For such a big moment, we felt it was important to give the player that kind of opportunity, so if they really didn’t feel it was the right moment to kiss Seyka, they could. ‘We always try to make sure those answers each represent an aspect of Aloy’s psyche. ‘We provide flash points because we want the player to be able to express their feelings,’ McCaw explained. While players can choose to push pause on Aloy and Seyka’s burgeoning relationship in Burning Shores – a late-game decision tree can lead to either the pair parting ways or engaging in a romantic kiss – McCaw made clear that this controversial choice is not a definitive referendum on Aloy and Seyka and how their relationship will continue to evolve. The flow that develops between the pair is obvious in both the gameplay mechanics, as well as this chapter’s overarching story. ‘In gameplay – the chasm beneath Griffith Observatory, where they’re firing off bolts and helping each other in combat – those were the moments, we felt we were trying to give them both time to shine,’ McCaw said. We really wanted Seyka to have this inner fire, and we really wanted – even though this is, in many ways, a romantic story – for there to be conflict between the two characters.’īalancing this need for conflict and character growth with a post-apocalyptic sci-fi story starring a megalomaniac immortal (played with over-the-top glee by Sam Witwer) was always going to be a challenge, but Burning Shores gives ample space for Seyka and Aloy to bond between hair-raising action sequences that weave themselves well into the game’s narrative. ‘In her audition, she was really able to turn on the anger – and that’s when I said “oh, that’s her”. ‘Kylie immediately grabbed my attention because of how strong she was,’ McCaw said of the evolution of Seyka’s character. Her strength shines through, and her bond with Aloy grows swiftly as a result. Players meet Seyka for the first time in this adventure, but her strength of character and a confident performance by Kylie Liya Page makes her immediately compelling. With just a handful of hours to tell its tale, sharp writing and powerful visuals combine to evolve Seyka and Aloy’s relationship across a meaningful arc. For, the next real step of that was, “once you’ve done that, what happens next?” Having a romantic interest is part of that process.’ Seyka and the bigger picture ‘ really is a story of an outcast joining the world. It didn’t seem credible to us, that she would open herself up in that way when she was still trying to figure out what other people are like,’ McCaw said. ‘We didn’t think it was appropriate, for her character, to have her engaged in a romantic relationship until that process was complete. Rather, she had to go through these trials to understand herself, and open up to the possibility of healing. While Zero Dawn and Forbidden West were part of her growth, Guerrilla didn’t feel these games left ‘appropriate’ space for her character’s arc. ‘We wanted to really tell a story about her learning the value of the tribal world, and how to integrate with it,’ McCaw said. Between cinematic sequences on high-flying waterwings, and quieter, more intimate dialogue, it quickly becomes clear that Aloy has changed from her years in the wilds. This exploration of how to untangle trauma, and reforge its threads into new connections is what drove the Burning Shores story. Read: Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores review – Absolute Fire Image: Guerrilla GamesĪloy’s past as an outcast has coloured her entire worldview, transforming and warping her sense of human connection, in ways that McCaw and the entire Guerilla Games narrative team found fascinating. Obviously, they’re different characters, but we felt it was super important for Aloy to see enough of herself in this character to really respect her – because Aloy has such a unique view of the world, and knows things that no-one else knows, has done things no-one else has done.’ ‘We wanted her to meet someone that had her drive, that had her physical abilities, and that had her force of personality. ‘We wanted for Aloy to meet her match,’ McCaw explained. Both have similar backgrounds a shared trauma, and a longing for something more. Bonded by a shared, burning desire for justice, the pair begin working in tandem throughout the course of Burning Shores, as darkness and mechanical tendrils press in from every side.īut their relationship continues to grow beyond simple teammates, as quiet glimpses and an awkward tension reveal the bond between the pair has grown warm. Over the course of several sweeping hours, the magnetism of feeling outcast and continuing to fight for a hopeless world draws Aloy and Seyka together, against the backdrop of a ruined Los Angeles. In an interview with GamesHub, Guerrilla Games Narrative Director Ben McCaw spoke of Aloy finding her ‘match’ in Burning Shores, in the form of bold Quen warrior, Seyka (Kylie Liya Page).
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