Deaths Door - Horizon Forbidden West Walkthrough (2023)

Previous:The Embassy
Next:The Dying Lands

Objective: Go to the co-ordinates recovered from the Spire

Our new objective lies a good distance to the southwest from Barren Light. If you follow the main path down from the ambush site, we can reach Keruf's Salvage Unlimited site. Here we can pick up and complete a series of Salvage Contracts for Larend here. We can also unlock a Camp Fire for fast travel purposes.

From here, it’s a good idea to go and track down the nearby Tallneck - Cinnibar Sands which is located directly to the west. It will uncover the map and mark some machine and location data for us.

The objective lies at the base of a derelict titan at the southwestern side of a large pool of water. After crossing the water and arriving at the location specified your objectives will update.

Objective: Examine the device

Once we arrive, you should be able to see a green panel nearby. Approach and interact with this. A hologram will play.

Objective: Watch the Hologram

Stand and watch the Hologram, which will give us a bit of information about Sylens and HADES and what they've been getting gup to since the first game. This will also unlock the Hologram Datapoint [HADES in Hell]. Following the hologram, your objectives will update.

Objective: Investigate Sylens' Workshop (Optional)

We'll be given a pair of objectives, but we'll be right here at Sylens' workshop already and there's lots of loot and some more Datapoints about, so we may as well check it out! Light the Camp Fire here so we can unlock fast travel. Note the Workbench that we can use as well.

Below the shelter closest to the Camp Fire, you'll find a Small Supply Cache and an Audio Datapoint [New Home]. By the Workbench here, you'll find a Text Datapoint [Interrogation Log].

Elsewhere in the workshop at ground level there is a Moderate Valuables Cache and a Small Supply Cache. On the eastern side of the camp, you can also find a tall section of wooden scaffolding. There is a pair of grapple points on this that we can use to ascend to a platform near the top. Here there is another Small Supply Cache.

With the loot sorted, lets continue with the main objective.

Objective: Follow the Orb's trail

At the rear of Slylens' workshop, you should be able to see an indent in the ground made by the orb being transported to another area. We need to follow this trail. Follow it through the titan and out the far side.

After a bit of a jog, you'll reach a river crossing. Here, you'll encounter some new Machines (unless you've been exploring!) - a Glinthawk and a group of three Scrappers. We can either fight our way through these things or try to bypass their position before revisiting the trail once again a little further along.

New Machine: Glinthawk

Glinthawks are a fairly weak flying machine which have a few attacks worth noting. They will often hover in the air and shoot ice projectiles at you, they will also perform a swooping attack which can rip your health away pretty quickly and the ability use their beaks to lunge at you whilst at ground level. They have a couple of weaknesses which include their beak, which if removed disables their biting attacks. The main target should be the large Chillwater Sac on their stomachs. Destroying this will not only disable their ranged ice projectile attacks but will also explode, inflicting Frost damage (and Brittle status) on the Glinthawk and any other Machines that happen to be nearby.

New Machine: Scrapper

The Scrappers are similar to the Scroungers both in size, attacks and behaviours. They usually appear in small packs and are once they have seen Aloy, will quickly move in to attack using bites and claw swipes. Scrappers are equipped with a Radar device that will be able to detect you when you are hiding, although this only works when they are alerted and know that you are around. They can attack from afar using a plasma projectile attack. Hitting the Plasma Cell on its backside will disable its plasma attacks whilst dislodging the Radar component mounted on their backs will remove their ability to detect you.

If you decided to engage the Machines, go ahead and loot all their bodies for components. There is also a Greenshine Fragment among the debris nearby.

When you regain the trail, keep following it and you'll reach a merchant's camp. Check his wares if you feel the need to do so and activate the Camp Fire before continuing. At the top of the slope nearby you'll find that the trail leads to an opening.

Before entering the tunnel here, look either side of the opening. On the left there is a Workbench and a Generous Supply Cache and on the right a Small Supply Cache. Use the Workbench if required and then proceed into the tunnel.

Inside you will find the orb.

Objective: Examine the Orb

Once you have found it, make your way over and interact with the Orb to examine it. This will trigger a conversation with HADES, whom we can probe for quite a bit of information. Following he conversation, you'll return to the real world where another chat with Sylens will commence. After all the talking we'll get a new objective.

