Summary
Horizonhas become one of PlayStation’s biggest first-party series. Developer Guerrilla Games had previously earned its stripes withfirst-person shooter seriesKillzone, but since 2017 it has become known for its expansive maps, well-written scripts, and impressive third-person combat system.
Zero Dawnand 2022’sForbidden Westare the two core games that make upHorizon, but the planned online-focused game will shake things up and could bring the franchise to new audiences. Little is known about what direction it will take and which titles it will seek inspiration from, but no matter what it does, the topic of human enemies will have to be brought up.
Horizon’s Enemies are More than Just Mechanical
The lure ofHorizon Zero Dawnwas undoubtedly the ability to take on towering machines in real-time combat, and the series excellently executes this by allowing players the opportunity to fight mechanical adversaries mimicking the likes of bulls, tigers, deer, and dinosaurs. Their huge differences in visuals extend to the gameplay, with each machine provoking a different strategy, be it showering it with fire, or using tear arrows to disassemble parts to be used against it. Finding new and innovative ways to take them down is a major source of enjoyment for fans of the Guerrilla-developed series.
The confirmedHorizonmultiplayer game isn’t the only new thing coming for the franchise, as a Netflix show has also been commissioned.
However, the land inZero Dawnand its sequelForbidden Westisn’t dangerous purely due to machines roaming around, as there are plenty of human threats, too. From the Eclipse tothe Far Zeniths, humans have had a negative impact on the world ofHorizon, and their presence makes for a wonderful deviation from fighting mechanical enemies as they require an alternative approach. Human enemies are smaller, faster, and smarter, so taking them down is a different experience all together. Some players dislike the series' human combat and find it clunky, even though it was much improved inForbidden West. As such, though the unnamedHorizonmultiplayer game needs enemy variety if it is to keep players entertained throughout, adding human enemies would risk frustrating players who dislike this side of combat. Still, that risk may be worth it.
Humans in Horizon are Part of the Scenery
The vast majority of information surrounding theconfirmedHorizonmultiplayer gameis speculative at best, as little is known about what it will be, and how it will unfold. Comparisons to the likes ofMonster Hunterand online-centric offerings likeDauntlessare valid, as the latter game specifically has players taking down ‘Behemoths’ (coincidentally a type of machine inHorizon Zero Dawn) to collect loot and level up in a squad-based multiplayer set-up.Horizondoing something similar would be a good use of the existing systems, but sprinkling in human enemies - or even a PvP mode - would be another option to keep the experience fresh.
This isn’t to sayHorizonhas to turn into aFortnite-esque battle royale, but just giving players a means to fight each other to survive, and thrive, would help elevate the competition and even world-building, as players could even select their chosen tribe before entering the world. It could further improve the series' already strong RPG elements, and supplement the core series rather than feel like too much of a deviation, like the VR offeringCall of the Mountaindid at times.
Horizon Relies on Human Friends and Foe
Humans are essential in the world ofHorizon, with the story hinging on how well, or poorly, they can survive when mechanical enemies have taken over Earth. Tribes are varied, and side characters are usually wonderfully developed. As such, while taking down machines will surely be the big draw to the multiplayer game,Horizon’s focus on humanity makes it hard to argue against the idea that human combat should be included. Human foes would surely be tough to implement, and could use even more improvements than oneForbidden Westprovided, but could hugely benefit the story and gameplay of a project that already had plenty of fans excited.
