Horizon Forbidden West: Language and Representation
Language
Introduction
Read this review of Horizon Forbidden West in the Financial Times (should be non-paywalled but you can read the text of article here if needed). Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Guerrilla Games have 'a serious case of bad timing'?
They released both the first game and the second around the same time as other games, which overshadowed both game releases
2) What is the narrative for the original game Horizon Zero Dawn?
The previous game revolved around the mysteries of Aloy’s identity, which were neatly wrapped up by its conclusion.
3) How is the central character Aloy described?
Aloy’s complex hairstyle is a marvel in its own right, and the animation of facial expressions achieves an unprecedented realism - she is a never before seen game character that communicates subtext convincingly by tightening their jaw or subtly shifting their gaze.
4) What is the narrative and setting for sequel Horizon Forbidden West?
It smartly explores themes of climate catastrophe and the hubris of big tech, it takes players to Nevada and California with a new threat to humanity that, naturally, only you can resolve.
5) What does the review say about animation and graphics?
The graphics are "so beautiful" that the reviewer says they have often found themselves "halting the adventure just to gawp at the landscape, whether dust clouds careening across the desert or forest leaves quivering in the breeze". The robot enemies are also ingenious works of biomechanical clockwork, shaped like snakes, hippos, ferrets, rams and pterodactyls, with electric cables for sinew and gleaming steel for ligaments.
6) What do we learn about the gameplay and activities in Horizon Forbidden West?
Aloy’s movement feels ultra-fluid as she deftly transitions between sliding, climbing and making use of new tools such as a grappling hook and paraglider. Each fight with a robot enemy is tense and exciting, demanding that players think like a hunter by analysing opponents’ behaviours, deploying traps and elemental attacks to gain the upper hand. Minor irritations from Zero Dawn have been resolved, allowing you to make better use of stealth and melee weapons or manage resources more easily.
Close textual analysis
Watch the trailer for Horizon Forbidden West:
Answer the following questions:
1) How is narrative, character and setting introduced in the trailer?
"The old ones perished long ago" - post apocalyptic setting
"I must find a way to stop it" - Aloy introduced as the hero/protagonist, only speaking and active human character you see in the trailer
Setting is varied, with many different landscapes and climates introduced
2) How is the game's open world / sandbox genre shown in the trailer?
Open world/Sandbox genre - a type of game that provides a large, open world with a high degree of player freedom, allowing them to create, explore, and interact without being constrained by a predetermined or linear path
With the large range of landscapes and open space, it leads me to believe there is a high level of player freedom in which the players are able to chose the path in which they want the character to go
3) What representations can you find in the trailer?
Female protagonist - gender representation
The stereotype of African savagery at the end when a group of people with spears kill one of the robotic animals
AQA recommends watching the following gameplay trailer in their CSP booklet:
Watch the gameplay video and answer the following questions:
1) How does the game use media language to communicate ideas about narrative and genre?
Genre - action/adventure, Aloy jumping and climbing the things around her, uses verbal codes, action codes and mise-en-scene
Narrative - opening scene "raiders" and capturing as if in war, Todorov's narrative theory( equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium) - fight scene; Propps character theory(helper)
2) What representations of people, places or groups can you find in the gameplay video?
Jungle and sea life, antagonists
3) What audience pleasures are suggested by this gameplay trailer?
diversion/entertainment, Voyeuristic, vicarious pleasures
Narrative and genre
Read this excellent Den of Geek article that addresses elements of narrative and genre. You can find the article text here if the link is blocked. Answer the following questions:
1) Read the opening to the article. How can we apply Steve Neale's genre theory to Horizon Forbidden West?
Repetition and difference: repeats the stereotypical hero traits ie. “lone wolf” and “saving the world” - all quite masculine traits - the difference is in gender of the protagonist
2) How many copies did the Horizon Zero Dawn sell and why did this influence the design of the sequel?
Copies - over 20 mil
It influenced the design of the sequel because it was a better business decision to stick to the basic design of the prequel since it sold so well
3) How does the article criticise the story in Horizon Forbidden West?
The problem is that Forbidden West spends a bit too much time letting a small army of side characters spout what sometimes feels like an endless amount of exposition.
The characters also explain too much, they don’t let the story speak for itself
4) What do we learn about the gameplay?
The side quests build onto the core story
5) What is the article's overall summary of the game?
It is a lot different from the prequel but the basics are still there
Representations
Race representations in Horizon Forbidden West
Read this fascinating Polygon feature on why Horizon Forbidden West isn't post-racial and answer the following questions:
1) How does Horizon Forbidden West use narrative to create a fully diverse cast of characters?
They pack the game with characters of all skin colours and it makes sense within the context of the game
2) What is orientalism?
refers to Western art, literature, and scholarship's stylized, often stereotypical depiction of the "Orient" (Middle East, Asia, North Africa), portraying the East as exotic, sensual, or backward compared to the rational West
3) How does the article suggest orientalism applies to Horizon Forbidden West?
There’s a stereotypical angry Black woman named Regalla, for example, who leads a rebel army and would rather die than seek peace.
There’s also constant belittling between tribes, who call each other “savage” or “uncivilized” — terms loaded with racial undertones.
4) Who is the player encouraged to identify with in the game and how does this influence how representations are constructed?
The game is made from the perspective of the western world - therefore the player is made to identify with the “white saviour” Aloy who presents her struggles of saving the world are more important than the “savages” struggles of staying alive
5) Finally, what did the writer of the article (an Asian American) feel when playing the game?
Guerrilla Games’ imagination is on incredible display in so many facets of the game that it’s all the more disappointing to see the studio fail, once again, to shake off so many of the racialized underpinnings of our world.
Gender and videogames
Focusing on Aloy and the representation of women in videogames, read this Forbes feature on the topic. Answer the following questions:
1) What is the debate regarding Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West?
If she is “hot” or not
2) What examples are provided of other female characters and representations in videogames?
Damsel in distress and over sexualisation
3) What are the issues facing the videogame industry in terms of gender?
The industry is grappling with constant, horrific mistreatment of real-life female employees.
A/A* extension tasks
Read this interesting CBC article on indigenous representation in Horizon Forbidden West. How does it present issues regarding representations of Indigenous people both in terms of in-game and in the industry?
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