Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition PC Review

It’s been a little over two years since Horizon Forbidden West was first released for the PS4 and PS5, and even then, its visual quality was nearly unmatched. Despite some HDR and shimmering issues when it first launched, the game looked surreal, and one could only imagine how much more realized the visuals would be if it were released on the PC.

Imagine no more as Horizon Forbidden West makes its way to PC courtesy of the wizards at Nixxes Software, and in a complete edition, no less. This full release will include the base game, all bonus content launched, and the Burning Shores expansion that opens up new storylines, characters, and a stunning yet hazardous new area.

Was it worth the wait? Or even the full price tag?

Related – Read our PS5 review of Horizon Forbidden West

The events of Horizon Forbidden West take place six months after the first game, and Aloy finds herself in a desperate race against time. Her mission is to reconstruct GAIA, the AI that once terraformed Earth. The planet is on the brink of extinction, and Aloy holds the key to its survival. Her quest leads her to the Forbidden West, a treacherous territory inhabited by the Tenakth Tribe, whose thirst for blood and power threatens everything she holds dear.

Horizon Forbidden West builds upon the familiar elements of its predecessor, reintroducing both allies and adversaries and retaining the thrilling machine-hunting gameplay that players of the first game enjoyed. Aloy, our intrepid protagonist, returns with valuable enhancements to her arsenal, including a grappling hook and a glider.

However, despite significant improvements in overall gameplay and combat mechanics, Horizon Forbidden West stumbles in its narrative complexity. The convoluted story leads to an ending that falls short of expectations. Additionally, it takes some time to fully immerse players in the experience. Nevertheless, this remains an essential adventure for devoted fans and newcomers, especially on this new platform.

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition PC System Requirements

First off, here’s a look at the Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition PC System Requirements:

One immediate thing you will notice here is that Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition goes to great lengths to ensure that players who have not upgraded in a while can enjoy the game, albeit at a diminished quality. 720p and 30fps are certainly not ideal for a game as beautiful as this one, but getting to play it, at the very least, is welcome.

While it can go low, Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition can also go very high, and for those with 4080s and above, you can bask in the glory of seeing this game in 4K and 60fps, even in ultrawide configurations if you have the hardware for it.

Options Galore

Here’s a look at the various display and graphical options that Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition on PC will offer players:

Noticeably missing are the Raytracing toggles that Miles Morales and other titles had from previous releases. Maybe it was needed to keep the game as optimized as possible. Still, it would have been great if the options were there for those with capable enough rigs.

Other than that, Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition has an above-average suite of options and sliders to fiddle around with, paired with accessibility options that cater to players of various tastes.

Take to the Skies

One good thing about the Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition on PC is that Nixxes Software has optimized the game very (VERY) well, as they usually do. It also helps that the game can go as low as 720p @ 30fps, catering to players with low-spec rigs compared to the latest ones in the market today.

We tested the game on a fairly modest setup, and we imagine that many players might be looking at a similar range with their rigs:

• Ryzen 5 5600x, 16 GB DDR4 3600 RAM, NVIDIA 3050, 1TB NVMe SSD, Legion Y32p-30 Gaming Monitor
• Steam Deck OLED

Here are some of the frame rates we managed to squeeze out of the game:

Considering the performance we recorded based on our PC specs, and even the Steam Deck OLED, Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition performed admirably. Rarely would I get a decently playable AAA game on 4K resolution at medium settings on my PC, but getting this at near 30fps was very surprising. The visual quality is good, and considering using only a 3050, I didn’t expect it to be this clean while still running at nearly 30fps.

Interestingly, the Steam Deck OLED performed well. Even at the expense of battery life due to TDP being pushed to 15, the game ran well enough during exploration and combat. There’s almost no reason to push the settings to high, as even the low and mid settings look good enough on a small screen. I’d go as far as to say that low settings might be the way to go, and even though some textures will understandably look muddy, it’s a fair trade-off to playing this out and about.

When using FSR as an upscaling method for the Steam Deck OLED, the visual quality would take a big dip, with jagged edges everywhere. TAA is the way to go when using the handheld with dynamic resolution off, showing a good balance between visual quality and performance.

It’s also great to point out that when tinkering with the various graphical settings while in-game, you’ll be able to immediately see what is being changed, so this can help players make an informed decision when turning some settings on or off. As such, the frame rates provided above are just a general look from the POV of a player who just dives into the game without bothering to tinker too much with settings.

What we liked:

• Stunning visual quality if your machine can handle it
• Well-designed and engaging side quests that feel like they’re part of the bigger world
• Improved mobility and combat make the action and traversal more dynamic.
• Works well with a good range of PCs specs and even handhelds like the Steam Deck.

What we didn’t like:

• Story gets a bit too convoluted at the end.
• Takes a while to get going.

Verdict: Buy it!

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition is yet another exemplary demonstration of Nixxes’ prowess in bringing beloved PlayStation IPs to a wider audience. This edition, which includes the Burning Shores expansion, breathes new life into Aloy’s adventures, unlocking the full potential of the game with stunning visuals across an expansive and treacherous world.

While the PlayStation 5 version was commendable, the PC version elevates the gaming experience, particularly for those with high-performance systems and ultrawide configurations. Remarkably, the game is also compatible with the Steam Deck, although this necessitates some compromises in visual fidelity. Regardless, Nixxes Software has once again delivered an outstanding port, and we eagerly anticipate their future endeavors.

*Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition was reviewed on a PC and Steam Deck with a review code provided by the publisher.