Horizon Forbidden West was always going to be a very different game from its predecessor. There's nothing surprising about Guerrilla Games unveiling all kinds of new items and mechanics that'll shape the game, whether it's Aloy's new Pullcaster or the greatly increased importance of swimming. As the second installation in a new franchise, Horizon Forbidden West is well poised to explore Horizon's identity, setting new standards for future games and figuring out what else the series needs to succeed. Naturally, that means Horizon Forbidden West is experimenting with all kinds of new ranged weapons for Aloy, but interestingly, her spear still seems to be her only melee weapon.
When taking a second pass at the Horizon combat system for Horizon Forbidden West, one would expect melee weapons to be an obvious area for improvement. Aloy's spear does the job in Horizon Zero Dawn, but as her only melee weapon, the game lacked diversity in that department. Nevertheless, Aloy doesn't seem to be getting any swords or axes to swing in Horizon Forbidden West. That's surprising, but it's also not a big deal. Considering all the other ways that Aloy's fighting style is changing and the core design of Horizon combat, Aloy isn't missing out on much by sticking to her trusty spear.
Aloy Doesn't Need More Melee Weapons
Melee weapons definitely could've helped change Horizon Forbidden West's combat for the better. Aloy's reliance on her spear means her melee attacks will always operate at a very specific range, and she'll always attack with a certain level of force. By adding lighter and heavier weapons than a spear, melee fighting in Horizon Forbidden West could've gained a lot. Stealth-minded players would love to pick up a pair of quick, silent daggers, while more explosive players might've liked to borrow Erend's hammer for a change.
Ultimately, though, if Horizon Forbidden West was meant to give Aloy more melee weapons, then Horizon Zero Dawn would've done it first. Horizon Zero Dawn's broad arsenal of ranged weapons meant Aloy always had a huge variety of options in combat, but it never offered her the same diverse range of melee tools. Because of that, Aloy's spear is a part of her brand. Horizon Zero Dawn established that a single style of melee weapon is important to Aloy, rather than making her a mastery of every weapon type imaginable, even though it had ample opportunity to do so. The spear is now too central to her image and character to replace.
Aside from Aloy's characterization, Horizon's style of combat frankly makes sticking with the spear more practical anyway. Both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West favor ranged combat because so many of the enemies are hulking machines that can crush her in only a few blows. It's better for Aloy to hit weak spots from afar and stay mobile, rather than trying to go toe to toe with machines many times larger than her. The value of stealth when fighting humans gives some precedence to bows in that department, too. While there's certainly occasions where melee attacks prove valuable, Horizon combat always emphasizes Aloy's dexterity and precision over her raw strength.
Horizon Forbidden West's Changes Go Far Enough
Even if Horizon Forbidden West might have gotten something out of adding new melee weapons, the game doesn't lose much by skipping them by virtue of Guerrilla Games' many other changes. Combat in Horizon Forbidden West promises to be vastly different from its predecessor in a multitude of ways. For one thing, it looks like Guerrilla Games has made some significant upgrades to how Aloy's spear handles. Gameplay trailers suggest that it's becoming a much faster weapon that gives Aloy more opportunity to advance, retreat, and generally move around the battlefield, making the spear more powerful than ever before.
In general, Horizon Forbidden West also seems to be making alternative upgrades to situations where melee weapons might be useful. For instance, certain human enemies now have armor plating like machines. That encourages players to think about how to wield Aloy's spear more precisely, either targeting weak spots or intentionally damaging armor, diversifying approaches to melee combat in a similar way to new weapons. It also looks like Guerrilla Games has improved on Horizon's stealth by giving Aloy new melee takedowns for human enemies, giving her new options without needing a wholly new weapon to wield.
The more general enhancements to Horizon Forbidden West's combat also go a long way in making up for Aloy's sole melee weapon. The game's growing arsenal of ranged weapons looks great, from the high-power Spike Thrower to the Blast Sling's handy Sticky Bomb. There's also Valor Surges to consider, Aloy's explosive special abilities that turn the tide of battle in a variety of ways. Aside from Aloy's new tools, Guerrilla Games also says it's improving enemy AI, which means combat could inherently be more engaging since enemies are more tactical and wary. All in all, Horizon Forbidden West's combat looks like a major step up.
Aloy's Spear Does the Job
If Guerrilla Games doesn't seem inclined to introduce a variety of new melee weapons in Horizon Forbidden West, then it seems likely that Aloy will just stick to her spear forever. Guerrilla had the opportunity to improve combat in this simple way rather than aiming for more complicated changes like Valor Surges, but instead, the spear remains dominant. That strongly suggests that Guerrilla Games sees the spear as one of Aloy's signature weapons and doesn't want to change that part of her moveset. Instead, it'll keep finding new ways to improve the spear.
Even if Horizon Forbidden West doesn't let Aloy pick up an axe or a sword, combat could really be something spectacular. From the Forbidden West's menacing new machines to improved human threats to a plethora of new ways that Aloy can take down her enemies, Horizon Forbidden West has a lot to offer. Horizon Zero Dawn already had sharp combat, but it's great to see Guerrilla Games go to such lengths to make the sequel even better. With spear in hand, Aloy will surely have no shortage of memorable machine encounters in the upcoming game.
Horizon Forbidden West releases Feburary 18, 2022 for PS4 and PS5.