What is the difference between the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West?

A look at Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)
A look at Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

It has been confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West will release on both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.

The sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn will arrive on February 18, 2022 and Sony has announced that those who purchase the PS4 version will be able to upgrade to the PS5 title completely free of charge.

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The two different versions won't have any changes in terms of the story or the gameplay. Instead, its differences will come from the hardware used to play it and its graphical appearance.


The differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West

Sony has stated that Horizon Forbidden West was developed on the PlayStation 4 and a lot of playtests were done on the console. That means they want to provide the best experience possible on the previous generation's system.

Of course, the PlayStation 5 can take what the PS4 does and turn it up several notches. That is the goal for Sony with this new Horizon game. It is shaping up to be one of the best gaming experiences for 2022 because of that ambition.

The PS4 copy will still come with amazing graphics, but it will have a limit on framerate and the amount of beauty shown in the game's world. The PS5 pushes those limits past the PS4's boundaries.

On PlayStation 5, players can expect a 60 FPS performance, use of additional rendering and lighting technology, as well as more detailed textures, shadows, and other graphical natures.

It will also come with special rendering for the underwater scenes. Wave techniques are one of the big points Sony wanted to drive home regarding the PS5, implying that its underwater portions will be breathtaking.

The cinematic lighting rig will be present throughout Horizon Forbidden West on the PS5, but is only used during the cutscenes on PS4. Last on the differences list is the PS5 controller.

The Dualsense controller for the newest console will provide tension when the bow is being pulled back and add extra immersion for other weapons. Expect the PS4 version to be good, but the PS5 version could offer a near-perfect gaming experience.