If they make a third Horizon game, I hope the story ends with a cutscene that shows 1000 years into the future, after Aloy. To show what became of humanity and how they used their new chance of life on earth. Complete with a narration of Aloy herself and her hopes for the future of this planet she fought for.
What if she is an immortal herself and have no idea about it till she out live everyone to tell her story. She is a clone afterall brought to life by an A.I.
@@QuangHoang-ps3mm no the question of how much takes gaia needed to form the version in which the game plays out was left unspecified in some datapoint under sunfall they talked about the training of Hades and Gaia in a Simulation but not more
Her first character development is that she's ungreatful bitch. So many people helped her in zero dawn, or even died for her, and she's like "not my problem. Have to go"
Yeah totally. Originally I didn't like that Aloy was being such a jerk to her friends, but then it seems like she learned to trust people and built up a sort of family at her Base by the end. I am hoping the DLC will be some sort of multi-player story with her friends who have focuses being playable characters. I wish we could have played as Varl though! :(
@@yaro42 well Gaia did tell her that the world was gonna end if she didn’t reboot Gaia fast enough. She pretty much did most things alone throughout zero dawn and being an outcast, I’m guessing she thought she was better off doing it alone.
@@yaro42 well one, she was cast as an outsider for most of her life, then her father figure I’d killed in front of her, is one a mission where timing is everything and the lengths she goes could get people killed In some ways it’s selfish but loss is very painful to the point avoiding that pain is easier to think, but Aloy does Learn eventually that friendship can really help and that the pain of losing lost one’s is ok
the DLC could also be about recapturing HEPHAESTUS... Aloy's team didn't fully merge it, and when Beta unleashed its capabilities in machine-making against the Zeniths, Sylens said that this act would allow it to escape. Also, apart from Hades that got deleted, it is the only icon missing from the final cutscene when Gaia got restarted.
I seriously hope that's what a DLC will be about. It leaves quite a gap in the story, considering without HEPHAESTUS, earth's ecological state is still doomed to spiral out of control within 6 to 7 months.
@Kromgar1337 that definitely makes the most sense for Horizon 3. The entire game revolves around Aloy and fighting machines. If we capture Hephaestus, the machines would no longer be hostile. Maybe we will get a DLC going back to where the Quen came from?
Probably Hephaestus will come back to Firebrick facility to absorb CYAN which can increase Hephaestus heuristic capabilities in turn absorbing GAIA since it's already told in the game that if the heuristic capabilities is higher than GAIA then they the ability to absorb GAIA in the process of merging and I also believe that the 3 GAIA subfunction (Apollo, Artemis, Elutia) is inside the ship of the far zenith where is near on earth because it would be bad they leave the subfunction on planet Sirius and there is barebone backup final build of Apollo which is doesn't have any stored human knowledge which can be used to merge alpha and final build of Apollo.
@@percharnelmontefalcon1983 in the end , when gaia is shown, you can see by the icons that she has every subfunction besides hepahestus and hades. hades may have back ups in the same place gaia back ups were. besides there are also 2 gaias. hepaestus cant possible defeat gaia with just cyan, but maybe with vast silver
I love the main group I really do but it's so disappointing that Talanah didn't get to join as a permanent companion. She's one of the OG companions we had in ZD so seeing Erend and Varl but not her is such a shame
I also wish Varl wasnt the only Nora in the game. Sona gets a few mentions, but thats really it. I dont think Teb or Tearsa are even mentioned anywhere.
It does make sense tho, she's got responsibilities of her own that would keep her from training with the focus and doing what they rest have done back at base
Like many before me have already pointed out, this really felt like the middle of a trilogy. I can already tell there's gonna be a third one. Guerilla would be stupid not to. All in all, I really enjoyed the game. Probably one of the best I've played in a long time. I, for one, can't wait to see more
@@albertawheat6832 haha, I mean, unless GG pulls a Konami or somehow goes bankrupt like Telltale, there is no way they would lose out on millions by moving onto another IP just yet…
They would probably be busy making spaceships and Robots that can do space travel to fight off the incoming Nemesis controlled fleet from Far Zenith. After that probably an invading force to finally shutdown Nemesis in Far Zenith.
Oh, they absolutely have to. There's really no route back to wood, bows, and arrows unless somehow ALL the machines and ALL the computers fail at the end of the next game.
@@RicochetForce i really hope they make apollo works in the next game so the kids in horizon zero dawn/forbidden west have a knowledge of an old world plus apollo has been restored or if not there is still the alpha version of apollo in far zenith ship. It will be very interesting when primitive people learns old knowledge and rebuilt the modern world (it might take hundreds of years but eh) as elisabeth intended
@@extremedee7320 There is nothing new under the sun. Nothing is truly "original", so hopefully that's the not sum total of your critique of the story. And Jesus Christ, bringing up Halo of all things? One of the most derivative pieces of sci fi of all time?
@@ForceInEvHorizon Yes, the fact that we now have Far Zenith's equipment, Beta, and an alpha version of Apollo means they've got a lot of old world material to work with. Not to mention GAIA who will gladly teach folks stuff. I can already see conflicts about who has access to such knowledge, and some who will misunderstand GAIA to be some sort of goddess (like Varl did).
The horizon universe could be as big as Star Wars if they wanted to. Every tribe has interesting stories. Every timeline is crazy. I’d play a game telling the story of the people in space or the first people to emerge from the cradle facilities on earth. Awesome game
@@extremedee7320 Half of your precious decades of Star Wars lore was either disregarded or retconned with a simple company acquisition. Prior to that, the lore was still a mess, and the fandom was mad at the lore that the literal creator of Star Wars laid out in front of them with the prequels. Cálmate, touch some grass, and learn to enjoy life
I loved this game, especially words Rust told to Alloy, when she was young: "When odds seams impossible, dig deep to yourself and fight, like you can win".
I don't remember that from the original game. It would have been better had it been a phrase used in the original game. Although I will say I loved that they included a bit of conflict with Aloy and her not dealing with the loss of Rost in a good way, having buried it.
Things i predict might happen in the DLC: -It will take place in an island, possibly Hawaii, under Quen rule -Water mounts, either a small seahorse or a Tideripper -Aloy training Beta on how to survive and hunt in the wild -Hephaestus might be involved, but we won’t lock him up just yet -Mounting larger machines like Dreadwings
Traveling to Hawai with Alva and the rest of the team would be absolutely incredible... a water mount would be awesome. The DLC will 100% have more deadly robots.
If Hephaestus is involved, it would probably be making machines to assist the humans in fighting whatever Nemesis is using as cannon fodder. EDIT: I take back what I said.
Well if we do get Hawaii I expect a slew of ocean machines. Sharks, Manta Rays, an aquatic version of shellsnapper would make great enemies. Dolphins, and Humpback whales would make for fun mounts. And if we’re going to have these new machines, then that means new ocean combat, or tools we can use to bring them down to harvest their materials. Also one more thing, I expect us to be able to visit all the islands via **SPOILER** Flying mount and the swimming mount. With Cauldron’s obviously being in this hypothetical DLC, an interesting Cauldron would be one in a cave system but as you explore the cauldron you slowly find out that this cauldron was designed to create a megalodon machine that you fight.
Nice ideas! Perl Harbor is in Hawaii, and would be a perfect place for Hephaestus to run to! It would be really cool to see some Quen cities, and Hawaii would be an amazing setting!!!
if anyone's asking, the Quen have earlier models of Focuses that can't read any data beyond say 2050 or so, which explains why their Focuses look funny and why Ceo dude believes Faro saved the world (the Clawback era) with Elisabet helping him
I got a lump in the back of my throat when Sylens walked back down the stairs at the end. Can't wait for the next game, this one has been so perfect. If there's a NG+, once I platinum, I'll happily go through this again.
The overall story of HFW is weaker than HZD. Not bad but weaker HOWEVER to anybody considering playing this game or buying it the story plays second fiddle to the smaller narratives and subplots in the game. The Las Vegas mission, the Quen mission, the Regalla and companion missions really sell Aloy as this capable individual. The Las Vegas story alone is one of the best subplots in the game and really is a great contained story. And even tho predictable at times I felt a sense of compassion for a ton of characters in the game. It’s emotional for sure. The combat is fun and the music is second to none, plus there’s plenty of endgame content to keep you playing afterwards. To that end the “wacky sci-fi stuff” is a double edged sword. The writers at Guerilla place A LOT of responsibility in the player’s hands. In order to truly understand you have to read important data points that flesh out the lore. Horizon at its heart is an exploration/archeology based game. Literally unearthing mysteries is what you do. So if you can’t do that and rush through the story you’ll have to suspend belief more than anything. It’s a good follow up but even I waited to play HZD until about a year after it released. So I get the trepidation. HFW is an intense exercise in patience for sure, it rocks the boat and I didn’t really appreciate the Zenith intro, I would have preferred a more mysterious take but I guess they wanted us to understand the stakes. Nemesis should have also been handled more delicately perhaps in a DLC. There’s some complaints but overall it’s a bit expected considering the stakes. I personally loved the overall game but to be fair the subtle moments are greater than the sum of all the plot points. Other than that once they clean out the bugs it’ll be even better but if strict story guidelines are a little much for you Elden Ring is a better option.
