A New Fight:
In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy takes on a new challenge in becoming human. Our lovely heroine has had quite the problem of accepting help, solving issues on her own, and surviving a decrepit world all on the narrative that she’s the only one that can do it. This narrative proves false by the end of the game and is something that Aloy realizes in herself. You need people to survive.
A new Journey means a new story, right? While this game was stunning visually, and the story is well thought out in its narrative it was lacking in intensity and momentum for the first half of the game. During the first half it felt like the game wanted me to finish quests more so than explore the surroundings. By the second half the story started to pick up and progress in a way that I felt was immersive and engaging. There were so many different quest lines, interactions and stories to unfold that it brought such vibrancy to the story and most importantly the characters.
There were even some characters that did a full 360 and changed how I perceived them. This is writing at its peak, when you can take a character that is thought to be one way and organically flip them to make them the complete opposite from what the player originally thought. And while the story isn’t as vibrant in the beginning, it picks up when you least expect it to! While the story we have is just a continuation and not a new story, this continued adventure Aloy is on makes way for new characters, returning faces and some of the most dynamic interactions I’ve seen in a game in terms of realism.
A Realistic expectation: Traversing the lands of Horizon Forbidden West something remarkable happened. There a shift and change in each area, a growing dynamic if you will. Each area you explore has its own culture, its own language, and its own way of interacting with the people around them and travelers who visit. The dynamism of character from their race to their creed is amazing, it’s inclusive and it’s something that every game should be like. Unless a company is creating a period piece, create the game how the world around you is, diverse and filled with the unique differences.
A stunning end or a new journey: This game was beautiful, expansive and realistic in terms of character development those characters were actually acting like people in the real world. Diverse and unique. From finding a twin, to understanding that she needs people in her life to help her, to encourage her and to show her that life is more than just going from mission to mission. It's about living in the moment and treating ourselves with respect and not quitting when the going gets tough. May we all embrace our inner Aloy. Walking in life with charisma and respect for ourselves and others.
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