Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores begins with the beautiful and recognizable voice of Lance Reddick. We are immediately reminded that we should enjoy the recently deceased actor’s skills for as long as we still can. His intriguing character, Sylens, requests a meeting with Aloy. Who are we to deny him?
Sylens informs Aloy that during the events of Forbidden West, a Zenith named Walter Londra got away. Aloy is sent on a mission to find the man in the Burning Shores, which we know as Los Angeles.
Burning Shores is the setting for an enrichment of the Horizon franchise. It adds some innovations while remaining true to familiar ingredients. Players can once again expect intense battles with known and new machines, new encounters, and breathtaking graphics. You can conjure up the photo mode at every turn because Guerrilla Games‘ creation is a visual masterpiece (as was Horizon Forbidden West). However, the question is, is Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores more than just a pretty face?
New Additions
The gameplay mostly feels familiar. However, there are some new skills, weapons, and outfits available to fight the new machines. The Burning Shores consist of many islands, and you are not solely dependent on your Sunwing to hop between them. You can now move around using a boat called a Skiff. The boat is quite fast and easy to control, making it an excellent alternative to explore the wonderful new world.
In addition, there is a new resource available to keep an eye out for. Sparkly Brimshine can be found anywhere on the new map and can be used to upgrade your gear or buy new weapons and outfits.
Updrafts/geysers are scattered around the map, which launch Aloy and her Shieldwing higher into the air. It’s a good idea, but personally, I didn’t see much use for it. I haven’t needed it anywhere to solve puzzles or for other reasons. This is actually a feeling I had with several of the new additions.
One of the big announcements was that there was a new machine you could override. The so called Waterwing would allow you to fly and dive into the water. The ability to override this machine only became available fairly late in the DLC. It was required in just one quest, and afterwards there was no further need or usefulness for it. I would have liked to see multiple quests where this machine was required, or multiple benefits to using it.
The new additions provide a small renovation. However, with or without the new additions, my final rating for Burning Shores would have still been the same.
Seyka
A breath of fresh air is the introduction of the character Seyka. Seyka is a Quen who reminded me of our flame-haired Aloy. In both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy is somewhat of a loner. She is stronger than most around her and is used to taking the initiative.
When Aloy and Seyka meet, they are surrounded by deadly machines. Seyka mentions she will take care of it. She clearly doesn’t know she’s dealing with someone who has saved the world multiple times.
Seyka shares a common goal with Aloy and has an important role in the story. The Horizon franchise sometimes receives criticism that the story and characters are not interesting or memorable enough. Although I’m a fan of the Horizon games, these comments are not totally foreign to me. The personal stories of the many quests don’t always grip me. Fortunately, I can’t say that about Seyka. The character is wonderfully brought alive by newcomer Kylie Liya Page. The scenes with her were always interesting and useful for the story. It was nice to see someone who is pretty much on the same level as Aloy, for a change.
Aloy’s Personality
Guerilla Games also sometimes receives criticism that Aloy is not likable enough, especially during the events of Horizon Forbidden West. Personally, I think we would all become a bit impatient and straight to the point when we have the weight of saving the world on our shoulders. I have never been bothered by her character. Nevertheless, it appears that the developer did take the criticism to heart. In Burning Shores, Aloy’s behavior is more nuanced and relatable. There is clearly a greater emphasis on her warmth and humanity.
One of the best demonstrations of this comes from a Side Quest. This quest reunites Aloy with an old acquaintance and has a beautiful outcome. The Nora huntress shows her best and most human side here, and it definitely hits the mark. This side quest was one of my favorites and shouldn’t be missed. Burning Shores is at its best when it cares about the fate of individual characters in their world. We know that the fate of the whole earth depends on our actions, but the emotions of individuals are naturally more compelling.
Combat
Since Burning Shores can only be started after Horizon Forbidden West is completed, players will have leveled up significantly and have the necessary skills at their disposal. This calls for new challenges, and they are present in Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores.
One such challenge is in the form of an animal variant that we have not yet encountered in machine form; the frog. The Bilegut machine can take a beating and also lays eggs from which smaller, wasp-like machines emerge. The Bilegut’s acid is flying everywhere, so Aloy’s cardio training will come in handy here. The previously mentioned Waterwings also pose a greater challenge than the familiar Sunwing. Besides that, it looks like some of the existing machines in the new area have been buffed a bit.
Thanks to the new weapons and skills, Aloy has more options to deal with these machines. There is also an unlockable skill that allows you to finish off downed machines, even when they are further away from you.
There are still many different ways to get rid of the threats. You can use traps, fully utilize the different elements, try to remove machine parts – it’s pretty much a matter of personal preference.
Conclusion
I reached the end of Burning Shores after about 10 hours. The main story ends stylishly, while also providing a glimpse into the third maingame.
Without giving too much away, the ending really showed why this DLC was exclusively released for the Playstation 5, and left the last-gen behind. The whole game is visually stunning, as previously mentioned, but the part at the end was the first time I realized that it couldn’t have been done on the Playstation 4. Maybe I’m spoiled, but secretly, I had hoped for more moments like this. I know, I know…I’ve mentioned how impressive the graphics are multiple times. But I also thought Horizon Forbidden West was impressive, and that game was also released on last-gen consoles. I was hoping for more moments that could only have been possible on the next-gen.
Burning Shores is, in any case, a great addition to the Horizon franchise. Anyone who enjoyed Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West will undoubtedly have fun with this DLC. It throws all the known, successful ingredients into the pot and stirs up another delicious meal. I am starting to get the feeling that I’ve had this dish a little bit too often though. I’m ready for something different, and I think Aloy’s adventure would benefit from a significant shake-up.
Horizon Forbidden West teased an extraterrestrial adventure. Perhaps a change of that magnitude is exactly what this franchise needs.