I kinda agree with this. Idk why but HZD really had it... the pacing was really good. Also, maybe because it was Aloy's origin story and it was interesting to see the dynamics of the primitive and futuristic come together. It just felt believable that if the current us would succumb to greed and AI dependency, this could be our future. HFW is a really good game. The story was bound to veer on to the more sci fi extra terrestrial stuff but I thought that it could have been handled more delicately. I really agree with you that this game really pushes you to read the datapoints... and I really enjoyed reading through all the data I found (in fact this was the only game that made me care about those collectibles lol). However, the zenith plot came off as rushed to me and they could have done a lot more with it... these may have been explained in the datapoints but the ones I encountered so far was not doing it for me. I wished they could have explained more about their life in sirius because the whole VR thing was not doing it for me... Well, perhaps we'll know more about them in the 3rd installment. They just felt like superheroes and it kind of ruined the pseudo realism of HFW by giving half baked explanations on their immortality (I also don't think they explained why they could fly). I just finished the game and felt that the pacing in the 3rd arc was a bit fast for my liking in story telling. On a side note, I absolutely enjoyed the side quests! Those side missions felt like they really had a place in the game and helped me get more immersed with the world.
@@marketeagle4508 I do agree with pacing remimds me of Cyberpunk were plot points are just rushed and on to the next. I like the fact that main story is not to long as this the type of game that is not focused on chracter devlopment and more about mystries. Its also great they put more focus on side quests and having better side activites although there was still a bit of ubiosft crap in there. I think the main story maybe should have been 25 missions long maybe 30 to set the story up. The old ones were killed of far to quick in my opinion.
Loved this game and it’s ending in particular. Fantastic character growth with Aloy. Was very touching to see Aloy and Beta hold each other together at the end with a rebooted GAIA.
Hepaesthus will be 100% be making more deadly machines. When you go back to the base after finishing the game, Beta will have left information called 'hephaestus revisited' where she explains how he is connected to the world networked, and he is 'supercharged' and has more tools power and capabilites than ever. Only god knows what types of monstrosities he could be making.
I felt the same way they just threw that in literally at the very end and barley elaborated on it and threw people knew about it but they were cheering at the end I was so confused at the very least beta and Alva should have been concerned with aloy but everyone was all smiles like nemesis was never even mentioned
No, what Aloy and company achieved was still important, even with Nemesis approaching; if they hadn’t reassembled GAIA and then saved her from the Zeniths, Earth’s biosphere would’ve collapsed regardless of whether Nemesis attacked or not.
My theory: The Quen will be the villains of the DLC, as they set up a LOT of potential conflict, describing how restrictive with information their hierarchy is in their territory. Also they were described as expansionist/colonizers so that's DEFINITELY potential for an antagonist faction going forward.
As much as I love the game's graphics, combat system, and Alloy as a protagonist, the lore of HZD and HFW is so damn good. Can't wait for part 3! Also bummed that we didn't get to single handily kill the Ceo ourselves.
Having just beaten this game myself, the Nemesis fight definitely feels like the end of a story. I can guess at how it will end in one of a few ways, but I'm excited to get there. But I'm curious as to how Nemesis even plans to destroy earth. How did it destroy Sirius? If it's a collection of rogue AI that happen to be digital recreations of human brains, how is it going to be any different than a jumped up version of Hades or Hephaestus? I could see it hijacking the Zero Dawn machines and the Faro robots, but that would be just be a rerun of these two games. Guess we shall see. I'd also like to see Aloy and Co start integrating some Zenith tech into their lineup. Bring back the Shield Weaver but much more advanced. Faster, nigh instantaneous weapon configuration changes integrated right into their armor. That would be pretty cool.
If there is a DLC it should be a sequel to Frozen Wilds, since HADES is gone, adding the IA CYAN to GAIA would be a great help. It's powers to help preventing the Eruption to of the Yellowstone Caldera and it's empathy to human life could be a good addition to fight Nemesis. In the game GAIA mentions it can't feel the presence of CYAN, but acknowledges it's importance.
And the third game I hope that Sylens and Aloy have a much stronger working relationship. At first I hated the guy for doing what he did with Hades and the end of the first game. But now I know it was necessary. Sylons has more of a cold and calculated message and strategy while Aloy has more compassion. I think if they were to work together they can balance each other out and ultimately come up with a better solution. I also hope there is a way to keep Hephaestus as an independent AI . If Hephaestus remained a subordinate function oh, it would have never been able to build the Combat Machines that you see in the game. There really should be a way for Gaia and Hephaestus to work together as equals.
Unfortunately Hephaestus sees gaia and aloy as a threat, he's purely driven by code so I doubt he'll stop the combat machines without something remarkable happening
@@isdrakon9802 Even Hephaestus has finite resources. So I would imagine that Hephaestus finds a way to approach Aloy in order to negotiate. He could ask her to convince as many people as possible to stop hunting his machines. In exchange he stops all of his machines from attacking humans. If it had not been for Ted Faro, humans might never have hunted his machines to begin with. I very much doubt that Aloy will be able to trap Hephaestus like she did before. He could probably find a way that her omega clearance no longer work.
@@stevenbaumann5911 problem is how does she spread the word and make that many people stop hunting machines, it's the way of the tenakth so it is going to be the way for many other tribes
@@isdrakon9802 If they hope to survive the coming battle, they might give up there traditions. The Tenacts 3 tribes fought each other for centuries. But Hekaro managed to make peace between the 3. Human history is filled with abandoned traditions for survival. As for how she spreads the word. I'm pretty Gaia can create more focuses and Aloy and her friends can give the out. With Sylens help and access to the Apolo data base, people would learn the truth
@@stevenbaumann5911 there are people that believe the earth is flat, something that was disproven a couple thousand years ago. Do you really think that people would believe a single thing she says. The tenakth would trust her because what she's done but she didn't have the background she does for them
This franchise was always gonna be a trilogy. However they could do some spin-offs. Potentially a game that takes place during the time of the faro plague. Obviously we know how it will end but it could still make for a powerful story.
I saw someone mention the idea of a game where you're a member of a team tasked with going around the world and extracting Zero Dawn's Alpha candidates, and then joining in the efforts of Operation Enduring Victory. It would probably be a very different style game from the Horizon series so far, but having the chance to play through that tragic story would be awesome.
A story that starts just before the derangement and ends just after hzd started would be cool. See how tribes learn and deal with the machines going rouge.
@@twobitwackjob Maybe see the chaos that takes place during the red raids, sure. I know that I'd like to see Avad in his usurper prince days. Dude's backstory is like game of thrones.
Another thought about the DLC will be that in some of the forbidden info the Quen have can something help against the fight with Nemesis, another AI or something and I think that Hephaestus will be a Major key against Nemesis, not just because he builds the machines but also because he has evolved. Maybe the Quen can help in evolving Gaia and all her subfunctions
This games story went places I never expected. I am guessing we will get a story DLC just like Frozen Wilds but where it will take place I think is anyones guess. I saw someone mention Hawaii which would be awesome. As for Hephaestus he is probably the most interesting “character” to me. Our first “enemy” as it is he who programs the machines to attack humans but only as a means of self defense. After capturing Aether, Demeter, and Poseidon they all very willingly returned to Gaia, all saying something poetic about returning home to her. It makes me wonder why Hephaestus is so different. Hades makes sense because he was programmed to be the anti-Gaia, but Hephaestus’ resistance and evolution is unique to him and I hope that gets explained and also that his eventual capture perhaps changes Gaia in a way. Perhaps a compromise towards his point of view because what happens when terraforming is finished? Well I assume the machines would be phased out, maybe with Hephaestus’ convincing a new robot race can coexist with humans. But all of that said Heph won’t be captured in the DLC that will happen in the next game, have to have a reason to keep hunting and attacking machines. If Gaia gains control I assume all machines would just give parts or material to humans rather than having to fight. Also returning to Heph, I wonder what robots he can make in the next game given he was plugged into the Zeniths printer and I assume was able to get their schematics on such technology. But one thing I need in game three is more robot dinosaurs fighting other robots, like a lot more of that and in big long cutscenes lol.
This was an excellent video. Well spoken, well researched and well explained. Thank you for breaking it down and summarizing it in a way that was super easy to follow and understand while still going in-depth enough to actually cover the complex narrative I needed help understanding.
My GOTY. Absolutely incredible story, characters, world, gameplay, graphics, etc. Aloy has also pretty much solidified herself as my favorite videogame protagonist of all time. Loved every moment of it ♥️
I really enjoy the fiction this game is set amongst. I don't like this style of game, so I watched all of the cutscenes etc in one long video for the first game. This story explainer has been great and I would love it if the developers could license someone to write books about this world and its history; just like the HALO books set in Forerunner and Precursor eras. Great video!
Its interesting seeing how Guerrilla are approaching a 3 act story compared to Bioware's approach. The Horizon story feels full defined as the first game hinted at 2 separate issues needing to be resolved (Gaia and Nemesis) while also dealing with the initial antagonist. Each game also holds back heavily in revealing this information to the player by leaving behind just enough breadcrumbs for the final reveal. Essentially, the story Guerrilla is telling feels like they developer took the time to flesh out the story before determining how the gameplay elements would be incorporated. Its an example of the story driving the gameplaye rather than the gameplay driving the story. This exact reason is why the Horizon games are my favorite, it's a novel we get to visually experience. I can't wait to see how the story wraps up with Nemesis in the final game.
