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Horizon Forbidden West: Machines and Combat Explained
Horizon Forbidden West is an action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games that takes players into a breathtaking post-apocalyptic world dominated by enormous mechanical creatures. Playing as Aloy, a skilled hunter and explorer, you must master advanced weapons, elemental attacks, and clever strategies to survive encounters with some of gaming’s most formidable machines.
Released in February 2022 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, Horizon Forbidden West expands the combat system introduced in Horizon Zero Dawn. New machines, improved traversal, sophisticated weapons, and additional elemental effects make battles more tactical and rewarding.
Understanding the Machines
Machines are the heart of Horizon Forbidden West’s combat system. These mechanical creatures resemble dinosaurs, mammals, birds, and other animals, but their artificial bodies contain sophisticated armor, advanced weapons, and specialized components.
Every machine has its own behavior, attack patterns, strengths, and vulnerabilities. Learning how these systems work is essential for successful hunting.
Before fighting a machine, activate Aloy’s Focus to scan the target. The Focus reveals important information, including:
- Elemental strengths and weaknesses.
- Armored components and vulnerable areas.
- Detachable weapons and valuable resources.
- Machine movement and attack capabilities.
- Components required for equipment upgrades.
Rather than simply attacking a machine until it collapses, experienced hunters strategically destroy or detach key components to weaken their opponents.
The Most Dangerous Machines in Horizon Forbidden West
1. Thunderjaw: The Heavily Armed Predator
The Thunderjaw is one of the most recognizable machines in the Horizon franchise. Resembling a gigantic mechanical dinosaur, it carries powerful weapons capable of overwhelming unprepared players.
Combat strategy: Use Tear damage to remove its disc launchers and other dangerous components. Maintain distance, take advantage of available cover, and target exposed weak points after disabling its weapons.
Detached disc launchers can also be picked up and used against the Thunderjaw, giving players a chance to turn its own firepower against it.
2. Slitherfang: The Mechanical Serpent
The Slitherfang is an enormous snake-like machine capable of remarkable speed and flexibility. Its attacks include powerful lunges, tail strikes, and dangerous ranged abilities.
Combat strategy: Stay mobile and avoid remaining directly in front of the machine. Scan its components, exploit its elemental vulnerabilities, and attack when it pauses between movements.
3. Tremortusk: The Armored Giant
The Tremortusk resembles a massive mechanical mammoth equipped with heavy armor and multiple weapons systems. Its size and firepower make it one of the game’s most intimidating opponents.
Combat strategy: Use cover, target its ranged weapons, and remove valuable components before defeating it. Avoid remaining in its direct path when it charges.
4. Clawstrider: The Agile Hunter
The Clawstrider resembles a robotic raptor. Although smaller than the biggest combat machines, it is exceptionally agile and dangerous at close range.
Combat strategy: Keep enough distance to react to sudden lunges, target exposed components, and exploit openings after its attacks. Suitable elemental ammunition can help control the encounter.
Clawstriders can also serve as mounts once the appropriate machine override has been unlocked.
5. Slaughterspine: The Plasma-Powered Threat
The Slaughterspine is a giant combat machine whose devastating plasma attacks can quickly overwhelm poorly prepared hunters.
Combat strategy: Watch its attack animations carefully, use terrain to break line of sight, and prioritize disabling dangerous components. Properly upgraded weapons and elemental preparation are especially important.
Mastering Elemental Combat
One of the most important features of Horizon Forbidden West is its elemental combat system. Different ammunition types can inflict status effects that create major tactical advantages.
| Element | Effect | Combat Use |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Burning damage over time | Sustained damage |
| Frost | Causes the Brittle state | Increasing impact damage |
| Shock | Temporarily incapacitates enemies | Creating attack openings |
| Acid | Corrodes armor and causes damage | Fighting armored machines |
| Purgewater | Suppresses elemental attacks and resistances | Controlling elemental enemies |
| Plasma | Delayed damage after buildup | Burst-damage combinations |
Combat tip: Frost is particularly useful when followed by powerful impact attacks. However, always scan the enemy first because different machines have different elemental resistances.
