2022 was a fantastic year for games. God of War: Ragnarok, Horizon Forbidden West, Dying Light 2, and Pokemon, among many others captured our collective attention. That's not to mention the amazing indie that release this year, as well, such as Signalis, Prodeus, and Citizen Sleeper just to name a few. Across PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation and Xbox platforms, we've collected our highest-reviewed games of 2021 into a "best of" list. 

Since we're a small staff at GameSkinny, going the traditional "staff voting route" doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, as has been the case the past few years. Though it means there are more games here than on other lists, the best way we've found to highlight the best games of the year in 2022 is to include any game with a score of "8" or higher. So that's what we've done. 

The Best Games of 2022

Among Us VR

Image via Innersloth

Publisher: InnerSloth
Developer: InnerSloth
Platforms: Oculus Rift (reviewed), Meta Quest 2
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Simple is an overall theme for Among Us VR. At launch, the game lacks most of the advanced modes and options of the core game and only comes with one map. That said, when the original launched, it was just as limited in scope, and we expect regular updates in VR to make this version just as robust. Even with just the single map, this is a superb Among Us experience. Read the full review here. 

As Dusk Falls

Image via Xbox Game Studio

Publisher: Xbox Game Studio
Developer: INTERIOR/NIGHT
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PC
Rating: 9/10

What we said: There are so many layers that I'll be unpacking for the next several weeks as I wrap on my second playthrough. I likely won't be the only one exploring everything that As Dusk Falls has to offer. It's a stellar entry in the interactive narrative genre that will only be exceeded by what its dev team has planned next. Read the full review here. 

A Plague Tale Requiem

Image via Focus Entertainment

Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Developer: Asobo Studio
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PC, Xbox Series X, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: A Plague Tale: Requiem is an enthralling sequel that makes real refinements to the original. Its narrative manages to feel both utterly crushing and incredibly hopeful at the same time. And the degree of freedom in its gameplay options means there's never a dull moment. Read the full review here. 

Atelier Sophie 2

Image via Koei Tecmo

Publisher: Koei Tecmo
Developer: Gust
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PC, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream is a vast improvement over its predecessor. Borrowing exploration elements from the Atelier entries while keeping its traditional turn-based combat system is a great way to help it stand out within its own franchise. On top of that, the battles have more depth than ever before. Sophie Neuenmuller’s new adventure is well worth it for veterans and newcomers alike. Read the full review here. 

Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium

Image via Capcom

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed), PS4, PC, Xbox One
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Capcom Arcade 2nd Stadium continues in the fine tradition of the original Stadium with a great collection of classic coin-op games. While these retro compilations are largely for the overly nostalgic older gamer, there’s a lot of great action to be had here, especially with friends playing in the same room. Read the full review here. 

Capcom Fighting Collection

Image via Capcom

Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PS4, PC, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: For fighting game lovers, the Capcom Fighting Collection is a treasure trove of '90s goodness. Aside from finally being able to play the Darkstalkers series again, the inclusion of Red Earth, Cyberbots, and others makes this a thoroughly entertaining package. Read the full review here. 

Citizen Sleeper

Image via Fellow Traveller

Publisher: Fellow Traveller
Developer: Jump Over the Age
Platforms: Xbox One (reviewed), Series X, PC, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: With mechanics inspired by contemporary tabletop RPGs, Citizen Sleeper feels fresh, tense, and engaging throughout its 6- to 8-hour run time. Balancing your actions, resources, and story progress is a tight-rope act that's engrossing the further you get into this stellar sci-fi world. Read the full review here. 

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion

Image via Square Enix

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Whether you’re a returning player or you’ve had your eye on Crisis Core in the past, Square Enix has delivered again in its ongoing saga of overhauling FFVII for a modern audience. For better or worse, there are no surprises of the ilk seen in Remake, though I would have happily seen some liberties taken with the events here, even if just to tidy up the game’s finale a little. Read the full review here. 

Dying Light 2: Stay Human

Image via Techland

Publisher: Techland
Developer: Techland
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Dying Light 2 does so much so well. You never know what you are going to get when you venture out into Villedor. Every handcrafted quest and environment tells a story, something that many other games aspire to, but few achieve. The movement is thrilling, the musical score is tremendous, and there is a bounty of good, but optional content. Read the full review here. 

Elden Ring

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Publisher: Bandai Namco
Developer: FromSoftware
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 10/10

What we said: What FromSoftware has accomplished with Elden Ring is staggering. The culmination of more than a decade of trial, error, and success, Elden Ring raises not only the bar for the genre but for FromSoftware itself. It will send a ripple throughout the industry at large, acting as the new standard-bearer for open-world games. If there's more Elden Ring to come, count me in. Read the full review here. 

Evil West

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Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Developer: Flying Wild Hog
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Much like Flying Wild Hog’s flagship series Shadow Warrior, their latest release in Evil West is again an entirely over-the-top and bombastic affair designed to elicit a chuckle as much as it’s meant to appease your lizard brain with its almost non-stop action. But Evil West has done something fairly remarkable by dragging the sort of shlocky, B-tier, 360-era action games into 2022 with basically all of the quality-of-life upgrades you’d expect from a modern title. Read the full review here. 

F1 2022

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Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Codemasters
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC
Rating: 8/10

What we said: F1 2022 is a fantastic racing game and the best Formula 1 game to date. There are some very nice improvements to the gameplay, a smattering of new tracks, and a realistic representation of the changes the sport has seen in the latest season. If you really want to get your hands on the new era of cars and feel how they drive, F1 2022 is a must-buy. Read the full review here. 

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes

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Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 9/10

What we said: I secretly wanted a "golden route" scenario with Fire Emblem: Three Hopes, a resolution to Three Houses' dangling plot threads where maybe everyone could be happy at the end. What Three Hopes actually delivers is so much better; it's a finely crafted expansion that's fresh and familiar at the same time, all with smartly designed tactical combat that stays entertaining in spite of class similarity. Read the full review here. 

Ghostwire: Tokyo

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Publisher: Bethesda
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PC
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Ghostwire Tokyo is essentially what I thought it would be, for better and for worse. It's charming but empty, ambitious but too formulaic, and it's got the most personality of any game I've played this year. I sincerely hope Tango has more Ghostwire in store, either as DLC or a sequel. Despite its issues, there's nothing else quite like it. Read the full review here. 

God of War: Ragnarok

Image via Sony

Publisher: Sony
Developer: Sony Santa Monica
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PS4
Rating: 8/10

What we said: God of War: Ragnarok is the very definition of a great game. Its scope is grand, with a polished presentation that looks and sounds spectacular. While the overarching plot is mediocre, the characters, anchored by some of the best acting performances of the generation, stand out for their depth, development, and empathy. The action is exquisite, further honing a winning combat formula while adding some refreshing variety. Read the full review here. 

Gotham Knights

Image via Warner Bros. 

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: WB Games Montreal
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PC, Xbox Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Gotham Knights is a surprising game. On the surface, it looks like a lesser knockoff of the Batman games that came before, but underneath that rough exterior is a well-crafted action RPG with outstanding co-op, engaging characters, and a story worth taking time to enjoy. Read the full review here. 

Gran Turismo 7

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Publisher: Sony
Developer: Polyphony Digital
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PS5
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Gran Turismo 7 strikes the perfect balance between accessibility and realism in a way that caters to casual players and veterans. It's a gorgeous racing game with a surprisingly addictive gameplay loop thanks to the new Café and Menu Books systems. While some modes are certainly not as strong as others, Gran Turismo 7 checks almost all the boxes of what a driving simulator should be. Read the full review here. 

Hardspace: Shipbreaker

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Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Developer: Blackbird Interactive
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Hardspace: Shipbreaker is an enjoyable physics-based puzzle game with something for everyone. The surgical feel of dismantling ships, the lore, and the mix of beautiful graphics and folksy soundtrack lends itself to an enjoyable time. The campaign story is enjoyable and the cast of characters are relatable if a bit stereotypical. With its 1.0 launch, now is the perfect time to suit up. Read the full review here. 

Hard West 2

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Publisher: Ice Code Games
Developer: Good Shepherd Entertainment
Platforms: PC (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: 2022 is unexpectedly shaping up to be the year of the tactics game. Despite enjoying the preview, I didn't expect Hard West 2 to grab me quite as much as Triangle Strategy or the likes of Tactics Ogre, which is itself getting a remake later this year. However, if you're a fan of strategy at all, it absolutely deserves your attention. Read the full review here. 

Horizon Forbidden West

Image via Sony

Publisher: Sony
Developer: Guerilla Games
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PS4
Rating: 8/10

What we said: I hoped Horizon Forbidden West would shatter expectations and take the series to the boldest new heights. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the sequel, but it’s also impossible to ignore there’s so much material to warrant doing far more than just making prettier, bigger worlds with more breathtaking set pieces. Forbidden West is a very good game. It could just be even better. Read the full review here. 

Infernax

Image via The Arcade Crew

Publisher: The Arcade Crew
Developer: Berzerk Studio
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), Xbox One, Series X, PC, PS4, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Infernax is largely exactly what you'd think at first glance. It's very retro and challenging with simplistic 8-bit graphics and gameplay. Where it excels is taking those old-school constraints and expanding on them to create a gory adventure that feels at once totally familiar but with enough depth to still be interesting and worthwhile all on its own. Read the full review here. 

Kaiju Wars

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Publisher: Foolish Mortals
Developer: Foolish Mortals, Michael Long
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: While Kaiju Wars carries a feeling of familiarity, there’s enough here for it to stand apart from others in the genre. With good pacing, tactical play, and pop-culture moments, there’s plenty of fun to be had with the main campaign ... Add to that the near limitless amount of player-generated content, and Kaiju Wars is a game that emulates its namesake — it's something you can keep coming back to again and again. Read the full review here. 

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

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Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: HAL Laboratory
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Overall, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is exactly the sequel we'd expect. Despite the move to 3D, the gameplay is instantly familiar. While nothing here is anything close to groundbreaking or even innovative, it is a comfortable, casual, all-ages adventure worth taking. Read the full review here. 

LEGO Bricktales

Image via Thunderful

Publisher: Thunderful
Developer: Clockstone Software
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: LEGO Bricktales is a delightful surprise, even with its fiddly controls. Pairing puzzles with LEGOs seems like such a natural thing to do; I'm surprised it took this long to see it happen. And I sincerely hope it's not the last such puzzle game from Thunderful. Read the full review here. 

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

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Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: This creative approach to the tactics genre finally gives the series an identity of its own. It won't be winning any awards for its writing, but Sparks of Hope still manages to be a blast at nearly every turn. Merging tactics, RPG elements, and platforming, the Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is one of the best Mario spin-offs on the Switch. Read the full review here. 

Marvel's Midnight Suns

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Publisher: 2K
Developer: Firaxis
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PS4, Xbox One, Series X, PC, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: It's safe to say Marvel fans who are the slightest bit interested in Midnight Suns should check it out. The writing doesn't work for me more often than not, but if you're just looking to spend some time hanging out with Captain Marvel or Blade while you start a book club or go fishing, then you'll be delighted to find out just how much of that sort of thing is packed into the game. Read the full review here. 

Metal: Hellsinger

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Publisher: Funcom
Developer: The Outsiders
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 9/10

What we said: All in all, Metal: Hellsinger is a short, sweet, and immensely enjoyable experience worth every second of your time. It more than earns its purchase price. I cannot wait to see what the team at The Outsiders makes next because if this outing is anything to go by, they have one Hell of a future ahead of them. Read the full review here. 

MLB The Show 22

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Publisher: Sony
Developer: Sony San Diego
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Ultimately, MLB The Show 22 is a powerhouse like most entries in the series, but it falls victim to the sports-game pitfall of yearly editions: it just doesn't add enough new features. Most long-time fans may not mind that, though if you're looking for an upgrade, this is just another season, albeit a good one. Read the full review here. 

Nobody Saves the World

Image via Drinkbox Studios

Publisher: Drinkbox Studios
Developer: Drinkbox Studios
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Nobody Saves the World is an excellent action RPG with unique progression and class systems. If you come to RPGs for their gameplay rather than their characters or stories, you’re going to be well-served here. Read the full review here. 

Pokemon Legends Arceus

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Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Gamefreak
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: I might have wanted more from Pokemon Legends Arceus, and it definitely deserves more, but I’m so happy with what I got. At last, Game Freak took the imaginative, fascinating world it built all those years ago and decided to build on what makes it special — the sense of wonder and, more importantly, the Pokemon themselves. Read the full review here. 

Prodeus

Image via Humble Games

Publisher: Humble Games
Developer: Bounding Box Software
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: [Prodeus is] still one of the better action games I've played this year, and I can see myself loading it up again whenever I'm in the mood for some stylized ultraviolence. Whatever issues I have with Prodeus become as irrelevant as its storyline whenever I liberate a demon's entire upper half with one four-barreled shotgun blast. Read the full review here. 

Rogue Legacy 2

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Publisher: Cellar Door Games
Developer: Cellar Door Games
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PC, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Ultimately, anyone who played and enjoyed the original Rogue Legacy is going to love this sequel just as much if not more. Everything that made the first game so great is here, though it is all bigger and better than ever before. With a host of new classes, traits, and abilities along with some welcome changes to gameplay mechanics, Rogue Legacy 2 is everything you'd want in a sequel and one of the best roguelikes available. Read the full review here. 

Salt and Sacrifice

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Publisher: Ska Studios
Developer: Ska Studios
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Salt and Sacrifice is a labor of love for its genre, one that will scratch any veteran’s itch for more mysterious worlds to explore. It never reaches the heights of the best Souls-likes but never sinks to the lows of those that attempt and fail to work within the framework. Read the full review here. 

Saturnalia

Image via Santa Ragione

Publisher: Santa Ragione
Developer: Santa Ragione
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Saturnalia uses horror in smart ways to explore social topics – the town’s isolation, resistance to change and to outsiders, and the ugly social beliefs that those things inform. Those facets combine perfectly to make a game that isn’t just horrifying because of the monsters that stalk us in the night. It’s horrifying because of the monsters we make, too – and the things we’re capable of becoming. Read the full review here. 

