Have you ever felt lost trying to track the massive growth of Aloys world and wondered exactly how many Horizon games are there in the current market today? This comprehensive navigational guide breaks down every single entry in the iconic franchise from Guerilla Games including the main story entries and the exciting spin offs. We explore the original Horizon Zero Dawn alongside the massive Horizon Forbidden West and the immersive VR experience known as Call of the Mountain. You will also find details on the latest Lego Horizon Adventures crossover and the controversial but beautiful Zero Dawn Remastered for modern consoles. Our deep dive covers platform availability and the correct playing order for newcomers who want to experience the full narrative arc of the Old Ones and the mechanical beasts. This guide is essential for any PlayStation or PC gamer looking to complete their collection or simply stay updated on the ever expanding Horizon universe and its future multiplayer projects.
How many Horizon games are there available to play in 2025?
There are currently four distinct games in the Horizon franchise including Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, Horizon Call of the Mountain, and Lego Horizon Adventures. While there are remasters and expansions, these represent the unique standalone experiences available across PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch platforms for fans of Aloy and her mechanical world.
What is the correct order to play the Horizon games?
The best way to experience the series is to start with Horizon Zero Dawn (or its Remastered version), followed by the Forbidden West sequel. Call of the Mountain and Lego Horizon Adventures can be played as standalone spin offs, though they are more enjoyable once you understand the basic lore and characters from the main titles.
Are there any Horizon games on the Nintendo Switch?
Yes, Lego Horizon Adventures is currently the only title from the franchise available on the Nintendo Switch. This marks a significant move for Sony, bringing the world of Aloy to a wider audience through a family friendly Lego lens, though the main realistic RPG titles remain exclusive to PlayStation and PC.
Is Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered considered a new game?
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is a visual and technical upgrade of the original 2017 game rather than a brand new entry. It features updated graphics, improved character models, and better performance for PS5 and PC users, making it the definitive way to play the first chapter of the story today.
Will there be a third mainline Horizon game in the future?
Guerilla Games has officially confirmed that a third mainline entry in the Horizon series is in development. While a release date has not been set, it will likely conclude the trilogy started by Aloy in Zero Dawn and continued in Forbidden West, bringing her epic journey to a close.
Most Asked Questions about how many horizon games are there
The Horizon franchise has quickly become one of the most beloved series in modern gaming, and it is natural to have questions about its growth. I have summarized everything you need to know about the current state of the series and what to expect in the future. Think of this as a roadmap for your journey through the wilds.
We have seen the series jump from a single RPG to a multi genre titan that includes VR and Lego crossovers. This evolution shows just how much fans love the world Guerilla Games has built. Whether you are looking for tips on combat or just want to know where to start, the most important thing is to enjoy the incredible art and storytelling along the way. The machines are waiting for you!
Beginner Questions
Starting your journey can feel overwhelming given the deep lore and complex mechanics of the machines. Most beginners want to know which game is the easiest to start with or if they need to be a pro gamer to enjoy the story. The good news is that the series offers many difficulty settings to suit everyone. Tip: Use your focus constantly to scan for resources and weak points on every machine you meet early on.
Builds & Classes
While Horizon does not have traditional classes like an MMO, your playstyle is defined by the gear and skills you choose. You can focus on being a stealthy hunter, a heavy hitter with traps, or a master of elemental damage. In Forbidden West, the skill trees are much deeper, allowing for specialized builds that favor your preferred way to play. Trick: Always carry a variety of bow types to handle any elemental weakness you encounter in the wild.
Multiplayer Issues
Currently, the only way to play with friends is through the co op mode in Lego Horizon Adventures. Many fans are asking about the rumored standalone multiplayer project, but there is no official release date yet. For now, the series remains a mostly solitary experience that emphasizes the bond between the player and the world. Tip: In Lego co op, try to coordinate your character abilities to solve puzzles faster and defeat bosses efficiently.
Endgame Grind
Once you finish the main story, the real challenge begins with high level machine hunting and arena challenges. You will spend a lot of time farming parts for legendary gear upgrades in the Forbidden West endgame. This requires patience and a deep understanding of machine behavior to succeed. Trick: Set the game to custom difficulty if you just want to farm parts without the stress of constant death during the late game grind.
