Horizon Forbidden West Mission List – All Quests

Like its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West is an action-adventure RPG and so it’s jam-packed with plenty of missions and quests for you to embark on and complete. In fact, Forbidden West heavily builds upon Zero Dawn by including more varied and in-depth missions and quests, particularly the side quests. With this in mind, it can be incredibly easy to get side-tracked when playing the game, which is why we’ve put together this Horizon Forbidden West mission list guide that details all main missions, interludes, side quests, errands, and all other side content.

Please note that this guide may include some story spoilers in the form of mission titles, so continue at your own discretion.

If you’re looking for a guide on the Burning Shores DLC missions, click here.

Horizon Forbidden West Main Quests

The Horizon Forbidden West main quests tell the game’s expansive main storyline, which follows Aloy as she embarks to the Forbidden West to uncover the truth behind a mysterious blight endangering all life, face warring factions, and meet friendly and sinister characters. 

There are 14 main quests in the game and they all involve multiple objectives to complete. The story missions and the levels required to complete them can be found in our Horizon Forbidden West mission list below:

Reach For The Stars (Level 3)

Reach For The Stars is the first mission in Horizon Forbidden West and it sees Aloy as she and Varl explore an abandoned launch facility to find a backup of GAIA.

Read our Reach For The Stars walkthrough here

To The Brink (Level 5)

To The Brink follows Aloy as she enters The Daunt to attend an important Embassy at the border of the Forbidden West. 

Read our To The Brink walkthrough here

The Embassy (Level 7)

In The Embassy, Aloy, after unlocking merchants in The Daunt, attends the Embassy between the Carja and the Tenakth and is called upon when things take a turn for the worst. 

Read our The Embassy walkthrough here

Death’s Door (Level 10)

Death’s Door is a main Horizon Forbidden West mission in which Aloy tracks down the signal from the Spire and discovers what Sylens has been up to.

Read our Death’s Door walkthrough here

The Dying Lands (Level 15)

The Dying Lands sees Aloy, Varl, and Zo venture into a cauldron in the hopes of locating and capturing one of GAIA’s sub-functions. 

Read our The Dying Lands walkthrough here

The Broken Sky (Level 17)

In The Broken Sky, Aloy travels to the Memorial Grove in search of AETHER and meets with Tenakth Chief, Hekarro, who has a big request. 

The Kulrut (Level 18)

Aloy is required to defend the Kulrut from Regalla and her rebels in the Arena within the Memorial Grove. 

Cradle Of Echoes (Level 20)

After successfully merging a sub-function with GAIA, Aloy, Erend, and Varl are sent by GAIA in Cradle Of Echoes to check out a distress signal, which may lead them to the ELEUTHIA sub-function. 

The Sea Of Sands (Level 22)

Aloy travels to the Stillsands, the ruins of Las Vegas, to uncover what may be the POSEIDON sub-function in The Sea Of Sands.

Read our The Sea Of Sands walkthrough here

Seeds Of The Past (Level 24)

In Seeds Of The Past, Aloy travels to an abandoned facility where she hopes to find the DEMETER sub-function.

Faro’s Tomb (Level 26)

In Faro’s Tomb, Aloy must travel further west to San Francisco to Ted Faro’s bunker Thebes to obtain his Omega Clearance.

Gemini (Level 30)

Gemini is one of the final missions of Horizon Forbidden West and in it, Aloy and companions travel to Cauldron GEMINI to trap and capture the HEPHAESTUS sub-function.

The Wings Of The Ten (Level 32)

The Wings Of The Ten is the penultimate mission in Horizon Forbidden West and it sees Aloy wage war against Regalla and her forces.

Singularity (Level 35)

Singularity is the final main Horizon Forbidden West mission, and it follows Aloy and companions as they storm the Zenith base.

Horizon Forbidden West Interludes List

Sprinkled between the Horizon Forbidden West main quests are Interludes, missions that are smaller in design but are used to move the story ahead at a greater pace. There are a total of three interludes, which you can read about below:

The Point Of The Lance (Level 4)

The Point Of The Lance is the first interlude in Horizon Forbidden West and it sees Aloy return to Meridian to investigate a strange occurrence at the Spire.

