The Horizon series has established itself as one of the most visually stunning and narratively complex franchises in modern gaming. Developed by Guerrilla Games, this post-post-apocalyptic epic blends prehistoric tribal culture with advanced robotic sci-fi. For those looking to dive into the world of Aloy and the machines, understanding the specific order of release and the chronological timeline is essential for the best experience.

As of late 2024, the franchise spans multiple platforms, including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and even Nintendo Switch through specialized spin-offs. Below is the definitive breakdown of every Horizon game, expansion, and project in order.

Chronological Release History of the Horizon Franchise

Following the release order is the most common way to experience the evolution of the Decima engine and the gradual unfolding of the mystery surrounding the Old Ones.

  1. Horizon Zero Dawn (February 2017)
  2. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds (November 2017 - Expansion)
  3. Horizon Forbidden West (February 2022)
  4. Horizon Call of the Mountain (February 2023 - VR Spin-off)
  5. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores (April 2023 - Expansion)
  6. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered (October 2024)
  7. Lego Horizon Adventures (November 2024 - Non-canon spin-off)

While release order is straightforward, the narrative complexity of the series suggests a more nuanced approach for players who want to understand the lore of the 31st century.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Beginning of Aloy's Journey

Horizon Zero Dawn introduced players to Aloy, an outcast of the Nora tribe. Set in a world where massive machines resemble ancient animals and humans live in scattered tribes, the game is a masterclass in environmental storytelling.

Core Narrative and Setting

The story begins in the Sacred Lands, where Aloy seeks to win the Proving to learn the identity of her mother. However, the narrative quickly expands into a global conspiracy involving a past civilization known as the "Old Ones." Players explore the ruins of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The central conflict involves the "Derangement," a phenomenon making machines increasingly aggressive, and the looming threat of HADES, an artificial intelligence bent on completing a second extinction.

Key Gameplay Mechanics

  • Tactical Machine Hunting: Unlike traditional hack-and-slash games, Zero Dawn requires players to use a "Focus" to scan machines for elemental weaknesses and removable components.
  • The Bow and Arrow Synergy: Combat revolves around various bow types (Hunter, Sharpshot, War) and elemental traps.
  • Override System: One of the most satisfying elements is hacking machines to turn them into mounts or combat allies.

The Frozen Wilds Expansion

Released later in 2017, this expansion takes Aloy to "The Cut," a snowy region inhabited by the Banuk tribe. It is meant to be played before the final mission of the main game. It introduces the "Daemon," a new corruption affecting machines, and provides critical lore about HEPHAESTUS, the AI subfunction responsible for building the machines.

Horizon Forbidden West: Expanding the Frontier

The direct sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, takes place six months after the events of the first game. Aloy travels to the ruins of the Pacific Northwest and California to investigate a mysterious "Red Blight" that is choking the life out of the biosphere.

New Tribes and Threats

The Forbidden West is home to the Tenakth, a warrior culture divided into three clans, and the Utaru, peaceful farmers. The game introduces the Far Zeniths, a group of technologically superior humans who escaped Earth during the initial collapse and have returned with a dark agenda.

Mechanical Improvements and Experience

In our analysis of the gameplay loop, the addition of the Pullcaster (a grappling hook) and the Shieldwing (a glider) fundamentally changes the verticality of the world. While Zero Dawn felt somewhat restricted in movement, Forbidden West allows for much more fluid traversal. The combat system was also overhauled with "Valor Surges," special abilities that provide temporary buffs during intense encounters with massive machines like the Tremortusk or the Slitherfang.

Burning Shores Expansion

Exclusive to the PlayStation 5, this DLC takes Aloy to the volcanic ruins of Los Angeles. It serves as a narrative bridge between Forbidden West and the inevitable third main installment. The expansion features a massive boss fight against a reactivated Horus (Metal Devil), a spectacle that showcases the processing power of current-gen hardware.

Horizon Call of the Mountain: A VR Perspective

Released as a flagship title for the PS VR2, Call of the Mountain shifts the perspective. You no longer play as Aloy, though she makes a significant cameo. Instead, you take on the role of Ryas, a former Shadow Carja soldier seeking redemption.

Why This Game Matters for the Lore

The story occurs concurrently with the timeline of Horizon Zero Dawn, specifically after the Battle of Meridian. It offers a unique look at the scale of the machines. Seeing a Tallneck from a first-person perspective in VR provides a sense of scale that traditional screens cannot replicate. The gameplay focuses heavily on climbing and tactile archery, utilizing the haptic feedback of the PS VR2 controllers.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: Modernizing a Classic

In 2024, Guerrilla Games released a remastered version of the original game for PS5 and PC. This wasn't just a simple resolution bump; it involved re-recording motion capture for conversations, improving textures to match the quality of Forbidden West, and integrating the DualSense controller's haptic features.

For new players, this is now the definitive starting point. It maintains the original story and pacing but removes the visual "jank" that sometimes occurred in the 2017 version, particularly in character facial animations during side quests.

Lego Horizon Adventures: A Family-Friendly Retelling

Lego Horizon Adventures is a unique entry in the series. It is a playful, brick-based reimagining of the events of Zero Dawn. While it follows the general plot—Aloy finding her origins and fighting the Eclipse cult—it simplifies the apocalyptic themes and focuses on slapstick humor and cooperative play.