You can catch beta talking to an unknown person that she obviously didn't want aloy to hear,if you sprint into her room on the base shortly after she joins. Its a major loose end. Nothing is ever said about this
I thought the Zeniths in general were a little much and it got close to jumping the shark but the game saved it. I think the personal stories and character writing was best, like Aloy learning to accept help instead of trying single handedly save the world, and even Sylens turning. Horizon's writing is best to me when it stays more grounded.
Agree. The Zenith's...achieved immortality, can travel across vast empty space, and basically can create their own virtual world of happiness. Lived over 1000 years. And yet, they can't produce their own Gaia? Don't get me wrong, I still love HFW, but man that part confuses me.
@@TyTimeIsAwesome On the whole I think it's pretty easy to handwave that one. Tilda makes a whole speech about how they were all basically lazy slobs, dicking around in VR worlds while automated systems did all the work, and not bothering to put any effort into improving anything about their world. Up until Nemesis attacked them they'd have had no need for another Gaia, and after that they were a small group on the run for their lives. Why spend the journey to Earth putting hours of grueling effort into making a Gaia of their own when the place they're going to already has one they can steal instead?
I feel like there's a danger of going too crazy with a 3rd game. The Zeniths pushed the sci fi element a little far, but it did work. Too go further would be a mistake. I do wonder what purpose Nemesis has on Earth now the Zeniths are gone. Or how an AI... flies through space. Wait and see I guess, the writers have certainly delivered so far.
Thank you for the really helpful video! I picked up the DLC today and wanted a recap on the story of Forbidden West before starting. This was a really informative summary of a complex plot
something you didn't mention is that Tilda and Elizabeth were lovers, Tilda has been in love with Elizabeth all this time and when she learns about who Aloy is she sees the true essence of Elizabeth in her and kinda "falls in love" with Aloy in a sence? that's why she can't go without her. There is also Beta She could have just kept Beta and that's it, but Tilda doesn't see Beta as equal to Elizabeth, we can guess she was expecting her to be (since she tried to know her better by meeting her in private and ofering her more knowledge) but was disapointed as Tilda says it in the last conversation we have with Aloy.
Dlc can't be capturing hephaestus, if there is a game three then what machines would we fight? That would make sense if there is no game 3 but they introduced the Quen. So that makes me think game 3 will be going across the ocean, in the Quen lands. Trying to capture hephaestus or gathering the data on the "old ones" they worship. That way they have info against them for nemesis. Things they have done etc. Idk though
@@clutchlesss1710 fair point. My bet is that Nemesis will be a swarm of machines. More than enough to rival Zero Dawns machines, which will give us something new to fight.
I thought the "bad guy" was going to be Hepheastus but I liked the Zeniths twist (didn't die and evolved), which you could argue was kinda told at the begining when your search for that backup of Gaia. The real bad guy is how humanity tried again and again to become something more and gain more power without really thinking and caring about the consecuenses. First the Faro plague and then Nemesis. I wish we go to Asia, South America (I'm Peruvian :D ) or Europe to search for ways to fight Nemesis but also so people know that Nemesis is comming, because if it takes part of the world (via haking machines and Hephaestus) I feel like it could like Matrix and the Machine city almost imposible to enter.
Great recap of both games. One teeny tiny nearly insignificant gripe. Your pronunciation of Ted Faro like far-o. But it's pronounced like Pharaoh, which I think went to Ted's head. That's why he named his bunker Thebes (once capital of Egypt}. The Chariot line (chariots became popular back then) is full of ancient Egyptian references; scarab, khopesh & Horus. Also kinda funny is Elizabeth Sobeck's name. Sobek is the Egyptian crocodile god.
I had a harder time connect with the story personally. I loved the story of the Zero Dawn. One of the most important aspect of the first game for me is slowing uncovering the secrets of this world. Finding out how the humanity was wiped out, what those roaming machines are, and how life was saved felt awesome. Forbidden West doesn't really have that IMO. I cared about the story of Zero Dawn because that's the story of the world we're exploring. What happened to the Zenith, I don't really care, since that's a different world. Gameplay-wise though, Forbidden West is epic.
Samee. I dont know how people are connecting with this story so much because it felt very rushed and weird. Playing FW actually made me appreciate ZD even more. ZD narrative was much tighter and had a lot more going on then FW.
Well done on this video, man. That is a lot of information to go through and you laid it all out very clearly. I absolutely love both Horizon games (got a rib tattoo of the original 5 cauldrons to prove it) and cannot wait to see what they do next.
I did enjoy the story of Zero Dawn a lot, it was really sci-fi epic. But Forbidden West sits a little bit odd with me. Maybe it is the "immortal" and all this merging part, but I think the writer lost their own red string during the development of the story. In my books it is a sure ingredient to a rather boring, lost-to-action-plot, when you introduce humans with perceived immortality and such, it is always the trademark for something "evil" and simply not very humanlike, an old and very overused tool in storytelling. While Zero Dawn made it clear, that the source of it all is the human mind and its tendencies to learning by doing and make inevitable mistakes along the way, this sequel to the franchise doesn't follow the roots. While it is still in the same gorgeous setting and I don't mind plotrevealing secrets to be hidden until you more or less finished the playthrough, I am rather dissappointed by the story and the turn it took. First, it was a beautiful and doomed futuristic setting where humans are fighting and learning from their previous mistakes (just like in our world with WW2 and such events and the following changing of worldviews etc), now this seems to turn into a remake of the Green Lantern movie and we know how good that one is... The whole idea of merging minds and AIs to functioning entities simply doesn't make sense. "No two brains are alike" as the scientific saying goes.
love your inputs here dude and i too enjoyed zero dawn so much. really same thoughts at how the story plot turned into oddity which was quite a disappointing route (in my opinion). it felt, a bit rushed on that part i guess? but it should make sense because it's the third millenia right? so superhumans might be existing. However, something just does not add up in the plot.
I liked the ending, knowing full well this is "the middle" and so obviously has to leave plot threads for the 3rd entry. The idea of nemesis fits perfectly with the whole plot of Horizon; hubris in the face of technological advancement leading to the apocalypse. The Zeniths didn't learn from their mistakes they fled Earth and then had to flee Sirius A for much the same reason. Yes their immortality does give them an otherworldly air but again that makes sense. They're not evil exactly, just detached. They've lived so long they're dead inside. There's nothing really "human" left, as reflected in their deathly pale complexions. As for the merging minds to make functional AIs not making sense, well it didn't work. The Zeniths abandoned the project because it failed, and Nemesis us only "functional" in a very literal sense. Being an amalgam of so many minds is probably why it's deranged in the first place, nevermind the nature of the minds that went into it in the first place.
i think the story lacked bc they changed the game narrator in production - it used to be john Gonzales in HZD. He’s also worked as a writer for Fallout las vegas, so he’s written brilliant stories before. It’s a shame they couldn’t get him again for HFW
Elizabeth sobek is not technically aloys mother...she's technically alloy. She's an exact genetic clone with identical dna. That's not how mothers work lol
But she'll see her as a mother because she is the reason why she exists and given life. The same way that Boba fett sees Jango fett as his father cuz he was raised to be his son. As well as the other clone troopers will see each other as brothers.
@@Johninadelaide2022 imo the Far Zenith bit for me. I'm not even saying it like it was a bad thing, I just diddn't even consider that space people with advanced would be a plot thread at all lol
@@BeatsWithKev I mean I was expecting one of theory's of the odyssey actually succeeding and the descents of the odyssey coming back to earth to rebuild it. Just the immortality stuff was way over the top.
@@noctisluciscaelum211 Guerilla probably didn't want them to go full Faro yet again so they molst likely assumed making them immortal and extremely bored and egotistical would do the trick.
@@nikitakozhevnikov2823 50$ that Nemesis somehow takes place of Hephaestus, or well more likely that the solution would be to merge Gaia with it somehow, basically to teach it how to care. Aloy would also sacrifice herself to achieve that.
AMAZING breakdown. I think you covered all the relevant plot points. Props Edit: agreed. They are probably working on the sequel rn if they aren't taking a break, which they deserve. They really fed us and I'm full 😂 gotta digest now
I wished from HZD that the signal was from the Odyssey and that they survived. But the execution of the plot is so over the top when the first one was such elegant science fiction... Imagine human descendents from the Odyssey and how magical could be the interaction between 2 "worlds" with a lost past
If there is going to be a DLC for Forbidden West, I think it will have us return to the Nora Sacred Land. Aloy needs to inform Sona of Varl's death and existence of her future grandchild. The whole plot might even revolve around Sona going through the five stages of grief, now that both of her children are dead. Losing a child is the most painful thing that can happen to a person.
@@dazzaMusic id play it as it would be down to earth in a sense it would be interesting and possible 3rd game might start with the birth of her grandchild
I’d rather not, much rather have another area of the Forbidden West explored. Or even have it go to the Quen Empire. I feel like it really sets it up there.
I desperately want the series to continue and expand. Maybe set the 3rd game after that, directly continuing the story. Maybe a further sequel or a spin-off showing off the other regions on earth. We've basically only seen a small part of the world, in fact, it's pretty much only the US and even then, we haven't even seen the whole country. Like, the whole other eastern half. Maybe something in Asia? The Himalayas sound promising. Or China if politics allow at. It's such a unique world and we certainly could use more of these in this industry. I still remember the first time I watched a let's play (yeah I know) and coming to the realization about the truth of the world.
