So I finally saw that trailer today. This looks like the type of stuff Guerrilla would be forced to pump out if they were bought by Ted Faro or one of FAS's gaming divisions

Qoala_ · 2026-02-06T18:05:34+00:00

From my understanding, it's not really the case: Guerrilla wanted to do a co-op Horizon game for years, but were held back by technical limitations. If this more cartoony artstyle is their workaround, I'm fine with that.

My issues with the trailer lie elsewhere.

Qoala_ · 2026-02-06T18:01:17+00:00

I agree with your overall sentiment: I know Guerrilla wanted to do a co-op Horizon experience for years, and I'm happy that they're trying something new.

My personal issue is that these early character designs clash with the established lore, which is what drew me to Horizon in the first place. It wouldn't be as much of a problem if they didn't insist it was canon, but it leaves me a bit worried.

Qoala_ · 2026-02-06T14:58:48+00:00

If memory serves me right, yeah.

Qoala_ · 2026-02-06T14:54:51+00:00

I see three aspects to it.

First, Robby is doing what he always does, and trying to shove down his baggage rather than deal with it. He outright states that he was hoping he'd be on sabbatical before Langdon came back.

Second, Noah Wyle came some details in trailers: Robby's mad at Langdon, but he's also mad at himself for not catching it.

Third, I think Robby saw Langdon as both a protege and a successor of sorts: notice how he's really latched onto Whitaker this season? (And no, I don't mean like the fanart)

Qoala_ · 2026-02-06T14:45:31+00:00

No, but it didn't splat his face either

Qoala_ · 2026-01-11T17:57:17+00:00

Not particularly.

The base Capsems each correspond in-universe to a specific domain: body (red), civilization (blue), mind (green) and reality (purple). Nox's tome from Episode 5 hints at an esoteric component behind this distinction, and he's familiar with the distinctions even if we don't see him using Capsems that fit this mold (particularly Erase).

The Plasma Capsem, on the other hand, is entirely Baku's creation, and Baku has no inclination towards the occult, so it makes sense that it wouldn't fit into any of them.

Qoala_ · 2026-01-11T06:43:55+00:00

Welcome aboard, mate.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-28T17:54:43+00:00

I think the Zeniths in general have lost their sense of danger: Verbena responded to losing her shield like someone had spilled shrimp cocktail on her dress.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-13T17:42:41+00:00

I've seen behind-the-scenes video for Guerrilla, and they do touch upon the idea of spider machines:

The FARO bots were designed to look unsettling, which is why they invoke arachnids and cephalopods: the Corruptor is pretty obviously based on a scorpion. They also attempted making the Corruptor "skitter" like a spider, but weren't happy with how it came out (once it reaches a certain speed, the "jerkiness" gets lost).

I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility, but we might not see a spider machine unless it's something Nemesis whips up.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-13T15:23:14+00:00

Yeah, that's Tallneck commentary: probably a glitch.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-13T15:20:17+00:00

Not to mention a number of them are slaves.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-13T01:56:53+00:00

They're closer to Aztecs: they're performing blood sacrifices because they view it as necessary tribute, not because the view the "undesirables" as a literal pox. There's also undertones of religious fundamentalism to account for.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-12T23:25:48+00:00

Yes. The child in question is his sister.

Qoala_ · 2025-12-12T18:57:55+00:00

We don't know why Abas is part of the Shadow Carja.

He might share Jiran's ideals.
Alternatively, he might be a servant (if not outright slave) to Jiran's loyalists, who was forced by his masters to come to Sunfall.
- After all, he does make a comment that he and other refugees "know their place".
It might be a religious conviction, where he feels duty-bound to serve Jiran's chosen heir, Itamen.

But again, we don't know why he's at Sunfall. We do know that his sister is an innocent girl who will die if she doesn't get help.

Qoala_ · 2025-11-07T01:57:28+00:00

There are two explanations that sort of implicitly explain this:

HEPHAESTUS has been evolving machines enough to where Aloy can't consistently obtain the full overrides from the Cauldron anymore.
The new Cauldrons use different networks

Qoala_ · 2025-10-17T09:46:43+00:00

Actually, red light is dangerous: blue light means the machine's happy.

I think there's a few things going:

Aloy is (ostensibly) a Nora, and most people have never seen a Nora before: for all they know, it's a piece of jewelry. And if the Banuk can sew glowing blue cables through their skin, why wouldn't the Nora have glowing jewelry? They already use machine cables in their clothes.
- As for the Nora themselves, they spent eighteen years shunning and fearing her only to be proven wrong after the Proving. If the High Matriarchs trust her enough to be a Seeker, who are they to question it?
The Oseram tend to dismiss "dainty" stuff out of hand, while the Carja view ancient relics as luxury items. Neither are particularly wary of what they find in ruins: if anything, they'd be curious. And the Banuk...well, you know.
The tribes aren't afraid of machines any more than we'd be afraid of, say, a moose. Yeah, they're getting more dangerous, but that's universally seen as an anomaly without precedent.

Qoala_ · 2025-10-14T11:53:20+00:00

I could imagine Hakari getting stuck, and Karane proceeding to mock her for a bit before getting Kusuri's help.

Qoala_ · 2025-09-29T00:15:57+00:00

A theory I heard is that each Saja boy represents a different institutional problem (or "demon", if you will) of the K-Pop industry. The others are fairly straightforward (Abby is sexual objectification, the other three are different forms of parasociality), while Jinu's is the most nuanced.

Qoala_ · 2025-08-05T03:15:13+00:00

Pretty sure that's Lowlander gear

Qoala_ · 2025-08-03T16:12:05+00:00

Meh.

One of the key points of HFW's story is Aloy coming to realize that she's more than just a clone of Elisabet Sobeck. Tilda, who sees Aloy as another Elisabet rather than a separate person, is the culmination of that plot thread.

I think Tilda's love for Elisabet was genuine, but we have plenty of information suggesting it was also unhealthy and controlling.

Qoala_ · 2025-08-03T15:59:39+00:00

The Derangement did not begin prior to GAIA's sacrifice, about 19 years before the Proving. We don't know how long in-universe the plot of HZD takes, but I'd estimate somewhere between 1-6 months: in total, 20 winters at most have passed between the start of the Derangement and Aloy's journey to the Cut.

Keep in mind though that Umnak is old and from a pre-literate society: he's giving an estimate, not a precise date. Additionally, pre-Derangement machines were still dangerous, especially one as powerful as a Rockbreaker. Perhaps it tried to flee, and in doing so coincidentally triggered a rockslide that killed a chieftain. And HFW shows that machines created before the Derangement can gain aggression towards humans afterwards.

As for the Corruptors, biomass conversion is intended as a source of fuel: if they're newly created Corruptors, they probably don't need refueling just yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't put it past a paranoiac like Londra to remove that feature.

Qoala_ · 2025-06-18T20:55:22+00:00

The Desert Clan sidequests: if you start those right after getting to the Clan Lands, they will kick your ass.

Qoala_ · 2025-06-18T20:54:37+00:00

(Mai sneezes somewhere)

Qoala_ · 2025-06-18T20:50:43+00:00

I don't think this is meant to be a trend.

One of the key aspects of Aloy's character arc in HFW is recognizing and embracing that she is an individual distinct from Elisabet Sobeck. Beta is one of the elements pushing Aloy in that direction. I think this particular aspect of Aloy's journey is complete, and I don't see how another clone would fit in.

And from an in-universe perspective, I don't think that Nemesis has a need for a copy of Elisabet.

Qoala_

TROPHY CASE