This is the first time the franchise has appeared on a Nintendo platform. It is not considered canon to the main story, but it serves as an excellent entry point for younger audiences who might find the main games' themes of extinction and corporate greed too heavy.

How to Play Horizon Games in Chronological Order

If you want the most coherent narrative experience, you should play the games in the following order. This sequence ensures that the mystery of the "Old Ones" is preserved and that the stakes of the AI conflict grow naturally.

  1. Horizon Zero Dawn / Remastered (Start here to understand Aloy's origins and the fall of the 21st-century civilization).
  2. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds (Ideally played before the mission "The Looming Shadow" in the main game).
  3. Horizon Call of the Mountain (Optional, but best played after getting a grasp of the Carja and Shadow Carja conflict from the first game).
  4. Horizon Forbidden West (The direct narrative continuation).
  5. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores (The true "epilogue" of the second game).
  6. Lego Horizon Adventures (Play any time as a lighthearted diversion).

Technical Evolution and the Decima Engine

A significant part of the "Horizon experience" is the technical wizardry behind the scenes. The Decima engine, also used by Kojima Productions for Death Stranding, has evolved significantly across these titles.

Graphics and Performance

In the original Zero Dawn on PS4, the game ran at 30fps with impressive but static environments. By the time we reached Forbidden West on PS5, the engine supported:

  • Dynamic Environments: Vegetation reacts to the wind and Aloy's movement.
  • Water Physics: Full underwater exploration with complex light refraction.
  • Particle Effects: The "Red Blight" and elemental explosions are significantly more detailed.

The PC ports (developed by Nixxes) brought these games to a wider audience, introducing support for ultra-wide monitors and upscaling technologies like DLSS and FSR. Testing the Zero Dawn Remastered on modern hardware shows that the engine can now push nearly photorealistic textures even on mid-range GPUs.

What We Know About Future Horizon Projects

The Horizon universe is expanding beyond single-player RPGs. Multiple projects are currently in development that will broaden the scope of the IP.

Horizon Steel Frontiers (The MMORPG)

Reportedly being developed in collaboration with NCSoft (known for Lineage and Guild Wars), this project is expected to be a massive multiplayer online game. It is rumored to be set in the "Deadlands" (Arizona/New Mexico region) and will likely allow players to create their own hunters from different tribes.

Horizon Hunters Gathering (The Multiplayer Project)

Guerrilla Games has officially confirmed a separate internal project focused on online co-op. Unlike the MMO, this is expected to be a tighter, mission-based experience where teams of players hunt massive machines together, similar to the gameplay loop found in the Monster Hunter series.

The Third Main Entry

While not officially titled, Guerrilla has confirmed that Aloy's story is far from over. Following the cliffhanger at the end of Burning Shores, the third game will likely focus on the arrival of "Nemesis," an entity that poses an even greater threat than HADES or the Zeniths.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Horizon Series

Do I need to play Horizon Zero Dawn before Forbidden West?

Yes. Unlike some sequels that stand alone, Forbidden West is a direct continuation. The emotional weight of character reunions and the understanding of the "Gaia" system rely heavily on the events of the first game. Playing the second game first would spoil the major twists of the first game's narrative.

Is Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered worth it if I own the original?

For owners of the original PS4 version, there is typically a low-cost upgrade path. The visual overhaul is substantial, making the transition between the first and second games seamless in terms of graphical quality. If you are playing on a high-end PC or a PS5 with a 4K TV, the difference in character models and lighting is night and day.

Is the Horizon series related to Forza Horizon?

No. Despite the similar name, Forza Horizon is an open-world racing series published by Xbox Game Studios. The Horizon series (Zero Dawn/Forbidden West) is an action RPG series published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

What platforms can I play the Horizon games on?

  • Zero Dawn / Remastered: PS4, PS5, PC.
  • Forbidden West: PS4, PS5, PC.
  • Call of the Mountain: PS5 (Requires PS VR2).
  • Lego Horizon Adventures: PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch.

How long does it take to beat the series?

A completionist run of the entire franchise (main stories + DLCs) can easily exceed 200 hours. Zero Dawn takes roughly 40-50 hours for a thorough playthrough, while Forbidden West is even larger, often clocking in at 60-80 hours for players who engage with side content.

Summary of the Horizon Experience

The Horizon series is more than just a collection of games; it is a sprawling epic that explores themes of artificial intelligence, environmental collapse, and the persistence of the human spirit. By following the release or chronological order, players can witness the growth of Aloy from a shunned outcast to the literal savior of the world.

Whether you are scaling the snowy peaks of the Banuk lands in The Frozen Wilds or diving into the sunken ruins of San Francisco in Forbidden West, the order of play matters for those who want to fully grasp the intricate lore. With an upcoming MMO and a third main installment on the horizon, now is the perfect time to catch up on the story of the 31st century.

Starting with the Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered provides the modern visual standard required to appreciate the world, while following through to Forbidden West and its Burning Shores expansion completes the current narrative arc. For those with a PS VR2, Call of the Mountain provides a perspective shift that shouldn't be missed, rounding out one of the most consistent and high-quality franchises in gaming history.