Highlights

  • Horizon: Forbidden West's PC version is optimized incredibly well, providing a close contender to the PS5 version in terms of visuals.
  • The game looks just as good, if not better, on PC compared to PS5, with no visual depth lost, ensuring an enjoyable experience on both platforms.
  • While the PS5 version may have slightly better frame rate and controls thanks to the DualSense functionality, the PC port by Nixxes offers an incredible way to experience the game overall.

Horizon: Forbidden West is finally available to experience on PC, and with that comes questions regarding how the game stacks up against the original PS5 version. Two years after its release, Horizon: Forbidden West now brings the sequel to PC gamers, and in a world where PC ports can be a bit rocky compared to its original console version, Forbidden West has been optimized incredibly well.

There has been a recent trend of Sony exclusives getting PC ports. However, this doesn't always go according to plan. Last year's notorious PC launch for The Last of Us was one of the biggest stories of the year, shining a light on a major problem when it comes to optimizing games for the PC. Despite some PC ports not being fully optimized at launch, there are some ports that are handled incredibly well, and Forbidden West is thankfully one of them.

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Forbidden West's PC Version Vs The PS5

With the Horizon franchise being a Sony exclusive, it's expected that the PS5 version is the optimal version of the game, but the PC port is actually a really close contender. Although it ultimately depends on personal preference, at the end of the day, Forbidden West's PC port may prove to be just as good as the PS5 version.

Visuals On PC VS PS5

One of the biggest upgrades Forbidden West boasts compared to its predecessor, Zero Dawn, is the jaw-dropping improvement in visuals. When Zero Dawn released, it was already visually impressive, but Forbidden West turned everything up to the next level. With visuals being such an important aspect of experiencing Forbidden West, there may be some concern from those who want to play on PC that the game may not look as good. Thankfully, the game looks just as good, if not better, on the PC as it does on PS5. None of the visual depth is lost, allowing the beauty of the game to be fully enjoyed on both platforms.

Frame Rate

When it comes to the frame rate of both versions of the game, they're pretty comparable, but the PS5 is slightly better overall. Both Forbidden West's PC port and its PS5 version can manage quite a steady 60FPS, and although there are frame rate dips in both versions, it seems as though the PC version can experience them more often, especially during cut scenes. Despite this small difference, it's not really a huge issue for Forbidden West, and doesn't make the experience any less fun than the PS5.

One Big Benefit of The PS5 Version

Comparing both versions of the game to each other is difficult because the PC port is quite impressive compared to its PS5 counterpart. However, there is one specific feature that can make the PS5 version more fun, and that's the game's controls. Although it's ultimately subjective, playing Forbidden West with a mouse and keyboard isn't always an ideal way to experience the game. The haptic feedback and overall gameplay in Forbidden West is best enjoyed with a controller, and missing these features can take away some of the magic.

Nixxes, the developer responsible for Forbidden West 's PC port, also had great success with the Miles Morales port, proving that the studio is highly skilled at optimizing Sony exclusives for the PC.

Despite some slight differences that can make the PS5 version a little bit better depending on a player's preferences, Forbidden West's PC port is an incredible way to experience the game overall. From the visuals to the performance, Forbidden West on the PC has proven itself to be a port that has managed to bypass the fate of less than stellar PC port launches. For PC players who have been waiting for the port but are worried about it performing worse than the PS5, Forbidden West is just as fun on this new platform.