From the moment that Guerrilla Games confirmed it was working onHorizon Forbidden West,fans wanted to know what new technology would join Aloy’s vast arsenal of weapons and tools. Aloy is famous for her engineering talents and her mastery of a long list of ranged weapons and other devices that help her fight machines and humans alike. Guerrilla Games took a long time to reveal details about newHorizon Forbidden Westgear, but it has finally come forward with some information about Aloy’s newest tools. Aside from a weapon called the Spike Thrower and a glider called the Shieldwing, Aloy has another versatile new gadget: the Pullcaster.
A gameplay trailer forHorizon Forbidden Westalready teased the Pullcaster, and at a glance, it looks like a pretty straightforward tool. It’s a wrist-mounted grappling hook, which has obvious utility, considering how much climbing there was to do inHorizon Zero Dawn.However, the Pullcaster is much more than a grappling hook, which says a lot about the design philosophy at the heart ofForbidden West.Guerrilla Games seems determined to give players more freedom in exploration and combat than ever, which sounds like a great thing. The Pullcaster’s uses are only one sign of positive changes coming to theHorizonIP as it blossoms into a franchise.
RELATED:Horizon Forbidden West Might Be Starting a New Trend for PlayStation Collector’s Editions
The Uses of Forbidden West’s Pullcaster
The primary use of Aloy’s Pullcaster is, as one would expect, grappling. Aloy can use the Pullcaster to grapple to new heights, rather than clambering everywhere by hand. However, the Pullcaster seemingly doesn’t require slow and steady aiming likeaLegend of ZeldaHookshot. Instead,Horizon Forbidden West’s Pullcaster is designed to easily snap onto a nearby target and pull Aloy there, letting her reposition in battle quickly and get the high ground on even the most dangerous opponents. The Pullcaster could helpHorizon Forbidden Westplayers pull off some pretty satisfying trick shots.
The Pullcaster doesn’t just move Aloy around, though. Aloy can also use the Pullcaster to change her environment.Horizon Forbidden Westfans have already noticed that the game features destructible environments, which is a big change fromHorizon Zero Dawn.Thanks to the Pullcaster,Aloy can destroy certain terrain, either opening up a battlefield or clearing obstacles in her path. She’ll be able to move around other objects without destroying them, too. Guerrilla Games hints at the Pullcaster’s ability to pull crates of loot down from ledges, giving players more access to plunder for Aloy.
RELATED:How To Know Which Version of Horizon: Forbidden West to Get
Horizon Forbidden West’s New Direction
Aloy’s Pullcaster sounds like a fantastic new tool, not just because of its versatility, but because of how it representsHorizon Forbidden West’s stance on versatility. In the same article where Guerrilla Games explained the Pullcaster, it discussed its interest in makingHorizon Forbidden Westfeel more fluid and dynamic than its predecessor and provided some concrete examples. Aside from the Pullcaster,Forbidden Westincludes flexible free climbing, rather than relying on demarcated climbing points, and its combat aims to blend Aloy’s melee weapons and ranged weapons more closely than ever before. As such, it seems likeHorizon Forbidden Westis meant to be played however fans want to play it.
Guerrilla Games' new design angle sounds fantastic. Opening up Aloy’s options and abilities not only shows her growth as a character between games, but it gives players who masteredHorizon Zero Dawn’s controls new techniques to learn and more freedom to form a preferred playstyle. If Guerrilla Games delivers onHorizon Forbidden West’s intended flexibility, then it could deliver a uniquely seamless, adaptable gameplay experience that’sa vast improvement onHorizon Zero Dawn,which was already a really strong game. The actual performance of combat changes and free climbing remain to be seen, but the Pullcaster’s core concept is a positive sign. The creativity put into the Pullcaster speaks volumes.
Horizon Forbidden Westreleases on July 25, 2025 for PS4 and PS5.
MORE:PS Plus Free Games for 2021 Began the Year With a Bang, But December May End It With a Whimper