Read our The Point Of The Lance walkthrough here

The Eye Of The Earth (Level 17)

In The Eye Of The Earth, Aloy, Varl, and Zo restore an old base to capture one of the GAIA sub-routines. 

Read our The Eye Of The Earth walkthrough here

All That Remains (Level 31)

All That Remains is the final interlude in Horizon Forbidden West and it sees Aloy uncover the truth about the Zeniths and the Odyssey.

Horizon Forbidden West All Side Quests

Alongside the Horizon Forbidden West main quests and interludes, there are also side quests you can complete, which are much more in-depth and varied than those found in Horizon: Zero Dawn. These missions branch off from current events of the main game but usually focus on secondary characters to enhance world-building. 

They aren’t mandatory to complete, but they can provide you with some excellent new weapons or armour, as well as additional skill points, face paint, and experience. There are a total of 25 side quests, and they include:

Deep Trouble (Level 5)

Deep Trouble is one of the first side quests you’ll likely encounter. Given by Arnuf or Korvend in Chainscrape or Crimson Narrows, the mission requires you to investigate a flooded mine and save missing miners. 

The Bristlebacks (Level 7)

The Bristlebacks is another side mission available in The Daunt. Given by Ulvund, the mission sees Aloy travel to Redhew Quarry and follow Bristleback trails to discover how the deadly machines have been entering The Daunt.

The Twilight Path (Level 7)

In The Twilight Path, Aloy must help a peaceful group of Shadow Carja refugees known as The Order Of The Twilight who refuse to move from their camp and are being threatened by an associate of Ulvund. 

Shadow From The Past (Level 7)

In Shadow From The Past, Aloy decides to help an imprisoned Carja guard who claims a small faction of the Eclipse are in The Daunt.

Shadow In The West (Level 10)

Aloy heads to the coordinates of a large camp in No Man’s Land where she must free slaves and face some old enemies. 

The Burning Blooms (Level 15)

The Burning Blooms is a side quest available in the Forbidden West, which sees Aloy track down a familiar Carja huntress and her Utara Thrush.

The Roots That Bind (Level 15)

In The Roots That Bind, Aloy is asked to help the Utara village of Riverhymn as it falls under attack by Tenakth raiders. 

The Deluge (Level 15)

The Deluge is another side quest in Horizon Forbidden West, and it sees Aloy rescue a group of survivors after a mudslide devastated the northern village of Bleeding Mark. 

The Gate Of The Vanquished (Level 15)

In The Gate Of The Vanquished Aloy is tasked with deciding the fate of the Desert Clan’s leader. 

A Tribe Apart (Level 15)

A Tribe Apart is another side quest in Horizon Forbidden West. In it, Aloy decides to help a group of young warrior Tenakth who have run into trouble. 

Signal Spike (Level 16)

In Signal Spike, Aloy helps an Oseram tinker decipher a signal to uncover the mysterious message hidden inside it.

Thirst For The Hunt (Level 17)

Thirst For The Hunt is a Horizon Forbidden West side quest in which Aloy helps Arrowhand’s leader Drakka harvest machine parts to trade with the capital for water. 

The Promontory (Level 17)

In The Promontory, Aloy decides to help Utaru Bree whose wife, the newest member of the Chorus, has gone missing and is presumed dead after embarking on a dangerous pilgrimage to the Promontory. 

A Soldier’s March (Level 18)

A Soldier’s March is a Horizon Forbidden West side quest in which Aloy is asked to check on Sky Clan member Penttoh who has gone missing after attempting to complete a trial known as the March Of The Ten.

Breaking Even (Level 18)

In Breaking Even, Aloy is called to explore an ancient tunnel that has been cut off from No Man’s Land and find a way through it. 

The Wound In The Sand (Level 19)

The Wound In The Sand is another side quest in Horizon Forbidden West in which the Desert Clan leader Yarra faces unrest after the capital’s water supply runs dry, and asks Aloy for assistance to find out why.

Blood For Blood (Level 19)

Blood For Blood is a side quest in which Dekka needs Aloy’s assistance in finding and convincing her grandson Kavvoh to return to the clan after joining Regalla’s rebels. 