Damned i love that series the sequel is well crafted ,i was hoping the upcoming DLC we can face another machines like gorilla and other ancient type animals and the quen tribe i was hoping they expand greatly they have little exposure on that sequel and one more thing the Shield weaver please bring it back in armory selections not some kind of skills
thank you for making this . i personally liked it a lot . this story it gives more info compare to the first one . but I have questions about the Hephaestus : at the end of the game beta released Hephaestus in order to create machines to fight . did they take it back or Hephaestus ran off completely? is Hephaestus still corrupted ???
This is answered in a data log in the base after the credits. Yes, hephaeatus is now free and more powerful since its had contact with the zenith network
It’s no longer corrupted but it did escape back off into another culdron somewhere. But since it had access to Zenith technology they said it could possibly find a way to evolve itself.
Hephaestus is still free at the end of the game. Fighting machines is a central part of the series’ gameplay, so the developers need Hephaestus to remain hostile for now.
I really was not a fan of how they went so hard into the sci-fi elements, I would’ve preferred it being grounded and Aloy just exploring every part of the world like man I feel like we just scratched the surface. She could’ve gone to different countries and learn about the old world, just a lot of potential I feel won’t be realized and I don’t want the series to end as just a trilogy tbh lol
I feel the same too. They should have tossed the sci-fi part out and just explored the world. Perhaps there's a civilization out there that lived with a Focus and acted like "Old Ones" to unite the planet. It would have been a surprise if another civilization from across the ocean suddenly greeted them with guns. You know, just like what happened with Christopher Columbus but with robot dinosaurs.
@@silenthero2795 that’s such a good idea, yeah I feel like they totally botched where the franchise could go, however they could easily just beat nemesis in the next game and go back into a more grounded universe, that wouldn’t be hard to do
great video i didnt know the majority of the things you mentioned and now i can finally understand whats going on in the story. sorry if theres any mistakes in the kopmmet im german and not that good at writing in english.
I hope we get a DLC soon where they capture Hephaestus again and fully merge it into Gala. If we got into a third game without it that will be a big plot hole
Thank you very much for this. I was expecting this game to be continuing the theme of finding the other functions and correcting the overall Zero Dawn Project. The out of this world (literally) story turned it into something different and not necessarily interesting. Nemesis makes it feel like you play through two games to be told it was all for nothing because something is coming to destroy the planet. There gets a point in an open world game where you start to just not care anymore and this ending (really from the 3rd act on) you start to feel that way. I agree that there will be DLC and maybe something like CYAN that provided a really nice addition to Zero Dawn. This was beautiful, but disappointing. Your review was amazing. Thank you for making it coherent where the story was chopped up.
@@Gingy I didnt play Zero Dawn until last summer, so it was awesome to see a sequel so soon after I played. It took me awhile to enjoy the story when it finally has the twist and I grew to enjoy everything. FW was a let down.
Just finished forbidden west and I'm glad I'm not the only one disappointed in the story. Zenith was and interesting idea that I think was executed very poorly
The story pretty much went in the direction I thought would for the most part. It was hinted at with humans surviving. At one point in the first game Aloy thought Liz had survived. I think thr story was really interesting just a bit rushed. And I feel like the old ones were wasted potential.
I dunno, I enjoyed the story as I was playing it and it was hella cool, but then the zeniths came and it was just ehhh then it ended and it was like what. first game ends beautifully with aloy finding elisabet, and she finds that closure and comfort. here, her conflicts arent really solved and shes just like okay more work to do woo
@@simpleviewer1334 that would be cool and honestly if a part 3 is made I hope we lose and everyone dies, it never happens in movies or games and would be a shocker
They advance as a society until a new Ted Faro comes along and they have to build Zero Dawn again. It perfectly loops with the first game and after the third game they start with Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.
Also fighting a metal devil is just out of the question, aloy and company just don't have the firepower to do anything other than annoy one. It takes an entire armoured division with infantry support and air support to cripple the thing enough to be destroyed from the inside and that's just one.
Quick Fact . The name Elizabeth Sobek the main scientist that created Horizon program has same name as the Egyptian God Sobek who : He was thought to have risen from the primeval waters of Nun to create the world and made the Nile from his sweat. One creation myth stated that Sobek laid eggs on the bank of the waters of Nun, thus creating the world.
I did enjoy playing Forbidden West; however, compared to the end of Zero Dawn, the final mission play-through for Forbidden West felt overtly cinematic and not as engaging.
If they make a third Horizon game, I hope the story ends with a cutscene that shows 1000 years into the future, after Aloy. To show what became of humanity and how they used their new chance of life on earth. Complete with a narration of Aloy herself and her hopes for the future of this planet she fought for.
it will have a mass effect ending
@@artit91 : * SIGH *
One would hope not but, sadly, such a probability can't be completely ruled out. 😑
Yeah... could use a little closure and not an endless thing
What if she is an immortal herself and have no idea about it till she out live everyone to tell her story. She is a clone afterall brought to life by an A.I.
@@RockyBell Unlikely. ELEUTHIA was just supposed to make humans. Unmodified. Patrick Brochard made that clear.
The fact that in forbidden west hades said this earth is the 6th version… gave me chills knowing GAIA didn’t actually succeed in her first try
Just like the Matrix
Didn't in Fero Down it stated that miraculously Gaia succeeded at the first atempt?
* Zero Dawn
@@QuangHoang-ps3mm no the question of how much takes gaia needed to form the version in which the game plays out was left unspecified in some datapoint under sunfall they talked about the training of Hades and Gaia in a Simulation but not more
Wonder if that’s a reference to the Aztecs, which if memory serves one myth from them said they were on the fifth iteration of the world.
I really like Aloy’s character development. She finally learns to trust and work with others. The world need not be all on her shoulders.
Her first character development is that she's ungreatful bitch. So many people helped her in zero dawn, or even died for her, and she's like "not my problem. Have to go"
Yeah totally. Originally I didn't like that Aloy was being such a jerk to her friends, but then it seems like she learned to trust people and built up a sort of family at her Base by the end. I am hoping the DLC will be some sort of multi-player story with her friends who have focuses being playable characters. I wish we could have played as Varl though! :(
@@yaro42 well Gaia did tell her that the world was gonna end if she didn’t reboot Gaia fast enough. She pretty much did most things alone throughout zero dawn and being an outcast, I’m guessing she thought she was better off doing it alone.
@@yaro42 well one, she was cast as an outsider for most of her life, then her father figure I’d killed in front of her, is one a mission where timing is everything and the lengths she goes could get people killed
In some ways it’s selfish but loss is very painful to the point avoiding that pain is easier to think, but Aloy does Learn eventually that friendship can really help and that the pain of losing lost one’s is ok
In the last scenes but most of the game she was a narcissist.
the DLC could also be about recapturing HEPHAESTUS... Aloy's team didn't fully merge it, and when Beta unleashed its capabilities in machine-making against the Zeniths, Sylens said that this act would allow it to escape. Also, apart from Hades that got deleted, it is the only icon missing from the final cutscene when Gaia got restarted.
I seriously hope that's what a DLC will be about. It leaves quite a gap in the story, considering without HEPHAESTUS, earth's ecological state is still doomed to spiral out of control within 6 to 7 months.
@Kromgar1337 that definitely makes the most sense for Horizon 3. The entire game revolves around Aloy and fighting machines. If we capture Hephaestus, the machines would no longer be hostile. Maybe we will get a DLC going back to where the Quen came from?
Probably Hephaestus will come back to Firebrick facility to absorb CYAN which can increase Hephaestus heuristic capabilities in turn absorbing GAIA since it's already told in the game that if the heuristic capabilities is higher than GAIA then they the ability to absorb GAIA in the process of merging and I also believe that the 3 GAIA subfunction (Apollo, Artemis, Elutia) is inside the ship of the far zenith where is near on earth because it would be bad they leave the subfunction on planet Sirius and there is barebone backup final build of Apollo which is doesn't have any stored human knowledge which can be used to merge alpha and final build of Apollo.
thats very great observation. I was wondering why one was missing lol
@@percharnelmontefalcon1983 in the end , when gaia is shown, you can see by the icons that she has every subfunction besides hepahestus and hades. hades may have back ups in the same place gaia back ups were. besides there are also 2 gaias. hepaestus cant possible defeat gaia with just cyan, but maybe with vast silver
I love the main group I really do but it's so disappointing that Talanah didn't get to join as a permanent companion. She's one of the OG companions we had in ZD so seeing Erend and Varl but not her is such a shame
In that case then Vanasha should have also been a permanent companion. Considering she has been in the forbidden west before.
At least she has one of the best side quests in the game
I also wish Varl wasnt the only Nora in the game. Sona gets a few mentions, but thats really it. I dont think Teb or Tearsa are even mentioned anywhere.
It does make sense tho, she's got responsibilities of her own that would keep her from training with the focus and doing what they rest have done back at base
She's probably going to be a companion for the final battle for the 3rd game. I can't wait.
Like many before me have already pointed out, this really felt like the middle of a trilogy.
I can already tell there's gonna be a third one. Guerilla would be stupid not to. All in all, I really enjoyed the game. Probably one of the best I've played in a long time. I, for one, can't wait to see more
Of course it's gonna be a trilogy when you look at the ending with the nemesis reveal.
They did state that it is going to be a trilogy since the first one.