Bugs & Fixes
The Horizon games are generally very polished, but large open worlds can sometimes have minor glitches or performance hiccups. Most issues are quickly addressed through patches by Guerilla Games, especially for the PC versions. Always keep your game updated to the latest version to ensure the smoothest experience possible. Tip: If you encounter a quest bug, try reloading an earlier autosave as the game is very generous with its save points.
Tips & Tricks
Mastering the combat in Horizon is all about movement and preparation. Never stand still during a fight with a large machine, and always use the environment to your advantage. Learning how to override machines can turn a difficult fight into a much easier one by giving you a powerful ally. Trick: Use the blast sling to deal massive stagger damage to larger machines, opening them up for a critical hit from your spear or bow.
Still have questions? Check out our most popular related guides on the best armor sets in Forbidden West or the complete machine list for Zero Dawn! Happy hunting!
If you are standing in front of your console wondering exactly how many Horizon games are there right now then you are certainly not alone in your curiosity. This franchise has grown faster than a Sawtooth chasing a straggler and keeping track of the different versions and spin offs can get a bit tricky for casual fans. Whether you are a veteran machine hunter or a complete newcomer to the post post apocalyptic wilds of North America this article will give you the full scoop on every title currently available or recently released. We are looking at a series that started as a risky new IP and has since blossomed into a massive pillar of the PlayStation ecosystem with multiple entries across various genres. From the core RPG experiences to virtual reality and even brick based building games the Horizon world is bigger than it has ever been before in gaming history.
The Core Narrative Journey of Aloy
The foundation of the entire franchise rests on the two massive open world action RPGs that introduced us to the brave seeker Aloy and her quest for truth. These games are the meat and potatoes of the series providing the deep lore and the complex machine combat that fans have come to love over the years. Both games have received significant post launch support that has expanded the world even further than the base maps originally offered to players.
- Horizon Zero Dawn: The game that started it all back in 2017 introducing the concept of robot dinosaurs and a lost human civilization.
- Horizon Forbidden West: The 2022 sequel that took the action to the western coast of the United States with new mechanics like underwater exploration.
- The Frozen Wilds: A massive expansion for the first game that added a snowy northern region and dangerous new machines for Aloy to face.
- Burning Shores: The PS5 exclusive expansion for the second game that featured a cinematic battle against a massive Horus machine in volcanic Los Angeles.
Expanding Into New Frontiers and Genres
Beyond the main third person adventures Guerilla Games and Sony have branched out into different ways to experience this vibrant mechanical world for diverse audiences. This expansion includes high end virtual reality and a surprising collaboration with the Lego brand to make the franchise more accessible to younger players and families. These titles offer unique perspectives on the lore and the world building that the main games established so successfully during their initial runs on the market.
The VR Revolution with Call of the Mountain
Horizon Call of the Mountain was a launch title for the PlayStation VR2 and it remains one of the most visually stunning examples of what virtual reality can do. Unlike the main games you do not play as Aloy but instead take on the role of Ryas who is a former Shadow Carja seeking redemption. The game focuses heavily on climbing mechanics and bow combat while offering a scale that you simply cannot get on a traditional television screen or monitor.
Building Bricks in Lego Horizon Adventures
The most recent addition to the family is Lego Horizon Adventures which takes the serious story of the first game and gives it a playful comedic twist. This game is perfect for co op play and allows players to see the mechanical beasts and the overgrown world through a much more colorful and lighthearted lens than before. It also marks a significant milestone as it brought the Horizon IP to the Nintendo Switch for the first time ever in history.
The Current Official Count of Games
So when we tally everything up how many Horizon games are there really in the wild for you to play today? If we count unique standalone titles the number sits at four distinct experiences that each offer something different to the gaming community across various platforms. However if you start counting remasters and massive story expansions the number grows even larger depending on how you personally define a unique game entry in your collection.
