Horizon Forbidden West - GameCompass Health Rating: 64/100

Horizon Forbidden West

Guerrilla Games

PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PCPremium

Health Score

GOOD

About This Game

An open-world action role-playing game where players guide Aloy, a hunter, across a post-apocalyptic American West overrun by animalistic machines. Players explore, gather resources, craft ammunition and upgrades, and fight machines and hostile rebels while following a story-driven campaign. It is entirely single-player and can be played offline, with no multiplayer, chat, or in-game purchases beyond optional expansion content.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

3/5

Creativity

2/5

Pro-Social

1/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

0/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

0/5

Social Risk

0/5

Content Intensity

2/5

Negatives

•Combat against humans and machines includes blood effects and cutscene violence such as impalement
•Alcohol appears in the world, including tavern scenes and the main character drinking from a mug
•Mild profanity is used occasionally during dialogue
•No cooperative or multiplayer modes, so siblings and friends cannot play together online
•Rated Teen for blood, language, use of alcohol, and violence, so it is aimed at older players

Positives

•Encourages strategic thinking, planning, and resource management during combat and exploration
•Players must observe enemy types and target weaknesses, rewarding patience and tactical decisions
•The lead character is portrayed as compassionate and cooperative, and the story emphasises helping communities
•Entirely single-player and playable offline, with no online chat, lobbies, or stranger interaction
•Premium one-time purchase with no microtransactions, loot boxes, or daily login pressure