Beginner’s Guide#
Welcome to Horizon Forbidden West! This page helps you get up to speed quickly, covering the basic controls, the interface, and the things you should prioritize in the early hours.
Controls#
PS5 Controller Controls#
| Action | PS5 Button | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Move | Left stick | Controls character movement direction |
| Camera | Right stick | Adjusts the camera angle |
| Jump | ✕ | Jump, or climb upward while climbing |
| Climb/Glide | △ | Climb surfaces or glide with the Shieldwing |
| Melee attack | □ | Melee attack with the spear |
| Shoot | R2 | Fire the currently equipped weapon |
| Aim | L2 | Enter aiming mode |
| Focus | R1 | Activate Focus mode (slow motion) |
| Scan | R3 | Use the Focus to scan enemies and the environment |
| Dodge | ✕ | Roll to dodge attacks |
| Crouch | □ | Enter stealth |
| Switch weapon | L1 | Open the weapon wheel |
| Use item | D-pad down | Use the currently selected consumable |
| Call mount | D-pad up | Call and ride a Charger |
| Valor Surge | L1+R1 | Activate the equipped Valor Surge |
PC Keyboard Controls#
| Action | Key | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Move | WASD | Controls character movement direction |
| Jump | Space | Jump or climb |
| Melee | F | Spear melee attack |
| Shoot | Left mouse button | Fire the equipped weapon |
| Aim | Right mouse button | Enter aiming mode |
| Focus | Shift | Activate Focus slow motion |
| Scan | Z | Scan with the Focus |
| Dodge | Alt | Roll to dodge |
| Weapon wheel | 1-4 number keys | Quickly switch weapons |
| Interact | E | Interact with objects and NPCs |
| Stealth | Ctrl | Enter stealth |
Difficulty Modes#
| Difficulty | Description | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Story | Enemy damage is extremely low, combat is relaxed, Focus bar auto-regenerates | Players who only care about the story |
| Easy | Enemy damage is low, resource drops are plentiful | New players or a casual experience |
| Normal | A balanced difficulty experience, recommended for a first playthrough | The recommended choice for most players |
| Hard | Enemies are tougher and deal more damage | Players with action game experience |
| Very Hard | Enemies are extremely tough, resources are scarce | Veterans looking for a challenge |
| Ultra Hard | The highest difficulty, enemy stats are greatly boosted and shop prices are doubled | A New Game+ challenge, cannot be changed mid-run |
Important note: You can change the difficulty at any time during the game (except Ultra Hard). If you pick Ultra Hard in New Game+, you cannot lower it for the entire playthrough.
You can freely change the difficulty during a normal playthrough (except Ultra Hard). Once you choose Ultra Hard in New Game+, that run stays locked at it.
HUD Explained#
| HUD element | Location | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Health bar | Top-left corner | Shows current HP and max HP |
| Weapon wheel | Opened with L1 | Pick weapons, ammo types and items |
| Focus bar | Bottom-center of the screen | Indicator for how long Focus mode lasts |
| Valor Surge meter | Below the health bar | Charge progress of the Valor Surge |
| Minimap | Top-right corner | Shows nearby terrain, enemies and quest markers |
| Quest tracker | Upper-right of the screen | Objective and distance for the active quest |
| Resource prompts | Screen center | Button prompts for interactable items and resources |
| Damage numbers | Where hits land | Shows the damage dealt |
| Element status icons | Above the enemy health bar | Shows the enemy’s current elemental status effects |
Early Priorities#
| Priority | Task | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Push the main story up to “The Embassy” | Unlocks key areas and core skills |
| 2 | Upgrade the spear | Boosts melee damage and combo options |
| 3 | Get the Shieldwing | Unlocks gliding and massively improves exploration efficiency |
| 4 | Unlock the Pullcaster | Lets you pull down breakable walls and reach new areas |
| 5 | Expand pouch capacity | Carry more ammo and resources |
