InHorizon Forbidden West, the derangement of machines continues to be a problem for Aloy and her friends, meaning humanity might never live in peace while they roam the land. There could be a way to permanently wipe out the current crop of machines if Aloy is able to create a new HEPHAESTUS; one of GAIA’s most important subordinate functions. While this is a risky move, it could be the best choice for the franchise, asAloy’s story cannot continue forever.
Guerrilla Games has already started experimenting with developing games in the franchise without Aloy followingHorizon Forbidden West, as seen withHorizon Call of the Mountain. AHorizonwithout Aloy could focus on the various tribes and the politics between them after the machine threat is pushed aside. It could also place greater emphasis on the natural environment and nature’s recovery.
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The Potential of HEPHAESTUS is Revealed in Horizon Forbidden West
HEPHAESTUS is one ofGAIA’s subordinate functions, tasked with creating more machines to help terraform the planet. Following the Extinction Signal sent by Nemesis, HEPHAESTUS goes rogue and acts with malevolence, declares human beings to be a threat to the machine life healing Earth. Aloy encounters HEPHAESTUS inHorizon Zero Dawn’s TheFrozen Wilds,DLC, where the Banuk tribe in The Cut refer to it as the Daemon. The rogue AI is on a quest to claim cauldrons and release more dangerous machines that kill human hunters, though Aloy is able to put a stop to it.
Aloy encounters this foe again inHorizon Forbidden West, as it is the one of GAIA’s only remaining subordinate functions that isn’t captured, meaning it still has the chance to wreak havoc. Aloy wishes to recapture the subordinate function after the end of the adventure, but Sylens suggests they make a substitute for it instead. If Aloy and her friends had such an AI under their control, they could create an army of machines to take onmassive threats such as Nemesis. Furthermore, the AI could be programmed to make the machines self-destruct once Earth is fully recovered. However, this would have a significant impact on the series' longevity.
A Horizon Without Aloy
With no more machines around, there would be very little reason to continue focusing on Aloy. This might not mark the end of the franchise, however, as future games could instead focus on the various tribes and how they continue to evolve in a more peaceful world. Although the machines are dangerous, humans threaten each other as well. Without machines to cause resource scarcity, even reclusivetribes such as the Noraand the Banuk could find themselves forming connections with more neighbors than ever.
Horizonhas shown a deep interest in ecological themes since the beginning, telling a story of environmental destruction and the potential downsides that come when humans value technology over the natural world. A futureHorizongame that directs its attention away from Aloy could instead focus more intently on the environments and how nature recovers following thedystopian Faro Plague.
Several characters could also serve as good protagonists for the series going forward. Ryas and his story of redemption may have layers that are yet to be uncovered inCall of the Mountain, meanwhileTalanah and her unyielding desire to reform the Carja Hunters Lodgealso make her a great potential protagonist. At some point, Aloy will have to step aside, butHorizon’s world is complex enough to survive without her.
Horizon Forbidden Westis available on PS4 and PS5.
