Is Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West the same game?

No, Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West are separate games – the former released in 2017 and the latter in 2022. While deeply connected as sequels set in the same universe, they feature distinct stories, updated visuals and gameplay, and expanded worlds to explore.

As a passionate Horizon fan who has played both games extensively, I‘m excited to analyze how Forbidden West builds on Zero Dawn‘s foundations while charting bold new territory!

Forbidden West Continues the Story of Zero Dawn

Forbidden West picks up only six months after Zero Dawn‘s climax, as Aloy heads west to investigate a mysterious and deadly blight. Along the way, she continues her overarching mission to rebuild the AI GAIA to heal the ravaged Earth. Fans of the first game will see plenty of familiar faces like Varl and Erend taking on greater roles. While Forbidden West recaps some key plot points, those emotional connections with characters and lore pay off most if you‘ve traced Aloy‘s full journey.

Without that backstory of uncovering Aloy‘s origins, the secrets of Project Zero Dawn, and mysteries like Sylens‘ motives, some reveals in the sequel would lack impact. As someone invested in Aloy‘s world, I was grateful I could dive right in to navigating this new threat!

Here‘s a spoiler-free snapshot of how the two stories connect:

• Zero Dawn focuses on Aloy discovering why she was shunned as a child and what created the robot-animal filled world
• Forbidden West sees Aloy investigating a dangerous blight threatening tribes she‘s grown closer to
• Event in Zero Dawn lead directly to Forbidden West‘s conflict
• Recurring characters like Sylens continue to play major roles

While Horizon Forbidden West strives to also welcome new players, the 40+ hour adventures build on each other narratively in meaningful ways.

Gameplay and Visuals: Upgraded Excellence

From a technical perspective, Horizon Forbidden West represents a stellar evolution from Zero Dawn‘s already impressive gameplay and presentation:

Some of the biggest gameplay changes:

• New underwater exploration and combat
• More traversal options like grapple points and glide wings
• Varied melee moves and abilities for Aloy
• More weapons like spike throwers and bolt blasters
• New "Resolve" resource for unique Valor Surge powers
• More sophisticated machines with new behaviors and weaknesses
• Expanded skill trees and XP system with more flexibility

And the visual leap is astonishing – just look at these screenshots comparing character models along with more vibrant, varied environments:

Source: Rock Paper Shotgun

As someone who values smooth gameplay and visual splendor, Forbidden West delivers materially on both fronts. Ray tracing and enhanced lighting alone are a feast for the eyes!

The Verdict from Critics & Fans

While players‘ opinions differ across the vibrant Horizon community, review consensus and fan reactions indicate Forbidden West improves upon Zero Dawn in areas like combat and exploration freedom while matching its creative heights.

Some aggregated review stats:

Critics praised Forbidden West‘s honed mechanics and massive world while noting some repetitive side content. Fans on forums like Reddit have mixed views on which entry‘s story they prefer, but largely agree Forbidden West features more polished and varied gameplay.

My take – they truly shine together as complementary pieces of Aloy‘s journey, but Forbidden West edges out with quality-of-life upgrades.

What Could Horizon 3 Have in Store?

While the Horizon series has firmly cemented itself as a PlayStation favorite with over 20 million copies sold, Guerilla Games has confirmed plans for a trilogy.

We likely won‘t see Horizon 3 for at least another 4-5 years years. But here‘s what fans like myself hope to see:

• Resolution to some lingering story threads (see you in Horizon 3, Sylens!)
• Even more diverse tribes and cultures
• Underwater exploration/cities
• Flying mounts as playable characters
• Expanded settlement-building mechanics

Forbidden West ups the ante considerably, so I can only imagine what surprises are in store! Its effortless blend of beauty, mystery, emotion, and adventure cement Horizon as a landmark franchise. While much awaits on Aloy‘s path, Guerilla Games continues to surpass expectations and leaves me counting the days until her next chapter.

Let me know what your hopes are for the eventual Horizon 3! Do you prefer Zero Dawn or Forbidden West?