@@tangbein People type the strangest things. lol
@@albertawheat6832 haha, I mean, unless GG pulls a Konami or somehow goes bankrupt like Telltale, there is no way they would lose out on millions by moving onto another IP just yet…
@@collegebro85 I agree, there will be a third instalment for sure. Zero Dawn was the better of the two...for me anyways.
Seeing Gaia reformed actually had me kind of hyped. Imaging what they could accomplish for humanity moving forward is awesome to think about.
I wanted to speak to Gaia about Nemesis sad face.
Nemesis is still pulling up tho
They would probably be busy making spaceships and Robots that can do space travel to fight off the incoming Nemesis controlled fleet from Far Zenith. After that probably an invading force to finally shutdown Nemesis in Far Zenith.
@@YsmirDovahkiin wait a minute. Are you saying... Are... Are you saying? That.... Aloy, is the original Commander Shephard?!
@@IxilPierce oh now that’s a good crossover haha 👍
Loved it. The plot and lore is exquisite and quite original. Guerrilla should double down on the sci-fi cause they're on the right path!
Green Lantern *cough*
Oh, they absolutely have to. There's really no route back to wood, bows, and arrows unless somehow ALL the machines and ALL the computers fail at the end of the next game.
@@RicochetForce i really hope they make apollo works in the next game so the kids in horizon zero dawn/forbidden west have a knowledge of an old world plus apollo has been restored or if not there is still the alpha version of apollo in far zenith ship. It will be very interesting when primitive people learns old knowledge and rebuilt the modern world (it might take hundreds of years but eh) as elisabeth intended
@@extremedee7320 There is nothing new under the sun. Nothing is truly "original", so hopefully that's the not sum total of your critique of the story.
And Jesus Christ, bringing up Halo of all things? One of the most derivative pieces of sci fi of all time?
@@ForceInEvHorizon Yes, the fact that we now have Far Zenith's equipment, Beta, and an alpha version of Apollo means they've got a lot of old world material to work with. Not to mention GAIA who will gladly teach folks stuff.
I can already see conflicts about who has access to such knowledge, and some who will misunderstand GAIA to be some sort of goddess (like Varl did).
Horizon 1 antagonist: AI
Horizon 2 antagonist: Aliens
Horizon 3 antagonist: Alien AI
Aren't they still humans?
@@imtiazbinsiraj4920yes. The original comment exaggerates
The horizon universe could be as big as Star Wars if they wanted to. Every tribe has interesting stories. Every timeline is crazy. I’d play a game telling the story of the people in space or the first people to emerge from the cradle facilities on earth. Awesome game
@@extremedee7320 lol what a sad comment. You okay?
“I stopped read after Star Wars” no you didn’t you’re butt hurt enough to reply a novel 😂😂
@@extremedee7320 Half of your precious decades of Star Wars lore was either disregarded or retconned with a simple company acquisition. Prior to that, the lore was still a mess, and the fandom was mad at the lore that the literal creator of Star Wars laid out in front of them with the prequels. Cálmate, touch some grass, and learn to enjoy life
@@extremedee7320 .... are you having a stroke? It looks like you're having a stroke.
There's one timeline :X
I loved this game, especially words Rust told to Alloy, when she was young: "When odds seams impossible, dig deep to yourself and fight, like you can win".
Lmao... Rust
I don't remember that from the original game. It would have been better had it been a phrase used in the original game. Although I will say I loved that they included a bit of conflict with Aloy and her not dealing with the loss of Rost in a good way, having buried it.
Things i predict might happen in the DLC:
-It will take place in an island, possibly Hawaii, under Quen rule
-Water mounts, either a small seahorse or a Tideripper
-Aloy training Beta on how to survive and hunt in the wild
-Hephaestus might be involved, but we won’t lock him up just yet
-Mounting larger machines like Dreadwings
Traveling to Hawai with Alva and the rest of the team would be absolutely incredible... a water mount would be awesome. The DLC will 100% have more deadly robots.
i love the idea of aloy training beta. They’re a good duo, and they have pretty different struggles so it would be cool to see them grow together
If Hephaestus is involved, it would probably be making machines to assist the humans in fighting whatever Nemesis is using as cannon fodder.
EDIT: I take back what I said.
Well if we do get Hawaii I expect a slew of ocean machines. Sharks, Manta Rays, an aquatic version of shellsnapper would make great enemies. Dolphins, and Humpback whales would make for fun mounts.
And if we’re going to have these new machines, then that means new ocean combat, or tools we can use to bring them down to harvest their materials.
Also one more thing, I expect us to be able to visit all the islands via **SPOILER** Flying mount and the swimming mount. With Cauldron’s obviously being in this hypothetical DLC, an interesting Cauldron would be one in a cave system but as you explore the cauldron you slowly find out that this cauldron was designed to create a megalodon machine that you fight.
Nice ideas! Perl Harbor is in Hawaii, and would be a perfect place for Hephaestus to run to!
It would be really cool to see some Quen cities, and Hawaii would be an amazing setting!!!
if anyone's asking, the Quen have earlier models of Focuses that can't read any data beyond say 2050 or so, which explains why their Focuses look funny and why Ceo dude believes Faro saved the world (the Clawback era) with Elisabet helping him
I got a lump in the back of my throat when Sylens walked back down the stairs at the end. Can't wait for the next game, this one has been so perfect. If there's a NG+, once I platinum, I'll happily go through this again.
I hope they relaese a NG+ update.
Probably when they announce DLC, i hope we get a water mount in it as well, like a sea serpent or a hippocampus
@@sentientmustache8360 being able to ride the tideripper or something would be awesome
@@pugpolice4323 i think they’ll leave riding big machines for 3, like a Thunderjaw for land, Dreadwing for air and a Tideripper for water
@@sentientmustache8360 I know “hippocampus” was an autocorrect but I can’t stop 😂thinking of a floating water brain
I’m still so sad about Varl. I’m glad he’s going to have a child to carry on his legacy!
They always kill off the black person 1st Vala now Varl
@@xaldiaforever7645 agreed smh
@@xaldiaforever7645 starting to think varls family is cursed lmao 💀
@@xaldiaforever7645 man why you gotta bring race into it x_x
I legit let out a shocked "NOOOO!!! VAAAARL! 😱😥" when he was killed. Was not expecting that
The overall story of HFW is weaker than HZD. Not bad but weaker HOWEVER to anybody considering playing this game or buying it the story plays second fiddle to the smaller narratives and subplots in the game.
The Las Vegas mission, the Quen mission, the Regalla and companion missions really sell Aloy as this capable individual.
The Las Vegas story alone is one of the best subplots in the game and really is a great contained story. And even tho predictable at times I felt a sense of compassion for a ton of characters in the game. It’s emotional for sure.
The combat is fun and the music is second to none, plus there’s plenty of endgame content to keep you playing afterwards.
To that end the “wacky sci-fi stuff” is a double edged sword. The writers at Guerilla place A LOT of responsibility in the player’s hands. In order to truly understand you have to read important data points that flesh out the lore. Horizon at its heart is an exploration/archeology based game. Literally unearthing mysteries is what you do. So if you can’t do that and rush through the story you’ll have to suspend belief more than anything.
It’s a good follow up but even I waited to play HZD until about a year after it released. So I get the trepidation. HFW is an intense exercise in patience for sure, it rocks the boat and I didn’t really appreciate the Zenith intro, I would have preferred a more mysterious take but I guess they wanted us to understand the stakes. Nemesis should have also been handled more delicately perhaps in a DLC. There’s some complaints but overall it’s a bit expected considering the stakes.
I personally loved the overall game but to be fair the subtle moments are greater than the sum of all the plot points. Other than that once they clean out the bugs it’ll be even better but if strict story guidelines are a little much for you Elden Ring is a better option.
I kinda agree with this. Idk why but HZD really had it... the pacing was really good. Also, maybe because it was Aloy's origin story and it was interesting to see the dynamics of the primitive and futuristic come together. It just felt believable that if the current us would succumb to greed and AI dependency, this could be our future.
HFW is a really good game. The story was bound to veer on to the more sci fi extra terrestrial stuff but I thought that it could have been handled more delicately. I really agree with you that this game really pushes you to read the datapoints... and I really enjoyed reading through all the data I found (in fact this was the only game that made me care about those collectibles lol). However, the zenith plot came off as rushed to me and they could have done a lot more with it... these may have been explained in the datapoints but the ones I encountered so far was not doing it for me. I wished they could have explained more about their life in sirius because the whole VR thing was not doing it for me... Well, perhaps we'll know more about them in the 3rd installment. They just felt like superheroes and it kind of ruined the pseudo realism of HFW by giving half baked explanations on their immortality (I also don't think they explained why they could fly). I just finished the game and felt that the pacing in the 3rd arc was a bit fast for my liking in story telling. On a side note, I absolutely enjoyed the side quests! Those side missions felt like they really had a place in the game and helped me get more immersed with the world.
I agree with you on every point, but i truly disliked the ending
Forbidden West does have a weaker story than Zero Dawn, but it’s still pretty damn good
@@sentientmustache8360 yeah that’s what OP already stated.
@@marketeagle4508 I do agree with pacing remimds me of Cyberpunk were plot points are just rushed and on to the next. I like the fact that main story is not to long as this the type of game that is not focused on chracter devlopment and more about mystries. Its also great they put more focus on side quests and having better side activites although there was still a bit of ubiosft crap in there. I think the main story maybe should have been 25 missions long maybe 30 to set the story up. The old ones were killed of far to quick in my opinion.
