15 Games Like Horizon Forbidden West You Need to Play in 2026

Horizon Forbidden West sent Aloy west into a stunning post-apocalyptic frontier of towering machines and overgrown ruins. Tactical hunting, a huge open world, gorgeous vistas, and a story about saving a dying Earth made it one of Sony’s flagship adventures, and the Burning Shores DLC pushed it even further. If you have finished Aloy’s journey and want more games that hit the same notes, this list is for you.

These 15 picks each deliver on what makes Forbidden West shine: open-world exploration, tactical combat progression, or cinematic adventure. No filler, no loose “open world” tag-alongs.

Quick Comparison: Top 5 Picks

#GameFocusPricePlatforms
1Horizon Zero DawnExploration$49.99PC, PS4, PS5
2Ghost of TsushimaExploration$59.99PC, PS4, PS5
3The Witcher 3: Wild HuntStory$39.99PC, PS, Xbox, Switch
4Monster Hunter WildsHunting$69.99PC, PS5, Xbox
5God of War RagnarökStory$59.99PC, PS4, PS5

1. Horizon Zero Dawn

Why it’s similar

Same world, machines, and Aloy storyline, with open-world exploration and tactical hunting, the direct predecessor.

What makes it unique

It introduced the machine ecosystem and the mystery of the old world that Forbidden West continues.

Key features

  • Machine hunting combat
  • Post-apocalyptic open world
  • Aloy’s origin story
  • Frozen Wilds DLC

Price: $49.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

2. Ghost of Tsushima

Why it’s similar

Beautiful open-world exploration with strong combat, stealth, and cinematic storytelling, Sony’s other exploration showcase.

What makes it unique

Wind-guided navigation and stance-based sword combat make traversal and fights feel deliberate.

Key features

  • Stance-based combat
  • Wind navigation
  • Iki Island DLC
  • PC Director’s Cut

Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Why it’s similar

A massive open world with deep quests and strong RPG progression, matching Forbidden West’s exploration and story balance.

What makes it unique

Side quests rival the main story, and two huge expansions push playtime past 200 hours.

Key features

  • 200+ hour campaign with DLC
  • Choice-driven narrative
  • Witcher senses investigation
  • Beautiful open world

Price: $39.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

4. Monster Hunter Wilds

Why it’s similar

Hunting massive creatures with preparation, gear upgrades, and tactical combat, the closest match to Aloy’s machine takedowns.

What makes it unique

A seamless open world and dynamic weather shift the ecosystem live, changing which monsters appear.

Key features

  • Massive monster hunts
  • Deep gear crafting
  • Seamless open world
  • Co-op multiplayer

Price: $69.99 Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

5. God of War Ragnarök

Why it’s similar

A cinematic adventure with emotional storytelling, large-scale enemy encounters, and satisfying progression.

What makes it unique

Norse mythology and puzzle-filled realms surround a story about Kratos and Atreus, told in a single-shot camera.

Key features

  • Father-son narrative
  • Weighty axe and blade combat
  • Nine realms to explore
  • Valhalla roguelite DLC

Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

6. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Why it’s similar

Huge open-world exploration with combat, crafting, and character progression, built for players who want scale.

What makes it unique

Settlement building and raids anchor a sprawling campaign, with mythological story arcs woven throughout.

Key features

  • Viking open world
  • Settlement building
  • Raids and crafting
  • Two major expansions

Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

7. Elden Ring

Why it’s similar

An exploration-focused open world with challenging enemies and discovery-based gameplay, rewarding curiosity like Horizon.

What makes it unique

FromSoftware’s Soulslike combat sits in a massive open world, and build variety lets everyone fight their own way.

Key features

  • Lands Between open world
  • Soulslike combat depth
  • Shadow of the Erdtree DLC
  • Multiple endings

Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

8. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Why it’s similar

Open-ended exploration and player freedom with creative problem-solving and discovery at every turn.

What makes it unique

Building and fusing systems let you craft vehicles and weapons, turning exploration into invention.

Key features

  • Build-and-fuse systems
  • Sky, surface, and depths
  • Open-ended puzzles
  • Massive world

Price: $69.99 Platforms: Switch

Where to Buy

Available on the Nintendo eShop.

9. Far Cry 6

Why it’s similar

Open-world action with enemy bases, crafting, weapons, and exploration systems, chaos with a clear objective loop.

