Horizon Forbidden West is easily one of the most anticipated PlayStation titles coming this year. The game is still mostly a mystery, with developer Guerilla Games holding back the details of hero Aloy's new adventure. With more news surely on the way, all fans can do for now is speculate on how the sequel will expand on the excellent sci-fi post-apocalyptic world of killer robots and tribal conflicts.
With the fourth anniversary of Horizon Zero Dawn passing on February 28, now is the perfect time to discuss things fans want to see in the sequel to one of PlayStation's most popular new exclusives. Video game sequels allow developers to expand on their original vision, adding facets of the original that may have been left on the cutting room floor. Here are four things fans would love to see in Horizon Forbidden West.
A Bigger Map
In the expansive announcement trailer, Guerilla Games revealed that Horizon Forbidden West would place Aloy in the ruins of San Francisco, indeed moving her west as the title hints. Horizon Zero Dawn featured an incredibly expansive map full of various biomes and robot animals who were restricted to certain settings.
The trailer revealed that Aloy will be able to explore a vast underwater area surrounding the derelict jungles of San Francisco. With Aloy possessing a new breathing apparatus, the options for creating an expansive open-world in Horizon Forbidden West are bigger than ever before. It seems that Aloy will be exploring not just the Bay Area, but also the deserts of Nevada as well. A giant map that connected these biomes could elevate the already incredible world of Horizon.
More Weapon Variation
Aloy is, and should continue to be, a master of the bow. Her signature weapon came in multiple versions in the original game. However, some of Aloy's other weapons, like the Tearblaster, Storm Slinger and Ropecaster, gave players freedom to battle robots and approach each battle in different ways. Players could choose to trap the massive metal beasts first and chip away at the massive frames, or go in "guns" blazing, blasting off armor chunks left and right with no abandon.
Leaning into this freedom in the sequel, while keeping the bow a focus and providing new ways for players to attack the various robots, could offer a new level of experimentation and fun to the already tense combat encounters. Adding more traps and elemental-style weapons that are suited to certain robot weaknesses could deepen the already strategic combat, something the original's expansion, The Frozen Wilds, did with its additional weaponry.
Improved Melee Combat
Despite ranged combat being an absolute blast, when it came to fighting up close, Horizon Zero Dawn really dropped the ball -- or the spear in this case. Aloy was able to pull off stealth takedowns and could muster a very simple three-hit combo with her spear if things got too close for the bow, but both the sluggish animations and slow attack time made this option a last resort at best.
A sequel that expanded on Horizon's melee combat would greatly improve the options available for players to customize Aloy in a totally new way. Adding a melee-focused build or perk tree would provide a new way to play, and it would make sense in the scope of the world.
The Aloy at the end of Horizon Zero Dawn's story is a skilled warrior whose abilities have grown so much since the beginning. It would make sense that, given her intelligence and the stakes associated with her journey to save humanity, she would only continue her training ad grow even stronger.
More Mounts
One of the coolest aspects of the original Horizon was the ability to not only reprogram the robots to aid Aloy, but to allow the warrior to take a robot as a mount. However, much like the melee options, the mounts were a somewhat limited part of the original game. Each one was somewhat disposable and only available to Aloy for a limited time, constantly being replaced by a new hacked creature.
Tying Aloy to her mount in Forbidden West could offer the hero a companion on her often lonely journey. Plus, a robot mount that could be customized and fitted with crafted equipment would only add to the various options for customizing Aloy and each player's experience. Furthermore, adding new types of mounts could be another great choice for the series, giving players the ability to soar through the air on a flying bird-like robot or blast through the waves of the new ocean areas on the back of a robot turtle.