Objective: Enter the facility

You'll see a large, fancy looking door ahead with red lasers all over it. Quickly duck into the alcove to the right of the orb to grab an Ancient Valuables Box. Approach the door to continue. It will open… only to remain sealed shut thanks to the presence of some red crystals named Firegleam.

Sylens informs us that to get through the Firegleam we'll need to craft an Igniter. As such, we'll get an objective to do just that.

Objective: Gather resources for the Igniter

To create an Igniter, we need to go and acquire a couple of ingredients - a Leaplasher Spark Coil and some Deepwater Kindleweed Oil. Fortunately, both of these ingredients can be found quite close by. Return outside and you should see the lake ahead of you - head in here for a swim to find some Deepwater Kindleweed. On the shore of the lake, you will also be able to spy some Leaplashers bouncing around. We'll need to hunt at least one of these for the Spark Coil.

New Machine: Leaplasher

Leaplashers are small, kangaroo-themed transport machines. They can attack from range by lobbing a set of three damaging Acid/Shock grenades or rocks. In close they will make use of a number of melee attacks. They can use their extendable tail to perform overhead slam manoeuvres and long slashing attacks, but can also attempt to jump on you using their powerful hind legs and slamming downwards using them for a shock attack. They have both Acid Canisters on their backs and a Power Cell at their rear which when shot with Acid Arrows or Shock Arrows can trigger highly damaging detonation. Removing each of these using other means will prevent them from using their elemental grenade attacks and shock damage. Removing their cargo claw will also prevent all projectile attacks.

To get the Spark Coil for our Igniter, you will need to target and remove the Power Cell from one of the Leaplashers. Once you've had your fill of fighting them loot your part to update the objective.

Objective: Craft the Igniter

With all the required ingredients in our possession, return to the entrance with he locked door and use the Workbench nearby. Use the Workbench to craft the Igniter.

Objective: Ignite the Firegleam

Make your way back through the tunnel to the locked door that we opened earlier. Use the Igniter to burn away the Firegleam (approach and press

when the prompt appears). This will cause the crystals to explode and the door will open.

Objective: Enter the facility

Head through the now open door to reach a facility called Latopolis. Our objectives will update.

Objective: Search the facility for a GAIA backup

Proceed forwards and then take the right path. Loot the Ancient Valuables Chest here before prying open the door. As soon as you enter, turn left to find another open door nearby. Inside you'll find an Ancient Valuables Box and a Text Datapoint [Arrivals].

Back in the main room, Aloy will spot another Gene-locked door on the far side of the room. That’s our next target.

Objective: Find a way to the inner Gene-Locked hatch

Hop across to the central platform directly ahead. Here, we can go to the left or right. Make your way across the poles to the right first. When you can go no further, examine the support structure nearby for a small, grated hatch that we can remove using the Pullcaster. Do so to reveal a grapple point. Use this to climb up and jump to the ledge above for an Ancient Supply Box.

Return to the central platform once again. This time we want to head left. Hop across the metal poles here and again look for a hatch on the nearby support pillar that we can remove with the Pullcaster. This will reveal a grapple point. Use this to reach the pillar. Climb around this until you can see the grapple point on the next support pillar and grapple across.

Climb to the very top of this second pillar and perform a back jump to reach a ledge holding an Ancient Valuables Cache. From here, drop to the lower metal walkway. Here we want to lower the ladder for a shortcut (in case we need to come back in a hurry from the water below). To continue, climb through the opening above the door here.

This room has a locked door with a panel beside it showing a battery symbol. Check the eastern corner of the room for a Energy Cell. Take this and insert it into the panel beside the door to power it up. Interact with the door to open it.

Retrieve the Energy Cell and as you enter the next room, you'll see another panel requiring an Energy Cell ahead. Insert the Energy Cell to receive an Audio Datapoint [Travis Schools Ted] (this won't actually play, but it will get added to your notebook). Look in the dead end to the right of this for an Ancient Valuables Chest.

Use the grapple point above the inactive panel to reach the platform above.

