Horizon Forbidden West is a game full of secrets. Sometimes these secrets are hidden behind Metroidvania-like movement upgrades.
And sometimes, especially when exploring one of the game's abandoned research facilities, Horizon Forbidden West will hide things behind simple numerical codes. These were working spaces, after all, and not everyone has time to deal with Resident Evil-style puzzles.
One point that requires a code is on the mission "Cradle of Echoes." Horizon Forbidden West gives the player clues to solve the puzzle, but they can be easy to miss.
Cradle of Echoes is one of Horizon Forbidden West's main story missions. It occurs around the mid-game and is available after the player completes The Sea of Sands, Seeds of the Past, or The Kulrut.
The mission opens with Aloy examining a Zenith corpse in the mountains, and finding orders to recover a mysterious "Asset." Nearby the corpse is an artificial tunnel that leads to yet another ancient research facility.
As the player explores the facility, they'll come across a console with a holographic UI. A speaker will state, "236 containers in storage. Please enter the container number you'd like to retrieve."
Unlike most of Horizon Forbidden West's puzzles, this one is being somewhat intentionally misleading. The correct number isn't in the range between 001 and 236.
Varl does give a hint in the correct direction. After the console gives the instruction, he says "236? Wasn't there a number in the distress signal?" The distress signal he's talking about can be found in Aloy's notebook, under the "Text Datapoints - Quests" tab. It reads as follows:
SOS.
37°55'39.9"N 116°27'02.4"W
237.
BEWARE.
Horizon Forbidden West's Cradle of Echoes Code
The Cradle of Echoes code is 237, one above what's supposed to be the maximum container range. This is the same for every copy of the game; it isn't randomized per campaign.
Once the player inputs the code, a cutscene reveals what the mysterious "Asset" is. But before the player can process this revelation, they're immediately swept up in a boss fight against a Level 25 Specter.
It's a difficult and elongated fight, so Aloy should be at least level 22, and have some health items in her inventory. Furthermore, the Specter is weak against acid and plasma damage, while strong against fire, shock, and purgewater damage, so players should prepare their weapons accordingly.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now for PS4 and PS5.
