In less than two months, fans of Horizon Zero Dawn will be able to reunite with Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West. In Forbidden West, Aloy is adventuring to the West Coast of the former United States to solve a new mystery and save the world once again. Most of the details are still hidden, and will probably stay that way considering how much Horizon Zero Dawn's story relied on mystery, but fans have already begun to see how Aloy has changed between the first and second games.
Horizon Zero Dawn was Aloy's origin story, showing how she grew up as an outcast of the Nora tribe and became a skilled machine hunter. Aloy embarked on a journey of self-discovery that revealed she is a genetic clone of Elisabet Sobeck, the scientist behind the mother nature AI, GAIA, and Project Zero Dawn. Much of Horizon Zero Dawn's story centered on finding out the truth about Aloy's identity, but now that everything has been revealed, Aloy will become a different kind of heroine in more ways than one.
Aloy Is An Established Leader
Aloy did a lot of traveling in Horizon Zero Dawn and endeared herself to a lot of people, including members of the Nora, Oseram, Banuk, and Carja tribes. While she was alone for most of the game, Aloy's unique talent for both hunting and overriding machines made her a recognized and respected figure wherever she went. Horizon Zero Dawn saw Aloy lead the charge against the rogue machines, and in Forbidden West, that reputation could help her accomplish her goals.
The gameplay trailer for Horizon Forbidden West shows Aloy working with members of the Oseram, including her friend Erend. It's clear that Erend is following directions from Aloy, which means that Aloy has truly established herself as a leader. She didn't show up, save the world, and disappear. To be fair, Erend always would have done what Aloy asked of him, but the fact that there are other characters involved hints at a larger mission.
In the time between Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, Aloy has continued to be a leader. Horizon Forbidden West will spend more time showcasing Aloy in a leadership role rather than establishing her as one. As a result, Aloy may struggle with an increased feeling of responsibility, pressure, or inadequacy. Aloy was mostly looking out for herself in Zero Dawn, but now her goal is much bigger.
Aloy Relies More on Community
Aloy was a lone hero in Horizon Zero Dawn. While she did have strong relationships with characters like Rost, Erend, Sun King Avad, and Talanah, Aloy didn't rely on them for much of her missions. Without them, she probably still could have accomplished her goals. However, this should change in Horizon Forbidden West for a couple of different reasons.
First, being part of a community is a major part of Aloy's character arc in Horizon Zero Dawn. Aloy grew up as an outcast and didn't have any friends apart from Rost, so being alone in Zero Dawn made a lot of sense. She had to learn how to trust others and didn't have the most incredible social skills. At the same time, Aloy always longed to be accepted and to be a part of a community, so it is something she searches for. Aloy never let bitterness keep her from being kind and compassionate to those she encountered.
By the end of Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy befriended individuals from every tribe on the map and they all come together to help her find HADES. In Forbidden West, this part of Aloy's arc should continue by placing even more of an emphasis on community. Some players also didn't like how alone Aloy was for most of Zero Dawn and have asked for her to have more companions during the story.
Guerrilla has already shown that it listened to fan feedback and criticism, as well as demonstrated how the settlements in Forbidden West will be more involved, so it's very possible that Aloy will work with other characters more in Forbidden West. It would be a great way to continue the arc, and then Aloy wouldn't have to talk to herself so much.
Aloy is Knowledgeable About the World
A lot of the changes players will see in Aloy have to do with her confidence and how she interacts with the world. Aloy has always been curious, determined, and bold, but she didn't always know what she was doing. In Horizon Zero Dawn, players watched Aloy grow from a sheltered young girl in the Nora Sacred Lands to a hunter strong enough to venture to the Forbidden West.
Aloy developed a unique relationship with technology thanks to the Focus she found as a child, but how her understanding of the Old Ones' machines and technology grew is what sets her apart. Most tribes believe that AI personas are deities, but Aloy understands that they are merely programs and code developed by the Old Ones. Aloy can also override machines in Horizon Zero Dawn, a skill that was uniquely hers.
Forbidden West promises to change that; enemies can also override machines now, so Aloy needs some new tricks. However, she will retain everything that she's learned about GAIA, HADES, Elisabet Sobeck, and machine production, so she's already starting out at a huge advantage. Aloy is exploring a new place, but she's entering it with a wealth of background knowledge compared to what she knew in Horizon Zero Dawn.
Aloy's New Weapons and Traversal Tools
Finally, Horizon Forbidden West has several new tools for Aloy to experiment with. She has several new beautifully designed outfits that work with a unique skill system, new bombs to use against enemies, and new combos utilizing her spear including the Valor Surge. Aloy's primary weapon is still her bow because she is a hunter at heart, but the new weapons add a lot of flexibility for players to customize their combat style.
Traversal mechanics have also been kicked up a notch with the Pullcaster and Shieldwing, which represent a grappling hook and glider, respectively. These tools can be used in combat to get out of a difficult situation or escape a swarm, but they can also be used to reach new heights within the game world. Finally, Aloy has an oxygen mask that allows her to stay underwater for extended periods of time, meaning that underwater exploration is now possible.
Aloy has not been idle between Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, and in addition to the changes players will see in Aloy's character and tools, they'll also see some visual improvement. Horizon Forbidden West has improved upon Aloy's model quite a bit thanks to improving technology. The entire game looks beautiful, but the character models are much more expressive this time.
Aloy's overall arc in Horizon Forbidden West remains to be seen, and if done well, Aloy will be a different person by the end of the game. It's too soon to identify all the differences between the two games, but based on what happened in Horizon Zero Dawn, a lot of those changes and opportunities for character development and gameplay mechanics can be anticipated.
Horizon Forbidden West releases on February 18, 2022, for PS4 and PS5.