How to open Metal Flowers

Horizon Forbidden West features multiple systems that can block a player’s path depending on where you are in the game, such as the Metal Flower mechanic. In this guide, I’ll explain how you can unlock a path blocked by a Metal Flower.

Metal Flowers are opened using a device called the Vine Cutter. This is an attachment for Aloy’s spear, and it is picked up through progression of the main quests. You can not miss it. If you’re satisfied with that information and don’t want to hear the specifics, you can safely exit this guide and get back to your game. The Vine Cutter will be yours when it’s time. If you’d like to know more, continue reading, but there are minor spoilers ahead in the form of quest names, timing, and levels.

Players can get the Vine Cutter to open Metal Flowers during a quest called Seeds of the Past. It’s a main quest that takes place about two thirds of the way through the game and is listed as Level 24. Until that quest is complete, players will not be able to open Metal Flowers.

Once you have the Vine Cutter, it’s automatically attached to Aloy’s spear. You can also see it in your Inventory under Special Gear. To open a Metal Flower, simply hit it three times using R1. The flower will open, at which point players will be prompted to hit R1 again to cut away the vines. Once that’s done, your path will be unblocked, and you can continue towards your objective.

Now that you know how to open Metal Flowers, be sure to visit our Horizon Forbidden West strategy guide. We’ve been busy creating content to help you with some of the more difficult parts of the game, including finding collectibles.