InHorizon Forbidden West, Aloy encounters the Far Zeniths, who are a group of humans who decided to flee Earth when the Faro Plague struck. At first, it seems like Aloy has fully dealt with the group, and all that remains is Nemesis. However,Horizon Forbidden West’s DLC reveals that there is still a Far Zenith lurking about.
The remaining Far Zenith is Walter Londra, and Aloy has to travel to Los Angeles to tackle this threat. Walter has an interesting past, and he plays an important role in the history of the Far Zeniths. He also provides some interesting satire, which is something he shares with theprotagonists ofGTA 5.
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Walter Londra in Horizon’s Burning Shores DLC
All the Far Zeniths have their vices, though Londra appears to be the one that repulses Aloy the most. In the Old World, he was the CEO of Heaven, which is a space-mining company. He was also a celebrity who was frequently featured in tabloids. He is a fitting character to have for the Burning Shores, which is a future dystopian version of Los Angeles. In many ways,Horizon Forbidden West’s villainseems like a parody of celebrity worship culture and the valorization of narcissistic figures. It could be argued that the character satirizes current tech figures that have developed cult followings, such as Elon Musk.
Unlike most, Aloy is not in the least bit fooled by Londra’s false charm. To defeat him in theDLC quest titled His Final Act, Aloy has to destroy the heat sinks on the massive Horus Titan that has been reawakened. Once this is done, Aloy will be able to enter the Horus Titan and finally take down Londra. The battle is a tricky one, as Londra protects himself with an impenetrable shield.
It is satisfying to defeat Londra, as he is a particularly annoying enemy. The last ofHorizon’s Far Zenithsalso serves as a cautionary tale warning players against figures who form narcissistic cults around themselves. While such figures may appear charming at first, their self-centeredness ensures that they will always exploit those around them. This is something the Quen learns the hard way when tricks the tribe into worshiping him and doing his bidding. Londra’s exploitative ways aren’t limited to humans. He also tortures his AI assistant, Nova, by constantly altering her personality.
The Satire of GTA 5
GTA 5happens to also be set in a fictionalized version of Los Angeles, though it is called Los Santos. The game satirizes the culture of celebrity worship through characters like Tracey, who winds up on a show called Fame or Shame in her quest for popularity. The protagonists ofGTA 5are also driven by their quest to gain money and status. This is particularly true of Michael and Franklin. In Michael’s case, he ends up becoming a movie producer, and he works with his idol, Solomon Richards. In Franklin’s case, he turns to Michael to pursue riches, but he turns his back on his friends in the process. Trevor is the exception, and it’s not clear what, if anything, motivates his criminal activity.
Though Aloy defeats Londra in the DLC, life on Earth isn’t safe just yet, as Nemesis is still on the way to wreak havoc. To deal with this problem, Aloy will have to lean on the tribes she has met, and the friends she has made. Fortunately,Aloy has plenty of companions, including Seyka, who also becomes a romantic interest. However, it’s hard to say whether the satire aspects from the DLC will be returning in the next Horizon game, even with this odd link toGTAin mind.
Horizon Forbidden Westis available on PS4 and PS5.
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