Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores Review — What DLC Should Be

2022’s Horizon: Forbidden West didn’t need a DLC expansion. The game itself was as big and content-packed as they come, and ended with a threequel-teasing moment. However, Guerilla Games, being the kitchen-sink-delivering studio that they are, have added the Burning Shores expansion to the game; and while it may have initially seemed superfluous, it’s one of the best pieces of DLC that actually adds a lot to the overall Horizon experience.

While most DLCs simply offer up some new quests, Burning Shores takes you to a whole new location in the Horizon universe: a destroyed Los Angeles, devastated by apocalyptic earthquakes and the machine war that ensued before the beginning of the first game. While Forbidden West had a lot of shorelines and sandy beaches, the layout and distinct look of Los Angeles add a fresh locale for some machine-killing action, with recognisable buildings and landmarks all still (kind of) intact.

And that machine-killing doesn’t take long to re-commence, as you’re forced to fight some brand-new machines, which are some of the most interesting and challenging to date. The fact that Guerilla went the extra mile to create some new enemies is a testament to their passion for this world. While these new mechanised monstrosities are tough, you are treated to some new offensive tricks in the form of a grappling hook finish (to close that frustrating gap that existed when you had a vulnerable downed enemy just too far away), along with some new weapons.

You get access to some more powerful iterations and upgrades of existing Forbidden West weapons, as well as an extremely powerful futuristic Spectre weapon. We don’t want to go into it too much for the sake of spoilers, but it’s a blast.

What Burning Shores manages to do best, though, is feel important to the overall puzzle. The story doesn’t shake up things too much from what was revealed at the end of Forbidden West, but it adds some more interesting elements for a potential third-game, along with what that sneaky frenemy Sylens is up to.

If you’re a Horizon fan, this is a no-brainer, and with Burning Shores, knowing that you not only get 5 more hours of machine-hunting goodness, but also some never-before-seen weapons and abilities, it’s a must-play.

The Burning Shores DLC is available exclusively on PS5 for Horizon: Forbidden West.