The Expansive Horizon: Unraveling the Protagonist's Journey towards an Uncertain Future

Horizon Forbidden West greatly expanded on the first game, both in terms of level design and quality. By taking the story to the West Coast, it introduced a completely different atmosphere, along with new machines to face and additional challenges to overcome. Serving as the next installment in a trilogy that is still unfinished, the story's depth intensifies as Nemesis progresses towards Earth in the Horizon universe. With the franchise showing plenty of potential, there are plans for future entries in various forms of media.

Aloy finds herself at the center of this epic tale, starting as a rejected Nora and now becoming the world's best hope for survival following the events of Horizon Forbidden West. As the most crucial individual in this universe, her journey carries great weight. However, this also presents a challenge if the Horizon series aims to introduce a new protagonist while maintaining high stakes and a captivating storyline.

Aloy is One With Horizon's World

The maps in Horizon games consist of vast deserts, harsh mountains, and luscious grasslands. While the Horizon games have their own unique features, the presence of roaming machines is a common element in both titles. Aloy, who is a clone of the scientist responsible for Project Zero Dawn, serves as the central figure in the franchise. Her genetic material grants her the ability to interact with crucial Old World technology, making her not only relevant to the main story but also inseparable from the game's setting. Discovering new machines not only adds to the development of Aloy and Elisabet but also contributes to the overall narrative. Although there may be more captivating protagonists in PlayStation's impressive first-party lineup, none are as integral to their respective games as Aloy. The Last of Us, Spider-Man, Uncharted, and even God of War have experimented with new protagonists or alternative character perspectives. However, the unique nature of Horizon's story and world makes it challenging to disregard Aloy's significance for an extended period of time.

A New Horizon Protagonist Would Have a Mountain to Climb

The omission would increase the pressure on a potential new main character. In the confirmed Horizon multiplayer game, players will assume the role of a different character, as the focus will likely be on exploring and interacting with other users, rather than on cinematic storytelling and character development. However, if a singleplayer title introduces a new protagonist, players will understand that this character may not have the same level of importance in their world.

This situation can be both advantageous and challenging, depending on how the story unfolds. Featuring a main character who is intentionally insignificant could be a compelling way to tell a story of triumph over adversity or to demonstrate that anyone can be a hero in a dangerous and chaotic world. However, future games may introduce more combat mechanics, and it would be illogical for a character without Aloy's genetics and inherited mission to have more power over their environment than she does. It is evident that PlayStation has ambitious plans for the future of Horizon, but the established structure of the first two games may make it difficult to stray too far from Aloy.

Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5.