Here, you should see a crate blocking a door. Grab the crate and push it through the door and down the pit below. Run and jump across the gap here to find an Ancient Supply Box. Drop down after the crate to continue. Note that once we are in the lower area we can still return up this shaft using the grapple point there.

Objective: Restore power to the terminal

Once you are in the lower room, you'll find a pair of inactive consoles. Grab the crate and pull it over to the opposite side of the room. There should be a gap in the railing of the walkway above and from the crate we can jump up. There is some Firegleam here. Ignite this to blow open the wall. Through the gap in the wall, we'll be in the room where we found the first Energy Cell.

Retrieve the Energy Cell from the door and take it back, through the gap in the wall. Insert the Energy Cell into the panel on the north-eastern side of the room first and then activate the panel. This will unlock an Ancient Trunk that we can loot. Next place the Energy Cell into the panel on the northwest. Watch the holograms play out for Hologram Datapoint [Travis and Elisabet]. The door above will open once it is done.

Climb to the ledge with the open door. From where the Firegleam had been located, face the far wall and look up. You should be able to spot a ramp above with another crate on it. Use the Pullcaster to bring this down. Use the crate to reach the ledge above. Here you'll find an Ancient Valuables Chest and in a nearby darkened room a Text Datalog [Let's Ride!].

Objective: Find a way to the inner Gene-Locked hatch

Head through the now open door to return to the large watery room. Lower the ladder here to create a shortcut. Climb the ladder on the left to continue.

At the top, look over the pool of water and you should see a pair of climbable columns and a third column with a grating. Hit this with the Pullcaster to reveal a grapple point. Grapple across and then climb across the pair of pillars. From the top of the second jump and glide down to the platform ahead.

Once you arrive, interact with the ladder here to lower it, creating a shortcut back up… just in case. You can jump across the nearby gap to grab an Ancient Valuables Box. We can then use the ladder we just lowered to climb back up. On the main platform, locate the climbable section on the northern side. From here we can jump and grapple across to the grapple point on pillar in the distance.

When we reach the pillar, our objectives will update.

Objective: Explore the north side of the facility

From the pillar we will need to jump and glide across to the metal walkway to the north. Once you arrive, lower the nearby ladder to the water below. You'll note a patch of Firegleam nearby. That’s where we need to go to continue, but before we do there's some loot to be had.

Follow the walkway away from the Firegleam and around the corner. Look for a gap in the railing closest to the dead end. From here look across the water at the support pillars ahead. One of these has a grating on it that we can remove with the Pullcaster. This will give us a grapple point. Grapple over and climb the handholds to the top. Here we can jump to a platform with a door we can open. Inside is an Ancient Supply Chest.

Return to where we spotted that Firegleam a moment ago. Head on over and ignite said patch of Firegleam to continue.

Once inside, check the desk on the far side of the room for an Ancient Valuables Chest and a Audio Datalog [Travis got no Truck with Traitors]. In the room on the right, you'll find an Ancient Supply Safe and Text Datalog [Bad Urges].

Use your focus to scan the metal box to the left of the locked door.

Objective: Unlock the door

To unlock the door, you are going to want to enter Aloy's notebook and read Text Datalog [Bad Urges]. The 4-digit code can be found in there. For me the code was 7-4-8-2. Interact with the console to the left of the door and input the code to unlock the door.

Objective: Find a way to the inner Gene-Locked hatch

Continue through the now open door and you'll find another that we can pry it open. This leads to an elevator shaft. Use the ladder and the other handholds provided to climb up to the next open doorway above.

Follow the set path here and as you pass through the area, grab the Ancient Valuables Box and the Audio Datapoint [An Apology] from the table.

The door here will lead you back out to the large water filled room once again. Kick down the ladder on the left for a shortcut.

Jump across to the support pillar closest to the platform and climb to the right until we spot a grapple point on a second support pillar nearby. Grapple to this and then drop to the beam below. From this location, locate the grating on the yellow beam on the first pillar and use the Pullcaster to bring it down to create a platform for us.