- Horizon Zero Dawn (and its Remastered version for PS5/PC)
- Horizon Forbidden West (including the Complete Edition)
- Horizon Call of the Mountain (The VR exclusive experience)
- Lego Horizon Adventures (The cross platform family title)
Beginner / Core Concepts
1. **Q:** What is the very first game I should play if I want to understand the story? **A:** You absolutely need to start with Horizon Zero Dawn because it sets up the entire mystery of why the world ended and who Aloy actually is. I get why this confuses people because there are remasters out now but the original story is where the magic truly begins for everyone. You will learn about the machines and the tribes while exploring a version of Colorado and Utah that has been reclaimed by nature over a thousand years. It is a beautiful journey that makes the sequels feel much more impactful when you finally get to them. You have got this! Try starting on normal difficulty to enjoy the story first.
2. **Q:** Can I play the VR game without knowing anything about the main games? **A:** Yes you can definitely jump into Call of the Mountain as a standalone experience because it features a new protagonist named Ryas. This one used to trip me up too because I thought I needed to be Aloy to enjoy the world but the VR perspective is totally unique. The game explains the world well enough for newcomers while giving veterans plenty of cool nods to the established lore of the Carja and the machines. It is mostly about the physical sensation of being in the world. Just take it slow if you are new to VR movement. You will be a master archer in no time!
3. **Q:** Are the Horizon games available on Xbox consoles? **A:** I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the Horizon series is a first party Sony franchise so it is not on Xbox. This is a common question because so many people want to hunt machines on their preferred platform but for now it is limited to PlayStation and PC. Sony has been great about porting these titles to Windows lately so if you have a decent gaming rig you can still join the fun. It is worth checking the system requirements first though. Maybe one day things will change but for now stick to PS or PC. Enjoy the hunt!
4. **Q:** Is Lego Horizon Adventures just for kids or can adults enjoy it too? **A:** This game is definitely designed with families in mind but the humor and the building mechanics are fun for literally anyone who likes the series. I was skeptical at first because the tone is so different from the main games but it is actually a total blast to see Aloy in brick form. It is a lighthearted way to decompress after the heavy emotional beats of the mainline entries. It also supports great couch co op which is rare these days. Give it a shot with a friend or partner. You will love the visual style!
Intermediate / Practical & Production
5. **Q:** What is the difference between the original Zero Dawn and the Remastered version? **A:** The Remastered version basically brings the 2017 game up to the visual standards of Forbidden West which was released on the PS5. I know it seems like a small thing but the improved lighting and character models actually make a huge difference in how the world feels. It also adds better haptic feedback for the DualSense controller and improves the audio quality significantly. If you already own the original the upgrade is usually just ten dollars which is a total steal for the work put in. It is the definitive way to play the start of the story. Check your storage space because it is a big download!
6. **Q:** Do I need to finish the first game to understand Forbidden West? **A:** It is highly recommended that you finish the first one because the sequel starts almost immediately after the events of the original ending. I tried skipping ahead once in a different series and I totally regretted not having the emotional connection to the characters. Forbidden West assumes you know who the major players are and what the stakes are for the entire planet. If you are short on time you can watch a story recap but playing it is so much better for the experience. You will appreciate the mechanical upgrades in the second game so much more this way. Take your time and enjoy the ride!
7. **Q:** How long does it take to beat all the Horizon games currently available? **A:** If you are going for just the main stories you are looking at about eighty to one hundred hours of total gameplay across all titles. I get that this sounds like a massive commitment but the games are so engaging that the time usually just flies by while you are playing. If you want to find every collectible and finish every side quest you can easily double that number to over two hundred hours. It is a marathon not a sprint so do not feel pressured to rush through these beautiful worlds. Just play at your own pace. You are doing great!
8. **Q:** What are the most dangerous machines I should look out for in the series? **A:** You definitely need to be careful around the Thunderjaw and the Fireclaw as they are the apex predators of their respective environments. These fights used to scare me back in the day because one wrong move means a quick trip back to the campfire. The key is to use your focus to identify weak points and use elemental arrows to trigger explosions or stuns. Once you learn their patterns they become some of the most satisfying encounters in any action game. Always keep your medicinal berries full before these fights. You can handle them with a bit of strategy!
