Horizon Forbidden West is the highly anticipated sequel to 2017's Horizon Zero Dawn. The fierce and strong protagonist Aloy returns to save her world once again, facing new machines and new enemies. A mysterious red blight is infecting the land and threatening to destroy all life on earth. Aloy must venture into the Forbidden West to find a way to stop this blight.
Along the way, she will come face to face with brand-new threats from both humans and machines. However, if the story becomes too demanding for you, there are several optional challenges and side-quests you can choose to participate in. One set of side-quests you can embark on are called "Salvage Contracts". They are smaller tasks that can take some time to do, but the end reward for completing all of them is worth it.
In this guide, we're going to fill you in on what Salvage Contracts are, where you can find them, and the rewards you get from them.
What Are Salvage Contracts?
Salvage Contracts are side-missions that Aloy can pick up from certain NPCs in the Forbidden West. The contracts focus on Aloy tracking down certain machines to get specific components off of them. Once Aloy has collected the needed items for the specific contract, she needs to take them back to the NPC she accepted the contract from.
Where Can You Get Salvage Contracts?
As you enter Barren Light, there will be an NPC near the gate that you can talk to. Speak to them (their name is Keruf). After you finish interacting with him you'll learn about Salvage Contracts but you won't be able to do them yet. You'll need to complete the main story mission at Barren Light to open the gate to the Forbidden West.
After you complete this mission and open the gate, open your menu. You can find the "Keruf's Salvage Unlimited" mission under the "Salvage Contracts" section. Set this as your active quest and follow the marker. It will be close to Barren Light. When you're here, interact with Keruf again. After this interaction ends, you'll have the option to start your first Salvage Contract. Once you've done this, the contracts will unlock across the Forbidden West.
Salvage Contracts are marked by a scroll symbol on the map. They'll typically consist of two or three individual tasks you need to complete for the Salvager.
Salvage Contract Rewards
You'll be rewarded for completing the entire set of Salvage Contracts at each location. Rewards typically include mid-tier items, a new weapon, and XP points. However, if you complete "Keruf's Salvage Unlimited" mission, you'll be rewarded with high-tier Oseram Armour.
There are multiple challenges and side-quests you can choose to do in Horizon Forbidden West. Some are new, but some will be familiar to those of you who have played Zero Dawn. Check out our Hunting Grounds guide to learn more about how they work and the rewards you can get from them. Another activity that has returned for the sequel are the Cauldrons. Take a look at our Cauldrons Guide to learn more about them and why it's a good idea to complete them.