Serious Sam Siberian Mayhem

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Publisher: Devolver Digital
Developer: Croteam
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Croteam has teamed up with truly passionate Serious Sam fans to make their vision for the game a reality, and it shows. Siberian Mayhem’s new weapons, enemies, and gameplay variations keep the experience fresh while sticking to the roots of what makes Serious Sam so great: ruthless alien-killing action with plenty of puns along the way. Read the full review here. 

Signalis

Image via Humble Games

Publisher: Humble Games
Developer: rose-engine
Platforms: Xbox Series X (reviewed), Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC
Rating: 8/10

What we said: While it’d be remiss of me to discuss some of the specifics that truly elevate Signalis, particularly in terms of the story and its experimental delivery, you can believe that developers rose-engine have made good on their promise. They’ve delivered a top-tier game that marries cosmic horror with altogether more grounded points of conflict. Signalis is a vital experience for anyone who fondly remembers being terrified of vague pixel arrangements of early survival horror games. Read the full review here. 

Sonic Frontiers

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Publisher: SEGA
Developer: SEGA
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), PS5, Xbox One, Series X, PC, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Always fast and sometimes furious, Sonic Frontiers gives me a sense of wonder I haven't had with the 3D portion of the franchise in a decade, and it does so with the sort of flair I want from Sonic Team. It's not perfect, but it is a huge spin dash in the right direction for the Blue Blur. The next game needs to build on what Sonic Team has put together here because this is a formula with long legs. Read the full review here. 

SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash

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Publisher: SNK
Developer: SNK
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 9/10

What we said: SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash was a game I loved dearly at one time and have had a wonderful time coming back to in 2022. Fans of both SNK and Capcom can find plenty of enjoyment here, whether in the gameplay itself or just in the card art — just don't expect the bells and whistles one might expect from a modern CCG video game. Read the full review here. 

Splatoon 3

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Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Splatoon 3 is the most polished version of the concept yet. While it doesn't break any new ground, Splatoon 3 is still a unique joy within the shooter genre. There are the typical Nintendo design quirks built into the online experience, but they don't spoil the thrilling combat loop at the game's heart. More approachable than ever, Splatoon 3 is exhilarating family-friendly mayhem for competitive and co-op gamers alike. Read the full review here. 

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II

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Publisher: Aspyr
Developer: Aspyr
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II is still an amazing game and compelling sequel to one of the best love letters to the fandom. Pushing 20 years old, it is still a contender when it comes to story, mechanics, and audio, though the visuals are slightly dated. The Nintendo Switch port has some issues to be smoothed out yet, but they aren’t game-breaking and aren’t nearly as bad as some of the issues the original game shipped with. Read the full review here. 

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

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Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Team Ninja
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PS4, PC, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is an endearing action RPG that takes careful steps with its reappropriation of traditional Final Fantasy systems. The translation to Team Ninja’s brand of fast-paced combat feels amazing when it’s firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, it’s let down by technical issues and a loot system that actively pushes you away from messing around with its jobs in the way that it so desperately wants. Read the full review here. 

Stray

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Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Developer: BlueTwelve Studio
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Stray takes about five to six hours to finish, but it makes use of that short run time to tell a touching story between a cat and a robot drone. Its controls feel great and impactful, whether you're jumping or running. There’s so much personality to the cat, too: being able to meow on command and do cat things like knocking over items and scratching on walls is a nice touch. Stray is a tightly focused journey that is worth experiencing at least once. Read the full review here. 

Tactics Ogre: Reborn

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Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a thoughtful re-release of a classic that adds meaningful changes to make the experience more approachable in relation to previous installments. Those changes, by and large, are a good thing, but the complexity of Tactics Ogre isn't lost in the process. Diehard fans will likely be happy to hear that, but it would have been nice to see Tactics Ogre: Reborn strive to be even more accessible for newcomers. Read the full review here. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

Imgae via DotEmu

Publisher: DotEmu
Developer: Tribute Games
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), PS4, PC, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge works so perfectly because it’s clear the developers not only love the source material, but understand intrinsically how to recreate that beloved sense of nostalgia in a way that feels both authentic and evolved. This really does come across as a game that could have actually existed in a 1990-era arcade... If you have a soft spot for classic arcade brawlers of the 80s and 90s, Shredder’s Revenge is a damn near perfect homage and sequel to one of the best of the era. It doesn't get much better than this. Read the full review here. 

TemTem

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Publisher: Humble Games
Developer: Crema
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed), PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Temtem may play a lot like Pokemon on the surface, but a suite of tweaks to the battle system, exciting visual design, and heavy emphasis on PvP more than make up for the similarities with it and other monster catchers. While a deeper story would certainly be welcome, Temtem is a unique and rewarding experience for those with the patience to master its intricacies. Read the full review here. 

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story

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Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: I feel like The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story may have been better paced as an actual movie than a game given that the interactive elements bogged down the experience a bit. Even so, everything else about the title shines. The century spanning story is exceptionally engaging and I found myself wanting to continue on to the next chapter to see what happened next. It also helps immensely that the actors bring stellar performances to each case. Read the full review here. 

The DioField Chronicle

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Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed), PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: The DioField Chronicle has some fantastic ideas, even if some of them feel a bit underbaked. This could be the foundation of something ambitious for Square Enix, and if another game could build upon the combat system and narrative style found here, it could really turn into something special ... The DioField Chronicle is easily one of the most unique games of the year and a breath of fresh air in the JRPG genre, even for its problems. Read the full review here. 

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero

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Publisher: NISA
Developer: Nihon Falcom
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Trails from Zero might be missing a few features it could, and maybe even should, have had, but if you've never played it before, don't let that hold you back from giving it a try. This decade-old RPG lost none of its potency as time wore on and remains an essential experience. In short, Zero is a remarkable feat of RPG storytelling and worldbuilding; even 12 years after its original release, little else like it exists. Read the full review here. 

The Quarry

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Publisher: 2K
Developer: Supermassive Games
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: The Quarry isn't exactly the scariest game out there, but horror game aficionados will find plenty to enjoy here thanks to its high-stakes gameplay and fantastic performances from its all-star cast. If that doesn't sound like your type of game, it becomes difficult to justify paying full price for a 10-hour experience. The game certainly doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel, but still manages to provide players with a unique and rich interactive experience on par with that of Until Dawn. Read the full review here. 

Thymesia

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Publisher: Team17
Developer: OverBorder Studio
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Thymesia is one of the best Souls-likes not to come from FromSoftware, full stop. It also stands firmly on its inspirations while finding its own character from within them. It's not perfect, with some of the most valuable aspects (story and level design) being some of its weakest points, but between its stellar boss battles and well-realized combat, there's a lot to love here. Read the full review here. 

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

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Publisher: 2K
Developer: Gearbox
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X
Rating: 9/10

What we said: The game's similarities to Borderlands 3 make it an easy sell for longtime fans of the series who already know what to expect from these looter shooters. Still, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands puts its own D&D twist on things, which makes it a unique experience that can draw in new players thanks to its quirks and wacky gameplay. With an excellent loot system and stellar gunplay, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is easily one of the most addictive and satisfying FPS games in recent memory. Read the full review here. 

Triangle Strategy

Image via Square Enix

Publisher: Square Enix
Developer: Square Enix
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed), PC
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Triangle Strategy has in abundance the three things any tactics game needs to succeed: story, systems, and style. Whatever its shortcomings in character development and pacing in the first half, they're easy to overlook. This is easily one of the smartest and most interesting tactics games to release in years, and one I'll be playing for a long time to come. Read the full review here. 

Tunic

Image via Finji

Publisher: Finji
Developer: Tunic Team
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: TUNIC brings together a gorgeous art style, phenomenal gameplay, and old-school game design baked directly into the way you discover the world, delivering one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played in years. Read the full review here. 

Two Point Campus

Image via SEGA

Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Two Point Studios
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 9/10

What we said: Somehow, Two Point Campus manages to find a great middle ground between easy-to-pick-up gameplay and deep management mechanics. There’s an undeniable, joyful glee in spending hours meticulously placing items, seeing it turn into a massive well-oiled university. As stressful as you might think it’d be to run a school, Two Point Campus is nothing but fun. Read the full review here. 

Vampire the Masquerade: Swansong

Image via Nacon

Publisher: Nacon
Developer: Big Bad Wolf
Platforms: PC (reviewed), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Series X, Switch
Rating: 8/10

What we said: While Swansong shares one of Earthblood's big flaws — both games throw you straight into the deep end of an established and complex setting, which makes them thoroughly inaccessible to newcomers — it's a much more solid project. Its horror is subtle, its puzzles are mostly difficult but fair, and it's got a surprising amount of replayability. Read the full review here. 

Warhammer 40K: Darktide

Publisher: Fatshark
Developer: Fatshark
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Xbox Series X
Rating: 8/10

What we said: Darktide is a fantastic live service co-op FPS that is almost worth every penny. Almost. I love it to death, and it's ramping up to be one of my most played games of 2022, but it's not perfect. It will surely become one of the titans of the genre just like Vermintide and its sequel, but it's got a long way to go. Read the full review here. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Image via Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Monolith Soft
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (reviewed)
Rating: 8/10

What we said: A recommendation for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 comes pretty easily if you're a fan of previous Xenoblade games or just a fan of JRPGs in general. For others, it's tougher due to its complex mechanics and slow early pacing. Regardless, though there are rough edges, XC3 makes up for it thanks to areas of absolute brilliance, and it's a game well worth experiencing. Read the full review here. 

That's it for our list of the best, highest-scored games of 2022. What were your favorite games? Let us know in the comments below! 

I didn’t expect to enjoy Horizon Forbidden West, not during the first hour or so at least. Where Zero Dawn introduces us to a sympathetic heroine who’s alone in the world and unravels a shocking secret, Forbidden West is, initially, the tropiest of sequels.

The Aloy from Zero Dawn is seemingly gone, replaced by a capable hero with an overriding need to find a MacGuffin and an inclination for excessive banter with her traveling companion. The tutorial area is gorgeous but claustrophobic, and the inelegant, noisy section wore at my nerves to the point where I wondered why I was even playing anymore.

There were signs of Forbidden West’s better nature scattered around, though – consoles with glimpses of other important people and organizations involved in the fall, a new exploration tool, and a lead-up to a massive, exhilarating battle.

My feelings warmed toward Forbidden West by the time I scaled a shuttle tower and dropped a rocket ship on a group of robotic snakes – the fate all snakes, machine or otherwise, rightly deserve – and when I faced off against the lone acid-spitting survivor from the brood, I realized I was hooked.

Horizon Forbidden West plays it safe, perhaps a bit too safe for such a huge sequel, but it’s so well designed and fun to play that I don’t mind – much.

Note: Some story spoilers follow.

Horizon Forbidden West: Staying Safe in the Wilds

Things quiet down after the lengthy prologue, which is where Forbidden West’s character finally starts to show. Aloy returns to a familiar location to recoup and figure out where to go next, though things quickly take a turn for the worse. 

Much to the surprise of no one, someone had less than pure intentions in mind when they did [redacted] at the end of Zero Dawn. Aloy’s quest to restore the earth, freeing it from the grip of the red blight consuming all life, now becomes a mission to find [redacted] again and stop them from potentially repeating ancient mistakes – or worse.

The story develops in surprising ways, and the new tribes and locations are exciting additions to a world that felt a bit too planned and predictable the first time around.

Stopping them means a trip out to the Forbidden West, but not before stopping to chat with some old friends, if you want. This social element is a significant improvement over Zero Dawn, where it seems like NPCs only exist to explain how the world worked. Now, they feel like real people with a genuine interest in Aloy, and it's almost always worth seeing what they had to say. 

Only if you enjoy worldbuilding, though. The only disappointment in this regard is how Guerrilla stops just short of turning relationships into a system. Horizon feels like it wants to lean more heavily into its RPG elements, but the choices you make have little effect on the regions you explore or even how Aloy’s friendships develop.

Stepping into the Daunt after bidding the people of Meridian farewell was a thought-provoking experience, in large part because of Forbidden West’s design.

It’s no surprise to learn that Forbidden West follows a fairly conventional open-world format, with vast but sometimes contained areas stuffed with icons, vista points, quests, and other mandatory "Things" laid out in the big book of open-world game design. What’s different is most of it is actually interesting and worth experiencing.

Vista Points are fun little visual riddles that give you a glimpse at how the world changed since the fall. Ruins are full of platforming challenges and puzzles, – including crate-sliding puzzles, much to my dismay – with valuable crafting materials and XP waiting for you at the end.

Side quests in Forbidden West are just excellent, though: well-developed vignettes wrapped around environmental challenges and unique enemy encounters that do more than almost anything else to help make Aloy’s world feel alive.

Not that the world itself is dull. The Forbidden West and its surrounding locales are absolutely beautiful, and there’s some happy symmetry in meandering off to follow a river – the game’s water is stunningly beautiful – and stumbling on a new puzzle or the stomping grounds of some machines whose parts you need. It may be static, but it’s always rewarding and there’s a kind of comfort in just wandering around such a gorgeous setting anyway.

Vertical exploration is just as rewarding but in a different way. Forbidden West has some heart-in-your-throat platforming segments where you’re racing across shaky beams or bridges that you know will collapse, and even though you know you’ll (probably) make it across, there’s always that sense that you could just as easily plummet to your doom.

The Pullcaster is a truly fantastic piece of equipment that makes climbing and platforming even better, letting you reach far-away handholds or launch yourself higher if you need an extra boost.

Aloy is among the greats in terms of agile, mobile video game protagonists, which makes some of the stodgier design choices here even more baffling. She can, somehow, drop down from an old skyscraper at a speed that would make Spider-Man blush and not suffer whiplash after stopping herself with the pullcaster. If you try and grab onto a ledge that’s two inches above her head? Forget it, not unless there’s a yellow hand-hold telling you the area is climbable. 

It’s an odd limitation that encapsulates the broader situation Forbidden West finds itself in. Compared to Zero Dawn, there were fewer instances where I thought, “This could be better in a sequel.” But the ones I did come across still stood out. Combat is one of them, namely Aloy’s skill trees.

