How Long To Beat Horizon Forbidden West: Mission List And Open-World Activities Explained

Aloy’s expedition westward presents an extensive adventure filled with discovery and challenge.

Horizon Forbidden West has launched with substantially more content than its predecessor, creating a vast gaming experience that demands careful planning. Having dedicated extensive play sessions to thoroughly explore every aspect of Guerrilla Games’ magnificent open world, we can provide detailed insights into the time investment required to reach the concluding credits. Whether your focus is purely narrative progression, comprehensive side exploration, or methodical completion of every available activity, this guide delivers essential timing information.

The core narrative consists of 17 primary missions, requiring approximately 20-25 hours for focused completion. However, as an open-world action-RPG hybrid, typical gameplay extends well beyond the main storyline. Numerous settlements scattered throughout the landscape each host multiple side quests, combat trials, hunting challenges, and environmental puzzles that significantly expand the experience.

Players engaging with a moderate selection of supplementary content—without pursuing absolute completion—will likely conclude their journey after 40-50 hours. For those determined to experience everything Forbidden West offers, including all Cauldron facilities, Tallneck encounters, side missions, Vista Point discoveries, and comprehensive gear enhancement, the commitment escalates to 80-100+ hours.

Beyond its visual splendor, Forbidden West’s environment teems with meaningful activities and content depth. The following sections provide detailed mission analysis alongside comprehensive activity overviews to help you plan your adventure effectively.

Presented below is Horizon Forbidden West’s essential mission progression path, designed to avoid narrative spoilers beyond mission nomenclature. Exercise caution if you possess deep familiarity with Horizon lore, as mission titles might hint at forthcoming story developments. Each mission includes recommended proficiency levels to help gauge preparation requirements for survival.

• Reach For The Stars – Level 3
• The Point Of The Lance – Level 4
• To The Brink – Level 5
• The Embassy – Level 7
• Death’s Door – Level 12
• The Dying Lands – Level 15
• The Eye of the Earth – Level 17
• The Broken Sky – Level 18
• The Kulrut – Level 20
• Cradle of Echoes – Level 22
• The Sea of Sands – Level 25
• Seeds of the Past – Level 25
• Faro’s Tomb – Level 26
• Gemini – Level 28
• All That Remains – Level 30
• The Wings of the Ten – Level 30
• Singularity – Level 34

Strategic Mission Planning Tips: The escalating level requirements between missions indicate necessary side activity engagement for adequate preparation. Missions like “The Embassy” at Level 7 require approximately 3-4 hours of gameplay to reach from the starting level, while later missions demand substantial investment in character development and equipment upgrades.

Common Progression Mistakes: Many players underestimate the difficulty spikes between main story missions, particularly around levels 18-22 where enemy capabilities increase dramatically. Always maintain gear 2-3 levels above mission requirements for optimal combat effectiveness.

Efficiency Strategies for Faster Completion: Focus on Tallneck overrides early to reveal map sections, prioritize Cauldrons for mount unlocks that speed travel, and complete hunting grounds for valuable weapon techniques. These activities provide compounding time savings throughout your playthrough.

Time Management Pitfalls to Avoid: Excessive resource gathering early game wastes valuable hours—upgrade pouches gradually as needed instead of preemptively. Avoid backtracking by planning quest routes geographically and completing nearby activities simultaneously.

Advanced Player Optimization: For subsequent playthroughs or speedrun attempts, leverage the Story Mode difficulty setting which reduces combat time by approximately 40% while maintaining narrative integrity. Fast travel packs become essential time-saving tools—stockpile them whenever possible.

The game’s extensive content design means player experience varies significantly based on individual priorities and playstyles. Understanding the relationship between main progression and side content enables better time investment decisions aligned with your gaming preferences.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » How Long To Beat Horizon Forbidden West: Mission List And Open-World Activities Explained Complete Horizon Forbidden West playtime guide with mission breakdowns and optimization strategies