Why Horizon 3 Should Cut Against the Grain of Sequel…

Tutorials have long been a necessary evil in video games, only arguably more necessary with new IPs and more evil with sequels. Even the most powerful protagonists often find themselves stripped of their equipment and abilities in second and third installments, if only just to give players a meaningful path to progression. However, their evil side ultimately comes into the picture as players who spent time investing in these protagonists find that time essentially wasted, as the character they worked so hard to strengthen is now left with basic equipment and maybe only a few of the skills they once knew. This was the case with Horizon Forbidden West, but it doesn't necessarily need to happen with Horizon 3.

At the start of Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy is found to have retained some of her core knowledge and abilities, all while most of her weapons, outfits, and unlocked skills are somehow gone. "Somehow" is the key word here, as the game offers no clear explanation for it, making it nothing more than a silent wipe for gameplay reasons. Now, if Horizon 3 really is the final chapter of Aloy's journey, then it has the freedom, and the narrative justification, to break away from that tired trope. By allowing Aloy to begin the game with much or all of her equipment and skills intact, Horizon 3 could offer players an experience that not only honors their time but also more accurately represents the growth of its protagonist.

One Massive Horizon 3 Change Would Be a Risk Worth Taking

A key element of the Horizon franchise, expanded in Horizon Forbidden West, could be the albatross around its neck, and a third game could scrap it.

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By Nick Rodriguez

Why Horizon 3 Should Let Aloy Keep Her Gear and Skills From the Start

Most Sequels Reset Players for No Good Reason

The main reason most sequel tutorials end up feeling like a waste of time has less to do with the fact that everything players worked for in any previous installments is now gone and more to do with the fact that these sequels have a bad habit of tying the protagonist's loss of equipment and abilities to mundane story beats. If these losses were instead rooted in a compelling narrative reason, players might find it easier to forgive the game for tossing all of their hard-earned character growth out of the window. Unfortunately, that's rarely the case.

By allowing Aloy to begin the game with much or all of her equipment and skills intact, Horizon 3 could offer players an experience that not only honors their time but also more accurately represents the growth of its protagonist.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of the latest sequels to go this route, taking Henry, who grew tremendously in the first game, down to the dumps as he is ambushed, stripped of his gear, and forced to start again with basic supplies and little armor. Games like these usually revolve around some kind of attack happening during their introduction that forces the protagonist to reset, and they often result in those characters having amnesia from a conveniently timed blow to the head. It may be practical, but it's also one of the easiest ways to make a sequel feel like it's spinning its wheels rather than moving forward in a meaningful way.

Letting Aloy Start Strong Reflects Her Growth

In light of the tendency that sequels have to dismiss a character's growth in the name of making space for more, and especially given how this trope is generally received, it's in Horizon 3's best interest to avoid that as much as possible. While it would be better for it to at least give a reason for Aloy's loss following Horizon Forbidden West's lack thereof, the third entry would be better off simply building on the growth Aloy has already experienced and allowing her to start strong, with most (if not all) of her weapons, skills, and perhaps some of her most definitive outfits retained.

To be fair, it's understandable why Guerrilla Games might prefer to make players start over again in Horizon 3, as not doing so could potentially overwhelm players with too much at once. However, with it being the third entry in the series, it's likely to attract more veterans than newcomers, and they would be less intimidated by the complexity of it all. For those players, starting off Aloy at full strength would feel like the most meaningful foot forward, so long as Horizon 3 can balance that with a sensible narrative at the helm.

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