The Burning Shores DLC for Horizon Forbidden West will expand the game's post-apocalyptic world, but the expansion is unlikely to directly set up the game's sequel. The open-world sequel brings protagonist Aloy to the overgrown ruins of America's West Coast on a quest to stop a deadly plague sweeping the land. Burning Shores will add even more meat to Horizon Forbidden West, but it's unlikely to lead right into the series' third entry.
Set for release on April 19, the Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores DLC will take Aloy to the overgrown ruins of Los Angeles as she hunts a monstrous new machine. The expansion will take place in and around Hollywood, which has transformed into a volcanic archipelago following mankind's downfall. This new region will bring with it a new storyline, new characters and new threats for Aloy to face. Burning Shores will also be available exclusively on PlayStation 5, ensuring that the Horizon Forbidden West DLC makes full use of powerful new-generation technology. However, it seems unlikely that the expansion will serve as a lead-in to the next Horizon game.
A Burning Shores DLC Cliffhanger Could Alienate Some Horizon Fans
While the Burning Shores expansion will certainly build upon Horizon Forbidden West gameplay features and story, setting up a full-blown sequel via DLC would be a mistake. Expanding on Aloy's character and the world of the Forbidden West would certainly be welcome, but developer Guerrilla would risk alienating fans by leading into a third Horizon game within the confines of Burning Shores. This is a lesson already reflected with the Horizon Zero Dawn expansion The Frozen Wilds, which explored Aloy's character and introduced new machines to hunt but never actually set up the plot of Horizon Forbidden West.
Horizon Forbidden West Already Set Up A Sequel
Like the franchise's first installment, Horizon Forbidden West already set up a sequel within the confines of the base game. Horizon Forbidden West's ending sets up a sequel by introducing Nemesis, a hostile artificial intelligence heading toward Earth with the ability to destroy the planet. Aloy also begins the quest to recapture HEPHAESTUS, another AI integral to maintaining Earth's delicate biosphere. With Horizon Forbidden West already setting up these threads for a third Horizon game, there's no need for the Burning Shores DLC to lay down any additional hooks. Instead, the expansion can be a self-contained quest that further explores Aloy's character and journey.
The Burning Shores DLC for Horizon Forbidden West will take full advantage of PlayStation 5 hardware to create a brand-new adventure in the lush ruins of Los Angeles. However, the expansion is unlikely to set up Horizon Forbidden West's sequel. Like the first game's Frozen Wilds DLC, Burning Shores is more likely to be a self-contained story to avoid alienating players or stepping on the toes of the base game's Nemesis cliffhanger. Even so, the Horizon Forbidden West DLC can be an exciting new chapter in Aloy's story by introducing powerful new machines to hunt.
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