Loved this game and it’s ending in particular. Fantastic character growth with Aloy. Was very touching to see Aloy and Beta hold each other together at the end with a rebooted GAIA.
Hepaesthus will be 100% be making more deadly machines. When you go back to the base after finishing the game, Beta will have left information called 'hephaestus revisited' where she explains how he is connected to the world networked, and he is 'supercharged' and has more tools power and capabilites than ever. Only god knows what types of monstrosities he could be making.
Apex jumping-trap door tarantulas
@@zoranlazarevic7526 that’s hillarious on paper but I know for a fact seeing that actually happen would be amazing. Giant robot spiders I love it
@The RT 2 Well if they managed to make giant cobras, they can make that.
I enjoyed this game so much more than I did the first one, they have improved a lot.
Yeah the combat improved so much and the characters are so lively
IMO Quen seems a perfect place for DLC & dealing with Herphaetus and Nemesis with no doubt will be the boss of next game
I love the sequel it's better in every way but near the ending it was a little rushed and nemesis made everything feel useless
you are so right
I felt the same way they just threw that in literally at the very end and barley elaborated on it and threw people knew about it but they were cheering at the end I was so confused at the very least beta and Alva should have been concerned with aloy but everyone was all smiles like nemesis was never even mentioned
@@MIKUIEL frfr they should've just ended it
No, what Aloy and company achieved was still important, even with Nemesis approaching; if they hadn’t reassembled GAIA and then saved her from the Zeniths, Earth’s biosphere would’ve collapsed regardless of whether Nemesis attacked or not.
So then, its' not better in every way?
Knowing Sylens, he probably made a backup of Hades for himself before letting Aloy destroy it
My theory: The Quen will be the villains of the DLC, as they set up a LOT of potential conflict, describing how restrictive with information their hierarchy is in their territory. Also they were described as expansionist/colonizers so that's DEFINITELY potential for an antagonist faction going forward.
It'll be a delicate process but I'm sure aloy and alva can take care of it
Well you were right, in a way
As much as I love the game's graphics, combat system, and Alloy as a protagonist, the lore of HZD and HFW is so damn good. Can't wait for part 3! Also bummed that we didn't get to single handily kill the Ceo ourselves.
Having just beaten this game myself, the Nemesis fight definitely feels like the end of a story.
I can guess at how it will end in one of a few ways, but I'm excited to get there.
But I'm curious as to how Nemesis even plans to destroy earth. How did it destroy Sirius? If it's a collection of rogue AI that happen to be digital recreations of human brains, how is it going to be any different than a jumped up version of Hades or Hephaestus? I could see it hijacking the Zero Dawn machines and the Faro robots, but that would be just be a rerun of these two games. Guess we shall see.
I'd also like to see Aloy and Co start integrating some Zenith tech into their lineup. Bring back the Shield Weaver but much more advanced. Faster, nigh instantaneous weapon configuration changes integrated right into their armor. That would be pretty cool.
If there is a DLC it should be a sequel to Frozen Wilds, since HADES is gone, adding the IA CYAN to GAIA would be a great help. It's powers to help preventing the Eruption to of the Yellowstone Caldera and it's empathy to human life could be a good addition to fight Nemesis.
In the game GAIA mentions it can't feel the presence of CYAN, but acknowledges it's importance.
And the third game I hope that Sylens and Aloy have a much stronger working relationship. At first I hated the guy for doing what he did with Hades and the end of the first game. But now I know it was necessary. Sylons has more of a cold and calculated message and strategy while Aloy has more compassion. I think if they were to work together they can balance each other out and ultimately come up with a better solution. I also hope there is a way to keep Hephaestus as an independent AI . If Hephaestus remained a subordinate function oh, it would have never been able to build the Combat Machines that you see in the game. There really should be a way for Gaia and Hephaestus to work together as equals.
Unfortunately Hephaestus sees gaia and aloy as a threat, he's purely driven by code so I doubt he'll stop the combat machines without something remarkable happening
@@isdrakon9802 Even Hephaestus has finite resources. So I would imagine that Hephaestus finds a way to approach Aloy in order to negotiate. He could ask her to convince as many people as possible to stop hunting his machines. In exchange he stops all of his machines from attacking humans. If it had not been for Ted Faro, humans might never have hunted his machines to begin with. I very much doubt that Aloy will be able to trap Hephaestus like she did before. He could probably find a way that her omega clearance no longer work.
@@stevenbaumann5911 problem is how does she spread the word and make that many people stop hunting machines, it's the way of the tenakth so it is going to be the way for many other tribes
@@isdrakon9802 If they hope to survive the coming battle, they might give up there traditions. The Tenacts 3 tribes fought each other for centuries. But Hekaro managed to make peace between the 3. Human history is filled with abandoned traditions for survival. As for how she spreads the word. I'm pretty Gaia can create more focuses and Aloy and her friends can give the out. With Sylens help and access to the Apolo data base, people would learn the truth
@@stevenbaumann5911 there are people that believe the earth is flat, something that was disproven a couple thousand years ago. Do you really think that people would believe a single thing she says. The tenakth would trust her because what she's done but she didn't have the background she does for them
This franchise was always gonna be a trilogy. However they could do some spin-offs. Potentially a game that takes place during the time of the faro plague. Obviously we know how it will end but it could still make for a powerful story.
I saw someone mention the idea of a game where you're a member of a team tasked with going around the world and extracting Zero Dawn's Alpha candidates, and then joining in the efforts of Operation Enduring Victory. It would probably be a very different style game from the Horizon series so far, but having the chance to play through that tragic story would be awesome.
A story that starts just before the derangement and ends just after hzd started would be cool. See how tribes learn and deal with the machines going rouge.
@@curtmccarthy6463 I’m with it. It would expand the franchise and I’m all for it
@@twobitwackjob Maybe see the chaos that takes place during the red raids, sure. I know that I'd like to see Avad in his usurper prince days. Dude's backstory is like game of thrones.
Play mass effect
based on Tildas relationship with Elisabeth, the DNA source is most likely some of Elisabeth hair (or something) that Tilda kept as a memory of her.
Another thought about the DLC will be that in some of the forbidden info the Quen have can something help against the fight with Nemesis, another AI or something and I think that Hephaestus will be a Major key against Nemesis, not just because he builds the machines but also because he has evolved. Maybe the Quen can help in evolving Gaia and all her subfunctions
I havent played this game yet but wow the improvement of facial animations from this game to the last is astounding
This games story went places I never expected. I am guessing we will get a story DLC just like Frozen Wilds but where it will take place I think is anyones guess. I saw someone mention Hawaii which would be awesome. As for Hephaestus he is probably the most interesting “character” to me. Our first “enemy” as it is he who programs the machines to attack humans but only as a means of self defense. After capturing Aether, Demeter, and Poseidon they all very willingly returned to Gaia, all saying something poetic about returning home to her. It makes me wonder why Hephaestus is so different. Hades makes sense because he was programmed to be the anti-Gaia, but Hephaestus’ resistance and evolution is unique to him and I hope that gets explained and also that his eventual capture perhaps changes Gaia in a way. Perhaps a compromise towards his point of view because what happens when terraforming is finished? Well I assume the machines would be phased out, maybe with Hephaestus’ convincing a new robot race can coexist with humans. But all of that said Heph won’t be captured in the DLC that will happen in the next game, have to have a reason to keep hunting and attacking machines. If Gaia gains control I assume all machines would just give parts or material to humans rather than having to fight. Also returning to Heph, I wonder what robots he can make in the next game given he was plugged into the Zeniths printer and I assume was able to get their schematics on such technology. But one thing I need in game three is more robot dinosaurs fighting other robots, like a lot more of that and in big long cutscenes lol.
This was an excellent video. Well spoken, well researched and well explained. Thank you for breaking it down and summarizing it in a way that was super easy to follow and understand while still going in-depth enough to actually cover the complex narrative I needed help understanding.
My GOTY. Absolutely incredible story, characters, world, gameplay, graphics, etc. Aloy has also pretty much solidified herself as my favorite videogame protagonist of all time. Loved every moment of it ♥️
I really enjoy the fiction this game is set amongst. I don't like this style of game, so I watched all of the cutscenes etc in one long video for the first game. This story explainer has been great and I would love it if the developers could license someone to write books about this world and its history; just like the HALO books set in Forerunner and Precursor eras. Great video!
There are Horizon Zero Dawn comics and books look online
@@Johninadelaide2022 awesome! thank you for telling me :D
I didn’t like the style of game either at first but fell in love with the story that I just ended up 100%ing it, give it a try trust me!!
There’s also a comic that comes with the Digital Deluxe of HZD: West. Haven’t read it yet thou as I want to finish the game so I won’t spoil anything.
Try it out it’s super fun
that is BY FAR the best, most concise synopsis of H:ZD I've ever seen.
Its interesting seeing how Guerrilla are approaching a 3 act story compared to Bioware's approach. The Horizon story feels full defined as the first game hinted at 2 separate issues needing to be resolved (Gaia and Nemesis) while also dealing with the initial antagonist. Each game also holds back heavily in revealing this information to the player by leaving behind just enough breadcrumbs for the final reveal.
