Highlights
- Horizon's rapid expansion hints at exciting future possibilities, including potential spin-offs.
- Melee combat in Horizon holds the potential for a spin-off game if it is expanded further, offering a fresh perspective on the series.
- The Tenakth tribe in Horizon, who hosts the melee pit competitions, could be the focus of the such a game, and the group offers rich storytelling opportunities that could be further explored in future games or spin-offs.
Horizon has become one of PlayStation's best offerings, and a true system-seller for both the PS4 and the PS5. It's a series that captured audiences seven years ago with Horizon Zero Dawn and improved on the formula in 2022 with Horizon Forbidden West, and it seems to be going from strength to strength as the years roll by.
Going west to the Pacific gave Horizon's setting more scope and its story more weight. With this move also came some new tribes for Aloy to interact with, one being the Tenakth, which has a taste for violence, as can be seen from its melee pits. That particular inclusion has the potential to become its own spin-off.
Project Zero Dawn Could Be an Omen for Horizon Forbidden West's Sequel
Horizon Zero Dawn introduced players to Project Zero Dawn, and the fate of the project could be an omen for Horizon Forbidden West's sequel.
Horizon is Expanding Rapidly
What began in 2017 as an ambitious new title in the open-world RPG space from developer Guerrilla has come a long way in the seven years since. Horizon has spawned a fully fleshed-out sequel, a pair of DLC expansions, and the recent VR game, yet plans are afoot for a lot more in the future, as a third mainline game is expected as well as a multiplayer title. Sony is not holding back with its use of the license, and if this is the case, there's potential for even more ideas to surface.
A Horizon TV series at Netflix was announced to be in early development in 2022, joining the likes of Gran Turismo, Uncharted , and The Last of Us in being adapted for live action.
There are still some unique ways to massively widen the scope of Horizon and help it to establish a diverse group of offerings outside the conventional open-world, action-centric adventure. Such practices have already begun, as is evident from the VR title Call of the Mountain, which offers something new for the series via its focus on climbing. Horizon doesn't have to be defined by its genre because it does so many things right, from characters and storytelling to gameplay, combat, exploration, and world-building.
Melee Combat Could Be Key to a Successful Horizon Spin-Off
Horizon Zero Dawn and its successor in the Forbidden West are unique in large part because the combat gave the player so much choice. Ranged attacks are recommended with an array of bows that have different properties, but melee is a viable way to win, too. The melee pits with the Tenakth show this while also providing a fun side challenge away from the main campaign. They're a smart way to bring diversity, but are interesting enough to be at the center of their own game if they are fleshed out further.
There are four melee pits in Horizon Forbidden West found in Chainscrape, Scalding Spear, The Bulwark, and Thornmarsh.
That title wouldn't necessarily have to be a big-budget offering akin to the mainline games, nor would it have to have the sheer volume of activities as the aforementioned projects. It would, however, be another string to Horizon's bow by reminding gamers that the series does not have to be defined by one school of thought. More ideas could be just as viable for a spin-off in the same vein, but melee combat is something that plenty likely won't take full advantage of, and it deserves more time to shine.
Horizon's Tenakth Could be Developed More
There are so many engaging tribes in Horizon, from the humble Nora to the tranquil and friendly Utaru to the hostile Eclipse. Aloy finds allies in the Tenakth tribe, too, a group of people from the West who have been forged from war and emphasize violence. They're a compelling part of Horizon Forbidden West, and focusing a spin-off on their melee pits could shed more light on their cultures and customs to make them more developed by the time Horizon 3 rolls around.
