Aloy will journey to mysterious   regions inHorizon Forbidden West , but as a direct continuation toZero Dawn , there will be plentitude of returning character . Horizon Forbidden West ’s new weapon and fighting mechanicswill give players some fresh gameplay as they explore the country that duo   from what was once Utah to the Pacific slide . newfangled tribes and machines have already been pester , but Aloy ’s report ca n’t properly go forward without further   exploration of the relationship she made inHorizon Zero Dawn .

WhenForbidden Westlaunches on February 18 , it will have been nearly five years sinceZero Dawnreleased . Guerrilla Games ' first attempt at an open - world title   was well receive , making a sequel much inevitable . Aloy has rapidly entered the social station   of PlayStation ’s beloved characters , and her second field day has been used heavily to promote Sony ’s latest cabinet , the PlayStation 5 , even thoughForbidden Westwill land on the PS4 too . With a PSVR 2 plot -Horizon   Call of the Mountain- on the way as well , Sony has apparently put a lot of stock in Guerrilla ’s franchise , andForbidden Westis being touted as a major step forward from its predecessor .

Related : Will Horizon Call Of The Mountain Be A Rail Shooter ?

D&D Spellfire Art

The setting ofHorizon Forbidden West ’s amend open worldis for the most part unexplored by the mass players encountered inZero Dawn .   The Forbidden West was given its name by the Carja , the first secret plan ’s large tribe . While inflate its kingdom , known as the Sundom , the Carja staged multiple   expedition into the   neighborhood that would become known as the Forbidden West . The 6th   Sun - King of the Carja , Iriv , and his entire U. S. Army fell on the fourth hostile expedition . Iriv ’s brother and heir to the throne , Basadid , declared the landed estate where his comrade was lose the " Forbidden West , " and build Sunfall , the Carja ’s westernmost colony . The Forbidden West was cursorily explore by Aloy ’s guardian , Rost , and Carja soldiers entered the region to get and enslave its native during the atrocious Red Raids , but it remains largely a mystery toHorizon Forbidden West ’s returning eccentric .

Horizon Forbidden West Marks Aloy’s Return

It ’s no surprise that Aloy is returning with somenew weapons inHorizon Forbidden Westfollowing the events of its precursor . The first plot respond mint of questions on its own but lead a lot   of yarn for Aloy to follow , andForbidden Westhas some new narrative arcs as well . The voice of Aloy is being recapitulate by Ashly Burch , who has been a plaster cast member in dozens of other games , include fellow PlayStation exclusivesThe Last of Us Part IIandSpider - humanity : MilesMorales , and Aloy ’s model is found on Dutch actress Hannah Hoekstra , whose only video game credit isZero Dawn . Aloy is   drawn to the severe regions west of her family to search for the sources of   the Red Blight , a mysterious pestilence that is ravaging the fledgling human population alongside crimson weather patterns .

Sylens Is A Returning Antagonist In Horizon Forbidden West

Sylens is a major element inhowHorizon Forbidden West ’s story connectsto the first   game , and he give back as a primary antagonist . He is once again modeled after and voiced   by Lance Reddick , who also plays Commander Zavala inDestiny 2 , but is most popularly known for his function inThe Wire . Sylens spent most ofZero Dawnas a puppet master attempting to reignite the Faro Plague and once again free the solid ground of organic life . Sylens was in conference with the ancient AI known as HADES before it was destroyed by Aloy and company , and his exact motivations inForbidden Westare unknown . Trailers have break that he is help Regalla ’s Rebels , a splinter group of Tenakth , one of the Forbidden West ’s aboriginal kindred .

Horizon Forbidden West Shows Erend Is Coming Back

Though born into an Oseram tribe , Erend becomes the loss leader of Sun - King Avad ’s Vanguard during the case ofZero Dawn . He is play by John Hopkins , who revealed in a newYouTubevideo from PlayStation aboutForbidden West ’s cast that Erend deny to be forget behind by Aloy when she travel   to the unknown regions . Erend was suffering a descent into alcohol addiction after his babe ’s death when he met Aloy inZero Dawn .

bear on : How Horizon Forbidden West Is Improving Zero Dawn ’s AI

The two became close when Aloy helped Erend address the mystery   surrounding   his sister ’s execution , and their partnership carry to the devastation of HADES . Erend was a major subject ofHorizon Forbidden West ’s gameplay reveal TV , where he and other Oseram Vanguard fellow member appear to be in a fighting against the Tenakth . Erend is potential to once again   be a key character during the game ’s tale .

Maelle from Clair Obscur with final boss

Varl Is A Returning Character In Horizon Forbidden West

Alongside Erend , Varl is another major side graphic symbol that will reappear inHorizon Forbidden West . Varl is a Nora Brave , like Aloy , and finally matches her Seeker status when he is concede permission to help defend Meridian from HADES and the Eclipse . Varl once shared many   Nora ’s irritation at move around alfresco of the Sacred Lands , but began a friendship with Erend at theend ofHorizon Zero Dawn . That friendship will flourish inForbidden West , according to   Varl ’s vocalism thespian , John MacMillan ( Varl is model after Amron Adams ) . With Aloy ’s status as the Anointed among the Nora , Varl has a certain reverence for her , but his admiration pushes him to respect Aloy ’s wishes to not be   treated as some holy figure .

Talanah Will Have A Bigger Role In Horizon Forbidden West

Talanah , voiced by Freya Parker and modeled after Levy Tran , is Sunhawk of the Carja Hunters Lodge , a title that make her its highest - grade member . She achieved this position with Aloy ’s assistance by felling the   fiercest ofHorizon ’s animal - inspired   machine , a Thunderjaw known as Redmaw . From a long credit line of Hunters Lodge Hawks , Talanah is a gallant warrior who not only becomes a worthful hunt partner for Aloy but also fights in the engagement against HADES .

Talanah ’s persona inHorizon Forbidden Westis largely a mystery , but in an interview withGame Informer , narrative theater director Benjamin McCaw lists her next to Varl and Erend as character instrumentalist might require " to sweep up on " before jumping into   the sequel . Talanah ’s chronicle has greatly expanded thanks to late comedian , but aged writer Anna Kitten told Game Informer thatHorizon   Forbidden Westwould wreak actor up to speed on those events .

Next : Horizon Forbidden West ’s Slitherfang Evolves Series Enemy Design

Plenty of characters from Zero Dawn will return in Horizon Forbidden West

Sources : Game Informer , YouTube / PlayStation

Aloy is reprising her role as Horizon Forbidden West’s protagonist

Sylens returns as a primary antagonist in Horizon Forbidden West

Erend goes to the Forbidden West to help Aloy

Fellow Nora Varl returns to help Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West

Leader of the Carja Hunters Lodge, Talanah, will return in Horizon Forbidden West

Gaming

Horizon Zero Dawn