Essentially, the story Guerrilla is telling feels like they developer took the time to flesh out the story before determining how the gameplay elements would be incorporated. Its an example of the story driving the gameplaye rather than the gameplay driving the story. This exact reason is why the Horizon games are my favorite, it's a novel we get to visually experience. I can't wait to see how the story wraps up with Nemesis in the final game.
You can catch beta talking to an unknown person that she obviously didn't want aloy to hear,if you sprint into her room on the base shortly after she joins. Its a major loose end. Nothing is ever said about this
I thought the Zeniths in general were a little much and it got close to jumping the shark but the game saved it. I think the personal stories and character writing was best, like Aloy learning to accept help instead of trying single handedly save the world, and even Sylens turning. Horizon's writing is best to me when it stays more grounded.
How ? they were there from the first game.
@@redoctane13 well they said they spaceship exploded and now it's just "oh no they were lying, it didn't explode"
@@aaaaaaa9200 I called that years ago, chekhovs gun and all.
Agree. The Zenith's...achieved immortality, can travel across vast empty space, and basically can create their own virtual world of happiness. Lived over 1000 years. And yet, they can't produce their own Gaia? Don't get me wrong, I still love HFW, but man that part confuses me.
@@TyTimeIsAwesome On the whole I think it's pretty easy to handwave that one. Tilda makes a whole speech about how they were all basically lazy slobs, dicking around in VR worlds while automated systems did all the work, and not bothering to put any effort into improving anything about their world. Up until Nemesis attacked them they'd have had no need for another Gaia, and after that they were a small group on the run for their lives. Why spend the journey to Earth putting hours of grueling effort into making a Gaia of their own when the place they're going to already has one they can steal instead?
Thank you so much for a well produced, well edited, succint recap of a story that flies off the rails in a very metal gear, good kind of crazy way.
I feel like there's a danger of going too crazy with a 3rd game. The Zeniths pushed the sci fi element a little far, but it did work. Too go further would be a mistake.
I do wonder what purpose Nemesis has on Earth now the Zeniths are gone. Or how an AI... flies through space. Wait and see I guess, the writers have certainly delivered so far.
Thank you for the really helpful video! I picked up the DLC today and wanted a recap on the story of Forbidden West before starting. This was a really informative summary of a complex plot
something you didn't mention is that Tilda and Elizabeth were lovers, Tilda has been in love with Elizabeth all this time and when she learns about who Aloy is she sees the true essence of Elizabeth in her and kinda "falls in love" with Aloy in a sence? that's why she can't go without her. There is also Beta She could have just kept Beta and that's it, but Tilda doesn't see Beta as equal to Elizabeth, we can guess she was expecting her to be (since she tried to know her better by meeting her in private and ofering her more knowledge) but was disapointed as Tilda says it in the last conversation we have with Aloy.
Love this game. Was a great sequel to Zero Dawn. My guess is that the DLC is recapturing Haephestus.
Dlc can't be capturing hephaestus, if there is a game three then what machines would we fight? That would make sense if there is no game 3 but they introduced the Quen. So that makes me think game 3 will be going across the ocean, in the Quen lands. Trying to capture hephaestus or gathering the data on the "old ones" they worship. That way they have info against them for nemesis. Things they have done etc. Idk though
@@clutchlesss1710 fair point. My bet is that Nemesis will be a swarm of machines. More than enough to rival Zero Dawns machines, which will give us something new to fight.
Horizon just continued to be my favorite series. Can't wait for the dlc and part 3.
Thank you so much for making this video! Exactly what I was looking for
If you talk to all the characters in world post credits it definitely puts emphasis on what there plans are for nemesis/ hephetus
Wow. That was mouth full! Thanks!
I thought the "bad guy" was going to be Hepheastus but I liked the Zeniths twist (didn't die and evolved), which you could argue was kinda told at the begining when your search for that backup of Gaia. The real bad guy is how humanity tried again and again to become something more and gain more power without really thinking and caring about the consecuenses. First the Faro plague and then Nemesis.
I wish we go to Asia, South America (I'm Peruvian :D ) or Europe to search for ways to fight Nemesis but also so people know that Nemesis is comming, because if it takes part of the world (via haking machines and Hephaestus) I feel like it could like Matrix and the Machine city almost imposible to enter.
Great retelling, also RIP Lance Reddick
Just finished the game today and OMG it’s so good
Great recap of both games. One teeny tiny nearly insignificant gripe. Your pronunciation of Ted Faro like far-o. But it's pronounced like Pharaoh, which I think went to Ted's head. That's why he named his bunker Thebes (once capital of Egypt}. The Chariot line (chariots became popular back then) is full of ancient Egyptian references; scarab, khopesh & Horus.
Also kinda funny is Elizabeth Sobeck's name. Sobek is the Egyptian crocodile god.
I had a harder time connect with the story personally.
I loved the story of the Zero Dawn. One of the most important aspect of the first game for me is slowing uncovering the secrets of this world.
Finding out how the humanity was wiped out, what those roaming machines are, and how life was saved felt awesome.
Forbidden West doesn't really have that IMO.
I cared about the story of Zero Dawn because that's the story of the world we're exploring. What happened to the Zenith, I don't really care, since that's a different world.
Gameplay-wise though, Forbidden West is epic.
Yea the story in Forbidden West kinda lost me too
Samee. I dont know how people are connecting with this story so much because it felt very rushed and weird. Playing FW actually made me appreciate ZD even more.
ZD narrative was much tighter and had a lot more going on then FW.
wow... this guy did a great job explaining the story! ... Liked and subscribed!!!
keep up the good work man!
Well done on this video, man. That is a lot of information to go through and you laid it all out very clearly. I absolutely love both Horizon games (got a rib tattoo of the original 5 cauldrons to prove it) and cannot wait to see what they do next.
Yo this was GREAT. you rock.
I would love a Horizon: enduring victory game. A prequel where we can play a solider in the MRB fighting the swarm
You do know that we will die at the end right?
@@Vincentpanh So?
An idea I have been hoping for since I first learned the lore
Killzone game in that setting, would give GG an excuse to bring back that series
@@Vincentpanh Pretty much what Halo: Reach did, I'd play it
Thanks for great explanation. Hope fully they produce part 3
I did enjoy the story of Zero Dawn a lot, it was really sci-fi epic. But Forbidden West sits a little bit odd with me. Maybe it is the "immortal" and all this merging part, but I think the writer lost their own red string during the development of the story. In my books it is a sure ingredient to a rather boring, lost-to-action-plot, when you introduce humans with perceived immortality and such, it is always the trademark for something "evil" and simply not very humanlike, an old and very overused tool in storytelling. While Zero Dawn made it clear, that the source of it all is the human mind and its tendencies to learning by doing and make inevitable mistakes along the way, this sequel to the franchise doesn't follow the roots. While it is still in the same gorgeous setting and I don't mind plotrevealing secrets to be hidden until you more or less finished the playthrough, I am rather dissappointed by the story and the turn it took. First, it was a beautiful and doomed futuristic setting where humans are fighting and learning from their previous mistakes (just like in our world with WW2 and such events and the following changing of worldviews etc), now this seems to turn into a remake of the Green Lantern movie and we know how good that one is... The whole idea of merging minds and AIs to functioning entities simply doesn't make sense.
"No two brains are alike" as the scientific saying goes.
love your inputs here dude and i too enjoyed zero dawn so much. really same thoughts at how the story plot turned into oddity which was quite a disappointing route (in my opinion). it felt, a bit rushed on that part i guess? but it should make sense because it's the third millenia right? so superhumans might be existing. However, something just does not add up in the plot.
Time travel, yolu have forgotten the worst trope used when you smacked your plot against the wall.
I disagree with you
I liked the ending, knowing full well this is "the middle" and so obviously has to leave plot threads for the 3rd entry. The idea of nemesis fits perfectly with the whole plot of Horizon; hubris in the face of technological advancement leading to the apocalypse. The Zeniths didn't learn from their mistakes they fled Earth and then had to flee Sirius A for much the same reason. Yes their immortality does give them an otherworldly air but again that makes sense. They're not evil exactly, just detached. They've lived so long they're dead inside. There's nothing really "human" left, as reflected in their deathly pale complexions.
As for the merging minds to make functional AIs not making sense, well it didn't work. The Zeniths abandoned the project because it failed, and Nemesis us only "functional" in a very literal sense. Being an amalgam of so many minds is probably why it's deranged in the first place, nevermind the nature of the minds that went into it in the first place.
i think the story lacked bc they changed the game narrator in production - it used to be john Gonzales in HZD. He’s also worked as a writer for Fallout las vegas, so he’s written brilliant stories before. It’s a shame they couldn’t get him again for HFW
Thanks for the summary! I really loved this game (and the last one) and can't wait to play the DLC tomorrow! :)
Elizabeth sobek is not technically aloys mother...she's technically alloy. She's an exact genetic clone with identical dna. That's not how mothers work lol
But she'll see her as a mother because she is the reason why she exists and given life. The same way that Boba fett sees Jango fett as his father cuz he was raised to be his son. As well as the other clone troopers will see each other as brothers.
@@darksesh8247 that's a bit different, because jango raised boba.
I really much have enjoyed these Horizon games. One of the absolute best games ever.
This game jumped the shark in a way I didn't expect. Great recap Gingy!
How so?
@@Johninadelaide2022 imo the Far Zenith bit for me. I'm not even saying it like it was a bad thing, I just diddn't even consider that space people with advanced would be a plot thread at all lol
@@BeatsWithKev I mean I was expecting one of theory's of the odyssey actually succeeding and the descents of the odyssey coming back to earth to rebuild it. Just the immortality stuff was way over the top.
