The focus of Guerrilla Games’Horizonseries has been on delivering an expansive single-player experience, but the introduction of Beta inHorizon Forbidden Westmay be the perfect way to add some co-op elements to the mix. There are only twoHorizongames currently, but 2023 will see the first big spin-off with the PSVR 2 titleHorizon Call of the Mountain. There are also rumors that Sony has plans to expand the series with a multiplayer title, andHorizon Forbidden Westmay have already laid the groundwork.
The main series should stay focused on delivering single-player stories, butaHorizonspin-off could deliver some co-op funfor those who want to experience the world with a friend. While some players may have more fun creating their own character, the addition of Beta to the franchise could open the door for a different type of experience. Aloy and Beta are essentially the same person with different upbringings, and Guerrilla could give players the reins of each in a new adventure through this post-apocalyptic world.
RELATED:After Horizon Forbidden West, Nemesis Needs War Machines as Unique as Specters
The ending ofHorizon Forbidden Westsees Aloy and Beta prepare for the next chapter of their lives;the war against Nemesis. They have grown quite close over the course of the story, and Aloy is ready to continue her journey with her new sister at her side. This means that Beta will likely play a major role in the thirdHorizongame, and that could lead to many new scenarios where the two clones are fighting side-by-side to save the world. While their team-up could be relegated to a single-player game, it could also work really well in a co-op title.
Aloy and Beta are virtually identical as they are clones of the same person. They both had very different upbringings that shaped them into unique people, but they are the same at their core. While Aloy was hardened by the fight against the machines on Earth, Beta spent much of her timetrapped by the Far Zenithsuntil they could use her. This means that Aloy is a far more skilled fighter, but the end ofHorizon Forbidden Westimplies that Beta may also have a future as a machine-killing powerhouse.
If Aloy trains Beta, then Beta will likely adoptthe same moveset as Aloy, and she may even get a bow of her own. This means there would be two characters with the same look and fighting patterns running around the world, and it would be a missed opportunity if Guerrilla did not give players control of them both. The studio could simply copy and paste Aloy, give her some small tweaks, and let players take control of Beta through co-op
Both characters would feature the same abilities, look pretty similar, and also be voiced by the same person. There would not be any major differences unless Guerrilla wanted to add character variety, and this would allow players to adventure throughHorizontogether without any limitations. Combat would also be a whole new experience, as one player could come at it with a bow and the other could throw spikes or shredders. They could work off each other to take down the scariest machines, and they couldexperience theHorizonworld as a team.
Allowing players to fight giant machines together in theHorizonworld seems like a recipe for success, andForbidden Westhas already laid the groundwork.Aloy and Beta will take on the worldtogether in the next chapter of theHorizonseries, and that seems like the perfect way to introduce a co-op adventure to the franchise. It could expand the series in new ways, and giveHorizonfans an experience they will not soon forget.
Horizon: Forbidden Westis available now on PS4 and PS5
MORE:Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC Needs to Match Frozen Wild’s New Weapons
