meet me at the horizon @singingmachinedreams - Tumblr Blog

Rebel Threat

The thrill of being seen Again. A devil's dash into cover.

Red grass sways; silky brushes against bloodied hands. Measured breaths slow and the Taunt rings out:

"You best lay low, the things I'm gonna do to you!"

Such shivers under a desert sun, such buzzing beneath the belly.

I swallow the stone, but not the whisper:

"Promise?"

#stealth #regalla's rebels #rebel outposts #rebel camps #enemy smack talk #innuendo #horizon forbidden west #horizon fanpoetry

hi! i saw your post about pointing out problematic tropes in horizon, and as a huge horizon fan, i support you! critiquing media is too often confused with dogpiling or attacking, when it's just as you said: space to improve beyond their initial attempt.

that being said there's no pressure to do it, you mentioned that you might not want to. i just worried there might be people sensitive to criticism of their favourite media and give you flack for it, the nuance kinda seems to be lost these days. so i wanted to send some support as a horizon fan. 👍

Hello! I've been feeling meh about the games since writing that post so I'm taking a break from the fandom and games to see if the feeling will pass. If it does, I might still write something. I'm sure it sounds counterintuitive to some, but spending time and thought on critiquing something is a labor of love. And I'm just not feeling that love at the moment.

But thank you for the supportive message! It is much appreciated :)

I was thinking of making a list of all the racist tropes in the Horizon games.

In part because it seems to be taboo to point out racist nonsense in the games. And taboos beg to be broken! But also because of a post I saw recently about how fandoms like to be more queer than the source material but struggle to be less racist and misogynist than the source material. And I think that's (at least in part) because people in general have a hard time recognizing misogyny and racism.

I think the reason why I haven't already made a list of racist tropes in Horizon is because putting all of it in one document to look at will likely make me not want to engage with the games anymore. And that kinda says something. There's some kind of emotional/cognitive dissonance going on here.

I've always wondered what the breaking point is for marginalized people. At what point does a person set down a book, film, game because the racist/misogynist/ableist/fatphobic/homophobic fuckery interferes with the ability to take any kind of pleasure in the story? What allows a person to just roll their eyes and continue to derive some kind of enjoyment of the story?

Back in the day we called it our "problematic faves" because there was an understanding that for those who experience and recognize racism, misogyny, etc., the stories presented by mainstream media will always be "problematic" in some way. Fandom often reiterates the oppressive tropes in the souce material, but it's also a potential space to imagine beyond it. And now that I've gotten a taste of the potential of imagining beyond, I find myself less and less interested in the source material...

#horizon zero dawn #horizon forbidden west #racist tropes #racism #media criticism #problematic faves #Emotional dissonance #cognitive dissonance

autopotion

been sitting on this thought for a while and i honestly think it was a mistake to make a horizon zero dawn sequel. like the first game was fun, i quite enjoyed playing it gameplay-wise, but the racism against indigenous and native folks is so deeply entrenched in the storytelling that it’s really difficult to enjoy the narrative or tbh a lot of the aesthetics. like were the developers paying any attention at all when indigenous folks talked about the awful shit in it? if the developers had actually listened, i feel like the conclusion they would’ve drawn is their world is deeply, fundamentally flawed at its core (because it is) and just left the original alone as it is to go work on something new.

or like, remake the original even with an overhauled setting that still has that “world reset by apocalypse and now contends with machines as a part of daily life” feel, but with actual consultation from indigenous folks? no more of this aloy being the least “primitive” person in the setting and talking down to people about how Machines Aren’t Gods You Dumbasses, which i fucking hated. it just shows a really poor understanding of the plethora of indigenous beliefs and how nuanced they are. among the very obvious issues like Word Choice

idk. maybe it isn’t the most popular opinion but i just don’t think this fantasy world should be expanded upon in the way it is.

i feel similarly about all the new tomb raider games that are released as well lol. really evil and blatant colonialism in those things that make the story literally impossible to enjoy. not that the old games weren’t also like that, they totally were, but after this conversation became much more mainstream i don’t feel like people have a single excuse to keep making those games

#yeah racist tropes about indigenity and colonialism in HZD #they're in HFW as well #the games can be read as a study in how the white Western world understands itself #horizon zero dawn #horizon forbidden west #media criticism #racism

thyminee

#corruptor #aloy #horizon forbidden west

poorly-drawn-horizon

poorly drawn horizon #2: cheek

--- more poorly drawn horizon comics

#this is so cute #zo #varl #kotallo #aloy #erend vanguardsman #Alva #kotaloy #horizon fanart #horizon forbidden west

laguineuperduda

Nil

HZD characters (Part 6/ ??)

