Introduction

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition launches March 21, 2024 on PC. Bundling the critically acclaimed base game with the Burning Shores expansion. As a speedrunner, I’ve dissected every mechanical nuance, compared it to its genre peers, and crunched community review data. 88% “Very Positive” over the last 30 days (235 reviews) and 89% “Very Positive” lifetime (15,115 reviews). To distill where this title shines and where it stumbles.

Storyline and World-building

HFW Complete Edition continues Aloy’s epic quest to save a dying Earth, seamlessly weaving the Burning Shores DLC into the narrative tapestry. Compared to The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine or Ghost of Tsushima’s Director’s Cut, Horizon’s sequel excels in vertical exploration and tribal politics. Whereas Witcher’s side arcs often outshine its main story, Aloy’s journey remains tightly focused, balancing emotional stakes and environmental mysteries. Additionally, Burning Shores extends that momentum, introducing fresh threats and allies in a volcanic archipelago that rivals the lush beauty of Valhalla’s Norse realms.

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Gameplay Mechanics and Speedrunning Appeal

Mechanically, Horizon builds on tight bow-and-arrow combat, machine hacking, and traversal tools like the Pullcaster and Shieldwing. For speedrunners in particular, the Complete Edition offers new routing opportunities:

  • Optimized Traversal: Combine Shieldwing glides with Zipline jumps to shave minutes off open-world routes.

  • Enemy Bypasses: Exploit machine patrol patterns to skip combat-heavy sections—similar to Elden Ring’s stealth window techniques.

  • DLC Sequence Breaks: Burning Shores features a mid-expansion warp point that, when paired with intrazonal fast travel, can cut multiple QTE segments.

In contrast to action RPGs like God of War (2018) or Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Horizon’s skill tree favors agility and range, rewarding players who master shot combos and elemental traps. However, some community feedback points to occasional AI pathfinding glitches—minor hiccups for casual play but critical for competitive runs.

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Visuals and Technical Performance

On PC, the Complete Edition unleashes Ultrawide 21:9, Super Ultrawide 32:9, and even triple-monitor 48:9 support. NVIDIA DLSS 3, DLAA, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS deliver scalable performance, though a subset of players has reported sporadic stutters on high-end rigs. When compared to Ghost of Tsushima’s PC port, Horizon offers deeper customization—unlocked frame rates and robust anti-aliasing options. Nevertheless, community reviews cite occasional texture pop-ins on lower VRAM setups. Patches have steadily addressed these concerns, bringing the overall PC experience closer to the polished console original.

Audio Design and Soundtrack

Composer Joris de Man’s score remains a standout, blending tribal chants with orchestral swells that rival the emotional highs of Witcher 3’s soundtrack. Moreover, DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers further immerse players in each arrow draw and machine roar. While not industry-changing in the way Death Stranding’s 3D audio was at launch, Horizon’s nuanced soundscapes elevate exploration—praising long-time fans even as a few reviews mention occasional dialogue volume imbalances.

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Community Feedback and Review Analysis

The “Very Positive” consensus underscores several key strengths:

  • Expansive World: Reviewers love the seamless blend of underwater, desert, and volcanic biomes.

  • DLC Value: Burning Shores is praised for worthwhile story beats and new traversal toys.

  • Performance Tweaks: Ongoing updates have improved stability, earning commendations from PC players.

On the flip side, the most common criticisms include:

  • Repetitive “fetch and kill” side missions.

  • Intermittent frame drops at max settings.

  • Lack of built-in speedrun leaderboards or official time trials.

These insights frame how HFW Complete Edition sits in the pantheon of modern action RPGs—an acclaimed package with minor performance and design quibbles.

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These insights frame how HFW Complete Edition sits in the pantheon of modern action RPGs. An acclaimed package with minor performance and design quibbles.

Comparison with Peers

  • The Witcher 3: Complete Edition
    • Witcher’s deep side stories and card game DLC edges out Horizon in narrative variety, but Horizon’s traversal tools outpace Geralt’s horse and Roach jump.
  • Elden Ring
    • FromSoftware’s open world rewards exploration with hidden bosses; in contrast, Horizon offers more guided objectives and less punishing difficulty curves.
  • God of War Ragnarök
    • Kratos’s story beats land harder emotionally, yet Horizon’s world scale and machine designs feel more original and lend themselves better to speedrun routing.
  • Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut
    • Tsushima’s stealth and swordplay excel, however, Burning Shores introduces more diverse enemy archetypes than Jin’s mythical beasts.
  • Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
    • Valhalla’s raiding missions and settlement management are unique, whereas Horizon focuses on combat puzzles and machine ecosystems.

Conclusion

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition stands tall among open-world action RPGs, marrying Aloy’s compelling narrative to a technically robust PC package. Its 89% “Very Positive” all-time rating reflects broad community satisfaction, while the 88% recent score shows ongoing momentum. For speedrunners and completionists, the DLC’s new routes and traversal gadgets are a welcome addition—especially if you can navigate the occasional performance hiccup. Whether you’re chasing PBs or savoring every story beat, this Complete Edition earns its place in your library alongside the genre’s finest.

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Add Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition to your Steam collection!