Horizon Forbidden West: Language and Representation
Language
5) Finally, what did the writer of the article (an Asian American) feel when playing the game?
The writer said that: 'I ended up role-playing different kinds of cultural violence, including Orientalism, which founds and fuels a lot of the racism I experience as an Asian American. Even though Aloy’s world is supposedly post-racial, its developers still repeat Orientalist tropes in their design choices, which paint Asian cultures, and therefore people, as perpetually foreign, mysterious, and threatening.'
The industry has massive, massive problems with retaining women employees and treating them well within gamedev. And there have indeed been female characters created entirely within a male gaze.
Introduction
Read this review of Horizon Forbidden West in the Financial Times (should be non-paywalled but you can read the text of article here if needed). Answer the following questions:
Read this review of Horizon Forbidden West in the Financial Times (should be non-paywalled but you can read the text of article here if needed). Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Guerrilla Games have 'a serious case of bad timing'?
Now just as it delivers an excellent sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, another phenomenon arrives on its heels to suck away all the oxygen, Elden Ring. Poor Guerrilla, a team of superb developers with a serious case of bad timing.
2) What is the narrative for the original game Horizon Zero Dawn?
The narrative is that you’re a hunter-gatherer fighting robot dinosaurs across a post-apocalyptic US. The games take place a thousand years after rampaging machines have wiped out most of humanity.
3) How is the central character Aloy described?
Aloy, who balances grit and tenderness as one of the most memorable new characters of its console generation.
4) What is the narrative and setting for sequel Horizon Forbidden West?
Forbidden West beckons players to Nevada and California with a new threat to humanity that, naturally, only you can resolve. The new game’s story is more diffuse, yet it smartly explores themes of climate catastrophe and the hubris of big tech.
5) What does the review say about animation and graphics?
It says that the animation of facial expressions achieves an unprecedented realism — never before have I seen a game character communicate subtext so convincingly by tightening their jaw or subtly shifting their gaze.
6) What do we learn about the gameplay and activities in Horizon Forbidden West?
Forbidden West’s gameplay offers robust, satisfying combat beneath its good looks. Aloy’s movement feels ultra-fluid as she deftly transitions between sliding, climbing and making use of new tools such as a grappling hook and paraglider. Each fight with a robot enemy is tense and exciting, demanding that players think like a hunter by analysing opponents’ behaviours, deploying traps and elemental attacks to gain the upper hand.
Close textual analysis
Watch the trailer for Horizon Forbidden West:
Answer the following questions:
1) How is narrative, character and setting introduced in the trailer?
The main character Aloy is shown as a determined hero as she explored the jungles, underwater environments and multiple other places. It shows the vibrant setting the game is based in and also shows all the mechanical monsters that she has to battle in order to 'save the world'.
2) How is the game's open world / sandbox genre shown in the trailer?
This can be shown by the diverse environments and the freedom the player has as Aloy as she explores all these different places. All the creatures the has to fight can also reinforce its sandbox genre.
3) What representations can you find in the trailer?
There are multiple different representations in the trailer such as gender, how Aloy is a strong female protagonist, diversity as we can see all the different tribes and people.
AQA recommends watching the following gameplay trailer in their CSP booklet:
Watch the gameplay video and answer the following questions:
1) How does the game use media language to communicate ideas about narrative and genre?
Aloy is the main protagonist so we could link her to Propps character types and her being the 'hero' who has to save the day which could also be linked to Todorovs equilibrium. Levi Strauss' binary opposition can also be linked as we can talk about Aloy vs all the machines.
2) What representations of people, places or groups can you find in the gameplay video?
There are representation of multiple different groups here such as all the different tribes, the groups of people, different races etc.
3) What audience pleasures are suggested by this gameplay trailer?
We can link Blumler and Katz's uses and gratifications:
Now just as it delivers an excellent sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, another phenomenon arrives on its heels to suck away all the oxygen, Elden Ring. Poor Guerrilla, a team of superb developers with a serious case of bad timing.
2) What is the narrative for the original game Horizon Zero Dawn?
The narrative is that you’re a hunter-gatherer fighting robot dinosaurs across a post-apocalyptic US. The games take place a thousand years after rampaging machines have wiped out most of humanity.
3) How is the central character Aloy described?
Aloy, who balances grit and tenderness as one of the most memorable new characters of its console generation.
4) What is the narrative and setting for sequel Horizon Forbidden West?
Forbidden West beckons players to Nevada and California with a new threat to humanity that, naturally, only you can resolve. The new game’s story is more diffuse, yet it smartly explores themes of climate catastrophe and the hubris of big tech.