Drowned Hopes (Level 22)

In Drowned Hopes, Aloy helps a group of Carja academics as they look to return to their dig site in search of relics from the past.

Lofty Ambitions (Level 24)

Lofty Ambitions is a Horizon Forbidden West side quest in which Aloy helps Morlund construct a new invention. 

The Second Verse (Level 25)

The Second Verse is a companion side quest in which Aloy helps Zo heal the Utaru land-gods and save Plainsong’s crop fields.

Need To Know (Level 25)

In Need To Know, Aloy decides to help friend Talanah in her search for lover Amadis who fled to the Forbidden West. 

The Valley Of The Fallen (Level 28)

The Valley Of The Fallen is a side quest in which Aloy is called upon to investigate why dangerous machines have gathered in the Valley Of The Fallen, forcing the Lowland Tenakth to abandon their camp.

What Was Lost (Level 30)

What Was Lost is a companion side quest in Horizon Forbidden West in which Aloy decides to help Kotallo build a new arm using Zenith technology. 

Forbidden Legacy (Level 30)

In companion side quest Forbidden Legacy, Aloy helps Alva uncover data in San Francisco that may help the Quen fix a flood control system back home. 

The Way Home (Level 32)

The Way Home is a Horizon Forbidden West side quest in which Aloy decides to help two Quen navigators acquire a gyrocompass to guide their fleet back home.

Errands

Horizon Forbidden West errands are smaller than all other quests and they usually see Aloy help side characters, requiring you to complete one or two objectives on your journey. There are a total of 11 errands available, and they include:

A Dash Of Courage (Level 5)

A Dash Of Courage is likely the first errand you’ll come across in Horizon Forbidden West. In it, a cook in Chainscrape needs help gathering equipment and ingredients for his customers. 

Signals Of The Sun (Level 5)

In Signals Of The Sun, Aloy must help an Oseram fend off a machine attack at a Carja watchtower.

A Bigger Boom (Level 7)

A Bigger Boom is a Horizon Forbidden West errand in which Aloy must harvest machine parts for two Oseram tinkers to build a special weapon for her. 

The Taste Of Victory (Level 15)

The Taste Of Victory is another errand. In it, Aloy promises to harvest ingredients to help a cook in Salt Bite craft a unique meal.

Supply Drop (Level 17)

Supply Drop is another errand in Horizon Forbidden West where Aloy must locate a Tenakth soldier who has gone missing after being attacked by a herd of machines.

In Bloom (Level 18)

In Bloom is an errand in which Aloy is asked to bring flowers to an Utaru named Nilo by lover and Tenakth warrior Darikka.

Call And Response (Level 18)

In Call And Response, Aloy is tasked with bringing a squad of Tenakth warriors home after they were punished for following Kotallo to the Embassy in defiance of Tekotteh. 

The Music In Metal (Level 20)

In The Music In Metal errand, Aloy helps Utaru Jaxx harvest machine parts to surprise fellow Utaru Korreh with the required resources to complete an instrument. 

Broken Locks (Level 22)

Broken Locks is an errand in Horizon Forbidden West where Aloy is tasked with helping Porguf return his mother’s lockbox to his estranged sister and the lockbox’s rightful owner. 

Nights Of Lights (Level 22)

In Nights Of Lights, Aloy is tasked with helping Stemmur uncover an Old World ornament from the ruins of Las Vegas. 

A Hunt To Remember (Level 22)

A Hunt To Remember is the final errand available in Horizon Forbidden West and it sees Aloy help a Sky Clan soldier hunt down the machines that have been attacking Tenakth soldiers.

Salvage Contracts

Salvage Contracts are a type of side activity available in Horizon Forbidden West wherein Aloy is tasked with completing a series of contracts to collect machine parts in reward for special weapons from contractors. 

