Although Horizon Forbidden West was delayed until 2022, the highly-anticipated sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn finally has a true release date: February 18th. The delay is not nearly as far into 2022 as some fans might have expected, and with pre-orders scheduled to start on September 1, it’s finally starting to feel real and fans are back to analyzing everything we know about the sequel.
Horizon Forbidden West takes place about six months after Zero Dawn, and Aloy has been on a mission that whole time. Fans became well-acquainted with Aloy during Horizon Zero Dawn, but based on the revealed trailers, she’s clearly not the same machine huntress she was. In Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy grew from a curious, but isolated and inexperienced huntress into a mature, powerful, and capable leader. In Horizon Forbidden West, those new characteristics will become even more apparent through Aloy’s personality, her mission, and the new gameplay mechanics.
Forbidden West’s Aloy is More Confident
Aloy has always been headstrong and determined, not to mention curious, but she’s still a relatively uncertain teenager when fans meet her in Horizon Zero Dawn. She’s nervous about going into Mother’s Heart for the first time and anxious about being accepted. She also has no idea what’s beyond the Sacred Land of the Nora, where the most dangerous machine is a Scrapper.
Aloy’s journey in Horizon Zero Dawn made her much more confident and capable. Her horizons are broader and her experiences are not so limited. Taking on new, huge machines isn’t as much of a surprise as it was originally, and judging by the way she easily manipulates the map in the Forbidden West gameplay trailer, she’s much more confident with technology.
Horizon Zero Dawn was built on mystery, and there will definitely be more of that in Horizon Forbidden West. Aloy is going to unlock new secrets and make discoveries that will still shock her, but now she knows she can handle it. As a well-seasoned traveler, Aloy is much better equipped to tackle the challenges that come her way.
Aloy’s Mission Isn’t All About Her
Aloy spends a lot of her time helping other people, but the motivation behind her mission is her desire to learn where she came from. Aloy wants to know the truth about Elisabet Sobeck and why she doesn’t have a mother; if not for those desires, she might never have embarked upon the journey in Horizon Zero Dawn.
Sylens calls Aloy out on her selfishness in one scene after she discovers the truth about the Faro Plague and the Old Ones. Aloy is frustrated because the history lesson still didn’t teach her much about herself, but Sylens points out that in the grand scheme of things, Aloy’s personal origin is much less important than the massive truths she just unearthed.
Rost tries to teach Aloy that she needs to fight for something bigger than herself at the beginning of the game, but it’s not until the end that Aloy truly understands. Fighting for herself is not nearly as valuable as fighting for the good of other people, and that will be a major factor going into Horizon Forbidden West.
Now that Aloy knows the truth about herself and Elisabet Sobeck, she’s not backing down. She still wants to help, but this time it isn’t so much about internal motivation. As she says in the reveal trailer, Aloy wants to save the world. Her mission has become much bigger. While her previous motivation helped her become who she is, she’s moving forward to become a true hero that puts others first.
Aloy Isn’t As Alone in Forbidden West
One of the major criticisms of Horizon Zero Dawn was how alone Aloy was for the majority of the game. There weren’t many characters that Aloy had a strong relationship with, and she spent most of the game traveling alone and talking to herself. Based on what’s been shown in the gameplay demo, it looks like Aloy will have companions more often. In Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy’s companions were mostly limited to side quests. In Forbidden West, it seems like some characters will be woven more deeply into the main plot.
It may be a little too soon to tell if Aloy will have more consistent companions in Horizon Forbidden West, but it definitely seems that way. Fans have asked for more meaningful relationships for Aloy, and bringing back characters like Erend is probably a good sign.
Talanah is also very likely to make an appearance, as well as Sun King Avad. Talanah was stuck in the Hunters’ Lodge side quests and Avad never left his palace in Meridian, but hopefully, players will get to see more of both of them in Horizon Forbidden West. Sylens will also be making a comeback (although he's not exactly a great companion), and there’s sure to be some new faces as well.
Aloy Will Have a Lot More Tricks Up Her Sleeve
On a more technical side, Aloy has clearly become a lot more experimental and well-rounded. She has the tools to show for it, too. This is great for gameplay, of course; new tools like the Pullcaster and a holographic glider make traversal elements more exciting, and having combos available for her spear will deepen melee combat.
The impressive Forbidden West gameplay trailer at Sony’s State of Play showcased many of the new items Aloy has at her disposal. She has a lot more than a bow and arrow and a spear with two attacks. That’ll go a long way towards making the game feel great to play, but it also shows some character growth.
Aloy has expanded beyond what she’s comfortable with to add more weapons and tools to her arsenal. Aloy is also better at close-range combat and has become more creative about using the environment to her advantage. That's not even taking the underwater exploration into account. Playing as Aloy may feel a little different as a result, and the player will have to adapt along with her.
Aloy has changed a lot since leaving the Nora Sacred Lands and in Forbidden West, fans will get to know the new and improved Aloy. All that said, it’s unlikely she’ll leave the Forbidden West the same as she entered.
Horizon Forbidden West will release for PS4 and PS5 on February 18, 2022.