5) What does the review say about animation and graphics?
It says that the animation of facial expressions achieves an unprecedented realism — never before have I seen a game character communicate subtext so convincingly by tightening their jaw or subtly shifting their gaze.
6) What do we learn about the gameplay and activities in Horizon Forbidden West?
Forbidden West’s gameplay offers robust, satisfying combat beneath its good looks. Aloy’s movement feels ultra-fluid as she deftly transitions between sliding, climbing and making use of new tools such as a grappling hook and paraglider. Each fight with a robot enemy is tense and exciting, demanding that players think like a hunter by analysing opponents’ behaviours, deploying traps and elemental attacks to gain the upper hand.
Close textual analysis
Watch the trailer for Horizon Forbidden West:
Answer the following questions:
1) How is narrative, character and setting introduced in the trailer?
The main character Aloy is shown as a determined hero as she explored the jungles, underwater environments and multiple other places. It shows the vibrant setting the game is based in and also shows all the mechanical monsters that she has to battle in order to 'save the world'.
2) How is the game's open world / sandbox genre shown in the trailer?
This can be shown by the diverse environments and the freedom the player has as Aloy as she explores all these different places. All the creatures the has to fight can also reinforce its sandbox genre.
3) What representations can you find in the trailer?
There are multiple different representations in the trailer such as gender, how Aloy is a strong female protagonist, diversity as we can see all the different tribes and people.
AQA recommends watching the following gameplay trailer in their CSP booklet:
Watch the gameplay video and answer the following questions:
1) How does the game use media language to communicate ideas about narrative and genre?
Aloy is the main protagonist so we could link her to Propps character types and her being the 'hero' who has to save the day which could also be linked to Todorovs equilibrium. Levi Strauss' binary opposition can also be linked as we can talk about Aloy vs all the machines.
2) What representations of people, places or groups can you find in the gameplay video?
There are representation of multiple different groups here such as all the different tribes, the groups of people, different races etc.
3) What audience pleasures are suggested by this gameplay trailer?
We can link Blumler and Katz's uses and gratifications:
-Diversion - the game can allow the audience to escape when playing.
-Personal relationship - audiences might bond with Aloy or other characters.
-Personal relationship - audiences might bond with Aloy or other characters.
Narrative and genre
Read this excellent Den of Geek article that addresses elements of narrative and genre. You can find the article text here if the link is blocked. Answer the following questions:
1) Read the opening to the article. How can we apply Steve Neale's genre theory to Horizon Forbidden West?
The article suggests that the game sticks to a formula, which could link to Neale's repetition and fact that the game is similar to Zero Dawn.
2) How many copies did the Horizon Zero Dawn sell and why did this influence the design of the sequel?
Horizon Zero Dawn has reportedly now sold over 20 million copies.
3) How does the article criticise the story in Horizon Forbidden West?
The article suggests that Forbidden West spends a bit too much time letting a small army of side characters spout what sometimes feels like an endless amount of exposition.
4) What do we learn about the gameplay?
We learn that it is a “hunting” combat system which often tasked you with taking down massive robotic creatures while scavenging for invaluable supplies used to make traps, medicine, and other vital resources.
5) What is the article's overall summary of the game?
Overall, the article talks well of the games and suggests that the open-world genre is a good start. Conventions of the genre and "ambitious artistic ideas" give the concept a new vibe.
Representations
Race representations in Horizon Forbidden West
Read this fascinating Polygon feature on why Horizon Forbidden West isn't post-racial and answer the following questions:
1) How does Horizon Forbidden West use narrative to create a fully diverse cast of characters?
After human civilization was fully wiped out by a plague of self-replicating machines with the genetic diversity of humanity, but without the history and societal structures that underpinned racism in the 21st century. It’s a clever narrative move to let the developers pack the game with people of all skin colors, a fact that has been routinely lauded as progressive by some critics and gamers.
2) What is orientalism?
Orientalism is a type of racism in which “the West” — generally understood as Europe and North America — projects savagery and beauty onto “the East,” or the Orient.
3) How does the article suggest orientalism applies to Horizon Forbidden West?
The article suggests that: 'Orientalism is embedded at the core of Forbidden West’s narrative of exploring exotic lands. Protagonist Aloy’s Orient is the “Forbidden West” itself: the present-day southwestern U.S. and California, filled as they are with foreign tribes, religions, and customs. In this morass, Aloy is both an explorer and a (white) savior.'