Capture Screenshot by laguineuetaperduda

#Nil #hzd nil #horizon zero dawn nil #hzdphotomode #hzd photomode #hzd #hzd screenshots #horizon zero dawn #horizon zero dawn photomode #guerrilla #guerrilla games #videogames #ps4 #virtualphotograph #ps4share #gamergirl #gamer #gaming

#Nil #horizon zero dawn

notyouranointed

#aloy #mark of pride #happy pride 🌈#horizon forbidden west

meridiansunrise

Places in Horizon that I fantasize about sleeping in as my long night shift comes to an end:

A cozy Nora cabin in the Embrace, lying on soft pelts, with the fire crackling gently in the hearth and the occasional hooting of an owl, surrounded by the sweet smell of pine wood.

An ornately carved Carja bed with smooth silk sheets and the distant bustle of the Meridian marketplace drifting through the open window, the scents of fresh fruits and ground spices carried on a cool breeze that makes the silk curtains rustle.

One of those little painted Banuk tents, listening to the sound of the winter wind swirling across the mountain landscape while I lay in a warm cozy cocoon of brightly dyed blankets, the images of the northern lights I watched that night playing on my eyelids as I fall asleep.

Curled up like a cat on a soft pile of folded tent fabric on the deck of a Quen vessel, catching a quick nap while the waves gently rock the ship and the sea birds call, sea spray in the air and the sailors pattering about adjusting the rigging and singing sailing songs.

A sturdy sleeping mat in an Oseram camp, where I can lie watching the stars and the fireflies and the sparks from the fire, drifting off to the sounds of the delvers trading tales of their adventures.

A beautifully woven Utaru mat under an overhang in Plainsong, while the rain gently patters over leaves and bamboo, making ripples in the clear pools, and inspiring the Utaru to hum along gently to nature’s lullaby.

Places I DO NOT daydream about sleeping as my long night shift comes to an end:

On absolutely ANYTHING built by the Tenakth. I love them, but heaven help me, everything in their settlements not covered in sharpened wood spikes seems to be made out of condensed splinters held together with spit and tree sap. No wonder they are so tough (and sometimes cranky).

#I think I would enjoy snoozing in a Tenakth shelter with the right company--some of them have scenic views #I'd be reluctant to sleep in a cauldron or in any of the metal bunkers of the Old Ones (including the Base)#Places to sleep #horizon forbidden west #horizon zero dawn

clubmedea

Rost?

#waaah this makes me want to read a sad grief fic about Aloy seeing Rost everywhere she goes T_T #varl #aloy #rost #horizon forbidden west #horizon gifs

emmbeaart

horizon zero dawn - the road to meridian ☀️

second of my HZD inspired paintings! i spent way too long on this ngl... 🤫🏜️

#whoa cool #thunderjaw #meridian #the spire #desert landscape #horizon zero dawn #horizon fanart

charger-lens

#kotallo #horizon forbidden west

abluntblade

A war party of three in Thunder's Drum

#watcher #scorcher #thunderjaw #ourea #aratak #aloy #thunder's drum #horizon frozen wilds #horizon zero dawn

Horizon Challenge Runs

I'm thinking of starting a new HFW challenge run. Speedruns are fun to watch but I'm not a fan of doing them--I don't enjoy the time pressure, and I don't like having to skip quests and entire chunks of the game. Trying to leisurely 100% the game with some imposed restriction that compels me to try new things is more my jam.

In the past I've tried to do a 100% Green Run: completing 100% of the game on NG Ultra Hard with only green weapons, armor, coils, tools, etc. I came SOO close but I got stuck at the Sheerside Hunting Grounds because the Plasma Trial requires a plasma weapon, and the lowest level plasma weapon is blue. And I still haven't figured out how to beat the trial on UH with the crappy blue plasma weapon. (If you have, get in contact with me please.)

In my most recent run, I tried to do a Headshots Only Run, where every human kill I make has to be done by headshot. I didn't succeed (just one killing shot landing outside of the headshot hitbox technically ends the run) but it was fun and I've definitely increased my headshot count.

I've also done a No Merchant Run, where I buy nothing and sell nothing. So the only weapons, armor, and gear I can use is whatever the game gives as a reward or as loot. (The game surprisingly provides a lot!)

So I'm thinking my next run will be a Low Health Run, which would be playing in Low Health mode (25% health). Because even though you have to listen to Aloy mutter about how she's hanging on for dear life every 5 seconds, the buffs to damage and health are huge. And with the limited armor/weaves/skill tree and tiny health bar in early New Game, this should pose an interesting challenge.

Or maybe a Feral Close Combat Only Run, where only warrior bows and melee attacks are allowed. But I'm not sure if I should include silent strike or other stealth attacks as "feral" attacks.

Anyways, I'm curious what kind of challenge runs other people have enjoyed (either watching or doing). I've heard of No Tools Runs (can't use anything from the tool hotbar menu), No Healing Runs, No Damage Runs, Permadeath Runs, Kill-Everything-That-Sees-You Runs, Spear Only Runs. The funniest I've seen so far is a Rocks Only Run specifically for killing Specter Prime XD And I'm intrigued at the prospect of doing a No Maps Run.

#games within games #game geekery #horizon forbidden west #horizon zero dawn #horizon gameplay #challenge runs