There are dozens of new skills in Forbidden West and new weapon techniques to ideally add new ways to take down machines, but I didn’t need any of them aside from the passive buffs. Combat is largely unchanged from Zero Dawn: shoot weak points, set traps, beat with sticks until motionless, repeat. 

You do get some exceptionally fun new toys to throw around, including explosive javelins and, my favorite, elemental blastsling bombs. Outside some of the more impressive encounters with what amount to dinosaurs and elephants, a lot of the skills just don't seem that necessary. Modded spears and the right kind of bow and arrows are still how you win most encounters. And that's fine, for the most part. But I'd like to have seen a bigger evolution of Aloy's abilities instead of just bigger machines and more skills.

Horizon Forbidden West Review: The Bottom Line

Pros

• Excellent continuation of Aloy's story.
• Absolutely gorgeous world.
• Fun, exciting, and challenging open world.
• Exhilarating platforming.
• Still solid combat.

Cons

• It's still the same combat.
• Disappointingly safe design.
• Potential for interesting and more systems, but Guerrilla never explores beyond the surface.

I hoped Horizon Forbidden West would shatter expectations and take the series to the boldest new heights. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the sequel, but it’s also impossible to ignore there’s so much material to warrant doing far more than just making prettier, bigger worlds with more breathtaking setpieces. Forbidden West is a very good game. It could just be even better.

[Note: The writer was provided the copy of Horizon Forbidden West used for this review.]

Aloy has no shortage of abilities, but investing your points in the best Horizon Forbidden West skills as soon as possible makes a significant difference in some of the game’s more difficult encounters. There's a lot to choose from across the six trees: warrior, trapper, hunter, survivor, infiltration, and machine master.

But you'll have plenty of skill points to use as you level up throughout the campaign, and even more if you tackle Forbidden West's side quests. But these are the skills you should aim to unlock first.

Best Horizon Forbidden West Skills for Each Tree

Best Warrior Skills in Forbidden West

The Warrior skill tree is pretty much what it says on the label: a set of skills designed to boost Aloy’s damage output and make fights easier.

Skill: Nora Warrior

Nora Warrior is a basic melee combo, but it’s handy whenever you find that stealth just won’t cut it. With it, small machines go down quickly, and staggering large machines gives you time to either finish them off or get away to heal. Depending on what you choose later, it will also make other abilities viable.

Skill: Melee Damage

Melee Damage is a passive boost is self-explanatory and increases how much damage Aloy deals with her Champion's Spear.

Skill: Melee Detonator

Melee Detonator is a fun skill that makes use of both ranged and melee attacks. Aloy fires explosive arrows that adhere to a target, and they explode when she hits the target with a melee attack. You can use multiple arrows to boost the damage effect.

Skill: Halfmoon Slash

Halfmoon Slash is a kind of charged normal attack that makes chaining combos easier. It’s basic but effective.

Skill: Spinning Scythe

Ideally, you won’t get surrounded by enemies, but if you do, Spinning Scythe is a devastating spin attack that makes it easier to get away while dealing heavy damage to foes in the process.

Skill: Melee Might (Valor Surge)

The Melee Might Valor Surges have more immediate use than the Critical Boost. Even at Melee Might Level 1, you still get a substantial 100% boost to your melee damage for a short period, and at Level 3, you can even knock down targets with strong attacks.

Best Trapper Skills in Forbidden West

Skills in the Trapper tree cover a wide range of abilities and buffs, from increasing the materials you salvage while dismantling traps to boosting the damage your explosives and tripwires do. If you don’t use traps often, feel free to save most of your skill points for another tree. Otherwise, grab these first:

Skill: Quick Trapper

Quick Trapper is essential even if you don’t use traps often. As the name suggests, it decreases the time it takes for Aloy to set a trap. Considering some of them take quite a while to install, this is a significant boon.

Skill: Trap Limit

Prolific trappers should invest in this as soon as possible, since it increases how many traps Aloy can have active at any given point.

Skill: Trap Specialist (Valor Surge)

The Trap Specialist Valor Surge branch is simple but useful. It increases the damage, elemental power, and knockdown effects your traps and wires have – not too much at first, but powerful at Level 3. 

Best Hunter Skills in Forbidden West 

Hunter skills are ostensibly focused on Aloy’s bow attacks, but the tree is more varied than you might initially think. If you plan on using weapon skills frequently, this is the tree for you.

Skill: Concentration

This is a passive boost that increases how long Aloy can remain concentrated, and it’s vital if your battle plan involves targeting weak points and tearing parts.

Skill: Deep Concentration

Deep Concentration is a natural complement to Concentration, as it increases how long Aloy can remain in her concentrated state even further. 

Skill: Valor Surge Master

Aloy’s Valor Surge meter builds up more quickly thanks to this skill, making it vital if you invest skill points in Valor Surges from other skill trees.

Skill: Triple Notch

Triple Notch is excellent for targeting weak points. Aloy loads three arrows of the same type and fires them simultaneously.

Skill: Ultra Shot

If you use a Boltblaster, definitely invest in Ultra Shot. It launches a volley of exploding bolts that have longer range than usual.

Skill: Ranged Master (Valor Surge)

Ranged Master is one of the best Valor Surges period, buffing a number of attributes and even adding a healing effect at higher levels. It enhances ranged attack and weapon stamina recovery, increases weapon technique damage, and restores a small amount of health when Aloy lands a hit.

Best Survivor Skills in Forbidden West

Survivor’s best skills are the Blastling techniques and the ones that enhance Aloy’s medicine pouch. Depending on the difficulty you're playing on, the latter may not matter too much, so feel free to spend points elsewhere. 

Skill: Potent Medicine

Potent Medicine makes berries heal Aloy faster and more effectively, which can prove essential against some of the game’s tougher enemies.

Skill: Medicine Capacity

Medicine Capacity lets you carry more than just 10 berries, so it takes longer to run out of medicine, and you don't have to visit your Stash to replenish (if you're having to heal a lot). 

Skill: Burst Dodge

Burst Dodge is a Blastling technique that fires several bombs while Aloy dodges backwards, making it less likely to get caught in the blast and, of course, helping Aloy retreat to plan a new attack.

Skill: Sticky Bomb

Sticky Bomb is another Blastling technique, one that lets you stack damage. It fires adhesive bombs at enemies that linger before exploding, which means you can lob more than one so they explode in unison.

Skill: Overshield (Valor Surge)

Overshield is easily one of the best Valor Surges in Horizon Forbidden West. As you’d expect from the name, it creates a shield that absorbs damage and, at higher levels, it even deflects attacks.

Best Infiltrator Skills in Forbidden West

Infiltrator skills are best for stealthy players, and considering how quickly you can get overwhelmed in some of Forbidden West's encounters, it's a good idea to invest in these even if you prefer a less subtle approach to conflict resolution.

Skill: Braced Shot

Braced Shot attaches an explosive to Sharpshot projectiles, which makes taking (or knocking) down foes from afar much easier.

Skill: Silent Strike

Silent Strikes are essential for stealth combat, and this line of skills increases the damage and Tearing effects they have.

Skill: Quiet Spear

If you break cover and attack an enemy outright, chances are, you’ll attract more foes to your position. Quiet Spear reduces that likelihood by dampening the sound of combat.

Skill: Stealth Stalker (Valor Surge)

The Stealth Stalker Valor Surge makes it significantly harder for enemies to notice you and doubles the damage you deal to foes you sneak up on.

Best Machine Master Skills in Forbidden West

Machine Master is more limited than you might think given its name. The bulk of the focus is on buffing mount attack and health, so if that's not important to you, invest your points in the other trees.

Skill: Mounted Defense

Mounted Defense keeps you safer while mounted and at the second level can reduce incoming damage by 30%.

Skill: Lasting Override

If you find you frequently lose control of machines, Lasting Override is worth spending some points on. It adds more than a minute of override time.

Skill: Spike Trap

The Spike Thrower is a pretty direct weapon, but Spike Trap adds an element of stealth to it. Spikes turn into traps and arm themselves after a short while, which makes it easier to ambush machines and move to a safer place to remain unnoticed.

Skill: Splitting Spike

Splitting Spike divides your Spikes into multiple projectiles dealing damage in a wide area of effect. Spikes normally just affect one enemy in a restricted area, so this is a handy way of improving their utility.

Skill: Part Breaker (Valor Surge)

Part Breaker is a fantastic choice if you rely on Tear damage and target weak spots, since it boosts both damage types.

That's all you need to know about the best Horizon Forbidden West skills, but make sure to check out our other Forbidden West guides for more tips and tricks.

If you’re looking for the best weapons in Horizon Forbidden West, the answer to that question might not be what you’re thinking. Sure, the Legendary weapons of each type are ideal — that's expected — but they’re also difficult to obtain and can require a bit of grinding to get. Some don't even become available until you've made your way towards the end of the campaign or completed all of the Relic Ruins, for example.

Of course, you should still use Legendaries once you can, but there are plenty of other fantastic weapons for Aloy to wield until you reach that point. We’ve listed some of the best weapons below that aren't Legendaries.

The Best Non-Legendary Weapons in Horizon Forbidden West

As mentioned, we've outlined the best weapons to help see you through the entire game, from beginning to end. While we've noted specific weapons that are ideal to use, we've also included alternatives you can obtain earlier or for fewer materials.

Frost Blastsling or Icefire Blastsling

You’ll get different Blastlings as you progress and complete side quests or visit merchants, but the Frost Blastsling – and any other Blastsling with Frost abilities – is exceptionally useful and one of the game's best weapons. The neat thing is you get this near the beginning of Horizon Forbidden West, and it remains useful well into the endgame even if it is of Uncommon rarity.

Afflicting an enemy with Frost builds up Brittle status, which increases the effects of Impact damage, increasing the viability of regular bow shots, spike throwers, and shredder gauntlets.

Sure, the Frost Blastsling is especially useful against machines weak to Frost damage, such as Scroungers and Rockbreakers, but it can also be useful against other machines, as well. Pair the Frost Blastsling with a strong Hunter’s Bow like the Frost Hunter Bow of Slicing Hunter Bow, and you’ll take down enemies in no time.

There’s a merchant in The Bulwark area that sells the Icefire Blastsling, which adds fire damage and Burn status as well, making this weapon sub-type even more useful.

Prototype Spike Thrower

You could save up for the Explosive Blastsling to deal explosive damage as well, or you could just use the Prototype Spike Thrower. You’ll obtain this by completing the Bigger Boom quest near Chainscrape, and it essentially fires explosive javelins that remain useful well into Horizon Forbidden West's campaign, making it one of the best weapons you can get.

The benefit of using the Prototype Spike Thrower over the Blastsling is you have greater control over the area of impact: you can hit your target directly or lob these explosive spikes into the ground to create traps. I found the Blastlings occasionally difficult to aim, and it’s easy for a machine to walk out of its area of effect. With the Prototype Spike Thrower, if you land the hit, it explodes for big damage and helps rip off armor in the process.

You can get upgraded versions of this weapon as well. I prefer the Pulverizing Spike Thrower since it deals greater explosive and impact damage. You can buy that from the vendor in Thornmarsh.

Another solid choice is the Glowblast Spike Thrower. This one also has explosive impact spikes, but it adds plasma damage as well. You can get it by exchanging medals at The Maw of the Arena after the Opening the Arena quest.

Corrosive Blastsling

We already listed a Blastsling, but this one is just too good to pass up. The Corrosive Blastsling, obtainable from merchants in Thornmarsh, deals Corrosive damage and, more importantly, Purgewater damage.

Purgewater is a new status effect that inhibits machines from using elemental attacks, which is incredibly useful, especially later in Horizon Forbidden West when you face more Thunderjaws, Slaughterspines, and Fire Clamberjaws. You also get Adhesive Bombs as an added bonus, a handy way to negate the Blastling's sometimes difficult targeting; that alone earns it a spot on this best weapons list.

Glowblast Sharpshot Bow

Sharpshot Bows are bland but useful for the most part, as most have Precision arrows only (save a few like the Exacting Sharpshot Bow and Cleaving Sharpshot Bow, for example).

The Glowblast Sharpshot Bow is much different. It gives you Tear and Plasma arrows, alongside the Precision variety, and you can buy it from the Hunter in Thornmarsh. It also comes with good perks in High Ground Damage, Overdraw Damage, and Component Tear. 

There aren't many plasma weapons in Horizon Forbidden West when compared to the other elemental damage types, so this bow comes in handy against machines like Stormbirds and Slitherfangs. It's also useful to have when going into the final missions, where you'll face Specters and Specter Prime. When you hit the final missions, you'll now why this is one of the game's best weapons.

Firestorm Warrior Bow

On the other end of the bow spectrum is the Warrior Bow, excellent at close range and boasting an impressive rate of fire. Completing the Gate of the Vanquished side quest in Scalding Spear earns you the Firestorm Warrior Bow, complete with Fire, Acid, and Shock arrows. It’s a powerful combination that gives you plenty of options for up-close combat. 

Your options are rather limited before that point, but the Frostbite Warrior Bow from merchants at the Bulwark is a good choice. It gives you Acid and Frost arrows. Both of these are solid choices among the game's best weapons.

Ironeater Shredder Gauntlet or Thunderbolt Shredder Gauntlet

The Shredder Gauntlet is a high-risk weapon that rips machine armor off – and might go whizzing past you if you don’t catch it. It’s essentially a deadly boomerang you throw at your target and have to catch on the way back, but there are few better ways for dealing with armor than this.

The Ironeater Shredder Gauntlet is one you can purchase in The Bulwark, and its big perk is dealing Acid damage alongside Pierce damage. The Thunderbolt Shredder Gauntlet is a bit better, though you won’t get it until Thornmarsh. This one deals Shock and Tear damage, giving you another option for different machine types. 

And those are the best weapons of the non-legendary variety in Horizon Forbidden West, at least in our opinion. Check out our other Forbidden West guides for more tips and tricks.

