Few side quests in Forbidden Horizon West are as long as The Second Verse, and there aren’t many that are as impactful. Zo’s determination to heal the earth gods of their inconvenience is truly admirable, especially considering how much she loses in the build-up to her introduction and all that’s at stake. With that in mind, and being given how much she helps Aloy throughout the game, it just seems like players are giving her a hand.
Unfortunately, the rewards on offer for completing the quest are a bit lackluster compared to the narrative influence, but the latter arguably makes up for that. The Second Verse is also one of ten side quests and races in Forbidden Horizon West to reward players with a trophy, which will probably be enough of an incentive for most players. They should be warned, however, that this is neither an easy side quest nor a short quest, with combat, climbing, and potentially a lot of waiting.
How to unlock the second verse
The Second Verse is one of the longest side quests in Forbidden Horizon West and is divided into two parts. The first of these can be cast any time after players have completed the Cradle of Echoes main story mission by speaking with Zo at the base and selecting the “Gods of Earth” option. It should be noted though that those who decide to complete the main story before triggering the quest will need to speak to him in Plainsong instead.
How to Gather Grimhorn Cores
At first, Zo will seek Aloy’s help in gathering Grimhorn Control Cores, which she needs to end the derangement of the Earth Gods. Once the conversation is over, players should head to the campfire marked on their map, then press the Triangle button to summon Zo. She’ll lead Aloy to a nearby site in Grimhorn, where, after killing all the hostile machines, players can gather all the necessary materials.
With the cores now in hand, players must return to base (or Plainsong, if the main story has already been completed) and speak with Zo again. Depending on where the players are in the story, she may say she needs more time to complete the reboot code, in which case, players must continue with the main story until they unlocked the Faro’s Tomb mission. After that, players can continue The Second Verse by choosing the “Heal the Earth Gods” option while talking to Zo.
Where to find the three earth gods
During the second part of The Second Verse, players will need to restart three stuck Land-Gods using a special code provided by GAIA and Zo. The first of them, Do, can be found at the “Canyon Sanctuary” quest marker and is by far the hardest to restart. This is because players will need to remove the vines holding them down by destroying a number of metal flowers that can be found scattered around the area.
Upon arriving at the “Shrine at Cinnabar Sands” marker, players will be greeted by a couple of dead Utaru. Scanning the area with Aloy’s Focus will reveal a trail, which they can then follow to a nearby area containing the second Land-God You and some hostile machines. After killing the spares and attempting to install the code, an angry Stormbird will melt and players will need to defeat it before they can successfully restart the Land-God.
The last of the three Earth Gods, So, is located near the “Shrine at the Lake” quest marker and is by far the easiest to restart. Players will simply have to swim in the lake and move the debris that is above the stranded Land-God by holding R2. After that, they can install the code using the Triangle button. It should be noted that there are a few hostile machines swimming nearby, but, provided players stay near the debris in the center of the lake, they should be able to install the code without attracting unwanted attention.
With all Land-Gods now updated, players should return to Plainsong and search for Zo in the fields. Talking to her will send the reboot signal, which will bring the Land-Gods back online and cause them to burst into song. Players will then receive the Utaru Birthsinger face paint, some XP and three skill points, as well as the “Healed the Land-gods” bronze trophy. If they wish, players can then talk to Zo again to find out how her encounter with the Plainsong Chorus went, but it’s not really necessary to complete the quest.
Forbidden Horizon West is available now on PS4 and PS5.
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