Like most sequels,Horizon Forbidden Westis trying to be bigger and more expansive than its predecessor,Horizon Zero Dawn. Guerrilla Games attempts to one-up itself with its post-apocalyptic Western US, giving players a larger map andgiving Aloy plenty of ways to traverse it.
For all the freedomHorizon Forbidden Westoffers players, it also hits them with some strict limitations.Horizon Forbidden Westhas a Metroidvania-like progression system, where certain paths are completely blocked off by obstacles that can only be cleared with upgrades found in future areas.
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This shift in progression style can be seen with metal flowers.Horizon Zero Dawn’s metal flowers were simply collectibles, which unlocked some optional rewards. InHorizon Forbidden West, each metal flower is tied to metal vines that block certain paths, and players need to reach a certain point to break them.
The Vine Cutter and Seeds of The Past
There’s no special skill involved in breaking metal flowers.All the player needs is a spear modification called the vine cutter. It’s tied to one ofHorizon Forbidden West’s story missions, so players are bound to get it eventually.
The mission in question is called “Seeds of The Past.” It’s available after completing “The Broken Sky” and “The Sea of Sands,” and begins with Varl giving Aloy coordinates to DEMETER. These coordinates will lead players to “The Greenhouse,” a FAS Biotech research facility. From there, Aloy will face a series of combat encounters and exploration puzzles that culminate in a battle withone ofHorizon Forbidden West’s Dreadwings.
After beating the dreadwing, the player will get a Dissolution Code Module. From there, they can find the nearest crafting table and turn it into the vine cutter. Aside from that, the mission also gives players 1200 XP and two skill points. Players interested in rushing to this mission should know thatHorizon Forbidden Westsuggests that Aloy reaches level 24 before trying it.
Using the Vine Cutter
Once the player has crafted the vine cutter and added it to their current spear, breaking metal flowers becomes easy. All the player needs to do is get close to one on foot, and a prompt will appear, telling players to strike it quickly three times with R1. After that, the flower’s “petals” will open, and a well-timed fourth strike will override the core, burning the connected vines and clearing the path.
Horizon Zero Dawnis available now for PS4 and PS5.
