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The most involved of these activities are the side quests, bespoke missions that involve named characters and often end up being far deeper than they initially seem. There are plenty of quests for players to pick up, each with its own impressive cast of likable, well-rounded characters, but a select few stand out as the best side quests Horizon Forbidden Westhas to offer.
10 Lofty Ambitions
After aiding the Oseram Delver Morlund during “The Sea of Sands” quest, Aloy can return to the ruins of Las Vegas to find Morlund hard at work on his latest invention: a hot air balloon. The apparatus is just about finished, but he needs an Old World burner in order to get it working properly.
After Aloy recovers the burner from within Dunehollow, Morlund offers to take her up in the balloon for its maiden voyage. The sequence of the balloon rising is one of the most breathtaking in the entire game, offering an unbelievable view of the holographic light display among the ruins of Las Vegas.
9 The Roots That Bind
Once Aloy has reached Plainsong and spoken with the Chorus, a slew of new side quests will become available around the Utaru capital. One of these is “The Roots That Bind,” a quest that tasks Aloy with aiding the town of Riverhymn in its defense against marauding Tenakth rebels.
During this side quest, Aloy learns more about the culture of the Utaru and how they approach the concept of death. Both Riverhymn and the lofty plateau known as the Drumroot are two of the most beautiful places in Horizon Forbidden West, and completing the mission awards Kue’s Sharpshot Bow, a powerful precision weapon for the early portions of the game.
8 The Valley Of The Fallen
“The Valley of the Fallen” is a side quest that is integrally tied to the game’s main story, bring Aloy into a hidden valley on the south side of the map that offers the clearest look at the Zenith’s base of operations. Dangerous machines have been congregating their for some unknown reason, and Aloy is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.
The cause of this abnormal behavior is revealed to have close connections to the Zenith’s themselves and includes some illuminating data points on how the Zenith’s operate. It also features battles with some of the biggest and most impressive machines in the game, including a Thunderjaw, a Tremortusk, and two Specters.
7 The Way Home
“The Way Home” is one of Horizon Forbidden West’s later side quests that can only be complete once Aloy has mastered the ability to override the Sunwing machine. Two Quen navigators need help retrieving their broken navigational tool that will allow them to return home to their families.
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This, coupled with the audio logs that reveal the fate of a fleet of warships in their final stand against the Faro Swarm, gives “The Way Home” a heightened level of emotional stakes. Not only does Aloy succeed in helping the navigators recreate their lost equipment, but she can also find The Skykiller legendary Spike Thrower in a chest on the warship with the Dreadwing.
6 The Gate Of The Vanquished
“The Gate of the Vanquished” is the culmination of several smaller quests Aloy can complete for different members of the Tenakth Desert Clan. Drakka and Yarra are two members of the clan who have been at odds with one another for years, and it’s finally come to a head. Aloy must choose which of these warriors she believes should lead the clan, sparking a battle between each faction.
This is one of a few different side quests that show Guerrilla Games’ attention to detail when it comes to developing this side quests. It turns what feel like disparate activities with isolated people into something resembling a story arc; characters will reference the aid you’ve provided to other people in the region, establishing a more cohesive world in the process.
5 Need To Know
One of Horizon Zero Dawn’s best characters, Talanah, returns in Horizon Forbidden West with a new mission: track down her wayward boyfriend. When Aloy hears word of a Carja huntress roaming the Forbidden West with a Thrush in tow, she eagerly seeks out her old friend and offers any help she can in tracking the poor man down.
“Need To Know” offers some excellent fights that range from a high-level Fireclaw to a prison filled with Tenakth rebels before culminating in a beachside battle with a Tideripper. Afterward, Aloy can catch up with Talanah back at Barren Light for a little more conversation before the Sunhawk heads back East.
4 The Blood Choke
One of the most transformative side quests in Horizon Forbidden West, “The Blood Choke” teams Aloy up with the leader of the Tenakth Lowland Clan, Atekka. The water around the city of Thornmarsh has been clotted with a toxic, red sludge, and Atekka is determined to get to the bottom of its origin.
Once she and Aloy discover Tenakth rebels have dammed the river with dead machines, the two go to work dismantling the entire camp before blowing up the dam. What makes this such a great side quest is how it visually alters the environment after: Thornmarsh and the surrounding region are now free of the toxic, red sludge, making it look and feel more hospitable.
3 Forbidden Legacy
“Forbidden Legacy” is one of a few different quests Aloy can complete to aid her companions in their own missions to help their people. Alva, a Diviner of the Quen, wants to investigate an Old World program called Leviathan to help her people with the devastating floods that have hit their home.
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This quest reveals more about Alva’s life back in the Quen homeland, features an entertaining Slitherfang battle, and has some of the game’s most intense climbing sequences. But “Forbidden Legacy” is ultimately one of the best side quests in the game because Alva herself is just a fantastic character and spending more time with her is always worthwhile.
2 What Was Lost
During the Embassy in the early hours of the game, one of the Tenakth Marshals named Kotallo loses his left arm to a violent machine controlled by Regalla’s rebels. Later, after Kotallo joins Aloy’s mission and is staying at her mountain base, he’ll ask Aloy for her assistance in helping him build and test a metal, prosthetic arm.
“What Was Lost” has two challenging fights, one against a pair of Specters and another against an Apex Scorcher, but it’s Kotallo’s character development that really shines through. He ultimately decides to only wear the arm when necessary, as he doesn’t feel the need to hide his disability anymore.
1 The Second Verse
“The Second Verse” is one of the best side quests in Horizon Forbidden West, as it combines a grand sense of control over the world with one of the game’s best new characters, Zo. She’s determined to save the Land Gods her people worship, and she needs Aloy’s help to do so.
Split into two separate parts, “The Second Verse” tells the powerful story of a dedicated woman who will stop at nothing to protect her people and their faith. It also transforms the blight-ridden fields around Plainsong into lush, healthy croplands, a profound change that reflects how much good Aloy’s work is doing for the world.
Horizon Forbidden West is now available for PS4 and PS5.
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