Horizon Forbidden West did a lot to improve the gameplay, story, and visuals of Horizon Zero Dawn. The result is a world that looks and feels richer and more alive. The next Horizon game should continue improving on things, and one of the ways it can do this is by focusing on Aloy's friends. The heroine has managed to get quite a big team behind her, and all her friends are interesting characters that deserved to be explored more. This could be done by switching perspectives, much like Insomniac does with the Spider-Man franchise.
Many of Aloy's friends in Horizon Forbidden West would benefit from the Miles Morales treatment, including Talanah, Kotallo, and Erend. Side missions in the next mainline Horizon game would be the best place to try this, though it wouldn't be the only option. There is also a rumored Horizon multiplayer game that could also allow players to play as Aloy's friends.
Spider-Man and Miles Morales
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Insomniac struck gold with Spider-Man. His web-swinging makes traversing through New York an adrenaline-raising experience, and the fast-paced, flashy combat encourages players to string together impressive combos. Peter Parker's story is also a compelling one, and fans are always eager to discover how he will juggle his superhero life with his personal one. He manages some amazing feats, though he doesn't do them all alone. Sometimes, he is joined by his friend and protégé, Miles Morales.
Like Parker, Morales has web-swinging abilities, but he also has a few unique tricks. Most notably, he can camouflage with his surroundings, making him a master of stealth. He can also charge his attacks with electricity, allowing for shocking moves like Venom Blast. In Spider-Man: Miles Morales, players get to play as Morales, and they experience his amazing powers. Parker is not around for the majority of the adventure, which allows the spotlight to land squarely on Morales, his personality, and his abilities. Though the game is short, it provides a nice change from the regular gameplay, and it allows fans to learn more about Morales and his personal life.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales works because it presents Morales with problems that he is uniquely suited to solve. It also lays the groundwork for Spider-Man 2, as trailers have shown that Morales will be playing a large role in the upcoming game. It may be useful for Guerrilla Games to pay attention to what Insomniac is doing with Spider-Man and its cast of playable superheroes, as Horizon also has a huge roster of characters that deserve more attention.
Aloy and Her Friends in Horizon
In Horizon Zero Dawn, players are introduced to Aloy. She is a red-haired hero who begins life as an outcast. Nevertheless, she does not let this make her bitter or resentful, nor does she lose her faith in herself. When humanity is threatened by HADES and the Derangement, she goes on a quest to save the world. Though she is fiercely independent, she makes some friends along the way, and they prove to be quite helpful.
During the events of Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy meets Talanah who is also a brave machine hunter. Talanah become the first female leader of the Carja Hunters Lodge, and she remains committed to changing the lodge's patriarchal culture. She also meets Erend, who is a drunk with a heart of gold, and Varl, who is very loyal. In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy encounters more tribes and makes even more friends. This includes Kotallo, who learns to overcome his disability, Zo, who falls in love with Varl, and Beta, who is another one of Elisabet Sobeck's clones.
These characters are more than just background props, and they end up having a huge impact on Aloy. Without her friends, Aloy is unable to achieve some of her larger goals, and her friends have complex backstories. Unfortunately, players are unable to explore the lives of these characters sufficiently because, understandably, the focus is on Aloy most of the time. Future games could mend this by taking a few pointers from Insomniac and its Spider-Man games.
How Horizon 3 Could Feature Aloy's Friends More
Horizon fans can look forward to Horizon Call of the Mountain. It is scheduled to release on PSVR 2, and it will not star Aloy. Instead, it focuses on Ryas, a former Shadow Carja warrior who is seeking redemption. The upcoming game demonstrates that Guerrilla Games is willing to explore the series without Horizon, which gives hope that players could one day see things from the perspective of one of her friends.
The ideal situation would be if Guerrilla Games released a shorter title similar to Miles Morales but focused on one of Aloy's friends. Talanah, Zo, or even a prequel starring Rost would be very interesting. Alternatively, Horizon 3 could simply feature side missions that have players temporarily taking control of one of Aloy's friends. This would be particularly effective if the mission requires something only her friends are capable of. For example, Talanah could complete a mission related to the Carja Hunters Lodge, or Zo could complete a mission related to the Utaru tribe. Such missions would allow players to learn more about these characters, and it would add more variety to the gameplay.
There has been no word on when gamers can expect Horizon 3, although Horizon Forbidden West's ending let gamers know that Aloy still has a big challenge coming up, as NEMESIS is on its way to Earth. Aloy will not be able to take on this threat alone, which may mean her friends could play an even bigger role. This may be the right time to introduce missions where gamers can play as her friends to illustrate just how important they are.
Horizon Forbidden West is available on PS4 and PS5.