Game comparison · NexWave Games
Horizon Zero Dawn or Forbidden West on PS4: where should you start?
A bow, enormous machines and a landscape hiding more than you initially see: Horizon invites curiosity. PlayStation 4 plays both Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, but their order still matters. You follow the same protagonist, Aloy, and the second adventure builds on discoveries from the first. If you do not know this world yet, the starting point is fairly clear.
Zero Dawn establishes Aloy's story
Horizon Zero Dawn introduces Aloy, her surroundings and the questions that send her travelling. You learn to observe machines, recognise components and choose different tools in battle. Meanwhile, you gradually discover why this world looks the way it does. The combination of hunting and a slowly unfolding mystery makes the first game a natural starting point without prior knowledge.
You do not need a newer edition on another console: the original PS4 version tells this adventure. Do check the name when comparing listings, however. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is not that PS4 release. If you want The Frozen Wilds too, check whether the offered copy includes the expansion and how it is supplied. A familiar title on the front does not automatically explain all its contents.
Forbidden West continues and expands exploration
Horizon Forbidden West continues Aloy's journey through new regions, machines and characters. Extra ways of moving through the environment include gliding with the Shieldwing and more extensive underwater exploration. These open up the world differently. Studying machines and selecting equipment remain important, but you have more systems and possibilities to learn at once.
The opening and conversations build on the first story. Starting here means missing background and potentially hearing important Zero Dawn discoveries early. A brief summary does not fully replace that first introduction. If the story matters, play Zero Dawn first. If you have already finished it, Forbidden West is the natural next step on PS4.
Check the platform version and expansions
Forbidden West launched on PS4 and PS5, but that does not automatically make each expansion available on both. Burning Shores belongs to the PS5 version and cannot be played on PS4. A Complete Edition for another platform does not change that restriction. Compare the exact platform and edition contents rather than just the word complete or a photograph of the same heroine.
For your first Horizon on PS4, choose Zero Dawn to get to know Aloy and its central mystery gradually. Forbidden West fits when you already have that foundation and want new exploration options. Both require more than firing arrows quickly: gathering information and understanding a machine help you advance. Let those lessons and events build in order so the later adventure genuinely feels like a continuation.