In early December 2020, I was completely ready for it. The Playstation 5 had just been launched and I absolutely had to have it. There were many reports about a serious shortage of stock, so I had to act quickly. And boy, was I quick. My cursor flew across the screen like a laser and in no time, I had placed my order. I waited anxiously for an error message, but it didn’t come.
Instead of the dreaded bad news, I received a confirmation email from the supplier. They had placed my order and Sony’s new console would be delivered as soon as possible.
I felt like I was on top of the world. I had done it! I had accomplished the impossible and felt like the chosen one. What was everyone making such a fuss about? No problem, piece of cake. I was as happy as a child and could already feel that new controller in my hands.
Until…
About 6 hours later, the world suddenly looked very different. The supplier emailed me that my order had been canceled after all. They had accepted more orders than they actually had in stock. In addition, they had no idea when they would receive new stock.
There I was. As if life was mocking me, I had in fact received the PS5 controller, which mockingly stared at me every time I walked into the room. To ease the pain, the supplier gave me a 15 euro voucher. Very nice of them, but it didn’t improve my mood.
The console finally came my way a little over two months later. Fantastic! But did I really miss out on that much during those two months? We’re almost 2.5 years further now, and sometimes I get the feeling that it wouldn’t have been a disaster if my supplier still hadn’t had the console in stock. All in all, the offering of Playstation 5 games has been underwhelming.
Some Impressive Titles
Of course, it hasn’t all been doom and gloom. There have been some impressive titles released on next-gen in recent years, such as God of War Ragnarök, The Last of Us Part I, and Elden Ring. However, in this article, I am primarily referring to exclusive games or, at the very least, reasons to actually be happy with the PS5. All the games mentioned are perfectly playable on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Apart from faster loading times, in my opinion, the PS5 has not yet provided the added value I was expecting, or at least not enough added value to justify that 500+ euro price tag.
Playing Cyberpunk 2077 without the terrible frame rate of the PS4 version was one of the highlights. It was still a fairly empty and disappointing game, but I did at least benefit from the switch to the PS5.
Guerrilla released Horizon Forbidden West over a year ago in February 2022, and it’s one of the few games that truly makes leaps forward and benefits from the powerful console. The fact that Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores will be a PS5 exclusive DLC gives me hope that we can expect even more visual spectacle from this game.
After more than a year, Horizon Forbidden West is still the best looking PS5 game out there
When I started up Horizon Forbidden West, I felt like I was truly stepping into a next-gen world for the first time. It was colorful, detailed, and filled with life.
Horizon Forbidden West is the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn and takes place six months later. Players once again take control of Nora huntress Aloy. Aloy is a clone of the Old World scientist Elisabet Sobeck and as such, has access to all sorts of secret facilities and technology.
Aloy is sent on a mission to investigate a mysterious plague that kills everything it infects. She travels through the unknown Forbidden West, which is filled with unfamiliar tribes and hostile machines. The Forbidden West is a beautiful and diverse landscape which almost presents itself as a painting.
The diverse landscape of Horizon Forbidden West
In Horizon Forbidden West, players can not only enjoy the beautiful environments above the water, but also explore the underwater world. Guerrilla Games also introduces the Shieldwing Glider, a kind of technological parachute. With it, you can jump from the highest mountains and peacefully take in the breathtaking surroundings. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights out there.
The Sheerside Mountains are the territory of the Sky Clan of the Tenakth tribe (more on the tribes further down). The mountains in Horizon Forbidden West are detailed and realistically designed. The colors and sounds of the area exude coldness. Aloy shivers regularly and comments on the low temperatures, which all contribute to the immersion. Don’t be a brute and choose a warm outfit for her. Bare belly and arms are certainly not appropriate here. The poor girl has been through enough.
The Base is a place you will visit frequently. As the name suggests, this is the home base of Aloy and her friends. It offers a spectacular view. Under the red glow of the traveling sun, the environments become even more beautiful.
Guerrilla recently announced their intention to improve the clouds and make them as realistic as possible in the upcoming DLC. In my opinion, they are already looking pretty great!
The jungle-like area surrounding Fall’s Edge is both beautiful and ominous, especially at night. The low-lying mist shows something mysterious. In the dark, you can fortunately see the blue lights of the enemy machines coming from afar, which saves you from surprise attacks.
Bright red plants in which you can take cover, provide a beautiful contrast with the rest of the dreary colors.
The desert area is once again controlled by a Tenakth clan: the aptly named Desert clan. Heat and dryness jump off the screen. The world of Horizon Forbidden West has also fallen victim to natural disasters such as the many sandstorms that blast through the area. Aloy appropriately comments on the temperatures, and sweat pours down her face.
Plainsong is the home of the Utaru tribe. Plants and their seeds are sacred to them. The Utaru mainly live in peace. Their territory is cut off from Tenakth territory by the mountains. Plainsong feels like one of the most vibrant areas. Everywhere you look, you see greenery, and you hear the animals around you. If you were in the world of Horizon Forbidden West, this would undoubtedly be a delightful place to call home.
You will discover the remains of Las Vegas in Dunehollow, and assist in reactivating it. The post-apocalyptic world here merges in an interesting way with the technology of “the old world”.
The underwater world in the game is vast. Some quests take place underwater and there is also a lot of loot to be found. Just like above water, you are rarely safe here. There are enough deadly machines swimming around that you better avoid, as Aloy’s fighting skills fall into the water here. Fortunately, there is plenty of seaweed to hide in.
Not only the environments of Horizon Forbidden West are impressive. The character models of Aloy, her friends, and the various tribes are also top-notch.
The tribes
The Oseram are known for their exceptional quality as metalworkers. Their tribe is more technologically advanced than most. They are the only tribe that does not have face paint and does not engage in spiritual stuff.
The Carja are also technologically and militarily more advanced than the others, including the Oseram. The Carja religion revolves around the sun, which they see as their patron deity. The Carja often wear subtle face paint which highlights their eyes.
The peaceful Utaru tribe plays a major role in Horizon Forbidden West. Plainsong is their home. The area is overgrown with plants, which their faith revolves around. The fact that a lot of ground becomes infertile in Horizon Forbidden West, is of course a major trouble for this tribe.
The Tenakth are the biggest occupiers of the west. They are known to be a violent tribe who also often quarrel among themselves, which has led to a bad reputation among the other tribes. They are divided into 3 different clans: the Desert, Sky, and Lowland clans. There are also many rebels among them. All clans often cover large parts of their faces with paint.
The Quen tribe was first introduced in Horizon Forbidden West. They are a technologically advanced tribe that discovered the Focus, giving them access to a lot of ancient knowledge (similar to what happened to Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn).
Let’s hope for more
Horizon Forbidden West’s world and its inhabitants showcase what the Playstation 5 is capable of. When we compare the first games of the previous generation to the games that launched towards the end of that era, the difference in quality is huge. Hopefully, in a few years, we can look back on a successful Playstation 5/Xbox Series X period, but we can say that they are off to a slow start.
The most beautiful games of the previous generation still hold up well against the top games of this generation. For example, The Last of Us Part II is not far behind this game. We have yet to see the true limits of the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X.
