Yet for all the strengths Horizon Forbidden West has, it is not a perfect game. One of the more average aspects of Guerrilla Games’ latest release is its underwater combat, or lack thereof. With the next entry in the series, Guerrilla should expand upon this system a lot more, providing a way for Aloy to defend herself and a wider array of machines to fend off.
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Horizon 3 Should Go All-In on Underwater Content
It says a lot that despite the limitations of underwater gameplay, one of the very best levels in Horizon Forbidden West takes place underwater. Aloy’s search for Poseidon leads her to Las Vegas, with the bow-wielding protagonist finding herself underwater at one point during “The Sea of Sands” quest. This section is incredible, as it sees Aloy needing to dodge and sneak past some terrifying machines to drain all the water. Once done, light comes back to the city, making for a gorgeous visual.
While this mission is undoubtedly a highlight, players will not see anything that comes close to surpassing it as far as underwater sections go. This is because they see all of Guerrilla Games’ tricks during this standout level. While avoiding machines in tall grass underwater is initially fun and intense, as Aloy has no way to defend herself, it becomes a bit repetitive as time goes on. No matter how strong players get, they are powerless underwater, which is a far cry from what it is like when fighting machines above ground.
In the next Horizon game, Guerrilla should give Aloy some new tools to combat enemies while swimming. Aloy could be given an upgrade for her spear that allows her to swing it underwater alongside a ranged weapon of some kind - possibly a harpoon. A movement upgrade to swim faster and dodge easier would also be ideal. While fighting a Tideripper on land is enjoyable, using these tools to battle a giant sea machine in a place where it has the home field advantage could be even more engaging.
If underwater gameplay becomes more fleshed out than just swimming and hiding, Guerrilla Games would be able to experiment with some more underwater machines. There is plenty of untapped potential here, as players could be asked to do battle with sharks, whales, and even giant squids. Seeing one of these behemoths swim toward the player for the first time could be magical, but actually being able to fight back against them while out in the ocean would be much more special. Even some regular sharks and whales would be nice to see, as it is hard not to feel like something is missing when small fish and stingrays are the only wildife that can be found in the water.
Horizon Forbidden West made clear improvements when it came to facial animation and Settlements, and both upgrades helped to create a better experience. With the next game, Guerrilla should continue to innovate and improve on areas fans feel could be better. While Horizon Forbidden West’s underwater gameplay is fine, the lack of combat options and a low water machine count hold it back a bit. If Horizon 3 allows Aloy to fight like she does on land when underwater, Guerrilla could deliver some truly fresh set pieces and fights for fans to enjoy.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5.
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