There are 10 Survey Drones to find in Horizon Forbidden West. As with other collectibles, they're spread across the map, with some locations easier to find and complete than others. Collecting one Survey Drone will give you progress to a bronze trophy that requires you to find five different collectibles, but collecting all of them will give you some nice decoration options for The Base's Dome. 

During the Death's Door story quest, you'll unlock the Dome Display in GAIA's chamber in The Base, granting you the ability to collect these Survey Drones flying around the Forbidden West.

To collect Survey Drones, you must jump over to and hang on them to bring them to the ground; damage from arrows, spikes, and other weapons won't penetrate their shields. Once you get close to the ground, Aloy will automatically jump off, and the Survey Drone will continue its descent, letting you loot it — which you must do to complete each module.

This Horizon Forbidden West guide shows you where to find all of the Survey Drones in the game and explains how to get them once you arrive at their locations. 

All Survey Drone Locations in Horizon Forbidden West

Survey Drone Module 024: No Man's Land

The No Man's Land Survey Drone (module 024) is 305 meters south/southeast of Stone's Echo and 474 meters southwest of the No Man's Land Relic Ruin. It is in a Thunderjaw site, so be sure to use stealth or bring Purgewater or Acid weapons. 

Climb the tallest rock being circled by the Thunderjaw, and you'll find a wooden platform on the southeastern side at the top. Wait for the drone to stop in front of the platform, then jump over to it to weigh it down. Loot the Survey Drone once it falls all the way to the ground. 

Survey Drone Module 047: Plainsong

The Plainsong Survey Drone (module 047) is 203 meters northeast of Plainsong in some ruins at the base of a mountain. There is also a Black Box collectible just to the northeast. 

Go into the ruins, and defeat the Scavenger. Then turn left. Use the grapple point on the ruined wall to climb up. Go out to the end of the turret gun, and wait for the Survey Drone to stop in front of it. 

Survey Drone Module 143: Dry Yearn

The Dry Yearn Survey Drone (module 143) is 120 meters northeast of The Dry Year Relic Ruins and 420 meters west/northwest of The Base. It's located in a Shellsnapper site, so be sure to bring Fire and Acid damage weapons with you just in case. 

Climb the rock outcropping on the northwestern side of the Shellsnapper site. There is a wooden platform covered by a shelter here and grapple points on the western side to help you up; there is also a lean-to at the base on the southwestern side. Grab the loot and Greenshine at the top, then wait on the platform for the Survey Drone.

Survey Drone Module 287: The Greenswell

The Greenswell Survey Drone (module 287) is 300 meters north of module 143 in the Dry Year; it's also 745 meters northeast of Scalding Spear. It flies over a Plowhorn site with Plowhorn, Rollerback, and Burrowers. Though, you won't have to contend with them as you have with the other Survey Drone locations.

Once in the area, go over to the cliff on the western side of the road. Face west, looking at the Survey Drone symbol on the map. You'll see a rock outcropping with a spire on the right side. If you have the Sunwing mount, you can use it to drop down on top of the spire, which will let you jump over to the Drone when it nears. 

If you don't, you can climb the mountains just to the northeast by the Campfire and Firegleam. There is a wooded platform overlooking the Campfire, which you can use to jump over to the Survey Drone.

Survey Drone Module 739: Sheerside Mountains

The Sheerside Mountains Survey Drone is 350 meters north of The Bulwark, up against the northern edge of the Horizon Forbidden West map. It's 375 meters northwest of Stone Crest.

Climb the mountainside just east of the Survey Drone symbol on the map, where you see two Tenakth platforms jutting out from the rock. Stop at the first one, and wait for the Survey Drone to appear. Run, jump, and activate your glider to reach it. This is another location where the Sunwing could come in handy. 

Survey Drone Module 678: The Graypeak

The Graypeak Survey Drone is roughly 525 meters northwest of The Memorial Grove, up on the mountain that separates it from the Stand of the Sentinels and the western coast. The Survey Drone is flying above a Slaughterspine site, so bring some Frost and Purgewater weapons just in case. There is also a Stormbird in the area. 

Facing southwest toward the Slaughterspine site from the top of the mountain, head toward the machine site. Just before the cliff drops off into the area with the machines below, look right (west/southwest). You'll see a wooden platform on the edge of the nearby cliff. There are two Generous Supply Caches on it. 

The Survey Drone will eventually fly just below the wooden platform, making this a trickier jump than the others. 

Survey Drone Module 398: Stand of the Sentinels

This Survey Drone is flying around 300 meters southwest of the Stand of the Sentinels Tallneck. It's about 600 meters south of The Greenhouse. 

On the eastern side of the area (east of the Survey Drone symbol on the map), you'll find a fallen tree that will allow you to access the wooden platforms on the trees. Jump from the tree to the first platform, then use the Pullcaster to grapple to the next one, going counter-clockwise. Use your glider to reach the next. Lower the ladder, and climb up the tree to the next platform. 

Cross the two yellow ropes (jump out to the second one; I fell three times trying to just walk out on it). Climb up another tree, then out on a pylon pointing out to another platform. Glide over, drop the ladder, and climb up to the top platform. Wait for the Survey Drone, then run, jump, and activate your glider to grab it.

Survey Drone Module 863: Isle of Spires

Though this Survey Drone shares a name with the Ise of Spires Vista Point, it's clear on the other side of Landfall. It is 115 meters west of Legacy's Landfall. 

Outside of using the Sunwing to get to the top of the building, the best way to approach this Survey Drone is from Legacy's Landfall. Leave the encampment by the primary road, and cross the bridge. On the other side, turn left, cross another bridge, and turn right. You'll see some cliffs with yellow handholds and a grappling point. Use the grapple point, and climb left to another grapple point. Continue left, then jump over the building itself.

Go up the vertical yellow bar, the left on the first horizontal bar (the second will break and you could fall). Then climb the second vertical bar to the top before reaching right to make a long jump to another horizontal bar. 

Once on the roof, jump on the first industrial AC unit on the left (the one with yellow handholds). Then look toward the building and slightly left; pull down the beam on the corner of the building. Jump over, then climb the yellow pipe. 

Grab the valuable loot here, then go to the edge of the building. Turn right, the turn right again. Climb up one more story and left. Walk out on the yellow pipe here, and wait for the Survey Drone to arrive. 

Survey Drone Module 549: Thornmarsh

The Thornmarsh Survey Drone is roughly 175 meters east/northeast of Thornmarsh. It's near a Campfire and a rock sign at crossroads pointing to Thornmarsh and Salt Bite. 

Just west of the Campfire, you'll find a pillar near a large Tenakth effigy of a bird on a tree. Use the Pullcaster to grapple up the pole, then to grapple again over to the tree with the bird effigy. Look southeast, and you'll see another large tree with another grapple point. 

From this spot on the tree, you'll see another perch point/grapple right in front of you on the same tree. Jump over, and wait for the Survey Drone to stop in front of you. Beware: it's easy to misjudge this last jump and fall to your death. Press forward on the control stick, and make sure Aloy reaches out before jumping. 

Survey Drone Module 367: The Stillsands

The Stillsands Survey Drone is about 70 meters southeast of Hidden Ember or 781 meters southwest of The Stillsands Tallneck.

Head to the area, and look for the ruins that look somewhat like a castle; there's a large round tower jutting up from them, and there are embattlements across the top walls. Coming from the western side, you'll see part of the wall beneath the tower has collapsed. Use the grapple point to the right of that rubble to climb up to the top of the wall. 

Now climb up the center part of the tower. At the top, go to the eastern side (facing the tower nearby and the Genie lamp further in the distance). Wait for the Survey Drone to fly over and stop in this area to jump on it.

Return the Drone Survey Modules to the Dome Display

Now that you have all of the Drone modules, return to the Dome Display in GAIA's chamber at The Base. Technically, you can come here whenever you wish after you've collected your first one; the individual Survey Drone quests won't complete until you visit this gadget.

Select one of the modules, and it will display the environment in which the drone was surveying as a background on the dome. Outside of getting one Survey Drone for a trophy ... that's about all you get. But you have the satisfaction of finding all of their locations! For more on Horizon Forbidden West, head over to our HFW guides hub. 

There are nine Relic Ruins in Horizon Forbidden West. Eight are found by exploring the world; one is part of an errand for Stimmur in Hidden Ember. Finding all of their locations is only half the task: each Relic Ruin acts as a large puzzle box that must be solved. 

This Horizon Forbidden West guide walks you through the solution for each of the Relic Ruins puzzles and lays out their rewards. You'll get sizable amounts of XP and skill points, as well as some good loot. Finishing Stimmur's quest gives you a Legendary Shredder Gauntlet. 

What's more, you'll get a bronze trophy for completing three Relic Ruins, as well as gain progress for the trophy that asks you to find five different collectibles. 

All Relic Ruin Locations and Puzzle Solutions in Horizon Forbidden West

The Daunt Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Difficulty: Level 5
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: Let's Get This Started!

The first Relic Ruin you'll come across is in The Daunt. It's located 205 meters south of Chainscrape on the eastern side of the river. 

Facing the Relic Ruins, enter on the left side, where you'll find a crate. Pull the crate south with your Pullcaster. Climb to the second story, and turn left after the locked red door. Jump over to the next building, and drop down inside. Pull the crate that's up and to the left down, then jump to the second story for the loot behind the broken door. 

From the second story, use your Pullcaster to open the vent across the room, then pull down the beam to its right. Jump down, and use the crate to get to the beam. Crawl through the vent, and drop down. Turn around, and use your Pullcaster on the wall. 

Turn back around, grab the loot, and jump down into the hole. Go to the end, and pull down the floor above you.

Return to the crate above, and drop it through the hole. Grab the crate, and place it against the wall with the yellow handholds (near the exit leading up). Climb up, grab the loot, and jump down to the balcony for the key module. Continue down the path, pick up the loot, and climb up. 

Return to the locked door. Input the door code 1705. Grab the loot and the Ornament to complete the Relic Ruin.

No Man's Land Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 10
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: Energy Pit Stop.

The No Man's Land Relic Ruin is 483 meters southwest of Barren Light and 722 meters southeast of Plainsong. You'll need the Igniter to complete this Relic Ruin, which you receive during the fifth story mission, Death's Door.

Facing the locked door at the front of the building, turn left and go through the Relic Ruins to the southwest. When you exit, turn right. You'll see a crate and a vent cover. Pull the crate to you, and use it to climb onto the roof of the section you just passed through. Ignite the Firegleam, pick up the loot, and drop down. 

As soon as you do, look left. Use the Pullcaster on the wall, then go through it, and turn right. Continue right, and ignite the next Firegleam on the right. Then go inside the hole to pick up the empty Energy Cell from the shelf. Carry the Energy Cell back into the room you just broke out of, and place it in the charging terminal on the right side of the room.

Climb the ledge above you (where you originally entered) via the grapple point on the right side. Face the locked red door, and position yourself directly in front of it, between the tree branches and vines coming from the roof. Use your glider to get to the other side. 

Go into the room on the left, and grab the crate. Push it down to the floor below, then over to the charging terminal. Remove the Energy Cell, and place it on the crate. Use the crate to move the Energy Cell across the water. 

Place the Energy Cell into the power terminal. Use the crate to climb back up to the locked door using the ledges on the right side of the room. Enter the door code: 2204 to get the Ornament and complete this Relic Ruin.

Restless Weald Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 15
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: Weekend Getaway. 

The Restless Weald Hotel Relic Ruins is 487 meters northwest of Plainsong and 444 meters north of the Plainsong Vista Point.

Facing the Relic Ruins looking northwest, with the Campfire to your back, go to the northeastern side of the Relic Ruins to find an old train car. Go to the northeastern side of the train car, pulling it away from the Relic Ruins until it stops.

Use the yellow switcher next to the tracks to make them straight. Pull the train car along the northern side of the Relic Ruins until it stops. Use it to jump up to the second floor. 

Grab the supplies, then cross the yellow rope to grab the Depot Office key. Look left and down; shoot the ladder to lower it, then jump down. Use the handholds and ladder to get up to the locked red door.

Use the key, and enter the door code: 1923. It's the year the building was constructed and written across the southern side of the Relic Ruin. Jump through the door to use the zipline. Turn left to pick up the loot when you land, then ignite the Firegleam on the back wall.

Exit, and pull the train car all the way back, switch the track, and pull it into the Relic Ruins (stop outside to grab the Greenshine on the roof). Use it to get to the second floor, grabbing the loot on one side and the Ornament on the other, completing this Relic Ruin.

Dry Yearn Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: Level 15
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000Xp, 2 Skill Point, Ornament: Stanfort Days.

The Dry Yearn Relic Ruin is 463 meters west of The Base, 309 meters north of Arrowhand, or 437 meters east of Scalding Spear. You'll need to have first completed the Seeds of the Past story quest.

You can find the entrance to the Relic Ruins on the eastern side by the Campfire. Enter and use your Vine Cutter on the Metal Flower on the left. Go through the opening, and pull the crate out. Push it to the far end of the corridor under the platform, then jump up and use the crank to open the blast door.

Go through the blast door before it closes. Turn right, and pull down the three beams on the wall. Now go to the end of the area to break open the rubble wall; grab the loot on the right just before the rubble. Pull the train car to the blast door, then climb up the blast door using the handholds. Jump back across the beams to grab the Repository Maintenance key.

Open the locked red door (no code this time). Inside, turn left and open the air vent. Ignite the Firegleam, then open the blast door again. Pull the train car halfway through to hold up the blast door. Climb the car, then the handholds. Aim for the beams on the right wall, jump backward and activate your glider to reach them. Hop over and grab the Ornament to complete this Relic Ruin.

Open the blast door again and pull the train car to the end if you want to get the Greenshine near the entrance. 

The Stillsands Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 20
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: Go Big 

The Still Sands Relic Ruin is 170 meters northeast of Hidden Ember or 1,072 meters southeast of The Memorial Grove. 

Climb to the roof on the southeast side, then go to the north side to find an open section of the building. Repel down. go up the curved staircase in front of you, just to the left. At the top, go past the crate, and pull down the loot container up and to the left. Then follow the path right to get the loot and Greenshine on the back wall. Return to the crate, and push it down. 

