With Horizon Forbidden West, Guerrilla Games has taken a great leap forward from Horizon Zero Dawn. Not only does the game sport visual and audio improvements, but there are plenty of gameplay improvements too. Aloy has access to more weapons that open up creative ways to take down her massive machine foes, and she has a Pullcaster and a Shieldwing Glider to make traversal easier. Most interestingly, Aloy's skill tree has also been vastly expanded to not only include more skills, but also Valor Surge moves.
Horizon Forbidden West has six skill tree categories available, allowing players to spend their skill points on categories that complement their play style. For players who prefer a stealthier approach, it is best to focus on the Infiltrator category. The right Infiltrator Valor Surges paired with the right weapon coils and outfits will ensure that Aloy is a silent but deadly machine hunter.
The Infiltrator Category Makes Enemy Camps a Breeze
Horizon Forbidden West's new weapons and traps mean that Aloy is more equipped than ever to take on enemies. However, the stealthy approach still proves to be efficient. With the Infiltrator skills, Aloy will move like a ghost and strike without ever being seen. This approach helps to conserve ammunition and resources, and it prevents players from having to deal with multiple enemies attacking at once.
The Infiltrator category comes with several skills. However, the best skills to focus on are Silent Strike Heal, which lets Aloy heal after using Silent Strike, Low Profile, which reduces Aloy's visibility to enemies, and Quiet Spear, which makes melee attacks quieter. The Infiltrator category also contains a few skills to improve Aloy's archery. This includes Double Notch, which lets Aloy fire two arrows at once, Focused Shot, which increases Aloy's zoom and lets her fire an arrow that deals extra damage, and Braced Shot, which allows Aloy to fire a powerful shot from a kneeling position.
The Infiltrator category also comes with two possible Valor Surges, the first being arguably the most powerful one in the entire game. With the Stealth Stalker Valor Surge activated, Aloy is made invisible, making stealthy takedowns as easy as walking up to an enemy. Alternatively, players can make use of the Radial Blast Valor Surge which emits a powerful shockwave from Aloy's spear, causing devastating damage to nearby enemies.
How To Be a Better Infiltrator
Infiltrator skills are powerful enough on their own, but there are ways to make Aloy an even stealthier machine hunter. The best Horizon Forbidden West outfit to pair up with Infiltrator skills is the Utaru Winterweave, which is available from the Stitcher merchant in Thornmarsh. It comes at a hefty price, but it is worth it for the perks which include an increase to Quiet Movement, Quiet Spear, Low Profile, Smoke Bomb Capacity, Silent Strike+, and Silent Strike Heal. Good weaves to pair with this outfit include Quiet Movement, Low Profile, Quiet Spear, Stealth Ranged, Silent Strike+, Silent Strike Heal, and Silent Strike Gain.
Infiltrators will also likely be using plenty of traps and tripwires, which makes it a good idea to fill at least one of Aloy's weapon slots with a formidable Tripcaster. Perhaps the best one she can get her hands on is Tinker's Pride, which is unlocked by finishing all hunting grounds with full stripes. With five coil slots, a knockdown power perk, and damage over time bonus, Tinker's Pride will turn any playing field into a danger zone for enemies. Coils that pair well with this weapon include Stealth Damage, Knockdown Power, Draw Speed, and Explosive Damage.
Aloy will also need a good Sharpshot Bow to take down enemies while she is in hiding, and one of the best bows in Horizon Forbidden West is the Legendary Forgefall. It shoots Advanced Precision Arrows, Plasma Precision Arrows, and Advanced Plasma Precision Arrows. It also has many perks including increased Draw Speed, Concentration Damage, Overdraw Damage, Ariel Enemy Damage, and Shocked Enemy Damage. Of course, it also has five coil slots that need to be filled, and some of the best coils to consider are Plasma, Overdraw Damage, Critical Hit Chance, Stealth Damage, and Reload Speed.
Horizon Forbidden Wests' Cauldrons, enemy camps, and open-world have Aloy facing enemies that outnumber her or are much more powerful than she is and, for that reason, she often needs to outsmart her foes. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on Infiltrator skills. Armed with some complementary weapons and a good outfit, a competent Infiltrator build will allow players to eliminate targets before they know they have been spotted.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5.
