In 2020, PC gamers embarked on the adventure of Horizon Zero Dawn’s PC port, traversing a vast wilderness populated by mechanical creatures, unraveling the secrets of an ancient civilization, and enjoying the visual spectacle and captivating storyline of one of the console’s most iconic titles. Now, its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, has officially landed on PC in March, giving PC players another chance to join Aloy in exploring a new western frontier. Not only does the sequel significantly improve upon its predecessor in various aspects, but it also sets a new benchmark for next-gen open-world action RPGs with its exceptional quality. The game’s PC release benefits from NVIDIA technologies like DLSS 3, DLAA, and Reflex, providing a smooth gaming experience for Gainward GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series GPU users. In this review, Gainward will delve into the game with different graphics cards, offering a genuine and detailed assessment for gamers!
An Engrossing Post-Apocalyptic Adventure with Rich Character Development
The game continues Aloy’s journey in a post-apocalyptic world, with an expanded narrative and deeper exploration of the game universe. Picking up where the first game left off, Aloy embarks on a quest to halt the spread of a mysterious force called the Red Blight, which is causing ecological collapse. To save humanity, she must reactivate the AI system Gaia. The developers have deliberately focused more on world-building, allowing players to learn about the post-disaster world and the persistence of human civilization through exploration of new regions and interactions with diverse tribal cultures. The characters are well-developed, each with their own stories and motivations, fostering player engagement and emotional investment.
The game delves into profound themes such as human nature, civilization, and the conflict between technology and nature, making for a compelling story that immerses players in a challenging and adventurous gameplay experience.
Unbridled Exploration in a Majestic Open World
Capitalizing on the openness of the PC platform, players enjoy increased freedom in controlling their experience. They venture into a larger and more vibrant open world than the previous game, with intricately detailed landscapes, ecosystems, and interactive elements waiting to be discovered.
With the power of PC hardware, the game boasts improved graphical fidelity compared to the PS5 version. Players can revel in the breathtaking vistas of ruined cities, lush jungles, and majestic snow-capped mountains, all contributing to an immersive sensation.
Revolutionized Combat and Engaging Side Quests
The combat system has been comprehensively overhauled for a smoother, more dynamic, and strategic experience. Offering a variety of combat styles, players can choose from different weapons and skills to engage enemies, with new options for both close and ranged combat, adding depth to tactics and environmental interaction.
Side quests are also more intricate and connected to the main storyline, allowing players to gain a fuller understanding of the game’s world and the backgrounds of different tribes. A new decision-making mechanic lets players make choices based on their moral compass, impacting the progression of the story and its outcome. These enhancements transform the game into not just a visual and action-packed feast, but also a deeply engaging narrative where players participate through exploration and decision-making.
Stunning Graphics and Sound Design for Immersive Gameplay
Furthermore, the PC version achieves stunning visuals. Every detail, from lush vegetation to textured rocks, is meticulously crafted for a heightened sense of realism. The mechanical creatures, whether towering behemoths or nimble machines, are impressively designed, bringing them to life.
The sound design complements these visuals, providing an immersive experience. Together, they create a visual and auditory feast for players.
Real-World Testing
To assess Horizon Forbidden West’s performance across different hardware configurations, Gainward tested the game using three of its GPUs: Gainward GeForce RTX 4060 Snow, Gainward GeForce RTX 4070 Super SnowMini, and Gainward GeForce RTX 4080 Super Windforce. These cards represent performance levels ranging from 1080P to 4K, and their striking designs highlight the differences in performance clearly. Tests were conducted at maximum settings across 1080P, 2K, and 4K resolutions, with DLSS 3 enabled or disabled to observe frame rate changes. Additionally, in-game screenshots are provided to visually compare graphics quality under different settings. This testing approach provides a comprehensive evaluation of the game’s performance across various GPUs and resolutions, helping players understand how the game runs on different hardware configurations.
Frame Rate Testing
1080P
At 1080P, Horizon Forbidden West demonstrates good optimization. Without DLSS, both Gainward GeForce RTX 4070 Super SnowMini and Gainward GeForce RTX 4080 Super Windforce exceed 100 frames per second (fps) on average, ensuring smooth gameplay. While the Gainward GeForce RTX 4060 Snow falls slightly short of 60 fps, it remains close. Enabling DLSS 3 in Balanced mode significantly improves frame rates, making even the highest graphics settings run smoothly. With this setting, the Gainward GeForce RTX 4060 Snow averages 116.28 fps, while the other two GPUs easily