Push it back toward the repel point, then activate the Firegleam in front of you. Push the crate through the new opening, and use it to climb up to the metal platform. Grab the loot, and then turn the valve.

Jump down, and put the crate in the drain hole so the water rises. Now swim back out into the main area and to the eastern side, where you can pick up the Store Key module. Continue up to grab some loot and scan a Data Point. Go to the locked red door, and use the key (again, no door code this time). 

Pull the new crate out, and push it into the water; use it to get to the level above the door for some loot. Jump into the water, and swim back to the drain room. Turn off the valve, and pull the crate out of the drain hole using the Pullcaster. 

Go back out into the Relic Ruin's main area, and push the other crate all the way to the end (south side). Return to the drain room, turn on the water, and plug the drain. Then swim all the back to the south end. Use it to climb up the wall and through a crack in the ceiling to get the Ornament and complete this Relic Ruin location.

Runner's Wild Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 20
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: A Church? Really?

The Runner's Wild Relic Ruin is in the valley 884 meters northwest of Scalding Spear and 858 meters southeast of The Bulwark. 

Enter the Relic Ruin via the open western side. Use your Pullcaster on wall on the left. Go through the opening, then turn left to climb over the wall to the locked red door. Turn right, and jump down into the area to the right of the ramp leading up. Turn back toward the door, and pull down another wall. Turn around, and ignite the Firegleam. 

Pull the crate down on the other side, then move down the corridor you've just created. Stop at the end (don't push it left), and use it to climb the wall with the yellow handholds on the right to reach the roof. Grab the loot and Greenshine here, then push the crate down, through the gap forward and right. Now drop down, and put one crate on the lowest floor and the other crate on top of it.

If your crate gets stuck here, reload from your last save to reset them.

Push the crates to the northeast corner, inside the tower to the left of the broken ladder. Use them to reach the handholds leading up. Get the Altar Room key to open the locked red door. Grab the loot on the right side, and pull the wall down on the left. Push the crate stack to the new hole in the wall, and pull the top one off. Push it up the ramp to the tower, then climb the tower here to get the Ornament in this Relic Ruin. 

The Long Coast Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 25
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: The Bill

The Long Coast Relic Ruin is 310 meters northeast of Thornmarsh and 884 meters south of The Stand of the Sentinels Tallneck. 

Enter the Relic Ruin through a hole in the western side. Pass the power terminal, and turn around. Use the grapple point to get to the ledge, and open the loot crate to the left. Climb up the tower to the top. Open the loot crate, and go around to the north side. You'll see two yellow beams sticking out over the main area below and a crate down in the distance. There's a Greenshine on the lower roof to the left, but you'll have to climb back up if you get it. 

Glide over to the crate. Turn around when you land to ignite the Firegleam. Grab the loot in the container opposite the crate, then push the crate through the hole and down to the main area with the power terminal. Don't jump down. Instead, turn right to follow the path across to an Energy Cell in a charging terminal. Take it out, and put it in the power terminal. 

Push the crate into the elevator, and remove the vent in the ceiling. Go back to the auditorium where you got the first crate. Use the grapple point on the lights across the water to reach the other side. Drop down, and go up to the metal platform on the left side. Grab the loot, then use the yellow handholds on the red trusses to go right and drop into a room with a Firegleam. 

Go through the hole, and turn around. Through the lower crack in the wall in front of you, you'll see a switch sparking. Use the Pullcaster to pull the switch. A light truss will move around to you, above and to the left. Use the grapple hook quickly to latch onto it, then jump back to the platform behind you. Push the crate down, then across the water and into the elevator. 

Take the elevator up, and pull one of the crates out. Then take the elevator back down. Climb through the hole in the roof and back up to the second floor; push the crate you left there on top of the elevator. Now, take the elevator back up. Use the crate on top of the elevator to reach the handholds in the shaft and the Ornament at the top of the Relic Ruin. 

Isle of Spires Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 30
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 5,000XP, 2 Skill Points, Ornament: Golden Toucans

The Isle of Spires Relic Ruin is 346 meters southwest of The Digsite and 414 meters southwest of Legacy's Landfall.

Start by climbing the Relic Ruins on the north side (across from the Widemaw site); there are dozens of handholds and a few grapple points leading you up several stories. Once on the metal platform, follow it around the right side of the building. 

Go inside and past the elevators with the power terminal. Wrap all the way around (going right), passing the room with the Energy Cell. Turn left at the end with the desks and chairs, and go past the room with the charging terminal. In the next room, turn left, and look up. Pull down the vent before crawling through. You'll drop down into a room with a Firegleam; ignite it. 

Now get the Energy Cell from the rack, and charge it in this terminal before placing it in the power terminal at the elevators (make sure you run with it). Take the elevator down, and ignite the Firegleam to make a quick exit to the Campfire if you want. 

Otherwise, pull the crate opposite the Firegleam out of the water. Move it to the right side (by the elevators), and push it in the water. Swim across to the Metal Flower, and destroy it. Then pull the crate toward you. Jump on the crate, and turn right. Shoot through the gap in the wall to drop the ladder on the other side. Exit through the gap opened by the Metal Flower. 

Swim to the ladder, and climb a short way. Jump to the room behind you to get the Main Office Key module. Aloy will mention she needs the two-part code for the door, but we have it (it's higher up above the door if you want to get it yourself). Go over to the bottom red door in the Relic Ruin lobby and enter the door code: 2109109. You're finished with all but one Relic Ruin.

Night of Lights Relic Ruins

• Relic Ruin Level: 22
• Relic Ruin Rewards: 4,771XP, 1 Skill Point, Ornament: Gizmo, Ancestor's Return (Legendary Shredder Gauntlet)

At the end of each Relic Ruin, Aloy mentions going back to Las Vegas to learn more about the Ornaments she finds. Now that you have all of them, it's time to return to Hidden Ember and speak with Stemmur to receive the Night of Lights Errand. You could take this Errand earlier and return with more ornaments later, as well. 

Use the elevator in Hidden Ember (on the second story) back down into Dunehollow, where you fought the Tideripper during the Sea of Sands story quest. If you haven't already, you can also get the Dunehollow Vista Point while you're here. 

When you reach the Relic Ruin, go to the locked red door, and enter the door code: 739135.

If you decide to climb higher in the building, use the grapple point to the left of the door, then jump to the landing to the left. Go up the stairs, grab the loot at the top, and scan the Data Point to your left. Then hop through the open cage to the right of it. 

Drop down, and go right. Jump into the cage by the door, turn left, and pull the top crate in front of you toward you. Then hop down, and pull the bottom crate out of the same cage, moving it to the left side of the ramp and against the ledge. Now go back to the same cage on the left side, and pull the other crate down. Pull it up the ramp and put it on the other crate, then move both to the cage in front of the ramp. 

Jump up, and then down on the right side. Move the next crate to the left so it falls down to make a path. Open the vent cover on the floor. Drop down, and go through the vent, grabbing the loot along the way. Open the vent at the end, and turn right. Break down the wall, then scan the Data Point in the next room, grabbing the loot on the back shelf. 

Go back outside, and jump over the edge. You'll be back in front of the building. Use the door code, grab the Ornament, and return to Stemmur to complete this Relic Ruin.

When you return to Stemmur, the quest will be complete. Choose a light show to mark one of nine holidays:

• Bodhi Day
• Eid al-Fitr
• Christmas, St. Patrick's Day
• Easter
• Valentine's Day
• Halloween
• Chinese New Year
• New Year's Eve

And those are all of the Relic Ruins in Horizon Forbidden West and how to solve their puzzles. For more guides, head over to our HFW tips hub.

As you explore the Horizon Forbidden West map, you'll come across various areas locked behind green vines with metal leaves. Somewhere in the vicinity, either in front of them or behind a nearby locked door, for instance, will be a glowing blue node in the shape of a pyramid. These nodes are called Metal Flowers, and you may be wondering how to destroy them to get the loot or collectibles they protect.

This Horizon Forbidden West guide will tell you how to destroy Metal Flowers and where you'll get the tool to do so: the Vine Cutter. Technically, you're overriding them, but we won't get bogged down in semantics. Read on to learn more.

How to Get the Vine Cutter in Horizon Forbidden West

Similar to Firegleam red crystals, you can only destroy Metal Flowers with a piece of Legendary special gear: the Vine Cutter. However, you won't get this gear until much later in Horizon Forbidden West.

During the 12th campaign mission, Seeds of the Past, you'll need to infiltrate Test Station Ivy in order to retrieve the Demeter subordinate function. After going through the tunnels, reaching Test Station Elm, and fighting the terrifying Dreadwing, the data core you're after is almost within reach. However, a Metal Flower and its vines block the way.

Eventually, you'll reach a Holoprojector where Aquino talks about combating the increasingly menacing machine presence in the past, and what the researchers are doing to curb it. After this bit of lore, you'll get the blueprint for the Vine Cutter. Follow the objective marker to the workbench, and craft it.

You'll then be able to destroy the Metal Flowers blocking your way forward, which serves as a tutorial for the rest of the Metal Flowers found around the map.

How to Destroy Metal Flowers in Horizon Forbidden West

Hit the Metal Flower three times, either with a light or heavy attack, and it will open up. Then a prompt will appear, telling you to press R1 to install the Vine Cutter module. Once you do, there will be a short animation where Aloy shoves her Champion's Spear into the center of the Metal Flower, causing the vines to disintegrate and disappear. 

Metal Flowers often hide valuable loot and crafting items, though they sometimes protect other collectibles like Black Boxes. You can find them on the map represented by what looks like a canister titled right, not an actual flower. If you've already activated all of the Tallnecks and still have question marks on the map, it's likely some are Metal Flowers.

But that's about all you need to know about how to destroy metal flowers in Horizon Forbidden West. With the Vine Cutter in hand, you're free to seek more of the mysteries of the Forbidden West. to help you on your journey, we have more guides over here.

As you make your way across the Horizon Forbidden West map, you'll come across locations locked behind red crystals with what looks like flowers or fungus growing on them. These are called Firegleam and initially, you won't be able to destroy them with any of the weapons or gear you have. You'll need a special item to unravel their secrets. 

This quick Horizon Forbidden West guide will tell you everything you need to know about Firegleam red crystals and how to destroy them.

How to Destroy Firgleam Red Crystals in Horizon Forbidden West

The item you need becomes available during the fifth campaign quest, Death's Door. Here, you'll meet up with an old friend (name redacted for spoiler purposes) in your search for GAIA. About a quarter-way through the mission, you'll arrive at the Latopolis facility, which has a gene-locked door. Behind that, you'll be met with red crystals, yet another Firegleam blocking your way forward. 

However, your friend has a piece of special Legendary gear that will help you get around the Firegleam: the Igniter. The next steps in Death's Door will ask you to acquire two materials to craft it. You'll need x1 Leaplasher Spark Coil and x1 Deepwater Kindle Weed Oil. 

Both of these crafting materials can be found just outside of the facility. Leaplasher are on a berm just southwest of Latopolis. They are weak against Purgewater damage and strong against Shock damage. Deepwater Kindle Weed can be found in the waters along the coastline. Both of these should be highlighted with objective markers.

Once you've gathered your crafting materials, head back to the workbench just outside of the facility's entrance. Scroll down to Special Gear, and craft the Igniter.

How to Use the Igniter to Destroy Red Crystals (Firegleam)

Go back into Latopolis, and approach the red crystals on the door. A prompt will appear telling you to hold R2. Once you do, Aloy will shove her Champion's Spear into the Firegleam. At this point, you'll need to run away: the red crystals will ignite and explode.

This same process works everywhere else there are Firegleam red crystals, such as in The Daunt and in the Shining Wastes. Again, just be sure to back far away from them once you use the Igniter; the blast from the red crystals can knock you off ledges and cause fairly significant damage. 

But that's about all you need to know if you're wondering how to destroy Firegleam red crystals in Horizon Forbidden West. Most of these obstacles hide valuable loot and crafting materials, so they're always worth exploding when you come across them. For more tips, consider heading over to our primary HFW guides hub.

The flying mount in Horizon Forbidden West is one of the best ways to get around and reach previously inaccessible areas. Not only that, but it also allows you to survey machine sites and rebel outposts to create more unique paths into hunting and combat encounters. To take to the skies, you'll need the Sungwing override, though you won't get that until near the end of the campaign. 

This short Horizon Forbidden West guide will tell you how to get the Sunwing flying mount, as well as explain how its mount controls work, as they're a bit different than those for the land mounts.

Where to Find the Sunwing Flying Mount in Horizon Forbidden West

The campaign mission in question is The Wings of the Ten, the second-to-last mission in Horizon Forbidden West's campaign. During this quest, you'll be required to craft the Sunwing flying mount override, which you pick up during the Gemini mission at the eponymous Cauldron.

The Sunwing flying mount override is one of a handful of corrupted machine overrides that require repair at the Fabrication Terminal at The Base (you can see a full list via the link above). But don't worry: The Wings of the Ten leads you through all of this, and it's unmissable. 

Once you unlock the Sunwing override, you'll summon the flying mount to move forward in the quest, and you'll use it to unlock the Shining Wastes Tallneck along the way.

The flying mount acts similarly to Horizon Forbidden West's three other machine mounts, though there are a few notable differences. The Sunwing has its own mount call, and it can be called from anywhere at any time, even if you already have a land mount with you.

Further, the Sunwing flying mount will swoop down to pick you up the first time you call it, putting you on its back and flying off automatically. Any subsequent uses of the Sunwing Mount Call without fast traveling will see it descend and land near you.

Sunwing Flying Mount Controls

These are the default controls for the flying mount:

• Mount/Dismount: Square
• Ascend: R1/pull left stick back in flight
• Descend: R2/push left stick forward in flight
• Hover: Press/hold nothing after stopping
• Glide: Press hold nothing after speeding up
• Speed Up: X
• Slow Down: Circle
• Grab/Drop Energy Cell or Barrel Roll: Triangle

That's about all you need to know about the flying mount in Horizon Forbidden West. The Sunwing is great for getting around areas without campfires quickly, as well as reaching some of the highest points in the game. It's also useful for nabbing the Completed a Long Glide trophy, which asks you to glide uninterrupted for 60 seconds. For more tips and tricks for HFW, head over to our guides hub. 

