Two thirds of the way into Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores, I'm brought to a halt by a most unexpected sight. As Aloy, I've grown accustomed to the robot dinosaurs that roam the lands of Guerrilla Games' post-apocalyptic world, but what stands before me now is a bonafide T-Rex… and it looks like it came right out of Jurassic Park. Sure, it's actually just a statue and poses no threat to me, but I just can't bring myself to move past it until I've soaked in all its details. The sculpture of the prehistoric carnivore adopts a fearsome pose at the center of a circular room, with a holographic projection of a forest serving as its backdrop. With its mouth open wide to showcase its razor sharp teeth, the big dino has clearly weathered over time. The textured grooves of its skin are covered in moss, and parts of its body have worn away, revealing the metal skeleton that lies beneath.
The Tyrannosaurus turns out to be a set piece for an old dinosaur amusement park that I find myself getting utterly lost in during a main story quest. While my encounter with what is perhaps the most well-known dinosaur in popular culture was certainly exciting by itself, nothing could have quite prepared me for just how much I'd enjoy the entire park at large. From Aloy and Seyka's remarks to a little Jurassic Park easter egg, and various details that help me imagine the location as it once was, Pangea Park is easily the best area in the expansion.
