Can You Finish Horizon Forbidden West in 5 Hours?

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

No, it is not possible to complete Horizon Forbidden West in just 5 hours. For the average player focusing on main story content, Horizon Forbidden West takes between 30-35 hours. Even expert speedrunners cannot finish the game in under 8 hours due to certain unskippable cutscenes and transitions.

Breaking Down Horizon‘s Game Length

Horizon Forbidden West is an enormous open world game with a huge amount of content outside of the critical path. Here is how long it takes to finish based on playstyle:

  • Main Story Only: 30-35 hours
  • Completionist Run: 80-100+ hours

These estimations are based on aggregated data from completion time trackers like HowLongToBeat. Of course personal playstyles can increase or decrease these averages.

Speedrunning provides an extreme data point for the minimum possible time. The current world record for completing Horizon Forbidden West stands at 7 hours and 56 minutes (by speedrunner BuffaloBilly). This involves utilizing and combining various exploits and sequence breaks.

Why 5 Hours Is Not Realistic

Could an expert gamer finish Forbidden West in 5 hours? Based on all available evidence, this would be impossible even for the best players.

There are certain unskippable cutscenes and forced walking speed segments in the critical path totaling over 2.5 hours alone. And the main story includes lengthy quests like The Sea of Sands which have completion estimates of 3+ hours on their own.

Factoring in minimum transit times between objectives and very optimistic time allotments for main quest stages, the absolute fastest completion gets close to 8 hours, not 5.

So where does this 5 hour estimate come from? It is possibly confused with the playtime for Horizon Zero Dawn which is closer to 10-15 hours for main story. Or it could be a purely hypothetical best-case scenario not grounded in reality.

The Verdict: No Chance

While games in the Horizon franchise offer an incredible open world experience, they are meant to be slowly savored – not rushed through. Some may try to sprint to credits as a personal challenge, but an actual 5 hour finish is impossible even for routing masters. No matter your skill level, expect a 30+ hour journey even focusing solely on Aloy‘s central adventure!

Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments. And for more gaming guides, news and insights, don‘t forget to subscribe!

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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