The Diving Mask in Horizon Forbidden West is an essential piece of special gear that will allow for underwater breathing, letting you explore some of the game's most out-of-the-way locations. Early in HFW, it's likely that you'll come across Sunken Caverns in The Daunt and elsewhere. But you can't fully explore them until you obtain this item later in the campaign. 

This short Horizon Forbidden West guide will explain how to get the Diving Mask, as well as why it's important to pick it up — for more than just underwater breathing. 

Where to Find the Diving Mask for Underwater Breathing in Horizon Forbidden West

Getting the Diving Mask is part of the main story, and it's unmissable. You'll get this piece of Legendary Special Gear automatically during The Sea of Sands story quest.

Morlund at the Tower of Tears in Las Vegas will ask you to help modify his breathing apparatus; of course, you should oblige since it ultimately gives you the Diving Mask. You'll need to get 1 Machine Knee Cap, 1 Synthetic Membrane, and 1 Compressed Air Capsule, all of which are objectives in the mission.

Aside from helping Morlund, you'll need the Diving Mask to get into the underwater facility and grab the Poseidon subordinate functions for GAIA. It will allow you to breathe without the need for oxygen. 

Not only is the Diving Mask good here, but it will also let you access the deeper portions of the Sunken Caverns found around the world map. These are full of valuable loot and Greenshine Fragments and Greenshine Clusters, important crafting materials used for upgrading weapons and outfits. 

Lastly, having the Diving Mask is required for completing Cauldron Kappa in the northwestern portion of the Forbidden West. Sure, you don't have to complete this Cauldron, but you'll get some neat machine overrides, tons of rare, very rare, and legendary crafting mats, and progress toward a silver trophy (if that's your thing). 

A final note: The Diving Mask works automatically for underwater breathing. You don't have to equip it after you've crafted it, and you don't have to press any buttons to get it to work. Just dive in, swim, and explore. Now that you know how to get it, you'll be plundering caves all over the world map. For more tips, head over to our Horizon Forbidden West guides hub right here.

There are a handful of codes you'll come across as you venture through the world of Horizon Forbidden West. The first code you'll likely encounter, unless you've been delving into the various ruins in The Daunt or the lands beyond, is for a locked red door. This shows up while you're in the bunker during the Death's Door story quest. 

After you use the power core in the facility for the first time, you'll need to eventually move a crate out of the way to continue forward. Afterward, you'll need to activate a Firegleam with the Igniter to retrieve the power core and use it again.

Soon, you'll do some (pesky) platforming across the facility's flooded area; be sure to explore this area since it's filled with loot. Eventually, you'll activate yet another Firegleam and enter a hazy, purple-lit room with a desk in the middle.

This is where the red door is located (note, I've already unlocked it in the screenshot below). To open the red bunker door, you'll need to input a code in the terminal just left of it.

If you want to find the red door code yourself, head into the room opposite the door. Enter, and turn left to find a datapoint. Scan the data point, and open your Notebook. Scroll to Text Datapoints and select the entry called Bad Urges. Read it for the code.

If you'd rather just know what it is and not worry about the datapoint at all, the red door code in Death's Door is 7482. Punch it in to the terminal and continue on with the mission to retrieve GAIA's backup. 

That's it! Now that you have the red door code, you're almost at the access console and what you're after. Death's Door is almost complete. For more Horizon Forbidden West guides, head over here. 

Horizon Forbidden West fast travel is a bit different than in the original game. While you can still use packs you've purchased, found, or crafted, you can also zip around for free without a golden ticket.

Now, you can fast travel between discovered campfires for free, while packs allow you want to transport to campfires anywhere on the map from anywhere on the map. Here’s how it works.

How to Fast Travel in Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Forbidden West only lets you fast travel to campfires, but there’s no shortage of them scattered around the world. All settlements have one. They appear near points of interest. And they are, frankly, everywhere on the map: one the side of the road, in the wilds, on top of mesas.

In short, you’re never lacking for an anchor if you need to revisit previous areas to upgrade weapons and outfits at a workbench or farm machines for crafting supplies.

The change is in how you actually get around. Aloy can fast travel from any campfire to any campfire she’s already visited, and there’s no cost. All you need to do is approach the fire, press “Circle,” and choose the campfire you want to visit from the world map.

Campfires found at places called Shelters have stools nearby that let you pass the time of day; not every Campfire is at a Shelter, though. You can sit down and choose to continue either in the morning, afternoon, or night, though the feature doesn’t unlock until a few hours into the HFW.

Both actions are free, but the downside is you can only travel for free from a campfire. If you’re in the wilds and need a quick way back to a settlement, it’ll cost you.

How to Get Fast Travel Packs in Horizon Forbidden West

You can craft or purchase Fast Travel Packs, and they’re good for just one use. Most merchants in the wild and in settlements have these for sale, though they cost 25 metal shards. Metal shards are hardly scarce, but you have much better uses for them than buying Fast Travel Packs; you'll need plenty if you want to fully upgrade multiple armor sets and weapons.

The alternative is crafting them. Crafting a Fast Travel Pack requires 3 Wild Meat and 10 Ridge Wood, both of which you can find in abundance in most areas. Wild Meat comes from boars in particular, and Ridge Wood – what you use to craft your arrows – is almost literally everywhere; it looks like small, dead trees with no leaves. You can hold 50 Fast Travel Packs at one time.

Fast Travel Packs let you travel from anywhere on the map (except if you’re falling or in some story sequences) to any campfire you’ve visited before. You can also warp over to some locations you've discovered, such as Ruins, Tallnecks, and Melee Pits. Just open up the map, hover over a campfire, and press R2. The game will ask you if you want to use a Fast Travel Pack, and you can confirm or change your mind.

That’s all you need to know about fast travel in Horizon Forbidden West, but make sure to check out our other Horizon Forbidden West guides for more tips and tricks.

The Dying Lands is the sixth story quest in Horizon Forbidden West. As you make your way through the mission, you'll eventually reach a location called Repair Base: Tau. This area is very similar to the Cauldrons spread across the game's open world. After defeating some enemies, you'll have to activate pillars to move forward, but knowing how to do so may not be clear. 

When you reach the room with the pillars, Aloy will mention that shooting the gears may lock them into place to create a path up. Look for the gold, diamond floor switch on the ground in front of the pillars.

Stand on that, and the pillars will rise. A node on the rotating portions will then light up when it's in the proper position. Shoot it with an arrow to lock it into place; when done properly, the pillar will make a noise and lower slightly. Repeat that for all three pillars, and climb up to the next section. 

At the top of the next area, go left to find another diamond floor switch on the ground at the end of the path. There will be a diamond window in the wall to the right. Smash through that to find a large crate.

Push the crate through the force field on the right. If it won't go all of the way through, go on the other side of the shield and use your Pullcaster. Push the box onto the floor switch.

The two pillars on front of the floor switch will rise, and you'll be able to shoot them the same way as the ones before, locking them into place to create a path to the other side. Once across, there's another floor switch and a third set of pillars. Simply stand on the switch, and shoot. The only difference here is that the sections rotate faster than the other two sets.

And that's how you activate the rotating pillars in Repair Base: Tau during The Dying Lands quest. We've got more Horizon Forbidden West tips and guides right over here.

Finding all of the Cauldrons and their locations in Horizon Forbidden West gives you access to machine overrides that can be useful both in combat and in exploration. Reaching the Core of a Cauldron and interacting with it rewards you with machine overrides, allowing you to turn machines to your defense or act as mounts. 

There are 6 Cauldrons (plus Repair Bay Tau) spread across the lands of the Forbidden West. You can uncover their locations yourself by playing through the campaign and activating Tallnecks if you want. Once you've overridden all of the Cauldron Cores, you'll not only get all machine overrides but also the First Core Overridden bronze trophy and All Cores Overridden silver trophy. 

Remember: You can't leave a Cauldron until you complete it, so come prepared. The game will warn you before going too far. What's more, the Notebook entries for each of the machines show which Cauldron to complete for their overrides on the left side of each entry.

Finally, some of these overrides will be corrupted, and you'll have to repair them at the Fabrication Terminal at The Base. More on that below. 

Where to Find All Cauldrons for Mount Overrides in Horizon Forbidden West

Repair Bay Tau

Ok, so Repair Bay Tau one isn't technically a Cauldron and doesn't count toward the trophy, but you'll go here during The Dying Lands quest and unlock overrides for a few machines. Repair Bay Tau also gives you access to the Fabrication Terminal in The Base. You'll need this later to repair corrupted overrides you find at other Cauldrons.

Consequently, the overrides you pick up in Repair Bay: Tau are entries for:

• Bristleback (corrupted)
• Plowhorn (corrupted)

To use the Fabrication Terminal in The Base's Lab (located on the western side of the hub), interact with it, and "pay" the required parts for each machine. These parts are always from the machines themselves. 

Cauldron MU

Cauldron Mu is likely the first Cauldron you'll access in Horizon Forbidden West (unless you've gone straight through the story and accessed Tau and Gemini); the rest are locked by the story beyond this point.

Its map location will show up during the Death's Door story quest; you don't have to climb to the top of the nearby Tallneck in Cinnabar Sands to ping it. If you're having trouble finding Cauldron Mu, it's about 625 meters southwest of the Cinnabar Sands Tallneck, nestled up in the mountains below a black, inaccessible spot on the map.

When you make it to the Cauldron Core, you'll fight 2 Widemaw, who are weak to Purgewater damage and strong vs everything else outside of standard kinetic or melee. You'll get these overrides for completing the Cauldron:

• Burrower
• Fanghorn (corrupted)
• Grazer
• Scrapper (corrupted)
• Scrounger
• Widemaw (corrupted)

Cauldron Gemini

You'll come to this Cauldron location, just northeast of The Memorial Grove, during the Gemini story quest near the end of the Horizon Forbidden West campaign. Complete this mission, and you'll automatically complete this Cauldron, getting the (awesome) Sunwing override. 

Cauldron Iota

Cauldron Iota is the extreme northern portion of the Forbidden West, about 500 meters northeast of Salt Bite and about 2,000 meters northwest of Plainsong; it's roughly in the center-north of the in-game map.

When you arrive at Cauldron Iota, you'll find the initial entrance is a shaft leading down instead of a door like the others; Aloy will remark on the difference, and a new map marker will appear slightly to the northwest marking the true entrance. 

Go northwest up the slope and through the trees until you reach the snow-covered rocks on the edge of the mountain. Look down to find a crevasse. Jump or glide down, and go into the smaller crevice marked with the blue lights and a bent tree.

Follow the critical path to the Cauldron Core to unlock overrides for:

• Leaplasher
• Glinthawk
• Lancehorn
• Longleg
• Clawstrider
• Skydrifter (corrupted)
• Bellowback (corrupted)
• Ravager (corrupted)
• Snapmaw
• Rollerback

Once you override the Core, the Tallneck body inside the chamber will drop down. The new exit is below the Core. Follow it to another override door, then continue along the path until you reach the Tallneck head further into the Cauldron. 

Drop down, and fight the machines here before climbing up the wall in the back, southeastern side. Use the Metal Carriers (flying machines) to get over to the Tallneck head, then ride it to the energy shield further down. Use your Pullcaster to jump over to the platform on the right just before the shield, then override another door to reenter the Tallneck area. Climb over to activate the Tallneck and exit the Cauldron. 

Cauldron Kappa

Cauldron Kappa is located in the extreme northwestern portion of the map, along the coast east of Landfall. It's about 860 meters west of The Bulwark. Having the Diving Mask found in The Sea of Sands story quest is required to complete this area. 

The main door for this Cauldron is in the mountain wall across the small inlet, and it's guarded by some relatively tough machines, specifically a Shellsnapper and Snapmaw. Dive below the water at the door to find an entrance at the bottom, then swim to the middle of the next area (beware the Snapmaw here) to find a shaft leading down to an override door. 

You'll fight an Apex Tideripper at the end of Cauldron Kappa, so come prepared with Frost and Shock weapons. When you access the Core, you'll get overrides for:

• Dreadwing
• Rockbreaker
• Slaughterspine
• Slitherfang (corrupted)
• Stormbird
• Thunderjaw (corrupted)
• Tideripper
• Tremortusk

Cauldron Chi

Cauldron Chi is located in the southwestern portion of the map, around 350 meters south of Thornmarsh near the western coast. Once you arrive, you'll find the door blocked by the backside of a Firegleam; the real entrance is just to the northwest, up on the cliff by the waterfalls.

Make sure to repel down the shaft inside, not fall to your death. Once down at the bottom, smash the yellow-glass window to the right to gain entry.

If you've found this one before Cauldron Gemini, you'll need to use the Pullcaster on the purple node below the first override door to climb up. This is just the first of many such nodes in this Cauldron. 

Cauldron Chi is pretty straightforward, but when you reach the Core, you'll have to eventually get a crate out from behind an energy shield. The entrance to the crate is to the left of the energy shield. 

A little further into the Cauldron, you'll need to carry a regulator component back to the regulators at the Core. After you pick it up and override an energy shield, you'll find yourself back in the initial room with the mechanical arm and crate. Use the Pullshot to pull the crate and the arm toward the platform by the energy shield.

Put the regulator component on the crate, then jump down. Clamberjaws will spawn here, so take them out before pulling the crate and arm to the platform on the other side (the one you previously used to get to the elevator). Note: be careful on the crate because you can fall off with the regulator and have to start over.

Carry the component down to the regulator in the Core, defeat the Slitherfang, and get the following overrides: 

• Frostclaw
• Redeye Watcher
• Shell-Walker
• Clamberjaw
• Behemoth
• Stalker (corrupted)
• Shellsnapper (corrupted)
• Spikesnout (corrupted)
• Scorcher (corrupted)
• Fireclaw (corrupted)

And those are all of the Cauldrons and their locations in Horizon Forbidden West. Now you have machine overrides for everything from mighty Tremortusks to nimble Burrowers — not to mention the All Cores Overridden silver trophy. For more tips, head over to our HFW guides hub. 

