The world of Horizon Forbidden West is filled with danger, as shown by one player’s tragic-yet-comical encounter with a massive Tallneck. As was the case with 2017’s Horizon: Zero Dawn, Guerilla Games’ latest open-world sci-fi adventure is set in a post-apocalyptic version of the United States that is now populated by feuding tribes and visually impressive Machines that players can hunt and tame as Nora outcast-turned-unlikely hero Aloy. Horizon Forbidden West features 40 different Machine types, with new additions including the massive, snakelike Slitherfangs and flying Sunwings that Aloy can tame to explore the titular Forbidden West from the air.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

One of Horizon’s most memorable Machines is the Tallneck, a towering brachiosaurs-like mech that freely roams the landscape in both games – and has become so popular among Horizon Forbidden West fans that it now has its own LEGO set, complete with an Aloy Minifigure. Unlike the other Machines that inhabit Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy cannot kill Tallnecks or ride them as mounts. Instead, players can override them by climbing atop their heads and using their communications technology to clear more of Horizon Forbidden West’s massive world map and gain insight into surrounding areas of interest. However, doing so while the massive Tallneck is moving is quite difficult, not to mention dangerous if Aloy doesn’t time her glides and jumps correctly.                    

Reddit user Dark_hammer98 recently discovered this last part the hard way while playing Horizon Forbidden West, as shown in a brief gameplay clip (via GameRant). This video shows Aloy attempting to glide onto the back of a wondering Tallneck, only to bump into the Machine’s leg and go plummeting to the ground below – where she is quickly crushed beneath the Tallneck’s metal hoof. Even Aloy herself seems aware of how poorly her attempt at scaling the Tallneck has gone, as the Savior of The Claim dryly mutters “that didn’t work” mere seconds before her untimely death. Dark_hammer98’s video currently sits at 1.4 thousand upvotes, with other Horizon Forbidden West players sharing their own tales of being crushed to death by an oblivious Tallneck in the comments section.

The massive foot of a Tallneck is just one of the many dangers Aloy finds herself up against in Horizon Forbidden West, as the game’s plot sees her journey to save the world from a deadly disease plaguing the land by restoring the dormant terraforming AI known as GAIA. Along the way, she teams up with many old friends and makes menacing new enemies, such as the mysterious and malevolent organization named Far Zenith. So far, Horizon Forbidden West has gained much praise from players and critics since its long-awaited release last month, with even legendary horror director John Carpenter complimenting Horizon Forbidden West and voice actress Ashley Burch for her performance as Aloy.

Part of what makes Horizon Forbidden West so popular is the rich and free-roaming landscape that players can explore, filled with awe-inspiring locations and wondering Machines for Aloy to interact with on her latest mission to save the world. However, this landscape comes with plenty of peril, and while the Tallnecks that stomp about the dusty terrain of Horizon Forbidden West are a rewarding puzzle for players to overcome, they can also spell doom to anyone unlucky enough to fall beneath their massive steel feet.

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Source: Dark_hammer98/Reddit (via GameRant)

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J. Brodie Shirey
(1365 Articles Published)

J. Brodie Shirey is just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe, but aren’t we all? He currently lives in York, Pennsylvania. He is a big comic book, video game, and science fiction fan, and likes writing articles for ScreenRant or scripts for some of his crazy TV show ideas.

A graduate from York County School of Technology, he’s self-published several books on Amazon, and once won 1st place at a regional computer fair for a CGI animated short. He might post it on Youtube someday. He hopes that working for this site will be his first step into the larger universe of online writing, since Megazord technology hasn’t been invented yet and he doesn’t seem to have any Force powers. You can check out his work at The Uncanny Fox, purchase his books on Amazon.com, see his posted scripts on Script Revolution, or see his portfolio here or here. He can also be followed on Twitter @FoxUncanny.

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