player mileage will vary, but collectibles and side quests all contribute to the wider fictional world surrounding Aloy and her story. Zero Dawn does a very good job of hinting that things may not be exactly as they seem before slowly peeling away the mystique. Science fiction and post-apocalypse media fans in particular might find Zero Dawn more than worth a play through. It's certainly easy to find videos or written synopses outlining Horizon Zero Dawn's story and ending, but with interactivity being a central tenet to the video game medium, experiencing the game oneself can be invaluable.
Another notable incentive to playing Zero Dawn before Forbidden West is the price of admittance. With Zero Dawn being just about five years old, it's rather easy to come by at a reasonable price. At the time of writing, the Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, which includes its expansion and some other goodies, can be bought for $20 on the PlayStation Store. Forbidden West, on the other hand, will potentially remain near full price for some time. With so many games to play, and only so much spare cash, many players might find the lower price a fair deal in exchange for waiting to play Forbidden West. For those unabated by the price of new games, Horizon Forbidden West should be bought on PS4 regardless, since the cheaper option still entitles buyers to the PS5 version.
Playing Horizon Zero Dawn First Isn't Strictly Necessary
While most who have played Zero Dawn and are looking forward to Forbidden West will encourage others to start with the original game, it is not an absolute necessity. Although prospective buyers will want to look into the matter themselves, early reviews seem to indicate Forbidden West being an improvement on its predecessor in nearly every way in terms of gameplay mechanics and systems. Just by virtue of Horizon Forbidden West coming second in line, it is the more modern of the two games, and is more likely to provide a satisfactory experience from a purely interactive standpoint. Zero Dawn is not outdated by any means, but those that aren't particularly interested in experiencing the story might find value in starting with the more recent entry.
Horizon Forbidden West has many returning characters from Zero Dawn, but will still have a self-contained narrative. Story arcs will certainly carry over from the previous game (and even some comics published in the interim), but with Forbidden West taking place in the eponymous region not seen in Zero Dawn, new players probably won't have much difficulty getting up to speed. If more than five years of promotion, releases, and discussion for Zero Dawn didn't pique the interest, but Forbidden West for some reason has, there's really no major consequences to skipping the first game.
For many, Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the best games of the PlayStation 4 generation, and Forbidden West is expected to be more of the same. Die hard fans will always recommend the first game be played first, which is likely the safer bet as opposed to going straight into Forbidden West, especially since Zero Dawn is fairly accessible. The narrative of Horizon Forbidden West will be more impactful with knowledge of the foundation laid in Horizon Zero Dawn, but anyone compelled to play the sequel shouldn't feel obligated to play its predecessor.