Thanks to Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, Horizon 3 is Unlikely to Inherit One PlayStation Trend

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The Guerrilla Games’ Horizon series is widely considered one of the most exhilarating intellectual properties on PlayStation currently, and it’s not just because of its captivating storyline and distinctive sci-fi/post-apocalyptic aspects. The Horizon franchise has made innovative leaps with its VR title, Horizon Call of the Mountain, an upcoming film replacing plans for a TV series adaptation, and a multiplayer game called Online Project, which Guerrilla announced back in December 2022 as part of a job posting. Regarding its origins as a single-player action-RPG franchise, it appears that Horizon’s future is quite secure.

In essence, Horizon Forbidden West surpassed its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, in almost every aspect. One of the most significant enhancements lies in the seamless transition between various traversal and mobility options such as the Shieldwing Glider, Pullcaster, and aerial mounts like Sunwing and Waterwing. However, it’s worth noting that flying mounts aren’t available until much later in Horizon Forbidden West, leaving fans eager to explore how future installments, specifically Horizon 3, will continue to innovate the gameplay experience, given the series’ focus on this area has been relatively concentrated in its two mainline entries so far.

PlayStation’s Latest Trend Has Been Companion and Ally Stories

In many PlayStation studios, it’s noticeable that the concept of having a main character accompanied by one or more non-player characters (NPCs) for an extended period has gained popularity. This is especially evident in games like The Last of Us and God of War, where these games also explore challenging parent-child relationships.

In addition, if you’re embarking on this adventure solo, similar to how games like Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding immersed players in the solitary exploration of expansive landscapes, side character NPCs will still be crucial to the storyline, as demonstrated in Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. These NPCs are often integral to the narrative, offering grand cinematic experiences. Furthermore, a common thread in PlayStation franchises is the development of side characters or secondary protagonists who may eventually match or even surpass the main character’s status, as seen in many games from this series.

  • Ellie is playable for a fraction of the time that Joel is in The Last of Us, but becomes the new primary protagonist with Abby serving as a deuteragonist in The Last of Us Part 2.
  • Atreus is playable as an extension of Kratos’ move set in God of War, but becomes a playable character in God of War Ragnarok and is expected to lead his own game in God of War’s future.
  • Miles Morales is playable as a side character in Marvel’s Spider-Man; leads his own half-sequel as Spider-Man in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales; and stars as one of two playable protagonists that players can swap back and forth to in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

It’s clear that exceptions do occur, and not every story involving allies for Horizon Zero Dawn has followed a standard template. Unlike other recent PlayStation hits that have focused on character-driven stories with NPCs, sometimes elevating side characters to equal or even greater importance than the series’ main character, there’s good reason to think that Horizon will continue to carve its own unique path.

Horizon May Have Missed the Companion System Bandwagon, But That Could Be Its Greatest Advantage

In essence, since the gameplay in both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West is very alike, it’s highly improbable that Horizon 3 will bring significant changes to its core mechanics. If Aloy were to be replaced or joined by another playable character, or even have a constant companion following closely behind like Mimir in God of War or Dollman in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, it would likely have been introduced earlier in the series.

If it’s possible that “Horizon 3” serves as the final installment of the Horizon series, or the concluding part of a proposed trilogy, it would be rather late and arguably unnecessary to introduce NPC allies as a key element now. Instead, it appears that Guerrilla has intentions to extend the Horizon IP beyond its usual releases, and there are many characters who have been developed enough to potentially take on playable roles in future games if Aloy is not the main character anymore.

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2025-07-21 01:06