Horizon

**Others**:
Virtuos
Nixxes Software

***Horizon*** is a series of primarily open-world action role-playing video games and a media franchise created and developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The franchise is set on a post-apocalyptic earth a millennium after a catastrophic event regressed mankind to tribes and introduced hostile mechanical lifeforms, simply called the Machines. The games follow the adventures of Aloy, a young woman who sets out to discover her origins which are tied to the setting's history.

The series debuted with *Horizon Zero Dawn* (2017), which was followed by a sequel *Horizon Forbidden West* (2022) and the spin-off *Horizon Call of the Mountain* (2023). The series has also expanded beyond video games with a variety of comic books and an upcoming television adaptation, and Aloy has featured in multiple collaborations with third-party companies and video games.

The *Horizon* games were met with critical acclaim since the series' debut, with particular praise for the concept, world-building, art direction, the Machines and combat design, though the series also attracted some criticism for its derivative open world design and aspects in its writing. As of April 2023, the series has sold over 32.7 million copies, making it one of Sony's best-selling franchises.

## Games

### Main series

 Untitled *Horizon* game | TBA | Guerrilla Games | TBA

Expansion Packs

## Overview

### Premise and setting

The *Horizon* takes place in a post-apocalyptic earth in the 31st century, approximately a millennium after a catastrophe called the 'Faro Plague' destroyed all life and civilization on the planet. Humanity regressed to a primitive state, with scattered communities living in tribes across the land; the preceding, more technologically advanced human culture is referred to as the "Old Ones". The earth of *Horizon* is also home to the Machines, mechanical lifeforms resembling real-life animals that originally co-existed with humanity before an event referred to as the Degradation turned most Machines hostile while newer, more combat-oriented Machines began to appear.

Several tribes exist within the *Horizon* games, all inhabiting parts of the United States. Those tribes include the isolationist and matriarchal **Nora** who forbid reliance on technology; the shamanistic **Banuk**; the technologically advanced and militaristic **Carja** with history of bloodshed; and the merchant-working **Oseram** who deal in craftsmanship. *Horizon Forbidden West* also properly introduces three additional tribes: the warlike **Tenakth** who are split into several in-fighting factions; the agrarian and peaceful **Utaru**; and the foreign, technologically-advanced **Quen**, hailing from an empire existing overseas.

The main storyline of the *Horizon* games begins in 3040 and follows Aloy, a young Nora outcast trained by her adoptive father as a huntress.

### Games outline

***Horizon Zero Dawn*** follows Aloy as she sets to discover her origins after a lifetime of being ostracized by her tribe, the Nora. On her journey, Aloy uncovers the lost history of the world, her true heritage and connection to the old world, the reason why humanity regressed into primitive tribal societies, the origins of the Machines, and the looming threat that claimed the life of her father figure Rost. Throughout the game, Aloy finds herself reluctantly allied with Sylens, a shrewd and enigmatic researcher with past ties to the antagonists she hunts. The expansion pack ***The Frozen Wilds*** follows Aloy as she explores the Cut, the home of the shamanistic Banuk tribe from which Sylens hails. There she works to resolve tribal tensions as well as an incident involving an artificial intelligence called CYAN, while coming into conflict with the rogue HEPHAESTUS.

***Horizon Forbidden West*** is set six months after its predecessors and follows Aloy as she journeys to the eponymous region in search for Sylens and HADES, the previous game's main villain. Her quest in the Forbidden West has her meddle in the region's bloody politics, quell a rebellion within the Tenakth tribe, and confront Far Zenith, an advanced society of long-lived Old Ones with nefarious intentions towards earth. The expansion pack ***Burning Shores*** follows Aloy as she investigates the ruins of Los Angeles and comes into conflict with a former Far Zenith member and an activated Metal Devil.

***Horizon Call of the Mountain*** follows a former Shadow Carja member called Ryas as he investigates a potential threat to his former home, the Sundom.

### Gameplay

The primary titles developed solely by Guerrilla Games are action-role playing games played from a third-person perspective in an open world environment; the open world maps are based on post-apocalyptic depictions of the United States. The open world includes main quests and a variety of side activities ranging from side quests to challenges, and can be tackled in a non-linear fashion. Combat system is broken between ranged combat using Aloy's bow or various other projectile-based weapons, a melee combat system using Aloy's spear, and a stealth system which allows Aloy to crouch, hide in red-colored foliage and perform silent takedowns on both human and Machine enemies.

The series' open worlds can be traversed on foot, designated climbing platforms, sliding through ziplines or by mechanical mounts which the player can tame via a mechanic called Override. *Horizon Forbidden West* introduces several new mechanics that expand on the series' traversal, including a grappling hook, an overhauled climbing system, a diving system, additional Machine mounts and an aerial Machine called the Sunwing, which is the series' first flyable mount.

Both *Zero Dawn* and *Forbidden West* include several role-playing mechanics to expand or alter Aloy's playstyle. Players can strengthen Aloy's base attributes by earning experience points and leveling up. Skill trees present in the mainline games allow to expand or enhance Aloy's skills in areas such as health, stealth and trap-making, with a new mechanic called Valor Surge added in *Forbidden West* giving temporary boosts or advantages to Aloy during combat.

Unlike the main games in of the franchise, *Horizon Call of the Mountain* is an action-adventure game played from first-person perspective as a virtual reality title.

## Reception

* *Horizon Zero Dawn* (2017) - 89/100
* *Horizon Forbidden West* (2022) - 88/100
* *Horizon Call of the Mountain* (2023) - 79/100

## References

*Horizon Zero Dawn* (*The Frozen Wilds*) - *Horizon Forbidden West* (*Burning Shores*)
*Horizon Call of the Mountain*