Hop across until you reach the square column directly in front of the target Gene-Locked door. We'll be able to access it from here. Before doing so, continue across the rest of the ledges here to the western end of the room, using the Pullcaster to reveal another grapple point. We will need to jump and grapple to the final pillar and then jump and glide to the platform with the Firegleam. When you arrive, ignite the Firegleam and proceed through the opening it creates to find an Ancient Valuables Safe.

Return to the pillar closest to the target door. From here, target the grating below the door to reveal a grapple point. Use this to reach the door. Interact with this to unlock it. Continue inside.

Objective: Search the facility for a GAIA backup

Proceed into the room here and your objectives will immediately update.

Objective: Examine the console

In this room, you'll see a lone console on the right glowing green. Take a lap around the room with the large, suspended machine first to grab three Ancient Supply Chests. Interact with the console to continue. This should net you Text Datalog [Testing Log].

Objective: Examine the access console

The console below the large suspended machine will now be activated. Head on over and interact with this.

Objective: Find a way to lower the GAIA repository

On the right side of the panel you should see that one of the robotic arms keeps moving up and down rather than resting on the floor like the other on the left. We need to lower this all the way. To do so, look along the arm for a section that is glowing red and shoot it a couple of times until it drops down to the platform.

Objective: Examine the GAIA repository

With the pod now down, we can head on over and interact with it. After doing so a lengthy cutscene will play out.

Objective: Kill the mysterious attacker

When you regain control, you'll need to face off against an attacker named Erik. He has a number of melee attacks including a slash and a lunging jab. Additionally, Erik can use several energy abilities including one that has him hovering in the air before sending out a blue, damaging pulse and a second in which he slams the ground causing crystals to erupt from the ground in several directions from the impact point. He also has access to a pair of ranged attacks consisting of a quick fire plasma projectile and the ability to shoot multiple shock bolts which can stun Aloy as well as create residual shock hazards on the arena floor for a short time before disappearing.

After you have attacked him a few times, Aloy will discover that he is immune to damage, at least from her current weapons and will decide that it is time to go.

Objective: Use the console

We now need to activate the green console that lights up near the exit. We won’t be able to do this if the attacker is too close, so you want to lure Erik to the far side of the area from the console and get him to commit to an attack. When he does sprint over to the console and interact with it.

Objective: Shoot the RECLUSE SPIDER stem couplings

Once we have activated the console, you'll see glowing red elements appear on the machine above. There are five of these, with each appearing along the length of one of the machine's arms. We need to destroy each of these with an arrow or two whilst avoiding the boss's attacks. After destroying all of these, a brief cutscene will play.

Once you are back in control, you'll now need to target the stem at the top of the machine. You can use the Focus to identify the couplings that we need to target here. We need to target and destroy the lit-up section of the stem (it'll be glowing yellow indicating the active coupling is there). There are six of these couplings, but they will rotate slowly around the stem, so you'll need to take that into account. Again, you will need to shoot each of these whilst also avoiding the boss's attacks.

After destroying all six couplings in the stem, a scene will play.

Objective: Search for a way out

Following the scene, we'll be in a pool of water below. Dive underwater and swim through the underwater tunnel ahead. Once you reach the room on the far side, you'll find that there are Specter machines everywhere above the surface.

Note: We want to scan these with your Focus to add it to your Machine catalogue. The Specters are one of two missable machines in the game, so for completion's sake, its best to add them now before we forget.

Stay under the water and make your way through the room, only surfacing when you need to breathe. Continue through the area until you find a door that we can open beneath the surface. Swim through the tunnel behind this until you reach a small dead-end room where we'll need to surface.

In this room, climb to the small ledge at the centre and use the Pullcaster to remove the nearby grating. Continue through the vent and jump into the water on the far side. This time the Specters above with shoot down into the water, so dive beneath the surface and swim quickly to the opening on the opposite side of the area.

At the end of this underwater tunnel, you'll end up in an elevator shaft. Use the handholds provided to reach the open hatch above. Open the door here and continue through the area until you reach a larger room with a large central walkway and several smaller walkways branching off lengthways from it. In this area we want to find the Firegleam.

Ignite the Firegleam here to trigger a lengthy cut-scene to end the mission. Once its all said and done, the next story mission - The Dying Lands will begin.

Reward/s: 5,000XP, +2 Skill Point

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