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The world ofHorizon Forbidden Westis filled with dozens of gigantic, animal-like machines that could prevent them from journeying throughout post-apocalyptic California. Players, both new and old, should know how to identify all the machines from the least threatening to the most deadly if they’re going to ensure Aloy’s survival. In eachHorizonentry, excludingHorizon Call of the Mountain, new machines have continuously been introduced, with currently every machine having been introduced inHorizon Forbidden Westto date.
In total, 48 machines are featured inForbidden Westand its Burning Shores DLC. Most are returning fromZero Dawn, while 26 were introduced inForbidden West, many having their own elemental or equipment variants. While most machines can be attacked or overridden, only one machine fromZero Dawncannot be interacted with - Deathbringers. However,players can still find rusted Deathbringer remainsthroughout. Most machines encountered will act similarly to docile animals, but a handful act as towering behemoths capable of destroying whole armies of soldiers. To better prepare players,Forbidden West’s machines can be broken down into five tiers ranked by how deadly they are, with D being relatively harmless and S being hyper-lethal.
S-Tier Machines
Behemoths, Bileguts, Dreadwings, Fireclaws, Frostclaws, Rockbreakers, Rollerbacks, Shellsnappers, Slaughterspines, Slitherfangs, Stormbirds, Tiderippers, Thunderjaws, and Tremortusks all serve as bosses throughout theHorizonfranchise and, as such, are the deadliest machines in the series. Often multiple stories tall or as long as several school buses, these machines will require immense skill and strategy to take down. These machines can sporadically be found in pairs but are more often found roaming around with small groups of Watchers, Burrowers, or Glinthawks. Adding to their lethality,Tremortusks can be encountered as tamed mobile fortressesfor Tenakth rebels.
The two most deadly machines seen inForbidden Westare Specter Prime and Horuses. Both machines serve as final bosses for the base game and DLC. Specter Prime is the pinnacle of Far Zenith combat nanotechnology, serving as an exoframe for ancient human space travelers and equipped with far-reaching appendages, machine guns, rockets, and laser beams.Horuses are known as metal devils, and they are the titanic machines primarily responsible for eradicating all life on Earth hundreds of years ago. One Horus is reactivated in Burning Shores and begins destroying local landscapes with its gigantic tentacle-like arms, machine guns, rockets, electrical blasts, and deployable Corruptors.
A-Tier Machines
Bellowbacks, Corruptors, Grimhorns, Ravagers, Scorchers, Snapmaws, Specters, and Widemaws are machines designed explicitly for combat. Corruptors are ancient, scarab-like war machines that can absorb nearby organic life to power themselves and their arsenal of rockets. As their name suggests, Corruptors can corrupt nearby machines to fight by their side.Grimhorns are modified Plowhornsdesigned by the rogue AI HEPHAESTUS to be more aggressive and combat-oriented. This is shown predominantly with the addition of the mortar cluster launcher mounted on its back.
Ravagers and Scorchers are basically larger, fiercer, cat-like versions of Scrappers or Scougners. Equipped with giant claws and top-mounted cannons, Ravagers are aggressive machines to encounter but are less dangerous than their mine-launching and fire-breathing Scorcher counterparts. One of the more alien-like machines encounteredinForbidden Westare the Specters. These are Far Zenith, nanotech drones that cannot be overridden but can morph their bodies to create shields and machine guns.
B-Tier Machines
This set of machines features more complex defense mechanisms but could benefit crafty players and Tenakth rebels alike. These include the Bristlebacks, Clamberjaw, Clawstrider, Shell-Walkers, Stalkers, Sunwings, and Waterwings. Of these seven machine types, four can be piloted by Aloy to become her most versatile and offensive mounts.The Bristlebacks and Clawstriders can be lethal mountson the ground for both Aloy and Tenakth riders thanks to their razor-sharp claws, teeth, tusks, and elemental projectiles.
Likewise, Sunwings andWaterwings can be utilized as Horizon’s flying mountsin the franchise. These machines can often be found in small groups among tall peaks or coastlines. Unlike the Glinthawks, these machines can use deadly plasma-based weaponry to try and defeat opponents. In terms of more complex defense mechanisms, Clamberjaws can climb trees and other high spots to lob fire projectiles, Shell-Walkers are equipped with large energy shields to help protect their loot-filled cargo crates, and Stalkers can briefly become invisible as they ambush their prey and deploy flare mines.
C-Tier Machines
Not all small machines are fangless per se, asthe Charger-sized Scroungers and Scrapperswill actively seek out fights while scavenging from dead machines. These machines are designed for combat in small packs but can be taken down quickly if singled out. Other machines that are around the same lethality level as the Scrappers include the Glinthawks, Leaplashers, Longlegs, Skydrifters, and Spikesnouts.
Glinthawks and Skydrifters are small flying machines that will pester opponents with small elemental projectiles or will dive to try to knock down enemies.Leaplashers and Longlegs will often use their powerful legsto jump far distances and kick enemies, requiring players to master Aloy’s rolls to best avoid these machines’ attacks. Meanwhile, Spikesnouts are sluggish machines that will spray varied elemental liquids to weaken foes and cloud nearby areas.
D-Tier Machines
The least harmful machines are the smallest. These range from the meagerWatchers, Burrowers, and Chargers. Most of these machines will be the first players encounter inHorizongames as they learn how to play. That’s not to say these machines aren’t defenseless. Burrowers and Watchers could alert larger machines of danger and quickly overwhelm ill-prepared players with sheer numbers. Perhaps the weakest machine in the entireHorizonseries so far is the bug-like Stingspawn. These small, flying machines can burst from egg-like structures found in the Burning Shores but can be taken out with a single swing or arrow.
Beyond these small machines are the more docile Fanghorns, Grazers, Lancehorns, Plowhorns, and Tallnecks. Fanghorns, Grazers, and Lancehorns, are deer-like machines that often roam in herds and will run at the slightest sign of danger. They will stand and fight if singled out, but can easily be taken down with a few arrows. Plowhorns and Tallnecks are machines designed to not engage in combat of any kind, with Plowhorns designed to plant seeds and worshiped as gods by the Utaru tribe. Meanwhile,Tallnecks are not hostilebecause they simply roam around in circles gathering data.
Horizon Forbidden West
WHERE TO PLAY
Join Aloy as she braves a majestic but dangerous new frontier that holds mysterious new threats. This Complete Edition allows you to enjoy the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West on PC in its entirety with bonus content, including the Burning Shores story expansion that picks up after the main game.Explore distant lands, fight bigger and more awe-inspiring machines, and encounter astonishing new tribes as you return to the far-future, post-apocalyptic world of Horizon.The land is dying. Vicious storms and an unstoppable blight ravage the scattered remnants of humanity while fearsome new machines prowl their borders, and life on Earth is hurtling toward another extinction.It’s up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world. Along the way, she must reunite with old friends, forge alliances with warring new factions and unravel the legacy of the ancient past.
