Horizon’s Undead Nightmare: A Zombie DLC for the Wild West Franchise

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In the wake of the phenomenal financial and critical acclaim that Horizon Zero Dawn garnered in 2017, the Horizon series has experienced rapid growth over the past few years. Following Zero Dawn, the world of Horizon has been expanded through comic books, tabletop games, a sequel titled Horizon Forbidden West, and two spin-offs – Horizon Call of the Mountain and LEGO Horizon Adventures. In each mainline Horizon title, developer Guerrilla Games has kept players coming back with story-driven DLCs like The Frozen Wilds and Burning Shores. However, since it is expected that Horizon 3 will conclude Aloy’s story, a story-driven DLC set after the main campaign of Horizon 3 might not make as much sense compared to Burning Shores. Instead, Guerrilla could draw inspiration from Rockstar and create a non-canon zombie DLC similar to Undead Nightmare.

Red Dead Redemption’s Undead Nightmare DLC Explained

In 2010, Rockstar Games released their second open-world Wild West action-adventure game titled “Red Dead Redemption.” Their first such game was “Red Dead Revolver,” which came out in 2004. The players assume the role of John Marston, an outlaw turned government-hired gun, who is tasked with killing three members of his old gang to secure his family’s freedom. Although the main storyline of Redemption was praised as one of the top modern Western narratives, fans were taken aback when the game’s fifth DLC, “Undead Nightmare,” was released as a non-canonical, zombie apocalypse-themed campaign and multiplayer mode. This expansion served both as a survival horror experience and a humorous interpretation of the traditional Wild West setting. Undead Nightmare not only continued Redemption’s streak of success among fans but also gained critical acclaim.

As a passionate fan, I’d put it like this: In Undead Nightmare, I find myself as John Marston, battling relentless hordes of the undead in my quest to discover a remedy for my transformed family. These aren’t your ordinary shuffling zombies; they come in various forms, each with unique abilities. For instance, there are the ferocious Bolters, the bulky and charging Bruisers, and the vile Retchers that spew corrosive fluids. All these creatures relentlessly pursue Marston, swarming towns.

But it’s not just zombies I have to contend with; there are other monstrous entities too. Creatures like the Chupacabra, Horned Goats, and Sasquatches lurk in the wilderness, joining the ranks of Undead Bears, Cougars, and Wolves. However, not every new creature is a threat, as I can tame some, such as the Four Horsmen of the Apocalypse – Death, Famine, Pestilence, and War, along with a Unicorn.

In 2010, Dan Houser, a co-founder of Rockstar Games, shared that they decided to incorporate zombies into Red Dead Redemption rather than Grand Theft Auto, primarily because of Redemption’s shooting mechanics, expansive environments, and the hunter-like character John Marston.

The Potential of an Undead Nightmare-like DLC for Horizon 3

Although a zombie expansion pack might seem unlikely for an early 20th-century Western game like Horizon 3, the unexpected success of Undead Nightmare in Red Dead Redemption has led many fans to request similar zombie-themed content for Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Initially, such a concept may seem out of place for Horizon 3, but recall that Undead Nightmare was surprisingly well received by Rockstar in Red Dead Redemption, despite having no prior setup. Even without graphic or violent content, the zombie theme could still be effectively terrifying within the context of Horizon’s more modest T rating, as demonstrated by games like The Last of Us.

In the context of the plot, the DLC for Horizon 3 might depict Aloy awakening from a coma to find her late friends like Varl and Rost resurrected alongside hordes of zombies from Eclipse, Regalla’s Rebels, and ancient civilization members. Some of the remaining survivors may belong to the Oseram or Quen, as they have superior technology compared to other tribes. Later on, it could be unveiled that Nemesis created the zombie virus or resurrected people with the intention of annihilating all life on Earth. Aloy, Alva, Beta, Erend, and Seyka may then attempt to use GAIA to develop a new version of HADES to combat the zombie threat; however, they could unintentionally create hybrid, grotesque machines instead.

The Gameplay of a Horizon Zombie DLC

In the spirit of Undead Nightmare, a zombie expansion pack for Horizon could retain its core gameplay but introduce special weapons and enemies exclusive to this non-canonical storyline. While the Boltblaster and Shredder Gauntlet would be ideal against swarms of the undead, this DLC could offer Aloy new unique weapons like a plasma sword or a rapid-fire Far Zenith-style weapon. Erend and Beta might provide her with these new armaments. Meanwhile, Aloy’s classic weapons such as the Blastsling would remain effective against the horde of monstrous machines, which could include a hybrid creature combining traits of Thunderjaw and Sunwing, resembling a dragon-like beast. This expansion pack might also allow Aloy to modify her mounts for better combat against zombie hordes and machines, such as adding tusk extensions to the Bristleback. These alterations could make Horizon’s final mainline DLC an exhilarating and terrifying adventure.

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2025-02-18 03:55