Nanotech quietly grew into a divisive hallmark of the Horizon series, and Horizon 3 is ready to take it further.
Zero Dawn based its machine designs on realistic animal models and believable post-apocalyptic tech, but Forbidden West turned things upside down with the introduction of the Far Zeniths.
These hyper-advanced colonists from Sirius had tech a millennium ahead of Earth’s, and their smooth Specters seemed almost otherworldly compared to the rough-and-ready machines made by HEPHAESTUS.
Even with the Far Zeniths gone, their technology survives and is now falling to far more dangerous owners.
What Happens When Nemesis Gets Zenith Tech?
The rogue AI Nemesis becomes the main threat by the end of Forbidden West and its Burning Shores DLC.
Not only does Nemesis possess the Zeniths’ knowledge, but it could also use their printer technology to produce machines with nanomaterials instantly.
Worse, HEPHAESTUS itself had already dipped into this tech during the final battle of Burning Shores, creating high-tier machines like Slaughterspines and Thunderjaws on the fly.
That collaboration, short-lived or not, means one thing for the future: Horizon’s machines are about to shift in ways that could surprise players.
Will Horizon 3’s Machines Still Feel Familiar?
Horizon 3 will feature official hybrid machines built from both Zero Dawn and Far Zenith tech that can repair armor, swap weapons, and morph during fights.
The gameplay builds up as expected, but it also causes tension in the community. Some fans worry that the newer machines, especially the Specter-types, feel too disconnected from the series’ naturalistic design style.
They glide smoothly and float but lack the gritty mechanical feel that makes hunting machines fun. There is an argument that introducing nanotech does not have to compromise the original design.
HEPHAESTUS can merge it with down-to-earth frames, combining the animalistic and futuristic smoothly and plausibly.
Can the Series Keep Its Identity with All These Changes?
This tension between grounded world-building and hyper-advanced sci-fi is exactly what makes nanotech so debated.
Some players compare it to Marvel’s overuse of nanobots because it’s convenient for storytelling but often lets them skip real consequences or creative limits.
The game’s nanotech works within its world, but it risks breaking the immersion of realistic machine battles. Guerrilla Games proved with Bileguts and Stingspawn that they can innovate boldly and keep everything together. The real test will be in how they balance spectacle with logic in Horizon 3.
Will Nanotech Define the Future of Horizon or Derail It?
Even with all these requests, the specter (pun intended) of nanotech looms large.
Some fans are okay with the sci-fi shift, picturing Zenith-class machines as dragon-like with transforming armor and energy attacks. Others call for control so this doesn’t turn into a sci-fi arms race where every machine is just a floating blob.
The basic fear is that nanotech could control Horizon 3’s style and lose the hands-on vibe that the first two had. Still, Guerrilla’s track record gives room for optimism. Horizon 3 could have the most original machines in the franchise if it blends Zenith’s strength with HEPHAESTUS’ brutal style just right.
The real test is making them have weaknesses, obvious physical reactions, and strategic complexity, not just eye-catching effects.
No matter if players fear nanotech or look forward to it, Horizon 3 is jumping right into the series’ most debated feature. Love it or not, nanotech is here to stay as the new normal.
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