4) Who is the player encouraged to identify with in the game and how does this influence how representations are constructed?
'When I played Horizon Forbidden West, the game asked me to identify with Aloy and support her mission to save the planet.'
Read this excellent Den of Geek article that addresses elements of narrative and genre. You can find the article text here if the link is blocked. Answer the following questions:
1) Read the opening to the article. How can we apply Steve Neale's genre theory to Horizon Forbidden West?
The article suggests that the game sticks to a formula, which could link to Neale's repetition and fact that the game is similar to Zero Dawn.
2) How many copies did the Horizon Zero Dawn sell and why did this influence the design of the sequel?
Horizon Zero Dawn has reportedly now sold over 20 million copies.
3) How does the article criticise the story in Horizon Forbidden West?
The article suggests that Forbidden West spends a bit too much time letting a small army of side characters spout what sometimes feels like an endless amount of exposition.
4) What do we learn about the gameplay?
We learn that it is a “hunting” combat system which often tasked you with taking down massive robotic creatures while scavenging for invaluable supplies used to make traps, medicine, and other vital resources.
5) What is the article's overall summary of the game?
Overall, the article talks well of the games and suggests that the open-world genre is a good start. Conventions of the genre and "ambitious artistic ideas" give the concept a new vibe.
Representations
Race representations in Horizon Forbidden West
Read this fascinating Polygon feature on why Horizon Forbidden West isn't post-racial and answer the following questions:
1) How does Horizon Forbidden West use narrative to create a fully diverse cast of characters?
After human civilization was fully wiped out by a plague of self-replicating machines with the genetic diversity of humanity, but without the history and societal structures that underpinned racism in the 21st century. It’s a clever narrative move to let the developers pack the game with people of all skin colors, a fact that has been routinely lauded as progressive by some critics and gamers.
2) What is orientalism?
Orientalism is a type of racism in which “the West” — generally understood as Europe and North America — projects savagery and beauty onto “the East,” or the Orient.
3) How does the article suggest orientalism applies to Horizon Forbidden West?
The article suggests that: 'Orientalism is embedded at the core of Forbidden West’s narrative of exploring exotic lands. Protagonist Aloy’s Orient is the “Forbidden West” itself: the present-day southwestern U.S. and California, filled as they are with foreign tribes, religions, and customs. In this morass, Aloy is both an explorer and a (white) savior.'
4) Who is the player encouraged to identify with in the game and how does this influence how representations are constructed?
'When I played Horizon Forbidden West, the game asked me to identify with Aloy and support her mission to save the planet.'
5) Finally, what did the writer of the article (an Asian American) feel when playing the game?
The writer said that: 'I ended up role-playing different kinds of cultural violence, including Orientalism, which founds and fuels a lot of the racism I experience as an Asian American. Even though Aloy’s world is supposedly post-racial, its developers still repeat Orientalist tropes in their design choices, which paint Asian cultures, and therefore people, as perpetually foreign, mysterious, and threatening.'
Gender and videogames
Focusing on Aloy and the representation of women in videogames, read this Forbes feature on the topic. Answer the following questions:
1) What is the debate regarding Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West?
It’s true that Guerilla Games went out of its way to make Aloy a more “normal” heroine, not looking like “a Victoria Secret model.” And yet this has sparked a debate about whether Aloy is actually “hot” or not. This is coming up once more as a result of this article, a debate about what Aloy (who looks perfectly great in every Horizon shot that’s been released) “should” look like.
2) What examples are provided of other female characters and representations in videogames?
Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, Genshin Impact and Bayonetta - they all have female characters wearing "skimpy outfits"
3) What are the issues facing the videogame industry in terms of gender?
Focusing on Aloy and the representation of women in videogames, read this Forbes feature on the topic. Answer the following questions:
1) What is the debate regarding Aloy in Horizon Forbidden West?
It’s true that Guerilla Games went out of its way to make Aloy a more “normal” heroine, not looking like “a Victoria Secret model.” And yet this has sparked a debate about whether Aloy is actually “hot” or not. This is coming up once more as a result of this article, a debate about what Aloy (who looks perfectly great in every Horizon shot that’s been released) “should” look like.
2) What examples are provided of other female characters and representations in videogames?
Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, Genshin Impact and Bayonetta - they all have female characters wearing "skimpy outfits"
3) What are the issues facing the videogame industry in terms of gender?
The industry has massive, massive problems with retaining women employees and treating them well within gamedev. And there have indeed been female characters created entirely within a male gaze.
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