Barren Light

• Convoy Ambush (2,000 XP, Shock +7% Coil, 40 Metal Shards)
• Scavengers (2,000 XP, 1 Apex Widemaw Heart, 40 Metal Shards)
• Alarm Antennas (2,000 XP, Fire +7% Coil, 40 Metal Shards)
• Elusive Fanghorn (2,500 XP, Impact Spike Thrower, 2 Skill Points, 60 Metal Shards)

The Stillsands

• Lost Supplies (3,750 XP, 1 Apex Bellowback Heart, 75 Metal Shards
• Pristine Bellowback (4,500 XP, Instant Corroding Chance +4%, 75 MS)
• Missing Gear (5,000 XP, 1 Shell-Walker Lighting Gun, 75 MS)
• Rollerback Salvage (6,500 XP, Sunshot Hunter Bow, 2 Skill Points, 75 MS)

The Greenswell

• Ancient Relics (2,500 XP, 2 Ancient Sculpture, 50 MS)
• Property Retrieval (3,750 XP, 1 Apex Rollerback Heart, 50 MS)
• Plowhorns And Plants (3,750 XP, Draw Speed +15%, 50 MS)
• Ravager Cannon (5,000 XP, Component tear +15%, 50 MS)
• Speedy Lancehorns (5,000 XP, Punching Boltblaster, 2 Skill Points, 50 MS)

The Raintrace

• Mine Launchers (7,500 XP, 1 Stormbird Cannon, 300 MS)
• Colleague And Key (7,500 XP, Critical Hit Chance +15% Coil, 300 MS)
• Underwater Salvage (6,250 XP, 1 Apex Thunderjaw Heart, 350 MS)
• Reinforced Components (7,500 XP, Vindicator Spike Thrower, 350 MS)

Hunting Grounds

Hunting Grounds are another side activity available in Horizon Forbidden West where Aloy must complete a series of combat trials against machines to learn vital tricks and techniques against machines. 

There are four Hunting Grounds and each has three trials, awarding different rankings. These ranks influence how many Hunting Medals you receive, which can be traded for weapons at The Arena. 

While the hunting grounds are not mandatory, you’ll need to complete all of them and earn at least a Quarter Stripe to unlock the ‘Obtained 3 Stripes At A Hunting Ground’ and ‘Obtained 3 Stripes At All Hunting Grounds’ trophies. All of the hunting grounds and their challenges include:

The Daunt

• Tear Trial: Remove and loot two Power Cells from Scroungers
• Shock Trial: Use Shock to overload Scrounger Power Cells and put three machines into a Shocked state
• Shock And Trap Trial: Use environmental traps to kill machines while in a Shocked state

Plainsong

• Silent Looting Trial: Loot supply caches without alerting or damaging machines
• Silent Strike Trial: Kill machines using Silent Strike and Strike From Above to remain undetected
• Silent Gliding Trial: Glide over machines with your Shieldwing and kill them from above without being detected

Sheerside Mountains

• Frost Trial: Use Frost on Bellowbacks to trigger the Brittle state and destroy their Cargo Refining Sacs
• Shredder Catch Trial: Hit a machine three times with a fully charged Shredder
• Plasma Blast Trial: Use Plasmo on a Rollerback to build up the Plasma Blast state and inflict maximum damage to create a powerful explosion

The Raintrace

• Shock And Remove Trail: Shoot off a Tremortusk’s tusks while in a Shocked state
• Mounted Combat Trail: Kill other machines by overriding and mounting a Clawstrider
• Heavy weapons Trail: Shoot off a Tremortusk’s cannons and use them to kill other machines

Melee Pits

Much like Hunting Grounds, Melee Pits are short challenges against human enemies which Aloy must complete in order to face each pit’s Pit Master. 

Once all have been defeated, Aloy can then use all the combat techniques against the Enduring, which unlocks the ‘Defeated The Enduring’ trophy. The melee pits and their challenges are as follows:

Chainscrape

• Block Breaker
• Resonator Blast
• Pit Master Challenger (Odurg)

Scalding Spear

• Warrior’s Wrath
• Aerial Punisher
• Pit Master Challenger (Lirokkeh)

The Bulwark

• Jump-Off And Shoot
• Seek And Strike
• Sustained Breaker
• Pit Master Challenger (Virakk and Erayyo)

Thornmarsh

• Destroyer Chain
• Reap And Clear
• Energy Surge Chain
• Power Rush
• Pit Master Challenger (Tenallo)

The Arena

The Arena is a side activity found in Horizon Forbidden West in which Aloy must complete several timed challenges against a diverse range of machines. Completing the challenges awards Arena Medals that can be traded for Legendary weapons, outfits, and more. 

