Sony confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West would be receiving a DLC expansion with a new trailer shown during the Game Awards. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West will give players the chance to explore new locales along the coast as they follow Aloy's journey in pursuit of a new threat in the Burning Shores DLC. Aloy's quest sees her travel to the ruins of Los Angeles surrounded by a treacherous volcanic archipelago,z and this new trailer highlights some of the major LA landmarks players will be able to explore in the upcoming expansion.
Players of the base game will be familiar with the ways in which Horizon Forbidden West tackles iconic landmarks across the west coast of the United States. Traveling to the ruins of Las Vegas, players will be able to explore what remains of the famous Las Vegas Strip including the submerged neon lights of what were once casinos. Probably the most iconic landmark in the game —the Golden Gate Bridge—is featured in much of its marketing and connects the mainland to the ruins of San Francisco where players will also be able to see what's left of the Transamerica Pyramid as well. Now the Burning Shores DLC will give players even more landmarks to discover as they venture into the ruins of LA.
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores Shows Off Several LA Landmarks in its Reveal Trailer
The trailer shown at the Game Awards opens with Aloy riding on the back of a Sunwing as she descends into the lava-covered shores of what was once Los Angeles. The first landmark highlighted in the following scene is the Griffith Observatory—a popular tourist attraction that overlooks downtown LA. As a notable landmark, it offers patrons a close view of the Hollywood sign and the opportunity to view space through its incredible telescope. While its iconic dome seems to be intact in this trailer, what Aloy will find inside is still unknown.
After passing the LA skyline nested above a stream of falling lava, the trailer shows Aloy circle the building for Capitol Records—another staple of LA landmarks. This cylindrical building was the center of the LA music scene as it housed the seminal record label and saw some of the biggest artists in the country record in its studios. Now that it has been left in ruins, it may be possible that Aloy will discover some remnant of the once vibrant culture that came out of this building.
The final scene of the trailer shows Aloy fly past the remains of the Hollywood sign, crushed by a giant Horus war machine. Lava can be seen flowing from beneath it creating a stark contrast to the view of the sign that can be seen today. Arguably the most iconic landmark in the city, the Hollywood sign has been standing since it was built in 1923 and has become a cultural beacon for tourists and residents alike. Even after the destruction in the future of Horizon Forbidden West's world, it's fitting that the remnants of the sign still act as a beacon for players jumping into the Burning Shores DLC.
There are still a lot of landmarks that could make an appearance in the DLC in unique and interesting ways. Perhaps the submerged remains of the Santa Monica Pier could be explored, only marked above water by the top of its Ferris wheel. Aloy could even discover the remains of Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame, offering a great chance to provide snarky commentary on celebrity culture. With its fantastic world-building and attention to detail, Guerrilla Games is sure to create another exemplary DLC expansion filled with distinct ways of incorporating LA's landmarks into its story.
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores will release for the PS5 on April 19, 2023.
