Explorer vs. Guided Assistance in Horizon Forbidden West — Which should you pick?

Horizon Forbidden West has a lot of customization options for players to choose from. One of the first that you’ll be required to select at the start of the game is either Explorer Mode or Guided Mode for quest and waypoint pathfinding. If you’re confused about what those options do or are unsure of which is the better setting for you, this guide is a simple explainer.

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Guided Mode is perfect for players who want a little more direction and clearer information. Markers and waypoints will be shown entirely, letting you know exactly where you need to go and optimizing your route. This offers a more traditional open-world game experience at the cost of immersion.

Explorer Mode still shows you an objective marker in your compass wheel at the top of the screen but it won’t give specifics. Instead, it will only show the general direction you’ll need to head in to reach your location. It’s the better setting if you’d rather have more immersion, but finding where you need to go will be a tad more difficult.

You can switch between Explorer Mode and Guided Mode freely at any time. Go into Settings and you’ll see the pathfinding options under General. Not only can you swap the modes, but you can also combine them if you’d rather have minimal direction for your quests but full direction for your waypoints or vice versa. Ultimately the choice between the two modes is purely a personal preference; there’s no “right” mode because there’s no “right” way to have fun, so pick whichever will give you a more enjoyable experience.