WhenHorizon Forbidden Westfirst released in 2022, most fans could point out many differences between it and 2017’sHorizon Zero Dawn. For one,Horizon Forbidden Westfeatures more stunning and dynamic 4K and HDR visuals compared toZero Dawn, from hyper-detailed environments to realistic character movements and animations, especially on the PS5 version of the game.
Forbidden Westadditionally features more dynamic exploration and combat gameplay than its predecessor. However, there was one change that upset many fans thatHorizon 3shouldn’t repeat: the loss of Aloy’s armor, equipment, and skills from the previousHorizongame.
How Aloy Lost Her Equipment and Skills from Horizon Zero Dawn
Throughout Aloy’s journey to save the world from the volatile artificial intelligence HADES and the warmongering Eclipse cult, Aloy was able to gain several new combat and machine-overriding skills. She was additionally able to acquire or purchase several unique types of weapons, including the Spear, Bow, Ropecaster, Tripcaster, Rattler, Blast Sling, and Tearblaster, as well as the Forgefire, Icerail, and Stormslinger introduced inThe Frozen Wilds DLC. Presumably, Aloy had all of these weapons at her disposal at the end ofHorizon Zero Dawnduring the Battle of the Alight, as players could utilize all of these weapons, including the ones from The Frozen Wilds, in the conflict.
While Aloy is additionally able to acquire various armor and outfits from the Nora, Carja, Oseram, and Banuk tribes, she canonically ends the game using the powerfulShield-Weaver outfitafter collecting power cells from Old World ruins throughout the region. This outfit provided Aloy with a rechargeable energy shield that could withstand most attacks, but couldn’t be altered with modifications. After defeating HADES and the Eclipse in the Battle of the Alight, Aloy immediately left in search of a backup of the A.I. GAIA to restore Project Zero Dawn and heal the planet’s environment. This kept Aloy busy for six months, during which she lost the power source for the Shield-Weaver’s shield and all of her weapons save for her spear and bow.
Horizon Zero Dawn’s Shield-Weaver outfit was turned into the shieldless Nora Anointed outfit inHorizon Forbidden West, though players could temporarily replicate the Shield-Weaver’s defenses by using theOvershield valor surge.
How Horizon 3 Could Build On Forbidden West’s Equipment and Skills
Aloy’s travels throughout theForbidden Westas well as the Burning Shore see her once again collect a variety of strong weapons, armor, and learn a variety of effective skills, including mastering the Warrior, Trapper, Hunter, Survivor, Infiltrator, andMachine Master skill trees. However, it’s currently unknown which outfit Aloy canonically ends her adventures on the post-apocalyptic west coast of the United States with, as there’s no singular all-powerful outfit inForbidden Westlike the Shield-Weaver. With all the new weapons, outfits, and skills Aloy has acquired inForbidden West, most of these items and abilities should be carried over toHorizon 3instead of her being “metroided” again.
Metroided is an unofficial term referring to when a video game character typically has all of their equipment or abilities taken away at the beginning of a sequel, referencing how oftenMetroid’s protagonist, Samus, would have her prior armor and abilities taken away at the beginning of new titles. Instead, ifHorizon 3does release on the PS5, Guerrilla could have the game scan players’Forbidden Westsave files and carry over some of theirequipment that reappears inHorizon 3. Alternatively,Horizon 3’s beginning equipment and skills could appear similar to how Cal Kestis kept most of his equipment and skills fromStar Wars Jedi: Fallen OrdertoSurvivor, with the Jedi still able to use all of his skills and lightsaber stances learned from the prior game immediately in the sequel.
Horizon 3’s Potential Returning or Lost Items and Abilities
It’s currently unknown whenHorizon 3will be released or where it will take place. Given the alien A.I. Nemesis’ world-ending threat, it’s likely Aloy will travel to a new region once more in order to find a way to defeat the incoming alien. If this turns out to be the case, Guerrilla could have Aloy return with a basic set of weapons, including the Far Zenith Specter Gauntlet in either the Nora Anointed outfit or one of the more popular outfits fromHorizon Forbidden West. Otherwise, Guerrilla could have Aloy immediately come in contact with a catastrophic event that causes her to lose most of her weapons but retain her abilities and traversal equipment acquired fromForbidden West, such asthe Pullcaster and Shieldwing.
