If you caught the recent State of Play for Horizon: Forbidden West, then you’ll know that the game looks incredible. It’s so much more of the same, but it’s also been built upon to offer players a lot more bang for their buck. There are new enemies, both human and machine, and an entirely new world to explore that still looks like it feels like the original. This is the definition of a sequel done right, and I can’t wait to play it. However, I was confused about the storms that keep appearing in the gameplay footage and trailers. For your sakes, and mine, I think I have a good theory on what these storms could be, and you’re about to read it. Strap in.
Game Director Mathijs De Jonge has previously stated that these storms are the result of a collapsing biosphere. While they might not have anything to do with the red disease that’s afflicting all organic life, they’re certainly an inconvenience that’s way more than dangerous to the remaining humans on Earth. These things can rip apart buildings and even flood areas, which will kill off all the plants, and just make for a hellish time.
In Horizon: Zero Dawn, we’ve seen machines that are part of the ecosystem. They were built to combat certain things going on in the environment, like electric storms, for the betterment of everyone. I think that something has happened to a very important machine that goes a long way to supporting the biosphere in the west. It probably stabilises the climate and keeps it rich for all the organic life there. That’s why I also think that the machines there have been purpose-built to protect the wildlife from any interference. These storms are an indication that everything is going wrong, and without them, the biosphere will collapse.
I suspect that whatever machine Aloy is trying to fix impacts the entire world. It would make sense if there was a series of them, and just one failing could send the weather into chaos. That’s why this game’s story is so important because ultimately the weather could change the planet and kill everything on it. It’s only been forced to become so extreme because of the climate change we’re seeing today, so in a way, it’s a good lesson about what we’re doing to the planet if we make zero changes.