Although they’re not mandatory, completing one set of Arena challenges will award you with the ‘Completed Arena Challenge Set’ trophy.

Rebel Camps

Rebel Camps are locations found throughout the world of Horizon Forbidden West that are filled with Tenakth Rebels and Leaders, which Aloy must clear out to prevent them from causing trouble for the Tenakth factions. 

Completing all Rebel Camps is required to unlock a side quest with Erend and unlock the ‘First Rebel Camp Completed’ and ‘Defeated Asera’ trophies. They’re also required to achieve the game’s platinum trophy.

• Eastern lie
• The Hive
• Breached Rock
• Devil’s Grasp
• Fenrise
• First Forge

Rebel Outposts

Rebel Outposts are smaller versions of Rebel Camps, although they work in the same way and require you to clear out the outposts’ rebels and the leader. 

There are a total of 17 Rebel Outposts, and you’ll need to complete four Rebel Outposts for the ‘Completed 4 Rebel Outposts’ trophy. All Rebel Outposts can be found in:

• The Deadfalls
• Jagged Deep
• Plainsong
• The High Turning
• The Dry Yearn
• Stillsands North
• Stillsands South
• Stillsands West
• Shining Wastes North
• Runner’s Wild
• Shining Wastes South
• Raintrace East
• The Graypeak
• Raintrace North
• Raintrace West
• The Stand Of The Sentinels
• Bonewhite Tear

Relic Ruins

Relic Ruins are small environmental puzzles you can find throughout the world of Horizon Forbidden West. Solving the puzzles will reward you with a special artefact. You don’t need to complete all Relic Ruins, but a minimum of three are required to earn the ‘Completed 3 Relic Ruins’ trophy on your way to the platinum trophy. 

There are a total of eight Relic Ruins, and they can be found in:

• The Daunt
• No Man’s Land
• The Dry Yearn
• Restless Weald
• The Stillsands
• Runner’s Wild
• The Long Coast
• Isle Of Spires

Tallnecks

Tallnecks are large machines that can be found throughout the world of Horizon Forbidden West. Climbing and overriding tallnecks will clear up sections of the map, making it easier for you to explore the game’s world. Overriding them also awards you with the ‘First Tallneck Overridden’ and ‘All Tallnecks Overridden’ trophies.

There are a total of six Tallnecks, although one remains locked until later in the game and another is only accessible via a cauldron. All six Tallnecks can be found in:

• Cinnabar Sands
• The Shining Wastes
• Salt Bite
• The Stillsands
• The Stand Of The Sentinels
• Landfall

Cauldrons

There are several cauldrons located throughout Horizon Forbidden West. When completed each cauldron offers several machine overrides as rewards – some overrides are corrupted and need machine parts to unlock. However, you’ll need to solve numerous puzzles and take on various machines while also facing a dangerous boss fight. Completing all cauldrons will award you with the ‘First Core Overridden’ and ‘All Cores Overridden’ trophies for the platinum. A full list of cauldrons can be found in our guide here.

Gauntlet Runs

Gauntlet Runs are races found throughout the world of Horizon Forbidden West. The challenges require you to race Tenakth Rebels on mounts across challenging courses, where you’ll need to use various power-ups and weapons to take out opponents, and completing all races will allow you to face Red Teeth, the best racer amongst the Tenakth. 

There are a total of four races available, and each must be completed before you can move on to the next. Two must be completed to earn the ‘Won 2 Gauntlet Runs’ trophy for the game’s platinum. The four Gauntlet Runs are:

• Dry Yearn
• Cliffs Of The Cry
• Bonewhite Tear
• The Stillsands

How Long Is Horizon Forbidden West?

The story of Horizon Forbidden West can take up to around 30 hours to complete, while finishing all side quests, errands, and other activities can take just over 40 hours. If you’re aiming to complete everything in the game – such as finding all collectables – you’re looking at around 80 hours. Horizon Forbidden West is a long game and there’s plenty to enjoy, so get playing!

That’s it! Those are all main and side missions, as well as all content available in Horizon Forbidden West. We hope our guide has helped!