The latest Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores DLC trailer confirms that the late Lance Reddick will reprise his role as Sylens one last time. Earlier this week, cinema and gaming fans were saddened by the announcement that Lance Reddick had passed away at the age of 60. In the days that followed, those who had worked with Reddick expressed their support and sympathy for him and his family, and Destiny 2 players paid tribute to him due to his role as Commander Zavala.
Zavala was far from Lance Reddick’s only gaming role, as the actor lent his distinct voice to a variety of other titles. One of his most recent performances in a video game was Sylens in the Horizon series. A nomadic researcher with his fair share of dark secrets, Sylens serves as a reluctant ally for Aloy, assisting her on her quests while subtly carrying out his own agenda. Despite his initially cold and hostile nature, Sylens comes to respect Aloy’s determination over time, and he eventually joins her group of allies in earnest at the conclusion of Horizon Forbidden West.
Sylens was a popular character in the Horizon series thanks to Lance Reddick’s stellar performance, and luckily fans haven’t heard the last of the scheming antihero. Guerrilla Games released a new trailer for the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores DLC that advises players to stock up on equipment and finish playing through the main quest ahead of the expansion’s release on April 19. At the very end of the trailer, it is revealed that Sylens will contact Aloy to begin the Burning Shores plotline - complete with Lance Reddick’s unmistakable voice.
After months of rumor and speculation, Horizon Forbidden West’s DLC campaign was finally announced during the 2022 Game Awards in December. Set in what remains of Los Angeles, Burning Shores will take Aloy to a dangerous new location with plenty of new Machines to battle and tame - including a massive boss that can be seen destroying the fabled Hollywood sign. Many fans have hoped that Burning Shores would spotlight Sylens given his limited screentime in the base game - and this sentiment has likely grown in the wake of Lance Reddick’s passing.
Only time will tell if Horizon Forbidden West’s Burning Shores DLC will be a full-fledged farewell to Lance Reddick’s Sylens, but at least fans will get to hear his voice one last time. Reddick’s cold, calculating performance helped make Sylens such an interesting part of the Horizon franchise, and getting to hear more of this legendary actor in Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores will be a bittersweet moment for fans still gripping with his untimely loss.
Horizon Forbidden West is available on PS4 and PS5, and the Burning Shores DLC is scheduled to release on April 19 on PS5.