Weapons and Combat Equipment
Aloy can use several weapon classes, each designed for a different combat situation. Selecting complementary weapons provides more flexibility than relying on a single bow.
Hunter Bow
A versatile weapon suitable for general combat, precision aiming, elemental buildup, and component removal depending on its ammunition.
Sharpshot Bow
Designed for long-range combat and powerful precision attacks. It is especially useful when engaging machines from a safe distance.
Warrior Bow
A fast-firing weapon suited to close-range encounters and aggressive combat styles.
Spike Thrower
A heavy weapon that launches powerful projectiles, including explosive variants capable of significant damage.
Shredder Gauntlet
A specialized weapon that launches discs which can be caught and thrown again. Successfully managing returning projectiles rewards careful timing and positioning.
Ropecaster and Tripcaster
These weapons provide battlefield control. Ropecasters can restrict machine movement, while Tripcasters allow Aloy to prepare traps along enemy routes.
Seven Essential Combat Strategies
- Scan every machine: Identify vulnerabilities and valuable parts before launching an attack.
- Remove dangerous components: Disable enemy weapons with suitable Tear ammunition.
- Exploit elemental weaknesses: Use the Focus to select effective ammunition.
- Keep moving: Dodge and reposition frequently to avoid powerful attacks.
- Use the environment: Fight from elevated positions, use rocks for cover, and avoid getting trapped.
- Upgrade weapons and outfits: Improve equipment at workbenches using harvested resources.
- Combine stealth and traps: Prepare the battlefield before engaging dangerous opponents.
Skill Trees and Valor Surges
Horizon Forbidden West offers six skill trees that support different approaches to combat: Warrior, Trapper, Hunter, Survivor, Infiltrator, and Machine Master.
Each tree provides abilities that strengthen specific aspects of Aloy’s combat style. Players who prefer ranged attacks can invest in Hunter skills, while stealth-focused players may benefit from Infiltrator abilities.
Valor Surges provide powerful temporary effects that can significantly influence difficult battles. Weapon Techniques also expand the capabilities of particular weapon classes.
Machine Overrides and Exploration
Machine overrides add another tactical dimension to Horizon Forbidden West. By progressing through the story and exploring Cauldrons, players can unlock the ability to override compatible machines.
Some overridden machines become mounts, while others can assist Aloy in combat. These systems make exploration more engaging and create opportunities to approach encounters in unconventional ways.
The game’s diverse environments also affect combat strategy. Dense forests provide opportunities for stealth, open deserts encourage long-range engagements, and mountainous regions offer valuable elevated positions.
Official Horizon Forbidden West Gameplay
Watch official gameplay footage to see Aloy’s weapons, machine encounters, and combat mechanics in action.
Common Combat Mistakes to Avoid
- Attacking armored sections without considering component weaknesses.
- Ignoring valuable detachable upgrade resources.
- Using the same elemental ammunition against every machine.
- Standing still during encounters with large combat machines.
- Entering difficult battles without enough crafting resources.
- Forgetting to upgrade weapons, outfits, and useful skills.
Is Horizon Forbidden West Difficult?
Horizon Forbidden West can be challenging, especially against large machines and groups of aggressive enemies. However, the game rewards observation, planning, and experimentation.
Players who learn attack patterns, maintain suitable equipment, and understand elemental effects will generally have a much easier time surviving difficult encounters.
Adjustable difficulty settings also make the experience accessible to players with different preferences and skill levels.
Final Thoughts
Horizon Forbidden West delivers one of the most distinctive combat experiences in modern action RPGs. Its mechanical enemies are complex opponents that encourage careful preparation, precision aiming, and tactical decision-making.
Whether you are dismantling a Thunderjaw, avoiding a Slitherfang’s attacks, or facing the enormous Tremortusk, success depends on understanding the relationship between machine components, weapons, elemental damage, and movement.
With the right equipment and strategy, even the most intimidating machines can be defeated.
Sources and Further Reading
- Official Horizon Forbidden West — PlayStation
- PlayStation Blog — New Machines
- Guerrilla Games — Official Website
Game imagery © Guerrilla Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
