THERE ARE POTENTIAL SPOILERS TO THE STORY OF HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST TO FOLLOW.
Today is the official launch of Horizon Forbidden West. It is perhaps the most beautifully detailed and rich AAA game we have played to date and you can read our review of it here, but this story’s attention is focused on something odd that we picked up during our playthrough.
It looks like The Sound of Music exists within the world of Horizon Forbidden West. That’s right, the Rogers and Hammerstein Sound of Music, with a specific reference to one of the more popular songs in that musical film – Do-Re-Mi.
The reason we say so is our first interactions with the Utaru tribe of Plainsong and in particular a conversation about the Land gods that they worship in the game. These Land gods are in fact a Grimhorn, a new Triceratops-looking machine that has been added to the sequel.
For the Utaru, these Grimhorn are sacred, but have been getting sick as a result of the blight that is infecting and killing machines and wildlife alike in-game. Interestingly though, the Utaru have named these Grimhorn, which is where the Sound of Music reference comes.
Here, Aloy helps repair one of the infected and injured Grimhorn named Re, before one of the Utaru and soon-to-be ally in the game Zo, tells you about another Land god which entered a sacred cave. Said Land god is called Fa, and then you find out the names of other Land gods – Do, Re and Mi. Add Fa to the mix and you’re halfway through the song.
We’re not sure why there is a Sound of Music reference in Horizon Forbidden West, but it is a nice little easter egg and helps inform some of the beliefs of different tribes.
The Tenakth’s main home for example, is a dilapidated war museum, with broken holographic messages talking about war and the honour that comes with fighting. It is likely why the Tenakth are such fierce warriors and why they make reference to The Ten as part of their own mythology as there are 10 holograms in the aforementioned museum.
As for the Utaru, they are more peace loving, bordering on being pacifists, who prefer to have singing circles instead of fighting the threats that are on their Plainsong doorstep.
Perhaps then, an Utaru elder got a hold of a Blu-ray copy of The Sound of Music? Perhaps not, but it is at least interesting to find weird easter eggs while playing.
If all this talk of Do-Re-Mi has you clearing your vocal pipes, we’ve pasted the original song below for you to enjoy.
