Review: 'Horizon Forbidden West' brings a personal saga to a primal post-apocalypse

Aloy surveys a vista from'Horizon Forbidden West.' Sony Interactive Entertainment hide caption Aloy surveys a vista from'Horizon Forbidden West.' Horizon Forbidden West returns to a post-apocalypse brimming with wondrous scenery, bestial robots, and scrappy civilizations that arose a thousand years after ecological catastrophe. It's topped my most-anticipated games list for years -- and I know I'm not alone in saying that its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, is one of my favorite games of all time. Yet, I had some trepidation when I finally got my hands on the game. I didn't have to worry; Horizon Forbidden West surpassed my incredibly lofty expectations. I adored getting to know this outcast who grew up shunned by her tribe. Her driving motivation in exploring the mysteries of the world around her was very internal -- sure, she wants to uncover the secrets of what happened to the Old Ones and their ancient technology, but this journey is much more personal for her.