Horizon Forbidden West: Every Weapon Type, Explained | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

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In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy set out in the hopes of finding a solution to the blight plaguing the world. With this new adventure and setting comes strange and unique machines, plus brand-new weapons to hunt them with. While the weapon types of Horizon Zero Dawn are still present in the sequel, but some changes and additions have been made in the new game.

These new weapon types provide an interesting layer of depth to Horizon Forbidden West's combat. In particular situations, they really shine and create engaging gameplay. Like most weapons, many of these new options are designed for specific scenarios and can take a bit of work to make them viable. Additionally, many of the old weapon types from the first game have also been tweaked, so they work a bit differently now.

Bows

Bows are the primary weapons players will be using in their fight against machines and human enemies. The three standard bow types from the first game have returned and remain broadly the same. The War Bows from Horizon Zero Dawn are now called Warrior Bows. They are still short-range weapons with a fast fire rate that is perfect for when enemies get close. The Sharpshot Bows are best suited for long-range encounters with their slow draw time, which they compensate for with their increased damage. This makes them great for sniping. Finally, Hunter Bows are the veritable weapon type that is good for almost any situation or range.

Bows that have elemental or specialized arrows can be purchased from vendors or earned through missions. The biggest change to bows comes from the Weapon Techniques that can be unlocked from Aloy's skill trees. These new techniques radically change how players fight. Volleys of arrows can be rained down on enemies, or explosive arrows can be planted on targets for high damage. Investing in these techniques will greatly improve a player's effectiveness in combat, and players should prioritize ones that suit their playstyle.

Spears

Aloy's spear is still her only means of melee damage, but its functionality has been drastically improved this time around. In Zero Dawn, Aloy could only wildly slash at enemies with light and heavy attacks. Now, she can build up energy from her attacks and release it with a heavy attack that highlights a spot on an enemy's body. If this spot is shot with an arrow, the stored energy is triggered and deals a large amount of damage. Just like with the bow, Aloy's skill tree allows player to unlock combos with her spear. These help to build energy quickly and control the battlefield, keeping melee engaging and being particularly useful when fighting multiple opponents.

Blastslings

Blastslings are back and are still a great choice for when a player needs to deal lots of damage to groups of enemies. This weapon type is also perfect for building up elemental damage, like freeze or acid. Horizon Forbidden West adds a new ammo type called adhesive, which works great with the Blastsling. This releases a yellow goo that slows down enemies, allowing Aloy to get the perfect shot.

Just like with bows, there are Weapon Techniques for the Blastslings that change how it works. For instance, barrage of bombs can be fired at machines, or bouncing ammo can be launched that increases damage with each bounce. The only real downside to the Blastsling is that Aloy can hurt herself if the ammo detonates too close to her.

Boltblasters

While the Rattlers from the first game are gone, they have been replaced with Boltblasters. Like the Rattler, the Boltblaster fires a stream of bolts at targets like a machine gun. This weapon is great for ranged enemies, and Weapon Techniques can even make it fire like a shotgun, which is perfect for machines that get too close. The various ammo types that come with the weapon can quickly build up element effects or tear the armor of enemies.

The biggest downside to the Boltblaster is the reload. Unlike the bow or the Blastsling, Aloy has to stop moving to reload this weapon, which can be a problem when massive machines are barreling at her. It's best to load the Boltblaster up with coils that increase reload speed to make it more viable.

Tripcasters and Ropecasters

The Tripcasters are used to lay wire traps that trigger when a machine walks over them. They're perfect for setting up ambushes for powerful machines and dealing high damage right at the start of a fight. Once combat has started, the Tripcaster becomes a lot less useful because of the time it takes to set up the traps. The Weapon Technique, Quick Wire, helps this by instantly setting up the trap.

Ropecasters are used to pin down machines and reduce their movements. Once a machine has been fully pinned, Aloy can deliver a critical strike or attempt to override the machine. This weapon is less effective against larger machines since they require more ropes and can break them more easily. The sequel also adds new types of Ropecasters that deal elemental damage to machines or attach an elemental canister that can be exploded for high damage.

Spike Thrower

The Spike Thrower is one of the brand new weapons Aloy can collect in Horizon Forbidden West. This allows Aloy to launch an explosive javelin that can easily destroy weaker machines and cause heavy damage to stronger ones. In terms of flat damage, the Spike Thrower may be the best weapon in the game, and it can be used at range and fired quickly. The only downside is that, like the Blastsling, Aloy can be hurt by the explosion if she's too close. Additionally, the resources needed to craft ammo for the Spike Thrower can be scarce at times, so it's best save for boss fights or difficult encounters.

Shredder Gauntlet

The Shredder Gauntlet is probably Horizon Forbidden West's strangest weapon. This fires a bladed disc that tears into enemies. This disc then returns to Aloy and increases in damage the next time it is thrown. Each disc can be caught three times before it explodes on the next throw. This weapon is great for breaking off components from machines, but it does take some time to get used to.

Weapon Techniques make Shredder Gauntlets much more useful in combat. Shredder Mine in particular is perfect for fighting multiple enemies at once. This technique turns the disc into a small sentry gun that shoots electricity at nearby enemies, which helps a lot when Aloy is being swarmed by enemies. The Shredder Gauntlet is definitely the most circumstantial weapon type in the game, but in the right situation, it can be indispensable.

KEEP READING: Horizon Forbidden West: How to Win at Machine Strike

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Ryan Bridges (81 Articles Published)

Ryan is a feature writer for CBR that was raised on anime, video games, and fantasy novels. They turned that strong passion for media into a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and screenwriting from LSU in 2021. They are a self described Dungeons & Dragons fiend and #1 Naruto fan. You can find their unsolicited opinions and writing at astormingthought