What makes it unique

A guerrilla revolution on the island of Yara, with improvised weapons and animal companions.

Key features

  • Yara open world
  • Guerrilla revolution story
  • Improvised weapons
  • Animal companions

Price: $59.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

10. Days Gone

Why it’s similar

A post-apocalyptic setting with survival elements and open-world exploration against dangerous enemies.

What makes it unique

Freaker hordes swarm hundreds deep, and motorcycle upkeep adds a survival layer to every ride.

Key features

  • Massive Freaker hordes
  • Motorcycle traversal
  • Open Pacific Northwest
  • Remastered horde mode

Price: $49.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

11. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Why it’s similar

A beautiful alien open world with nature-focused exploration and combat, the closest match to Horizon’s lush vistas.

What makes it unique

First-person Na’vi traversal and a living Pandora ecosystem make exploration feel alive and reactive.

Key features

  • Pandora open world
  • First-person traversal
  • Nature-based combat
  • Stunning visuals

Price: $69.99 Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

12. Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Why it’s similar

Exploration, climbing, and survival gameplay with a strong female protagonist and adventure focus, close to Aloy’s spirit.

What makes it unique

Dense jungle tombs and stealth-heavy encounters make it the most survival-focused entry in the trilogy.

Key features

  • Tomb exploration
  • Survival crafting
  • Stealth combat
  • Definitive Edition DLC

Price: $19.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

13. Control

Why it’s similar

A sci-fi mystery with third-person combat, ability progression, and strong world-building, for the lore-hunters.

What makes it unique

Telekinetic powers and a shifting, brutalist government building make combat and exploration surreal.

Key features

  • Telekinetic combat
  • Shifting Oldest House
  • Ability progression
  • Ultimate Edition DLC

Price: $29.99 Platforms: PC, PS, Xbox, Switch

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

14. Death Stranding

Why it’s similar

Post-apocalyptic exploration with traversal-focused open-world gameplay, where crossing the terrain is the challenge.

What makes it unique

Cargo-hauling and route-planning replace shooting as the core loop, and the story goes gloriously strange.

Key features

  • Terrain traversal loop
  • Asynchronous online building
  • Star-studded cast
  • Director’s Cut extras

Price: $39.99 Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

15. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Why it’s similar

A cinematic open-world adventure with fast traversal and story-focused missions, blockbuster polish through and through.

What makes it unique

Two playable Spider-Men and web-swinging traversal make a dense open city effortless to move through.

Key features

  • Two playable Spider-Men
  • Web-swinging traversal
  • Open-world New York
  • Cinematic story campaign

Price: $69.99 Platforms: PC, PS5

Where to Buy

Available on Green Man Gaming and Steam.

Full Comparison Table

#GameFocusPricePlatforms
1Horizon Zero DawnExploration$49.99PC, PS4, PS5
2Ghost of TsushimaExploration$59.99PC, PS4, PS5
3The Witcher 3: Wild HuntStory$39.99PC, PS, Xbox, Switch
4Monster Hunter WildsHunting$69.99PC, PS5, Xbox
5God of War RagnarökStory$59.99PC, PS4, PS5
6Assassin’s Creed ValhallaExploration$59.99PC, PS, Xbox
7Elden RingExploration$59.99PC, PS, Xbox
8Avatar: Frontiers of PandoraExploration$69.99PC, PS5, Xbox
9Far Cry 6Combat$59.99PC, PS, Xbox
10Days GoneSurvival$49.99PC, PS4, PS5
11Marvel’s Spider-Man 2Story$69.99PC, PS5
12Shadow of the Tomb RaiderAdventure$19.99PC, PS4, Xbox
13ControlCombat$29.99PC, PS, Xbox, Switch
14Death StrandingTraversal$39.99PC, PS4, PS5
15The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomExploration$69.99Switch

Conclusion

Horizon Forbidden West fans have plenty of directions depending on what hooked them. Want more of Aloy? Horizon Zero Dawn is the obvious start, and Monster Hunter Wilds delivers the same tactical-hunt thrill. Craving cinematic open-world adventure? Ghost of Tsushima, God of War Ragnarök, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 are Sony’s finest.

Here for deep exploration and story? The Witcher 3, Elden Ring, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom reward curiosity for dozens of hours. And if the lush world itself was the draw, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Death Stranding turn traversal into the whole point. Every game here earned its spot through real open-world craft, not just a shared tag.