One of the most alluring aspects of theHorizonseries is its complex world and the various civilizations that live within it. From the snowy mountains of post-apocalyptic Colorado to the oceanfront of post-apocalyptic California, players have been able to traverse treacherous but familiar landscapes inHorizonas they embody Aloy and complete her journey of saving the world from destructive machines. While players have been able to thoroughly learn about local tribes such as the monarchical Carja to the combat-centric Tenakth, one relatively unknown tribe may serve as a jumping-off point for an entirely new setting inHorizon 3: the Quen.
Horizon Quen Empire Explained
First introduced inHorizon Forbidden West,the Quen are the most mysterious tribeencountered in theHorizonseries so far, as they have only just reached the western coast of the post-apocalyptic United States for the first time. Seemingly originating from the Asian mainland or island Cradle facilities from Project Zero Dawn, the Quen are shown to be one of the most technologically advanced civilizations in theHorizonseries. Many Quen called Diviners are able to use larger, older, and less efficient versions of the Focus that are more akin to a headset than the small earpieces used by Aloy. Most modern tribes seldom utilize Focus devices, let alone comprehend any old-world technology.
Early on in Quen society, their civilization was able to access Focus devices which gave them access to troves of old-world knowledge, allowing them to technologically develop faster than North American tribes. With this knowledge,the Quen were able to develop into a powerful empirecentered around the recovery of ancient knowledge they call the Legacy and the worshiping of ancient humans they call the Ancestors. This ultimately led the Quen to build a fleet of ships and form an expedition east to the Isle of Spires to find data to help heal their land from environmental catastrophe.
Including the Quen, there have been seven tribes featured in theHorizonfranchise so far, with the remaining tribes being the Nora, Carja, Oseram, Banuk, Utaru, and Tenakth.
Horizon 3’s Potential Asian Setting
While the Quen had a relatively minor role inForbidden West’s base storyline, they do feature more prominently in the Burning Shores DLC, with theFar Zenith Walter Londra shown manipulating the Quenfor his own endeavors. Given their role in helping Aloy defeat the Far Zeniths, particularly from Quen companions Alva and Seyka, the Quen may aid Aloy and the other tribes in defeating the rogue HEPHAESTUS and Nemesis AIs. Alva and Seyka are depicted helping reunite the Quen expeditionary fleet and teaching the remaining Quen how to use the Focus at the end ofForbidden Westin preparation for Nemesis’ inevitable attack on Earth.
With the entire world at stake, Aloy may be forced to journey into the far west of Asia to gain an upper hand in defeating Nemesis. She may additionally be forced to help heal the Quen lands to gain the Emperor’s allegiance in the fight against Nemesis. HavingHorizon 3be set in the Quen Empire may help introduce players to entirely new tools, weapons, armor, and possibly vehicles, such as allowing Aloy to captain a boat given the Quen’s advanced technology. AHorizon 3set in the Quen Empiremay bring about a trove of new equipment and encounters in an advanced, heavily populated civilization, but it may also leave some classicHorizonelements behind in North America.
The Potential Setback of An Overseas Horizon 3
One setback of havingHorizon 3set in the Quen’s Great Delta is that their land may feature entirely new machines and may not feature many classics fromForbidden WestorZero Dawn. This could makeHorizon 3more of a challenge with deadlier machines but have it feel empty without featuring every machine. Likewise, the overseas setting may restrict past tribes and companions' influence onHorizon, regulating them to more passive roles unless they come with Aloy to the Quen. It’s unlikely all of Aloy’s companions would come on the journey across the Pacific Ocean, however, as they’re busy trying to prepare themselves and their tribes fromthe incoming Nemesis threat.
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.
