Videogames: Horizon Forbidden West - Language & Representations

Language

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:

1) Why does Guerrilla Games have 'a serious case of bad timing'? 

They keep releasing games just when huge popular mainstream games are released which overshadows their release

2) What is the narrative for the original game Horizon Zero Dawn? 

They refine their previous games and borrow ideas from other games. The game is set a thousand years after this post apocalyptic event and most of humanity have been wiped out so the survivors are trying to live in this new world and also view technology as suspicious. 

3) How is the central character Aloy described? 

She balances grit and tenderness and is one of the most memorable new characters of the console generation.

4) What is the narrative and setting for sequel Horizon Forbidden West?

The setting is in a post apocalyptic future version of the world but is set in America. Alloy is the protagonist who has to save this world from these mechanical creatures.

5) What does the review say about animation and graphics?

They have achieved an unprecedented realism and often when playing the game they are distracted by how good the animations are.

6) What do we learn about the gameplay and activities in Horizon Forbidden West? 

The quality rarely drops and compared to other open world games with mindless tasks to keep you playing, Horizon lets you do so many things that all link to the main storyline so nothing is ever just pointless.

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?

It is clear that Alloy is the protagonist since the entire trailer is shown from her POV and the trailer follows her exploring this open world.

2) How is the game's open world / sandbox genre shown in the trailer? 

There is a variety of different locations shown and the entire trailer emphasis the exploring part of the game allowing the audience to have a sense of diversion or even surveillance.

3) What representations can you find in the trailer? 

Alloy is shown right at the end of the trailer facing off alone against an entire army which emphasises her bravery, having her as the protagonist subverts traditional stereotypes of women being secondary to men. The game could also be reinforcing some more negative and traditional stereotypes about Native Americans presenting them as uncivilised or as the 'other'.

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?

A variety of establishing shots and wide shots to show the range of different locations emphasising how big the map is. The costumes reflect the action genre.

2) What representations of people, places or groups can you find in the gameplay video?

They represent Native Americans as the 'other' and could be presenting East Asian cultures as exotic and almost magical when they have a hologram of the dragon and East Asian letters floating around Alloy in the cave.

3) What audience pleasures are suggested by this gameplay trailer?

Diversion - players can explore the world

Personal Identity - Players can see themselves reflected in certain characters

Personal Relationships - Players can form bonds with these characters over the entire franchise and will continue to play for them or become invested in their lives

Surveillance - Tilda's vault full of art

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 franchise is successful so they repeat key ideas or narrative from previous games but also offer variation in the storylines that audiences haven't seen before.

2) How many copies did the Horizon Zero Dawn sell and why did this influence the design of the sequel?

Over 20 millions copies, given the success of their previous Horizon game they stuck quite closely to the original to mirror that success with Horizon Forbidden West.

3) How does the article criticise the story in Horizon Forbidden West? 

They say that having more of a story doesn't necessarily mean that it is a better story.

4) What do we learn about the gameplay? 

There are a lot of side quests which some fans do not like.

5) What is the article's overall summary of the game?

The article does like the game and think it was made very well especially the animations however the article thinks that it strays too close to the original and doesn't offer many new or bigger things.

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?

They present certain groups like the native Americans as uncivilised or as savages

2) What is orientalism? 

depicted the eastern world from a western view of it 

3) How does the article suggest orientalism applies to Horizon Forbidden West? 

In the narrative of exploring the forbidden lands presenting Aloy as a white savior

4) Who is the player encouraged to identify with in the game and how does this influence how representations are constructed?  

The game wants you to identify with Aloy and not the native Americans and could be a factor in the racism native Americans receive in real life

5) Finally, what did the writer of the article (an Asian American) feel when playing the game?

They said that although the game is set in a post-racial time period they still offer negative stereotypes about native Americans which could fuel some of the racism they themselves recieve

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? 

The debate is that some people are saying that Aloy is too ugly and some are saying she looks pretty however this is not a debate that anybody should be having and it defeats the entire point of trying to make Aloy look like a normal woman.

2) What examples are provided of other female characters and representations in videogames?

Tomb Raider 

3) What are the issues facing the videogame industry in terms of gender?  

It is unsure when a female character is empowering by not hiding her sexuality of if it is for the male gaze