Guerilla Games may have only released the follow-up to its critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn a few months ago, but talk has already turned to Horizon Forbidden West's inevitable sequel. In a market that tends to be a little overcrowded with long-running series, remakes, and remasters, it's refreshing to get a truly original IP in the mix, and that's what Horizon Forbidden West and its predecessor provided. Aloy's adventures across the post-apocalyptic landscapes provided breathtaking scenery and some excellent world-building, and both games have been met with positive reviews and more than a few accolades. Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West have stories rich with lore and mysteries to uncover, and fans have already started to speculate what the next installment might have in store.
Despite Horizon Forbidden West only releasing in February of this year, the flames of fan excitement were once again stoked thanks to some recent comments from Mathijs de Jonge, creative director at Guerrilla Games. Speaking with VG247, de Jonge talked about Horizon Forbidden West's cliffhanger ending and described how the team was "setting up some things for the next game once again.” These tantalizing teases for the next entry in the Horizon series don't reveal much, but de Jonge's interview has offered a few glimpses into where Guerilla Games' follow-up could be headed.
Narrative Loose Ends
Horizon Zero Dawn had a lot of legwork to do in order to establish the new world that players found themselves in. There were various tribes of humans to meet, robotic creatures to explain, and a world-ending plague to contextualize. The game did a good job of introducing players to Aloy's world and even managed to set up some really intriguing narrative threads for its sequel. Horizon Forbidden West's story picked up a short time after the previous game left off, and gamers were once again plunged into the Nora hunter's quest to save the world and put a stop to a number of nefarious schemes. The sequel even had a late-game twist that helped to add further characterization to Aloy and her long-dead genetic ancestor Elisabet Sobeck, as well as provide a deeper look at the ending of the Old World and the mysterious Far Zenith's part in it.
While Horizon Forbidden West helped to expand the lore established in the first game, it still left a few questions unanswered. As is the nature of video game franchises with overarching narratives, each game will have its own trials and adventures, but some plot threads need to remain in order to connect the different entries. Horizon Forbidden West's exploration of the Far Zenith colony left many questions, but also provided one of the game's most interesting characters; the formidable Tilda van der Meer. Not only does Tilda have a surprising (and quite heartbreaking) connection to Elisabet, but she also plays a big part in Horizon Forbidden West's plot. While she appears to die at the end of the game, this might not necessarily rule her out for the sequel.
One of the Horizon series' most unique aspects is its examination of the Old World through the lens of Aloy and her companions. The tragedy of the Faro Plague and the downfall of humanity because of its greed and lack of foresight is revealed again and again as Aloy explores the Old World ruins and finds data points left behind by people a thousand years prior to the events of the games. These aspects provide some of the series' most poignant and touching moments, and even some surprising elements of humor, like the Concrete Beach Party mini-quest in Horizon Forbidden West's DLC. There is still so much that players don't know about the Old World and its doomed inhabitants, and a sequel will no doubt continue to explore these narratively rich sources.
Nemesis Showdown
One thing that Horizon Forbidden West does set up is the imminent arrival of Nemesis. The antagonistic AI created by the Far Zenith colonists certainly has a score to settle, and its malevolent intent has already been felt back on Earth. The AI has succeeded in destroying Far Zenith's Sirius colony, and while a few members of the futuristic human group managed to escape and head back to Earth, Nemesis is not far behind.
Nemesis has already been positioned as a major antagonist throughout Horizon Forbidden West, despite the AI yet having to make an appearance. The end of the game shows how Aloy and her allies – even the previously untrustworthy ones like Sylens – must spread the word and prepare the world for Nemesis' arrival, setting up a potentially massive showdown between the Savior of Meridian and the antagonistic AI.
Potential New Locations
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In the VG247 interview, de Jonge talks about the end of Horizon Forbidden West and how the game concludes with Aloy and her friends' "new mission to spread the word and ask for help." The third Horizon game that de Jonge teases will undoubtedly center on this vital quest, as Aloy must bring together the remaining humans scattered across the dangerous landscapes in order to face this approaching threat. While there will surely be added challenges and a variety of antagonistic forces besides Nemesis, this does make sense for the central focus of the follow-up game, as Aloy deals with the repercussions of the Old World inhabitants once and for all.
There are plenty of new places that this third game could explore. Horizon Forbidden West offered players a new frontier to get to grips with, including some impressive ruins of old cities like San Francisco. But the next Horizon game could explore new environments, showing players the crumbling remains of more famous cities or even crossing oceans to uncover the states of other continents. Horizon Forbidden West may have a sizable map to explore, but there's nothing to stop the next game from pushing these boundaries still further and showing off more diverse climates and biomes. Introducing Aloy to not only new environments but also different types of people will help anchor the game with human connections and stories, which could help Guerrilla deliver the series' most ambitious entry yet.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5.
Source: VG247