Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise has shown itself to be willing to explore the franchise without Aloy as the protagonist. Although she served as the heroine of Horizon Forbidden West, she will not be the playable character of Horizon Call of the Mountain, which is a launch title for the PSVR 2. Although the next mainline entry after Horizon Forbidden West will likely feature Aloy returning as the protagonist, it would be useful to have segments that let players take control of Beta, who also has a lot to offer.
Aloy and Beta are genetically identical, though their personalities differ vastly. Having gaming segments centered on Beta would further stress the differences between them, illustrating that both nature and nurture are important when forming a complete human being. It would also allow Beta's character to be further fleshed out, and for gamers to appreciate her talents and abilities.
Aloy and Beta: Two Sides of the Same Coin
In the Horizon franchise, players learn that Aloy is no ordinary woman. The Nora tribe discovers her outside the ELEUTHIA-9 facility. The Matriarchs take it as a bad omen, and they banish her from the tribe. Little do they know that Aloy is the genetic clone of Dr. Elisabet Sobeck, the savior of all life on Earth. Aloy inherits a lot of Dr. Sobeck's traits -- like the Old World scientist, Aloy is smart, driven, and willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good. These characteristics serve her well when she is up against challenges that seem insurmountable at first.
In Horizon Forbidden West, players are introduced to Beta. Like Aloy, Beta is also a clone of Elisabet Sobeck. She is created by the Far Zeniths, who wish to use her to access the terraforming facilities let behind by Project Zero Dawn. Despite having the same genetics as Aloy, Beta's personality differs. She is intelligent, and she has impressive technical skills, but her anxiety and pessimism makes her slink away from people and challenges. Horizon Forbidden West does a good job of contrasting Beta and Aloy's personalities, and given their different life stories, it is only natural that they would turn to different people. By featuring segments where gamers get to play as Beta, the next Horizon game could further stress the contrast between the two through gameplay.
Aloy and Beta in Horizon 3
Aloy shines when she's out hunting machines just as Rost taught her. Using smart strategies and her agility, she can outmaneuver the largest machines and take them down. On the other hand, Beta is more of a technical type, and she is good with technology. She also has intimate knowledge of the Far Zeniths and ancient technology, which will come in handy as Aloy and her friends prepare themselves for the arrival of Nemesis. By featuring segments where gamers can play as Beta as unlocks Far Zenith gadgets or makes important discoveries about the inner workings of Nemesis, the next Horizon game can further stress the strengths and weaknesses of Beta and Aloy. Although they are very different, they each bring something special to the table, and together they form two halves of Dr. Sobeck.
Players will be getting more of Aloy with the Burning Shores DLC which launches on April 19; the DLC will only be available for PS5 players, which is disappointing news to PS4 gamers. Although a significant role for Beta has not been confirmed, signs suggest that Brin might play a significant role in the Burning Shores.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5.
