Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores

Lore & Background

The expansion's narrative was designed to shift focus toward Aloy's emotional growth and her ability to open up to others. It introduces a flooded volcanic archipelago formed from the submerged ruins of Los Angeles, where a splinter group of the Quen tribe is shipwrecked. Aloy allies with Seyka, a Quen marine, to stop Walter Londra from escaping Earth via a rocket that would irradiate the region. The story culminates in a battle against a reanimated Horus war machine and a potential romantic relationship between Aloy and Seyka.

Reader's Guide

Burning Shores received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its visual presentation, technical achievements, and the evolving dynamic between Aloy and Seyka. However, opinions were divided on the storyline of its primary antagonist and the execution of the final boss encounter against a reanimated Horus war machine. The expansion's optional same-sex kiss was the target of review bombing on Metacritic. GLAAD considered the romance as authentic representation, earning the expansion a nomination at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards. The expansion was Forbidden West's only expansion pack and was later ported to Windows by Nixxes Software as part of the Complete Edition.

Did You Know?

• The expansion introduces a Waterwing mount that can both fly and dive underwater.
• A concurrent patch added a thalassophobia mode that illuminates the seabed and prevents drowning.
• The final boss is a fully active Horus war machine, previously seen only as dormant scenery.
• The expansion was nominated at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards for its authentic representation of a same-sex romance.