How to play Machine Strike in Horizon Forbidden West

Nowadays, every open-world game seems to have a board game type of minigame that you can play with the townsfolk. We got it in the Final Fantasy VII Remake and now we have it in Horizon Forbidden West. This board game is called Machine Strike and they say it is all about strategy. Here’s everything you need to know about Machine Strike in Horizon Forbidden West.

What is Machine Strike?

Machine Strike is a 1v1 style board game that is played on a grid like checkers or chess. Each person builds a team of various machine pieces that they place on the board. Each piece type has different point values for movement, attack, defense, range, and VP (Victory Points). The goal of the game is to defeat your opponent’s pieces and earn seven VP. As you progress through the game, you will find more challenging opponents in the various settlements. The first one you can find is in Chainscrape.

Tips for playing Machine Strike

Now that the basics are covered, it is time to learn some tips to help you win the next time you go up against an opponent. For starters, be wary of Bristlebacks. You will get access to these pieces pretty early and they have a powerful passive ability that damages nearby pieces. This works against you, however, and if you leave a piece next to a Bristleback, it will get damaged.

Something else to remember is to keep aware of the terrain. Different terrain heights and types cause different effects. If you are standing in the wrong place at the wrong time, your pieces will get destroyed. Lastly, don’t be afraid to overcharge your pieces. Even though overcharging a piece damages it, that can still help you win the game. You will learn early on that overcharging a piece can lead to a strong victory if you time it correctly. Just don’t go too crazy or you’ll lose all your pieces.