| 6 | Prioritize the skill: Silent Strike+ | Stealth-kill small machines to save resources |
| 7 | Clear the early hunting grounds | Earn XP and important resources |
| 8 | Scan every new machine | Logs its weak points for later fights |
| 9 | Collect green Metal Flowers | Unlocks special gear rewards |
| 10 | Talk to every NPC | Yields side quests and backstory |
Beginner Survival Tips#
| Situation | Advice | Details |
|---|---|---|
| First encounter with a big machine | Stealth around it | Don’t fight large machines head-on early on; use tallgrass stealth |
| Out of ammo | Gather branches and metal shards | Craft ammo at a workbench, or salvage parts off machines |
| Low health | Gather Medicinal Berries | Red berry bushes are everywhere on the map |
| Surrounded | Use a Smoke Bomb | Instantly resets the fight so you can disengage fast |
| Facing fire or frost enemies | Equip matching resistance gear | Check the enemy’s attack element in advance |
| Need to fast travel | Open the map and pick a Campfire | Golden Campfire markers are fast travel points |
Ways to Earn XP#
| Method | XP | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Completing main quests | Large | One-time |
| Completing side quests | Medium | Repeatable |
| Killing machines | Small | Repeatedly |
| Clearing rebel camps | Medium | One-time |
| Completing Hunting Ground trials | Large | Repeatable |
| Scanning machines | Tiny | One-time per type |
| Discovering new locations | Tiny | One-time |
Recommended early XP farm: Complete side quests at the various settlements while exploring unknown map locations. The “Easy” difficulty trials at early Hunting Grounds also grant XP quickly.
Best early-game XP: do settlement side quests as you explore unknown territory, and replay early Hunting Ground trials on Easy for fast XP.
Recommended Early Gear#
| Gear | Type | How to get it | Why it’s recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nora Hunter Bow | Hunter bow | Starting gear | Basic and versatile, easy to upgrade |
| Carja Hunter Bow | Hunter bow | Buy from the Chainscythe merchant (800 shards) | Fire arrows + acid arrows, the strongest early bow |
| Carja Sharpshot Bow | Sharpshot bow | Buy from a merchant after The Embassy | Impact arrows are essential for tearing off parts |
| Nora Valiant | Outfit | Starting gear | Basic defense |
| Carja Traveler | Outfit | Buy from the Chainscythe merchant | Extends food buff duration |
| Tracker outfit | Outfit | Chainscythe merchant | Stealth bonus, great for exploration |
Early Weapon Upgrade Order#
| Priority | Weapon | Upgrade to | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carja Hunter Bow | Level 2 | Unlocks more ammo slots |
| 2 | Carja Sharpshot Bow | Level 2 | Improves impact arrow efficiency |
| 3 | Spear | Level 2 | More melee damage + new combos |
| 4 | Nora Hunter Bow | Level 3 | A cheap damage bump |
Common Beginner Mistakes#
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Ignoring stealth | Using tallgrass stealth avoids a huge amount of unnecessary combat |
| Not scanning machines | The moment you meet a new machine, Focus-scan it for weak points |
| Sticking to one ammo type | Swap ammo based on enemy weaknesses; don’t spam basic arrows only |
| Skipping pouch upgrades | Pouch upgrades dramatically increase how much you can carry |
| Ignoring side quests | Side quests give lots of XP and useful gear rewards |
| Not cooking food | Food buffs are significant; eat before big fights |
| Brawling big machines head-on | Early on, avoid direct fights with Thunderjaws and other huge machines |
Interface Customization#
| Setting | Recommended value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HUD preset | Default | Shows all necessary information |
| Damage numbers | On | Lets you see damage output directly |
| Crosshair | Always visible | Makes aiming easier |
| Minimap rotation | Follow player | Feels more intuitive |
| Quest tracker | Show all | Never miss a quest |
| Subtitles | On | Makes story dialogue easier to follow |
| Controller vibration | Suggested on | Adds combat feedback |