Horizon Forbidden West is set in a post-post-apocalyptic world, following the events of its predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn. Players assume the role of Aloy, yet again, who must travel farther west than she did in the original game to investigate a plague that’s killing anything in its path.
In Zero Dawn, players discovered — through a series of collectibles and story dialogue — that they were in modern-day Colorado during the year 3040. The setting allowed developer Guerrilla Games to create multiple environments, from the Carja desert to the frozen tundra in the north. As Aloy ventures out west, though, she will explore even more present-day states and cities. The question remains: where is Guerrilla Games taking Aloy on her journey across the Forbidden West?
Where does Horizon Forbidden West take place?
The plague that Aloy is investigating pushes west of the Sundom, away from Colorado and her first home with the Nora tribe. The only confirmed modern-day location that fans know Aloy will visit is San Francisco, California. A gameplay trailer shows the ruins of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, which connects San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean.
It’s unclear how Aloy got to the American city and at what time during the story she arrives there. It’s fully possible that Aloy has to venture across multiple other cities before reaching San Francisco. This leaves the possibility open for players to see the post-post-apocalyptic ruins of cities like Las Vegas, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as others within California.
Gameplay trailers showcase Aloy traversing across lush forests, mountains, deserts, beaches and plains. It seems likely that Aloy will have to go outside of San Franciso, at some point, to experience all of these different environments. However, it seems like the majority of the story takes place in and around San Francisco. This is the perfect location for players to experience the new underwater mechanics and all of the fresh gameplay mechanics that Guerrilla Games has designed. Also, the Forbidden West is confirmed to hold brand new machines for players to fight.
All of the mystery will be revealed on Feb. 14 when Horizon Forbidden West releases for PlayStation 4 and 5.
