In Horizon Forbidden West, players embark on an adventure with a female protagonist in an open world full of dangerous, animalistic machines. You have to explore the mysterious frontier known as the Forbidden West, a post-apocalyptic version of the Western United States, specifically Nevada, California, and Utah.
In this guide, you’ll find all the Controls to play Horizon Forbidden West.
| Actions | Keys | Description |
| Movement | Left Stick | Press Left Stick to Move |
| Camera | Right Stick | Press Right Stick to Use Camera |
| Shieldwing Deactivation / Toggle Quick Swap Target | Square | Press Square to Shieldwing Deactivate |
| Focus Tag Part/Use (Prompt) | Triangle | Press Triangle to Focus Tag Use |
| Dodge / Shieldwing Deactivation/Swan | Circle | Press Circle to Dodge |
| Jump / Grapple | Cross | Press Cross to Jump |
| Tool / Weapon Technique / Override Mode Shift Left | D-Pad Left | Press D-Pad Left to Tool Use Override Mode Shift |
| Tool / Weapon Technique / Override Mode Shift Right | D-Pad Right | Press D-Pad Right to Tool Use Override Mode Shift Right |
| Heal / Refill Pouch | D-Pad Up | Press D-Pad Up to Heal |
| Tool Use / Hold to Open Hunter’s Kit | D-Pad Down | Press D-Pad Down to Use Tool |
| Weapon Wheel | L1 | Press L1 to Open Weapon Wheel |
| Valor Surge (while using Weapon Wheel) / Melee | R1 | Press R1 to UseValor Surge |
| Aim | L2 | Press L2 to Aim |
| Focus Tag / Pry / Melee Heavy Attack | R2 | Press R2 to Focus Tag |
| Spring Toggle | L3 | Press L3 to Spring Toggle |
| Focus Activate | R3 | Press R3 to Focus Activate |
| Pause Game | Options Button | Press the Options Button to Pause the Game |
| Open Menu / Show HUD | Touchpad | Press Touchpad to Open Menu |
Aiming Controls
| Actions | Keys | Description |
| Equip Pullcaster | Triangle | Press Triangle to Equip Pullcaster |
| Use Weapon Technique | R1 | Press R1 to Use Weapon Technique |
| Primary Fire | R2 | Press R2 to Primary Fire |
| Concentration | R3 | Press R3 to Concentrate |
| Pause Game | Options Button | Press the Options Button to Pause the Game |
| Open Menu / Show HUD | Touchpad | Press Touchpad to Open Menu |
Swimming Controls
| Actions | Keys | Description |
| Swim Descend | Square | Press Square to Swim Descend |
| Swim Ascend | Cross | Press Cross to Swim Ascend |
| Pause Game | Options Button | Press the Options Button to Pause the Game |
| Open Menu / Show HUD | Touchpad | Press Touchpad to Open Menu / Show HUD |
Mount Controls
| Actions | Keys | Description |
| Mount Duck Rider (Race Only) / Mount / Dismount | Square | Press Square to Mount Duck Rider |
| Mount Brake | Circle | Press Circle to Mount Brake |
| Mount Speed Up / Rider Recover (Race Only) | Cross | Press Cross to Mount Speed Up |
| Mount Light Melee Attack | R1 | Press R1 to Mount Light Melee Attack |
| Rider Recovery (race only) / Mount Heavy Melee Attack | R2 | Press R2 to Recover the Rider |
| Aim Behind Toggle (race only) | L3 | Press L3 to Aim Behind Toggle |
| Pause Game | Options Button | Press the Options Button to Pause the Game |
| Open Menu / Show HUD | Touchpad | Press Touchpad to Open Menu / Show HUD |
Machine Strike Controls
| Actions | Keys | Description |
| Secondary Unit Action | Square | Press Square to Use Secondary Unit Action |
| Tertiary Unit Action / Finish Turn | Triangle | Press Triangle to Finish Turn |
| Undo | Circle | Press Circle to Undo |
| Primary Unit Action | Cross | Press Cross to Primary Unit Action |
| Navigate Left | D-Pad Left | Press D-Pad Left to Navigate Left |
| Navigate Right | D-Pad Right | Press D-Pad Right to Navigate Right |
| Navigate Up | D-Pad Up | Press D-Pad Up to Navigate Up |
| Navigate Down | D-Pad Down | Press D-Pad Down to Navigate Down |
| Select Previous View | L1 | Press L1 to Select Previous View |
| Select Next View | R1 | Press R1 to Select Next View |
| Select Back | L2 | Press L2 to Select Back |
| Select Forward | R2 | Press R2 to Select Forward |
| Pause Game | Options Button | Press the Options Button to Pause the Game |
| Open Menu / Show HUD | Touchpad | Press Touchpad to Open Menu |