Tallnecks are towering machines that roam small areas of the Horizon Forbidden West map collecting data on their surroundings. Though they meander in one place, finding their locations and activating them will reveal large portions of the map, marking points of interest like Campfires, Ruins, and much more. 

To do so, you'll have to reach the top of each Tallneck and override its systems. Some of these platforming puzzles are relatively easy and, as you might expect, others are relatively more difficult. Finding your first gives you the First Tallneck Overridden bronze trophy while finding all 6 Tallnecks gives you the All Tallnecks Overridden silver trophy. 

Where to Find & Activate All Tallnecks in Horizon Forbidden West

Tallneck: Cinnabar Sands

You'll find your first Tallneck in the Forbidden West after completing The Embassy story quest in Barren Light. It will be automatically marked on your map after that quest is over.

When you arrive at the location, you'll need to take care of a patrolling Skydrifter, which will call a few Scrappers to it. Defeat them, and then start climbing the satellite array the Tallneck is circling. When you get to the top and can't go any further, drop the ladder on the southwest side.

Climb down the ladder, and use the handholds to the upper left to circle around to the Power Cell on the southeast side. Drop down, and grab it. Then jump down to the generator underneath the array. Insert the Power Cell, then climb back up to the console on the second story of the satellite array.

Activate the console, and the array will reposition. Climb back to the highest point (where you previously dropped the ladder), and shoot the wire couplings holding the satellite in place. Once the satellite fully repositions, climb to the top, and use your Glider to reach the Tallneck's head. 

Tallneck: The Stillsands

This is likely the second Tallneck you'll activate in Horizon Forbidden West. After completing the Dying Lands story quest, you'll gain access to The Base, which allows you to explore the lands west of the mountain range.

Once you do, travel south of The Base for about 1,200 meters, keeping alongside of the mountain range until you hit the desert. When you arrive at the Stillsands location, you'll find the Tallneck circling a small set of ruins in a central area, with more ruins to its north, east, and south. 

Go to the central area to find a ballista in the center. Interact with it, and aim at the blue glowing areas on the Tallneck's haunches. Shoot the ballista to attach a weight to it.

At this point, machines will spawn. Take them out, and head to the southern ruins to find another ballista. Repeat the process, and defeat the machines that spawn. Finally, go to the eastern ruins for yet another ballista; defeat the machines first, then repeat the process one more time. 

With the Tallneck down, interact with its head to activate it.

Tallneck: The Stand of the Sentinels

You'll come across this Tallneck during the Seeds of the Past story quest, as you make your way to the Demeter subordinate function. There are high-level Stalkers in this area, which can two- or three-shot you depending on your level, so make sure to bring Shock weapons and traps with you, along with some healing items and patience. 

Start the climb on the northeastern side of the area; open the in-game map to find a path in the middle, and follow that to the northeast end to find a wooden ramp leading up toward a grapple point.

Follow the path left past the Campfire. At the end, knock down the ladder so you can easily climb back up if you fall. Look across the gap and down; you'll see several yellow ladder handholds. Glide over, and use these to climb around (going left) and under the platform to get to the top of it. Be sure to knock down the ladder here, too, in case you fall.

Continue left across the rope bridge. Here, Aloy will mention that "this might be high enough to jump on the Tallneck, but it's not enough to reach the head. The Tallneck is missing some parts, and you can't climb to the top at this point. Instead, jump over to the Tallneck, and ride it to the northwestern corner of the outpost. Jump over to a platform there.

Be careful here; there will be two Clamberjaw in this area. One is on the lower platform, and one is on the higher platform. Bring some Purgewater weapons or traps to make things easier.

Once you take them out, climb up the platform where the higher Clamberjaw was. Turn right, and shoot down the ladder. Climb that ladder, and then use the zipline to reach another platform. There, climb to the platform above. 

Aloy will mention this should be high enough to reach the Tallneck's head, and she's right! Follow the path right until you see two short wooden pylons painted with blue streaks. Jump from here, climb up, and activate another Tallneck. 

Tallneck: Landfall

You won't be able to reach Landfall until near the end of the Horizon Forbidden West campaign, during the Faro's Tomb story quest. This Tallneck is located in the bay in the southeastern portion of the island. Be wary of the Glinthawks in this area. Swim underwater and examine the Tallneck to mark the locations of the missing parts to the northeast. 

To reach the first Glinthawk nest location, go to the ruined building just south/southeast of the objective marker. Take care of the Glinthawk, and push the crate into the water. Opposite the crate, you'll see a ladder you can shoot down. Go into the room behind the ladder, and use the crack in the wall to pull the crate toward you with your Pullcaster. Jump onto the crate, then jump over to the ladder to climb up. Platform over to the nest, take out the second Glinthawk, and grab the part. 

Now go to the second objective marker further north. Mind the Snapjaws, and swim through the bottom floor of the building to reach a landing on the second floor. Grapple up to the top floor. Turn around to deal with the Glinthawk and grab the part out of the Scrapper pile. 

Swim back to the Tallneck, and install the power converters on the backside (where you initially examined the machine). After the cinematic plays, swim over to the buildings with the objective mark.

Swim to the bottom of the eastern-most building to find holes on the northern and western sides. Use these to get inside and climb up. You can jump over to the Tallneck from the roof of this building when it comes around the northeastern point. 

Tallneck: The Shining Wastes

This Tallneck can be found about 1,080 meters west/southwest of The Base in an area known as The Shining Wastes. It's west of the Tenakth village of Arrowhand. It's locked until the second to last story quest in the game, The Wings of the Ten.

You'll activate this Tallneck automatically as part of that mission. I won't spoil how you activate this one or use a screenshot that accurately depicts what you'll see, because it's one of the best moments in Horizon Forbidden West. Enjoy!

Tallneck: Salt Bite (Cauldron Iota)

After activating your fifth Tallneck, you may be wondering why the trophy for activating all Tallnecks hasn't popped. That's because there's a "secret" one located in Cauldron Iota. It's won't be marked on your map like the others.

The Cauldron is located in the extreme northern portion of the map in the Forbidden West; it's 500 meters northeast of Salt Bite and about 2,000 meters northwest of Plainsong. The Tallneck in question is near the end of the Cauldron, its production halted by an earthquake. 

Enter the Cauldron via the crevasse on the northwestern side, and follow the path through to the Tallneck. Defeat the Rollerback that appears when you enter the chamber to expose the Cauldron core. Override it, and the Tallneck will block the platform leading out.

The alternate exit can be found below the core. Drop down to find another locked door to override. Follow the path to the Tallneck's head. Drop down, and fight the machines here before climbing up the back, southeastern wall. Use the flying machines to get over to the head

Ride the Tallneck head back to the energy shield, then use your Pullcaster to grapple to the platform on the right. Override another door to reenter the Tallneck's main area, just higher up than before. Climb over to the Tallneck, now with a head, to activate it.

And those are all of the Tallneck locations and how to activate them in Horizon Forbidden West. For more tips and guides, head over here.

Wondering whether to use Horizon Forbidden West Explorer or Guided mode may seem like a big choice, but it has only a small effect on how Aloy’s journey unfolds. The accessibility option is selectable at the start of the game, and it is meant to help guide those who get lost in the vast open world of the Forbidden West.

Explorer or Guided is not a choice you’re locked into, even after you pick your mode at the start of the game. Whether you should choose Explorer or Guided just depends on what you want at the time. We'll explain the differences, as well as how to turn it off or back on.

Should You Choose Explorer or Guided in Horizon Forbidden West?

Whether you should choose Explorer or Guided comes down to how much guidance you want, though admittedly, the help offered for “Guided Mode” is rather light anyway.

Guided adds an objective marker indicating where you need to go for your current quest, along with a measurement of how far away you are. It’s a small, unobtrusive mark that’s handy once you get into some of Forbidden West’s bigger and more open environments, where it’s easier to get lost. 

You can see it in the image below, marked in the red rectangle. The quest description shows up when you begin a quest regardless of which mode you choose.

Explorer Mode just removes that marker, leaving you to navigate towards your objective without any overt guidance.

Picking one at the start of the game won’t bar you from choosing the other. You can enter the General or Accessibility options at any point from the pause menu and activate either mode. The options you're looking for are Quest Pathfinding and Waypoint Pathfinding.

What it doesn’t do is remove other markers pointing out important objects. Items such as medicinal herbs and crafting materials will still have markers hovering over them that point out Aloy can gather or otherwise interact with them. It’s also completely separate from Aloy’s Focus. Explorer and Guided modes both still include special indicators over objects with data or that Aloy can interact with using the Focus.

That's all you need to know about Explorer or Guided in Horizon Forbidden West, but make sure to check out our other Horizon Forbidden West guides for more tips, tricks, and locations, such as those for all of HFW's Signal Towers.

There are 6 Signal Towers to find in Horizon Forbidden West. Unlike some other collectibles and their locations, all of these can be found in the first large area of the game, The Daunt. While it's not necessary to find them all if you're just going for the bronze trophy for recovering 5 different collectibles, the reward for gathering all of their lenses is worth the relatively minimal effort, something made even easier by setting the game to Guided mode. 

Each Signal Tower has a lens to find at the top. Lenses are very rare items can be given to a merchant (of sorts), whom you'll meet along the way. Unlike some other locations and points of interest in Horizon Forbidden West that remain on your map as white or green icons after you've discovered them, Signal Tower icons disappear after you've collected their lenses.

Below, we'll show you where to find all of the Signal Towers and lenses in HFW, including map screenshots and area screenshots. Even though you'll technically run into the merchant Raynah when finding the last Signal Tower if you follow this guide from beginning to end, we'll start with her location since you may be wondering how to find her.

Where to Find Raynah in Horizon Forbidden West

You'll first find Raynah during Signals of the Sun sidequest, found just north of Barren Light. She'll be the primary NPC for the mission. It's also where you'll most likely get the Lens of Evening (more on that below).

After the mission, though, you'll find her in Barren Light itself. If you didn't already sell your lenses to her during Signals of the Sun (which is possible), she can be found barely north of the campfire in the settlement, standing amongst some tents.

You can give Raynah each lens right after you find it, and she'll give you 15 Metal Shards a piece (*90 if you turn them in all at once). However, we suggest just getting all of the lenses and turning them in at one time. Your reward will be 90 Metal Shards*, 1 Bronze Ingot, 2 Greenshine Sliver.

All Signal Tower Locations and Lenses in Horizon Forbidden West

Lens of Dawn

This Signal Tower is located in the extreme northern portion of The Daunt, north/northeast of the first campfire you come to. It's east of the mine you visit during the Deep Trouble sidequest.

Like the other Signal Towers, this one is high up on mountain top, so you'll have to climb up the cliff to reach it. You'll find a small ruined structure at the bottom, so use that to gauge where the handholds start; none of them are highlighted in yellow until you reach the tower itself, though there are few grapple points.

As with all of the following Towers, press R3 if you get stuck to use your Focus pulse, which highlights handholds on cliffs and other structures.

Lens of Morning

You can find this Signal Tower as soon as you enter the open world, after taking the elevator down during Point of the Lance. It's about 250 meters north of Chainscrape, and you'll pass by the path leading to it on your way.

From that first campfire, take the path right when it forks, and go up into the mountains on the northern side. You'll come to a small, ruined brick structure on the right, along a cliff. Use your Pullcaster to grapple up, and then just follow the handholds up the cliff to the top. Grab the lens. 

Lens of Midday

Directly south of the Lens of Morning, across the valley, is the Lens of Midday. This Signal Tower is on the point of the mountain that juts out barely east/southeast of the bridge that leads into Chainscrape.

Leave Chainscrape heading in that direction, going across the bridge, and you'll see a ladder leading up in the distance. Go up the ladder, then the next landing, and then left. On the northeast side of the cliff, you'll find some grapple points to help you climb.

Just follow the path up, then right, then up again. This is another one where Focus pulse will come in very handy. 

Lens of the Afternoon

This Signal Tower is about 230 meters west/southwest of Chainscrape, high up on the mountaintop. You'll likely go hear during The Twilight Path side quest, which can be picked up in Chainscrape from Petra. You will grab this lens as part of the side quest, so it's pretty hard to miss. 

Lens of Twilight

This Signal Tower is located in the southeastern portion of The Daunt, east of Barren Light in the mountains on the edge of the map. There is a campfire at the base of the mountain on the south side for reference.

Starting from that campfire, go north between the towering mountains on either side. Climb up the rock landings at the end leading up and cutting between the cliffs; use your Pullcaster on the two grapple points on the way up. Go through the abandoned camp, and keep left to find the tower. Use your Pullcaster on the wall on the southwest side, then climb up to grab the lens. 

Lens of Evening

You'll be able to grab this one around the time of The Embassy story quest, during the Signals of the Sun side quest. The side quest can be picked up northwest of Barren Light.

Follow the quest markers, and climb up the mountain. Defeat the machines there. Speak with Raynah, who's in the merchant for Signal Lenses. At this point, you'll be able to give her what you've already collected, but she wants you to get one more (the Lens of Evening) in the tower very close by.

Use your Pullcaster to get into the base of the tower, then to the first stairwell. Then just climb your way to the top. Aside from the rewards for giving her all of the Lenses, she'll give you 1 greenshine sliver and 1 bronze ingot for completing the quest, too. 

And those are all of the Signal Towers, Lenses, and their locations in Horizon Forbidden West. Though you only need one lens for the bronze trophy associated with these collectibles, the rewards you get are worth having since they can be hard to come by as loot and drops in the world at large. If you're looking for more collectibles to grab that trophy, head over to our Vista Points guide.

Mounts help you get around the world of Horizon Forbidden West faster than you would on foot. Though Aloy can fast travel between more locations than she could in Horizon Zero Dawn, not all locations are accessible by that mechanic. 

Since fast travel between Campfires and various points of interest can only get you so far, you may be wondering where you can find all of the mounts in HFW to make certain excursions faster. There are 4 mounts available, 3 of which are related to the main story questlines. 

