Unraveling the Challenge: What is Ultra Hard Difficulty in Horizon Forbidden West?

The Ultra Hard difficulty in Horizon Forbidden West is the game’s most challenging setting, designed to push even the most seasoned players to their limits. It’s not simply a bump in enemy health and damage; it fundamentally alters the way the game is played, demanding a strategic and meticulous approach to combat and exploration. Choosing Ultra Hard difficulty transforms Horizon Forbidden West from an engaging action-adventure into a demanding survival experience. The critical aspect to remember is that Ultra Hard must be selected at the very beginning of a new playthrough and cannot be changed until the main story is fully completed, making it a significant commitment for those who dare to undertake it. Let’s delve into the specifics of what makes this mode so challenging.

Core Changes in Ultra Hard Difficulty

The Ultra Hard difficulty introduces a series of alterations that make the Forbidden West a much more dangerous place. Here’s a breakdown of the key changes:

• Disabled Enemy Health Bars: Perhaps the most immediately impactful change, the absence of visible health bars removes a crucial piece of information from combat. Players must now rely on visual cues, weapon damage feedback, and sound effects to gauge the remaining health of enemies, requiring a more intuitive and observational approach. This shift towards perception over data makes each encounter feel more realistic and tense.

• Simultaneous Enemy Attacks: On lower difficulties, enemies often politely wait their turn to strike. Not so on Ultra Hard. Here, multiple enemies can – and will – attack at the same time, creating chaotic and challenging scenarios. This forces players to be constantly aware of their surroundings and utilize movement and crowd control techniques to survive.

• Greatly Increased Enemy Perception Range: Machines on Ultra Hard are far more alert and aware than on other difficulty settings. Both their visual and auditory perception range is significantly increased, making it much harder to sneak past enemies or use stealth effectively. This means players must be extra careful and precise in their movements, emphasizing careful planning and strategy over recklessness.

These changes combined create a fundamentally different gameplay experience. Ultra Hard requires players to master the game’s mechanics, fully utilize Aloy’s skills and gear, and employ a high level of tactical thinking. It isn’t merely about enduring damage; it’s about outsmarting your foes.

The New Game Plus Element

New Game Plus adds another layer to the Ultra Hard experience. Starting a New Game Plus playthrough allows you to keep all the gear, skills, and upgrades you earned from your previous playthrough. This makes a New Game Plus run on Ultra Hard the most accessible option for tackling the difficulty for some players. While the challenge remains significant, having access to your most powerful weapons and armor from the outset gives you an edge and makes the initial stages of the game slightly more manageable.

Essential Strategies for Ultra Hard

Mastering Ultra Hard requires a different mindset and a more refined approach to gameplay. Here are some essential strategies for tackling this difficulty:

• Prioritize Weapon Upgrades: Focusing on upgrading your weapons to their maximum potential is vital. Every bit of damage and added perk counts in Ultra Hard.

• Diversify Your Loadout: Carrying a wide array of weapons and outfits with different elemental damage and defense properties is essential to adapting to different enemy types.

• Use Traps Effectively: Setting up traps and utilizing the environment to your advantage becomes crucial in leveling the playing field, especially against hordes of enemies.

• Master Combat Mechanics: Perfecting your dodging, jumping, and using Concentration to slow down time is key to surviving intense combat scenarios.

• Utilize Food for Buffs: Always carry food to gain stat boosts that can turn the tide in tough encounters.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some commonly asked questions about the Ultra Hard difficulty in Horizon Forbidden West, offering a deeper understanding of this challenging mode:

1. Does Ultra Hard Difficulty turn Forbidden West into a Soulslike?

No, although Ultra Hard significantly increases the difficulty, it doesn’t make the game a Soulslike. Forbidden West retains its action-adventure core gameplay. The difficulty is designed to be more strategic and challenging, not to overwhelm players with instant death and brutal difficulty for the sake of it.

2. Can I change the difficulty mid-game?

No. If you choose Ultra Hard at the start, you cannot change it until you complete the entire story. This is a critical consideration for players who are unsure of their commitment to this difficulty. You can, however, lower the difficulty temporarily just to purchase items from vendors.

3. Does difficulty affect loot drops?

No, difficulty does not affect loot drop rates. The only setting that influences this is the Easy Loot option. This means that playing on Ultra Hard won’t make you get better loot, but you will have to earn the loot you do get.

4. Does Aloy’s level matter on Ultra Hard?

Aloy’s level primarily impacts her health. It does not directly increase damage, or other combat stats. You’ll need to focus on crafting better weapons and armor for significant combat enhancements, not just leveling up.

5. Is the Platinum trophy for Horizon Forbidden West difficult to achieve?

Compared to many modern games, the Platinum trophy for Forbidden West is relatively easy to obtain. Most trophies unlock naturally through gameplay, with a few requiring focused completion of certain side content. However, playing on Ultra Hard will certainly add an extra challenge in getting 100% completion.

6. Is Ultra Hard worth playing for a first playthrough?

This depends on player experience and preference. For those new to Horizon, starting on Normal difficulty is highly recommended. However, experienced action game players might find the challenge and learning curve of Ultra Hard rewarding on a first playthrough.

7. What is the best armor for Ultra Hard?

The Nora Thunder Warrior set is generally considered the best Legendary armor for its strong impact damage buffs, which make it great for a variety of situations. It also massively buffs concentration, which can slow down time during combat.

8. Which graphics mode is best for Ultra Hard?

Many players find the Performance Mode (60fps) to be the best choice after patch 1.16 improved its visual fidelity. The smoother frame rate can be crucial for reacting quickly in the hectic combat scenarios of Ultra Hard.

9. Who is the hardest boss on Ultra Hard?

Many players find Regalla, The Wings of the Ten to be the most challenging boss. This fight requires a very specific strategy on any difficulty, so be prepared for a tough battle on Ultra Hard.

10. How do I beat Tilda on Ultra Hard?

Tilda’s Specter Prime is resistant to Fire, Shock, and Purgewater, so avoid weapons that deal that kind of damage. It cannot be overridden either, so focus on breaking its components.

11. Are there romance options in Forbidden West?

No, there are no romance options available in Horizon Forbidden West. While there are many compelling characters, there are no romantic relationships that can be pursued.

12. What is the max level in Forbidden West?

The maximum level you can reach in Forbidden West is 50. There are enough skill points in the game to max out all the skill trees.

13. Should I use Easy Loot in Horizon Forbidden West?

If you find aiming difficult or prefer a more streamlined experience, using Easy Loot can be beneficial. However, it will affect gameplay as it will give you machine components without needing to shoot them off.

14. How long does it take to 100% the game?

Focusing on the main story takes around 29 hours, while 100% completion is closer to 88 hours which can go up on Ultra Hard difficulty. These are estimates of average player times.

15. Do I need to complete Horizon Forbidden West to play the Burning Shores DLC?

Yes, you must complete all main quests in Horizon Forbidden West to access the Burning Shores DLC, which continues directly from the end of the base game.

By understanding the core mechanics and strategies of Ultra Hard difficulty, players can effectively challenge themselves and experience Horizon Forbidden West in a whole new light. While it’s undoubtedly the toughest challenge the game offers, mastering it can be a incredibly rewarding experience.