@@BeatsWithKev Strange, I said back in 2017 the signal must somehow originate from them, because they want earth minus the savages.
@@noctisluciscaelum211 Guerilla probably didn't want them to go full Faro yet again so they molst likely assumed making them immortal and extremely bored and egotistical would do the trick.
Just finished it today, one of the best games I've ever played
A DLC might be about recapturing hephestus. Sylens did say he was let loose again at the zenith base
Sure this is too soon for a DLC. There will be no machine fights after recapturing if only something or somebody else will play its role
@@nikitakozhevnikov2823 50$ that Nemesis somehow takes place of Hephaestus, or well more likely that the solution would be to merge Gaia with it somehow, basically to teach it how to care. Aloy would also sacrifice herself to achieve that.
Thanks for the recap! Excited to jump into the DLC soon.
AMAZING breakdown. I think you covered all the relevant plot points. Props
Edit: agreed. They are probably working on the sequel rn if they aren't taking a break, which they deserve. They really fed us and I'm full 😂 gotta digest now
this game saga was one of my favorite ive ever played the story felt so new and original
I wished from HZD that the signal was from the Odyssey and that they survived. But the execution of the plot is so over the top when the first one was such elegant science fiction...
Imagine human descendents from the Odyssey and how magical could be the interaction between 2 "worlds" with a lost past
Absolute Banger Video......Excellent
If there is going to be a DLC for Forbidden West, I think it will have us return to the Nora Sacred Land. Aloy needs to inform Sona of Varl's death and existence of her future grandchild. The whole plot might even revolve around Sona going through the five stages of grief, now that both of her children are dead. Losing a child is the most painful thing that can happen to a person.
A DLC about talking to a mother about the death of her son, the creative team won’t be hiring you any time soon.
@@dazzaMusic Don't forget reusing an old map, definitely worth my money
@@dazzaMusic id play it as it would be down to earth in a sense it would be interesting and possible 3rd game might start with the birth of her grandchild
I’d rather not, much rather have another area of the Forbidden West explored. Or even have it go to the Quen Empire. I feel like it really sets it up there.
Here from your God of War: Ragnarok explanation video and definitely will be subscribing. Thank you for your amazing content!
See you all in 5 years when the third game releases. 😭
I desperately want the series to continue and expand.
Maybe set the 3rd game after that, directly continuing the story.
Maybe a further sequel or a spin-off showing off the other regions on earth. We've basically only seen a small part of the world, in fact, it's pretty much only the US and even then, we haven't even seen the whole country. Like, the whole other eastern half.
Maybe something in Asia? The Himalayas sound promising. Or China if politics allow at.
It's such a unique world and we certainly could use more of these in this industry. I still remember the first time I watched a let's play (yeah I know) and coming to the realization about the truth of the world.
Damned i love that series the sequel is well crafted ,i was hoping the upcoming DLC we can face another machines like gorilla and other ancient type animals and the quen tribe i was hoping they expand greatly they have little exposure on that sequel and one more thing the Shield weaver please bring it back in armory selections not some kind of skills
Good video - best bit was your hunch on DLC content & third game
I find it weird how casually people seem to take the end of the world in zero dawn.
I think it's cause the people of this world didn't have to live through it. its been a 1000 years
@@066kshitizvsingh4 Most of the modern people don’t even know how the world ended.
Great work as usual 10/10
thank you for making this . i personally liked it a lot . this story it gives more info compare to the first one . but I have questions about the Hephaestus : at the end of the game beta released Hephaestus in order to create machines to fight . did they take it back or Hephaestus ran off completely? is Hephaestus still corrupted ???
Well, in the Frozen Wilds dlc to zero dawn, Hephaestus is the "big bad", so yeah. He is probably free
This is answered in a data log in the base after the credits. Yes, hephaeatus is now free and more powerful since its had contact with the zenith network
@@SyphonAudio Yup, Hephaestus can now make machines with Zenith tech B.S. Perfect excuse for new machines in the future.
It’s no longer corrupted but it did escape back off into another culdron somewhere. But since it had access to Zenith technology they said it could possibly find a way to evolve itself.
Hephaestus is still free at the end of the game. Fighting machines is a central part of the series’ gameplay, so the developers need Hephaestus to remain hostile for now.
Thank you. You do such a good job with your vids. Hope your channel continues to grow. You deserve more subs.
loved this game, i cant wait another 5 years tho >:(
A lovely recap! Thank you 😊
I think the way they dealt with ted faro is really stupid
Building ups the Story for hours of gameplay and then Just killing him instantly
Think this is my favorite video game story since Mass Effect.
There Will be a trilogy the gaming company already confirmed it so their will be a third horizon so can not wait the second and first game we’re great
Probably would come on ps6.
@@apurvaaryan7984 Nah, it'll be soon, I would suspect 2027 will be the year it gets released
@@duckyu6573 yes that's very soon lol
Thanks for this breakdown
I really was not a fan of how they went so hard into the sci-fi elements, I would’ve preferred it being grounded and Aloy just exploring every part of the world like man I feel like we just scratched the surface. She could’ve gone to different countries and learn about the old world, just a lot of potential I feel won’t be realized and I don’t want the series to end as just a trilogy tbh lol
I feel the same too. They should have tossed the sci-fi part out and just explored the world. Perhaps there's a civilization out there that lived with a Focus and acted like "Old Ones" to unite the planet. It would have been a surprise if another civilization from across the ocean suddenly greeted them with guns. You know, just like what happened with Christopher Columbus but with robot dinosaurs.
@@silenthero2795 that’s such a good idea, yeah I feel like they totally botched where the franchise could go, however they could easily just beat nemesis in the next game and go back into a more grounded universe, that wouldn’t be hard to do
great video i didnt know the majority of the things you mentioned and now i can finally understand whats going on in the story. sorry if theres any mistakes in the kopmmet im german and not that good at writing in english.
I hope we get a DLC soon where they capture Hephaestus again and fully merge it into Gala. If we got into a third game without it that will be a big plot hole
Hephaistos being fully merge to Gaia will literally kill the game. Hephaistos is what makes the machines hostile to us.
@@mxh2__42 I mean with nemesis on the way that doesn't seem like to much of an issue
@@comandercarnis Nemesis needs gaia sub functions to do something
Great video! Keep it up :)
Thank you very much for this. I was expecting this game to be continuing the theme of finding the other functions and correcting the overall Zero Dawn Project. The out of this world (literally) story turned it into something different and not necessarily interesting. Nemesis makes it feel like you play through two games to be told it was all for nothing because something is coming to destroy the planet. There gets a point in an open world game where you start to just not care anymore and this ending (really from the 3rd act on) you start to feel that way. I agree that there will be DLC and maybe something like CYAN that provided a really nice addition to Zero Dawn. This was beautiful, but disappointing. Your review was amazing. Thank you for making it coherent where the story was chopped up.
@@Gingy I didnt play Zero Dawn until last summer, so it was awesome to see a sequel so soon after I played. It took me awhile to enjoy the story when it finally has the twist and I grew to enjoy everything. FW was a let down.
Just finished forbidden west and I'm glad I'm not the only one disappointed in the story. Zenith was and interesting idea that I think was executed very poorly
The story pretty much went in the direction I thought would for the most part. It was hinted at with humans surviving. At one point in the first game Aloy thought Liz had survived. I think thr story was really interesting just a bit rushed. And I feel like the old ones were wasted potential.
I thought the story was just as amazing as the first. It definitely kept me in suspense.
Great video! Thank you !
I dunno, I enjoyed the story as I was playing it and it was hella cool, but then the zeniths came and it was just ehhh then it ended and it was like what. first game ends beautifully with aloy finding elisabet, and she finds that closure and comfort. here, her conflicts arent really solved and shes just like okay more work to do woo
Thats how u know its the 2nd of 3
@ 5:44, actually technically / biologically her twin, not her mom.
They could expand in the next game for other continents.
That's what I thought about the scene with Bohai. It looks like they're going really far afield to get as many people ready as possible.
Amazing story. Just finished the game and now it makes more sense with ur video
I really thought we'd fight one of the metal devils this game, seems like the next step up
What if we use the faro plague to beat nemesis, we take control of a metal devil and use it to godzilla around to fight a super specter
@@simpleviewer1334 that would be cool and honestly if a part 3 is made I hope we lose and everyone dies, it never happens in movies or games and would be a shocker
They advance as a society until a new Ted Faro comes along and they have to build Zero Dawn again. It perfectly loops with the first game and after the third game they start with Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.
@@radicalkonrad765 yeah no we don't need a downer ending
Also fighting a metal devil is just out of the question, aloy and company just don't have the firepower to do anything other than annoy one. It takes an entire armoured division with infantry support and air support to cripple the thing enough to be destroyed from the inside and that's just one.
Quick Fact .
The name Elizabeth Sobek the main scientist that created Horizon program has same name as the Egyptian God Sobek who :
He was thought to have risen from the primeval waters of Nun to create the world and made the Nile from his sweat. One creation myth stated that Sobek laid eggs on the bank of the waters of Nun, thus creating the world.
I did enjoy playing Forbidden West; however, compared to the end of Zero Dawn, the final mission play-through for Forbidden West felt overtly cinematic and not as engaging.
Thank you for that video❤