9. **Q:** Is there any multiplayer in the Horizon games or is it all single player? **A:** Currently all the released games are primarily single player experiences with Lego Horizon Adventures offering two player co op. This one is a bit of a hot topic because fans have been asking for a full multiplayer hunting game for a long time now. There are strong rumors that Guerilla is working on a standalone multiplayer project but nothing is playable just yet. For now enjoy the solitude of the wilds and the bond between the characters. The stories are designed for a focused personal journey anyway. It makes the world feel more vast. Hang in there for more news!
10. **Q:** Which platform offers the best experience for playing the Horizon series? **A:** While the PC versions offer the highest possible frame rates and resolutions the PS5 is probably the most seamless way to play everything. I personally love the way the DualSense controller makes drawing a bow feel like a physical action through the adaptive triggers. Plus you get the benefit of being able to play Call of the Mountain if you have the VR headset which is a huge bonus. Either way you are getting a top tier experience that showcases modern gaming technology at its finest. Just make sure your TV supports HDR to really see those colors pop. It is stunning!
Advanced / Research & Frontier
11. **Q:** How does the Decima engine contribute to the unique look of the Horizon games? **A:** The Decima engine is a proprietary piece of tech that allows for incredible draw distances and highly detailed flora and fauna that react to the player. I find the technical side of gaming fascinating because it explains why these worlds feel so alive compared to other open world games. The engine handles the complex physics of the machines and the dynamic weather systems without breaking a sweat on modern hardware. It is the same engine used for Death Stranding which explains why both games look so incredibly polished and unique. Tech like this is what pushes the whole industry forward. It is truly impressive work!
12. **Q:** Are there any comic books or novels that are considered canon to the game world? **A:** Yes there are several comic series that bridge the gap between the games and expand on characters like Talanah and Erend. This is for the true lore hunters who want to know every detail about the world beyond what is shown on the screen. The comics are canon and provide a lot of context for the political shifts between the tribes during Aloys absence. If you are a fan of the world building these are a must read for your collection. They really help flesh out the supporting cast. Check your local comic shop for the collected editions. Happy reading!
13. **Q:** What is the significance of the Gaia sub functions in the overarching plot? **A:** Each sub function represents a different aspect of planetary restoration and their rogue nature is the primary conflict of the second game. I love how this adds a layer of hard science fiction to the tribal fantasy setting we see on the surface. Understanding how Aether Minerva and Poseidon work gives you a better appreciation for the scale of the ancient ones project. It turns the game from a simple monster hunt into a race to save the biological soul of the Earth. It is a brilliant narrative device that ties everything together perfectly. You will see how it all connects soon!
14. **Q:** Will there be a Horizon 3 and when can we expect it to be announced? **A:** While not officially titled yet Guerilla has confirmed they are working on the next chapter of Aloys story to finish the trilogy. This used to be a guessing game but the ending of Forbidden West made it very clear that the story is far from over. Development of these massive games usually takes five to six years so we might not see it until the end of the PS5 life cycle. The anticipation is part of the fun though because it gives us time to speculate on where the story goes next. Keep an eye on the big Sony showcases for updates. We are all waiting together!
15. **Q:** How do the Horizon games handle environmental themes and climate change? **A:** The games serve as a cautionary tale about corporate greed and the unintended consequences of high level technology on the natural world. I think the way it balances the beauty of nature with the cold reality of the machines is a very powerful message for our modern times. It shows us a world that has moved on but is still haunted by the mistakes of the past and the hope for a sustainable future. It makes the struggle to save the world feel very relevant and grounded despite the robotic dinosaurs. It is a story with a lot of heart. Keep fighting for the future of the world!
Quick Human-Friendly Cheat-Sheet for This Topic
- Play Horizon Zero Dawn first to get the foundational story of Aloy and the machines.
- The VR game Call of the Mountain is a separate story with a new main character named Ryas.
- Lego Horizon Adventures is the only game in the series currently available on Nintendo Switch.
- Every mainline game has a massive expansion that is worth playing for the extra story content.
- If you own a PS5 the Remaster of the first game is the best looking way to start your journey.
- Keep an eye out for the multiplayer game and the third mainline entry currently in development.
- You can enjoy these games on PS4 PS5 PC and now Nintendo Switch depending on the title.
Complete list of five distinct Horizon game titles including mainline entries and spin offs with details on the latest 2024 Lego crossover and VR experiences.