How to Get All Mounts in Horizon Forbidden West

These include most variants of these machines, as well. For example, the Bristlback override allows you to mount Acid and Fire variants. However, it does not allow you to mount Apex variants. 

• Charger: This is the first mount you'll get. It's an optional part of The Embassy story quest, but one of the optional objectives you should definitely complete. The herd is south/southwest of Chainscrape. This mount is certainly the fastest outside of the Sunwing.
  • Locations: Found everywhere but the southern desert/Stillsands area.
• Bristleback: You will receive the override for the Bristleback mount after completing Repair Bay Tau. The entry is corrupted, so you'll need to repair it at the Fabrication Terminal at The Base, unlocked during The Dying Lands story quest. This mount is a good middle-ground between the Charger and Clawstrider in terms of speed.
  • Locations: Found basically everywhere except Landfall.
• Sunwing: You'll get the Sunwing mount automatically during the Gemini story quest. It's the second-to-last campaign mission, so you'll have to wait a while for this flying mount. However, it's worth it because the Sunwing is hands-down the best mount in Horizon Forbidden West.
  • Locations: Found above The Base, The Shining Wastes, northern and western Stillsands, east of Thornmarsh, southwest and northeast of The Bulwark, and in northeastern Landfall. 
• Clawstrider: You may find this mount override before the Gemini mission if you've been exploring. Clawstrider can be found in the Iota Cauldron in the northwestern border of the Forbidden West, just west of The Bulwark. Though Clawstriders look awesome, they're painfully slow.
  • Locations: Found north of Plainsong, northwest and south of The Memorial Grove, in northwestern Forbidden West by the coast/northeast of Cauldron Kappa, northwestern and southwestern Landfall.

How to Override Mounts

Overriding a Mount is nearly the same as overriding any other machine in Horizon Forbidden West.

• Approach a mount machine via stealth and hold Triangle when prompted.
• Press Square to ride the mount after overriding it.

It's worth noting that through some skill descriptions, HFW warns that override will only last so long for mounts; eventually (and theoretically), they'll buck you and return to the wild. However, this never happened in more than 35 hours with Forbidden West.

If it does happen to you, there are skills in the Machine Master skill tree, such as Lasting Override, that prolong Override. You can also make Overriden machines deal more damage with elemental attacks and set their behaviors with some skills in this tree and found on specific outfits. 

Mount Controls

• Accelerate: X
• Brake: Circle
• Dismount: Square
• Dismount Jump: Hold and release Square
• Light Attack: R1
• Heavy Attack: R2
• Repair: Dismount and hold Triangle

How to Call a Mount

You can call a previously-overridden mount by selecting the Mount Call tool in your quick menu and pressing down on the D-Pad. This will call the last machine type used as a mount unless that machine was destroyed or for various story purposes.

You will receive a different Mount Call for the Sunwing, and you can call it from anywhere at any time, even if you already have a land mount.

And that's what you need to know if you're wondering where to find all of the mounts in Horizon Forbidden West and tame them. For more tips, check out our other guides here.

There are nine Vista Points in Horizon Forbidden West. Each of them allows you to see into the past and view the Old World how it was before it was destroyed a thousand years ago. Not only do these Vista Points expand on the lore of the game, finding at least one will put you on your way to earning a bronze trophy for recovering five different collectibles. 

Each of these Vista Points looks like an old, ramshackle cellphone tower (unlike the Signal Towers in the Daunt) Some are standing right out in the open, while others are hidden a little better. When you arrive at their location, you'll need to scan the base or mid-section of the Vista Point tower to receive a hologram image. To complete the tower, you must align that hologram image with a portion of the surrounding landscape.

In the Horizon Forbidden West guide below, we not only show you all of the Vista Points and their location, but we also tell you how to solve each hologram puzzle. We'll take a slightly meandering and perhaps perplexing journey across the map, but it's all because the very last tower on Landfall doesn't appear until you've found and completed the eight other Vista Towers and their locations. 

All Vista Point Locations in Horizon Forbidden West

The Daunt Vista Point

The Daunt Vista Point is located about 180 meters south/barely southwest of Chainscrape. The tower is between two campfires, one to the east and one to the west. It's about 32 meters northwest of The Daunt Relic Ruins.

Use Focus on the Vista Point to get the hologram outline drawing. Then go about 45 meters northeast to a broken bridge. Line up the hologram with the building and landscape on the other side of the bridge. Walke forward to the edge of the bridge and look slightly right if need be. 

Plainsong Vista Point

The Plainsong Vista Point tower is 263 meters west/southwest of Plainsong, near the base of the mountain range. Approaching from this way, cross the wooden bridge to the right of a large satellite dish just outside of the settlement, and head southwest along the road until you cross over a stream. The Vista Point tower should be directly in front of you. 

Scan it, and continue up the mountain road to the two windmills above. Climb the cliff behind the windmills to find the gnarled, rusty remnants of a structure on the mountainside. Look past the mangled railing down toward Plainsong to complete the hologram.

The Stillsands Vista Point

The Stillsands Vista Point is 649 meters north of Hidden Ember/Dunehollow, and 533 meters northwest of The Stillsands Tallneck. It can be found at the base of the mountain range looking over the desert toward Las Vegas (Hidden Ember/Dunehollow). 

Scan the Vista Point tower, and climb up the cliffs directly behind it. At the top, you'll find a busted railing and a dead body near some yellow and purple flowers. Mind the Burrowers here, then look out toward the Vista Point tower from the edge of the railing to line up the hologram (the tower itself is actually part of the left side of the hologram). 

Scalding Spear Vista Point

The Scalding Spear Vista Point is 358 meters east of the Scalding Spear settlement, up on a mountaintop above a Sunwing site. Climb up, and scan the tower to get the hologram. Now glide down to the Sunwing site itself.

Take out the machines here if you have to, but once you're done, go to the right side of the area between two rock outcroppings to find a rusty shelter with a tree leaning against it. There are yellow and purple flowers in front of it, and another shelter slightly higher up and to the left.

Climb up to the roof of the shelter, and look out toward Scalding Spear from this vantage point to complete the hologram. 

The Memorial Grove Vista Point

Though this Vista Point is called The Memorial Grove, it's actually about 330 meters north of the actual location of The Memorial Grove on the map. It's at a crossroad near a river that runs at the base of the mountain range there. 

Scan the base of the Vista Point tower, and then go toward the objective marker across the river slightly northeast of the tower. Look up, and you'll see the remnants of what looks like a satellite dish. Climb up to the top of the mountain to find a concrete platform with a broken railing to the left of the structure. Face the opening to line up the hologram. 

The Long Coast Vista Point

The Long Coast Vista Point is located on the far western coast of the Forbidden West, roughly 165 meters southwest of The Greenhouse and 445 meters northwest of The Stand of the Sentinels Tallneck. The tower itself is near a Shelter on the beach. 

Scan the Vista Point, and head west toward a Campfire and rock outcropping. Go behind the rock outcropping at the Campfire to find another across a small area of water with a grapple point and seven trees on top of it. Climb that, and look back toward The Greenhouse, lining up the triangular symbol on the hologram with the triangular symbol on the tower in the middle.

Dunehollow Vista Point

Though the Dunehollow Vista Point is in Hidden Ember near The Stillsands Vista Point Tower, we're putting it here because it's actually in the underground Dunehollow area. You can't access it until after The Sea of Sands story quest.

Once you've completed that quest and removed the water from Dune Hollow, return to the location and drop back down the elevator shaft. Go all of the way back to where you fought the Tideripper, and stay on the right side. You will see the Vista Point tower in front of the Eiffel Tower hologram, to the right of the astronaut hologram. Be careful: there may be a Snapmaw at the base of the tower.

Scan the Vista Point tower, then turn around. Go back to the pagoda where you entered, and you'll see a broken bridge jutting out from it. Go to the end of the bridge, and look back toward the astronaut and the staircase leading up to the Vista Tower.

Shrouded Heights Vista Point

The Shrouded Heights Vista Point can be a hard one to find, and you'll need the Diving Mask to complete this location. It's 323 meters northwest of The Digsite on Landfall nestled in the jungle just off the beach. With the water to your back, you can find it to the right of the remains of a beached battleship with a tree growing around it. 

Beware of the Slaughterspine roaming here, and scan the Vista Point tower. Swim about 120 meters out into the bay, northeast of the tower. You'll see some stone ruins on the bottom with some blue phosphorescent coral. Look north to the domed structure from here and line up the hologram (you may need to swim slightly past the coral-covered ruins for it to line up).

Once you complete this one, you'll get a new objective for the Isle of the Spires automatically, marking it on your map. It's also on Landfall. 

Isle of Spires Vista Point

The Isle of Spires Vista Point is located in the southwestern portion of Landfall, 888 meters south of Shrouded Heights. Go to the objective marker, and climb up the slope on the western side. Scan the tower, and Aloy will mention getting a better look from the top of the large metal tower just west of the Vista Point. 

You'll need to complete The Wings of the Ten story mission to unlock the Sungwing override in order to reach this area. Either use your Sungwing mount call or override one of the two nearby, then ascend to the top of the rusty tower, landing on the perch there.

Get off of the Sunwing, and shoot the ladder down across from the perch. Use the Ropecaster to pull out the beam from the left side of the tower (just to the left and under the ladder). Jump on that beam, then look to the right of the ladder to find another Pullcaster point to pull down another beam. Climb on that beam, then up to the top of this leg of the tower. 

At the top, you'll see a yellow beam jutting out toward the city in the distance. Go to the end of that and bring up the hologram to complete the Isle of Spires. 

Now follow the objective marker to the far western beach in Landfall. Search the two crates for 1,500XP and the following Vista Point rewards:

• x4 Ancient Chimes
• x2 Ancient Metal Eye
• x1 Ancient Sculpture
• x1 Silver Ingot
• x1 Ancient Black Bracelet
• x2 Bronze Ingot
• x1 Weave — Frost and Purgewater Defense +7%
• x1 Coil — Plasma and Shock +12%
• x60 Metal Shards

And those are all of the Vista Points and their locations in Horizon Forbidden West. You only needed one for the bronze trophy, but now you know a little bit more about the game's lore and the Old World — and you have some nice loot for all of your efforts. For more tips and tricks, head over to our Horizon Forbidden West guides hub. 

There are plenty of lethal machines you'll go up against in Horizon Forbidden West, and one of the earliest well above your level will be the Slitherfang in the story quest Reach for the Stars. It's a miniboss of sorts you'll need to beat to finish out the mission. 

If you're wondering how to beat the Slitherfang in Horizon Forbidden West, here are some tips and tricks for doing so quickly. 

How to Beat the Slitherfang in Horizon Forbidden West

The Slitherfang is in a relatively small arena, where you're hemmed in on both sides and the back, with the machine blocking your way forward. The fight begins with Aloy hiding behind one of the three rock outcroppings in the area. Use your Focus to scan the Slitherfang and find its "weak" point: the metalbite sac located on its abdomen below the earthgrinders on its neck.

It's worth noting that the Notebook entry doesn't designate this area as the Slitherfang's weak point, but it's where you'll need to focus for this fight.

Before you do anything else, be sure to grab the healing potion and crafting parts in the crate behind the rock outcropping on the right.

Slitherfang Phase 1

During the first phase, the Slitherfang has two attacks. It rears back and spits acid in an arc, starting at its base and moving outward toward you. Aside from causing damage if it hits you, the attack also leaves little pools of residual acid for a short time that can cause damage.

It also has a lunge attack, where it thrusts forward from its position to the back of the area. This attack can break the rock outcroppings in the arena if you're hiding behind them. 

Between attacks, the Slitherfang will hover low above the ground. Aim your bow at its abdomen and slow down time. Look for the shield-shaped area beneath the earthgrinders. Shoot this twice. 

The Slitherfang will fall to the ground, with its body pointing toward the right side of the area, leaving its underbelly exposed on the left side. There will now be three canisters where the metalbite sac once was. Destroy these three canisters as quickly as possible.

If you don't destroy all three here, the Sliltherfang will rise again, wrapping itself around a column on the left side of the arena, making it harder to hit the canisters on its belly.

It will also add a sweeping attack to its repertoire that reaches from one side of the arena to the other, smashing any of the rock outcroppings that are left. If this happens, stay in the back when the Slitherfang rises on the left side of the area. However, its own sweeping attack will stun it for a brief time, again leaving the canisters exposed.

Sometimes, the Slitherfang will lunge, again giving you an opportunity to shoot the canisters. Even less frequently (it only happened to me once in three fights), it will also use a sonic attack that causes Aloy to cover her ears and slow down, though you can easily walk away and roll out of this.

If you're having trouble in this section, remember that the Slitherfang is weak to Frost damage. Use your Frost Blastsling to lob Frost Bombs at the machine's head and chest to inflict Brittle, which will also stun it, allowing you to get some shots in and break off some valuable components.

Slitherfang Phase 2

Eventually, you'll do enough damage to the Slitherfang and a short cutscene will play. The machine will then smash all of the rock outcroppings and enter the arena. Several Coil Blasters will appear as debris in the area; the closest is to you will likely be the one in the middle on the left side. 

These are heavy ranged weapons (similar to a mini-gun in size and heft) that can cause substantial damage to the Slitherfang's earthgrinders, drastically lowering the length of this part of the fight. There is also at least one other Coil Blaster behind the Slitherfang if you run out of ammo in the first.

The Slitherfang has two primary attacks in phase 2: an electrified tail smash and a belly flop (at least in my battles with it). Its tail will point straight up and wiggle before it shoots forward and smashes into the ground, releasing electricity in a relatively small area. At some points, the Slitherfang will burrow into the ground and reappear before slamming its body onto the ground. Both of these can be avoided with a well-timed roll.

What's more, you can shoot the tail to remove the weapon, making it obsolete.

Keep whittling away at its health (which should be very low at this point), and that's how you beat the Slitherfang miniboss in Horizon Forbidden West during Reach for the Stars. You'll reach Level 2 and get a skill point after the confrontation.