Horizon Forbidden West takes big-tech billionaires to task

digitaltrends.com:

Compared to most PlayStation exclusives, the Horizon series is politically loaded. Horizon Zero Dawn offers up a firm critique of the United States’ eagerness to militarize technology. It imagines a future where intelligent robots built to aid the U.S. military have brought about the apocalypse. Weave in some environmental themes and you’ve got a pretty pointed take on our modern world.

With Horizon Forbidden West, developer Guerilla Games continues to not pull any punches. But rather than restating its predecessor’s points, it puts another target in its sights. The dystopian action game is a searing critique of big tech that takes jabs at billionaires like Jeff Bezos. It takes no prisoners in its future-ready takedown of techno-colonialism.

This article contains spoilers for Horizon Forbidden West, so be warned before reading on.

Horizon Forbidden West starts simply enough. Coming off the events of the first game, Aloy is now hailed as a hero throughout the U.S. after destroying a rogue A.I. named Hades. Her work isn’t finished, though. She sets out on a journey to the West Coast so she can continue her quest to save humanity.

Early on, the themes are straightforward. The game once again emphasizes the importance of preserving the planet and not letting technology destroy nature. Its direction seems clear … and then the Zeniths show up.

In a bizarre midgame twist, Aloy comes face to face with a trio of humans in high-tech spacesuits. The mysterious characters have seemingly impenetrable force fields and apparently nefarious plans for Earth. For a good chunk of the game, it’s not clear who they are or what they want. They’re just a bunch of flying weirdos that throw a wrench in Aloy’s heroic plans until a grand reveal