Ever since the explosive financial and critical success of 2017’sHorizon Zero Dawn, theHorizonfranchise has rapidly expanded in recent years. FromZero Dawn, the world ofHorizonhas been expanded in comics, tabletop games, a direct sequel,Horizon Forbidden West, and two spin-offs in the form ofHorizon Call of the MountainandLEGO Horizon Adventures. In each mainlineHorizonentry, Guerrilla Games has kept players returning with story-driven DLCs, including the Frozen Wilds and Burning Shores. However, withHorizon 3expected to conclude Aloy’s story, a story-driven DLC taking place afterHorizon 3’s main campaign won’t make as much sense compared to Burning Shores. Instead, Guerrilla could take a page from Rockstar and develop a non-canon zombie DLC similar to Undead Nightmare.
In 2010, Rockstar released their second open-world Wild West action-adventure game in the form ofRed Dead Redemption. The first was 2004’sRed Dead Revolver. Here, players embody the outlaw turned government-hired gun John Marston as he’s ordered to kill three members of his former gang to earn his family’s freedom. WhileRedemption’s main campaign was well received as one of the best modern Western narratives, fans were quickly thrown for a loop when the game’s fifth DLC was released as a non-canonical,zombie apocalypse-themed campaign and multiplayer mode called Undead Nightmare. Developed both as a survival horror and a comedic take on the traditional Wild West world, Undead Nightmare proved to continueRedemption’s stream of success for fans and critics alike.
Undead Nightmare sees Marston fighting zombie hordes as he strives to find a cure for his zombified family. This zombie horde isn’t simply a collection of slow walkers, however. Instead, players will have to fight multiple special infected, such as the animalistic Bolters, fat, charging Bruisers, and bile-spitting Retchers as all zombies chase after Marston and invade towns. Zombies aren’t the only monstrous creatures players have to fight, as they’ll often encounter the wolf-likeChupacabra, demonic Horned Goats, and ape-like Sasquatcheson top of Undead Bears, Cougars, and Wolves. Not every new creature is inherently hostile, however, as players can tame the Four Horses of the Apocalypse, Death, Famine, Pestilence, and War, as well as a Unicorn.
In 2010, Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser explained that they choseRed Dead Redemptionto feature zombies instead ofGrand Theft Autodue toRedemption’s shooting mechanics, open environments, and hunter-like protagonist John Marston.
As outlandish as a zombie DLC may seem for an early 20th-century Western game, Undead Nightmare was well received, with Rockstar fans continuously requesting similarzombie-themed DLCs forGrand Theft Auto 5andRed Dead Redemption 2. While a zombie DLC forHorizon 3may appear to come out of the blue, Undead Nightmare was as shocking forRed Dead Redemptionwithout any setup, and it turned out to be very successful for Rockstar. The zombie content doesn’t have to be graphic or violent compared to Undead Nightmare ofHorizon’s contemporaryThe Last of Us, but it could still be scary enough without going overHorizon’s traditional T rating.
In terms of the story,Horizon 3’s zombie DLC could take place with Aloy waking up from a coma to discover that some of her deceased friends such as Varl and Rost have returned alongside zombie hordes of Eclipse, Regalla’s Rebels, and people of past civilizations. Some of the few survivors could be members of the Oseram or Quen, since they’re more technologically advanced than most other tribes. Eventually, it could be revealed that Nemesis developed the zombie virus or resurrected people to begin its destruction of all life on Earth.Aloy, Alva, Beta, Erend, and Seykacould strive to use GAIA to develop a new form of HADES to help wipe out the zombie threat, but inadvertently create hybrid, mismatched, monstrous machines.
The Gameplay of a Horizon Zombie DLC
Similar to Undead Nightmare, a zombie DLC could still featureHorizon’s core gameplay but include some unique weapons and enemies exclusive to the non-canon campaign. While the Boltblaster and Shredder Gauntlet would be effective against hordes of the undead, this DLC could have Erend and Beta give Aloy new weapons such as a plasma sword or a rapid-fire Far Zenith-based weapon. Aloy’s traditional weapons such as the Blastsling would still be effective against the new, monstrous machines such as a mix betweena Thunderjaw and a Sunwingcreating a Dragon-like monstrosity. This DLC could further let Aloy add modifications to her mounts to better fight zombie hordes and machines, such as tusk extensions to the Bristleback. These changes could makeHorizon’s final mainline DLC a spectacularly terrifying ride.
