With the overwhelming success of its predecessor, Horizon Forbidden West was anticipated by many. The masses of critical acclaim was evident upon its release, firmly cementing itself as a must-play PlayStation exclusive thanks to luscious environments, an immersive story, and stellar gameplay. Though it hit shelves in a less than opportune time, finding a place in the shadow of FromSoftware’s Elden Ring, Guerrilla’s newest title reaffirmed the studio’s prowess at handling the open-world genre, with only a few blemishes on its otherwise solid resume.
Horizon Forbidden West is significantly more ambitious than 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, boasting a far larger map and settlements that litter the landscape. Yet with more communities and tribes comes more characters that need adequate screen time. From the returning, loyal Varl, to the standoffish, militant Kotallo, Aloy’s world-saving quest isn’t undertaken alone this time, as her associates make a place in the game’s wider narrative. However, the game’s main human threat to her cause, Regalla, doesn’t leave a substantial impact on the story. With her fantastic character design and intriguing character arc, it’s noticeable just how underutilized she is throughout.
A Not So Tough Decision
Regalla’s place in the Horizon Forbidden West tale is as the leader of a group of rebels that once belonged to the Hekkaro-led Tenakth tribe, who believe the Chief to be a traitor for wishing to forge peace between the Tenakth and Carja tribes. Her introduction at the embassy was memorable, and though Aloy bests one of her champions, Grudda, Regalla’s presence promises more tensions later in the story. Toward the end of the game’s campaign, her army encroaches on the Grove and a final battle takes place between herself and Aloy. While it is a challenge, it is nothing close to the enjoyment that can be had when fighting Helis in the latter stages of Horizon Zero Dawn.
Regalla appears sporadically in Horizon Forbidden West, as Aloy’s fight with the machines and understanding of the Zenith threat take center stage through most of the game’s 30-hour story. Regalla is presented as an engaging character, but the fleeting nature of her presence in the story makes the final decision feel inconsequential. Choosing to spare her or to end her life should have been a tough decision for players, but knowing that there are far more threatening forces at play makes the (underwhelming) final confrontation between Aloy and herself feel like a playground skirmish in comparison. It’s a waste of a character that had such huge potential, and her fate being in the hands of Aloy should have left far more of a lasting impression after the credits roll.
A Piece of Sylens’ Puzzle
Outside of Sylens, who is more of an intellectual threat, Regalla is the only real human antagonist of the game, and after learning of Sylens’ intentions, her place in the story ensures she feels more like a major inconvenience than a menacing villain. Horizon Forbidden West is a game that has enemies in all directions, from the often overwhelming machines on the ground to the futuristic Far Zeniths in the sky, yet Regalla’s forthright personality and intimidating character model put her in prime position to be the most memorable antagonist of the game.
The reality makes her far less frightening, as Sylens is the orchestrator of much of Regalla’s deeds. He plans to use the rebels to take the fight to the Zeniths by making an uneasy alliance with her through the Sons of Prometheus, and in return, Regalla would have the opportunity to overthrow Hekkaro and claim the title of Tenakth Chief for herself. However, Sylens knew that she would fall to the might of the Zeniths not long after she sent the Tenakth tribe to fight for his cause. In that synopsis alone, Regalla goes from seasoned war veteran to oblivious lapdog, and though Sylens’ intellect would best most people in the Horizon universe, it takes away from her presence and potential greatly.
Regalla Should Have Been The Villain On The Ground
The story lacks a grounded, plausible antagonist that makes their mark throughout, as most of the machines and the Zeniths are the real bad guys. Horizon Forbidden West’s fantastic story has new narrative threads emerging constantly, but the constant shifting from villain focus, be it Regalla early on, the Far Zeniths in the game’s second half, or the machines that pose a threat in all directions means there’s not one single entity that feels like the true antagonist. Sylens is the closest thing, but doesn’t feature prominently in the story until far later. If Regalla was more present, she could, and perhaps should, have been the constant nemesis to Aloy that the game lacks at times.
An antagonist that shares so much in common with the protagonist is likely to stay with players the longest, as it’s always shocking to see a human engage in villainous deeds, and putting a stop to them carries more emotional weight than shutting down a threatening AI. Unlike Helis in Horizon Zero Dawn, who is universally feared by Sun-King Avad’s Carja tribe and the separatist Eclipse cult, Regalla holds a similar title but feels decidedly weaker in execution, simply because of a lack of screen time. More exposure would have surely resulted in more effective character development, as the underpinnings of a truly great adversary are there. By underutilizing her throughout, the game doesn’t take advantage of the things that make Regalla so interesting to begin with.
Horizon Forbidden West succeeds because of far more than its story and characters. The diverse setting, engaging combat, and litany of involved side quests make for the majority of moments that will stay with players for years to come, and with so much content packed into a single release, it’s hard to find faults with the end product. However, the way it introduces Regalla to the fold is promising, but by making her take a back seat through the main story and having her be a well-behaved piece in a far bigger puzzle, Horizon Forbidden West’s otherwise fantastic story has a rare blemish.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4, and PS5.
