Horizon Forbidden West is now close to release, for the occasion we are back with a short guide on what to know while waiting for the game to be released
As you already know, Horizon Forbidden West marks the next chapter of Aloy, which comes back up PS5 and PS4 next month. Set half a year after the events of Horizon Zero Dawn, the protagonist is heading west to once again save the world from unknown dangers. In this second round she is expecting a lot more than what in the first game, this time with new weapons, abilities, friends, enemies and robo-villains. Although Horizon Forbidden West was expected late last year, Sony and Guerilla Games have moved the release date to February 2024 to make sure the game is as good as possible. At the end of the wait, we want to dedicate you a short guide on what to know before the release of Horizon Forbidden West.
Better late than never
During Gamescom Opening Night Live 2021, Horizon Forbidden West game director Mathijs de Jonge revealed that Aloy's next adventure will be released on February 18 2024. This new release date pushes the game considerably ahead of its initial 2021 launch window. Jonge talked about how the team was "hugely affected by the global pandemic" during development: "We have adapted to new work-flows and many other challenges ”, said Jorge,“ keeping our team safe and prioritizing a healthy work-life balance ”. Sony and Guerrilla have also confirmed that Horizon Forbidden West will arrive on PS4 and PS5 at its launch. Initially, therefore, there is no definite date for PC.
At least for now so, if you want to play Horizon Forbidden West, you'll need a PS5 or a PS4 (maybe Pro). Despite its predecessor being released on PC, there are no guarantees that Horizon Forbidden West will follow the same path. "To clarify things, releasing a first-party AAA title on PC doesn't necessarily mean every game will now arrive on PC," said Herman Hulst. head of PlayStation Worldwide Studios. “In my mind, Horizon Zero Dawn was a great title to adapt to PC. We have no plans for the day and date (of the PC releases) and we remain 100% committed to the dedicated hardware. "
Hybrid development - Horizon Forbidden West: what to know before you start playing
“With the PS5 SSD, there will be virtually no loading screens,” game director Mathijs de Jonge said in a recent development diary, echoing statements from Mark Cerny and many other PS5 developers. "In an open-world game like Horizon Forbidden West, opening the map and traveling fast from one end to the other or starting from a checkpoint, it will be super fast. When you start the game, you are directly thrown into the action ”. Interestingly, de Jonge also said that “a lot of the development took place on the PlayStation 4, and also a lot of the playtesting is done on the PlayStation 4. So we're making sure the owners of that console have a great experience and that the game looks great even on the old console ”.
Anyone who buys the game on PS4 will also be able to take advantage of a free update for PS5 when it is ready to make the leap to the new-gen. In short, a hybrid development process to satisfy all users of Sony home consoles.
Stories from the West - Horizon Forbidden West: what to know before you start playing
In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Guerrilla shared a bit of a synopsis to tease fans waiting for Horizon Forbidden West. "Horizon Forbidden West continues the story of Aloy moving west into an America of the future to face a majestic but dangerous frontier, where he will face impressive machines and new and mysterious threats." However, the game trailer tells us something more. The landmarks clearly show a post-apocalyptic San Francisco, with a Golden Gate Bridge which was overtaken by the green and the Palace of Fine Arts ruined and underwater. We can also see that Sylens still has a role to play, as do so many other tribes. In a separate video, Mathijs de Jonge confirmed that Forbidden West itself extends from Utah to the Pacific coast, creating a game map that is "a little bit bigger" than Horizon Zero Dawn's.
Aloy heads to the Forbidden West to discover the cause of a strange crimson rust that is killing plants, animals and tribes, as well as turning the weather into a perennial storm. As mentioned, he will meet new tribes and face dozens of new creatures as he searches for a way to cure the plague. The latest video, below, shows us the Tenakth tribe which uses local wildlife as weapons, as well as some new creatures to fight.
Gameplay, gameplay and more gameplay - Horizon Forbidden West: what to know before you start playing
“Aloy will have new tools to help her on her journey,” explains Ben McCaw, Narrative Director of Guerrilla Games on the PlayStation Blog. “The Pullcaster accelerates climbing, quickly getting her out of trouble; the Shieldwing allows her to safely descend from great heights (or surprise enemies from above); and with the Diving Mask a whole new underwater world is open for exploration. Not to mention the big updates to her Focus, which now shows areas that allow free-climbing and gives her the ability to take advantage of more machines for mounts or for combat". Then he continues: “the great, great majority of the game takes place in the Forbidden West,” alluding to the potential of so many small sections of the game that don't take place there.
Aloy spent the six months between games trying to find a cure for Red Blight which is a sign that the planet's biosphere is malfunctioning. She has now traveled to the Forbidden West to join his allies for the next phase of his plan. This suggests that the game will actually begin in the original game's Colorado setting, Horizon Zero Dawn, with Aloy and company traveling to this new location. It is also understood that Horizon Forbidden West will include more sophisticated side missions than the original. Mathijs de Jonge said in this regard: “There is a lot more variety in this sense, a greater sense of accomplishment that you actually get something nice in return for doing these missions. This was another area where we felt we had some room for improvement. So you get a cool weapon or outfit, something really useful for the next mission or activity ".
Improved Combat - Horizon Forbidden West: What to know before you start playing
In terms of combat, in Horizon Forbidden West you will be able to use workbenches to upgrade your weapons and outfits unlocking new perks, mod slots and skills. There is also a higher level of customization and new skills to unlock. The skill tree is also being upgraded. “In Horizon Zero Dawn, skills were acquired and unlocked as you leveled up,” explains Dennis Zopfi, Lead Combat Designer at Guerrilla. “While this principle remains in the sequel, we have it completely redesigned the skill tree with additional traits and skills; within the tree, the skills also synergize with those that are already present on the outfits or that must be unlocked on them. "
Also, according to Guerrilla, the goal for combat is to better “blend” ranged and melee combat. One of the ways the developer is doing this is through the new feature Valor Surge. “When it comes to horse fighting, the player will have to adapt and decide who to kill first and most effectively; human enemies have weapons, attacks and abilities that machines do not have and vice versa, so they complement each other ”.
Music maestro - Horizon Forbidden West: what to know before you start playing
Last but not least, Guerilla and Sony have released the first track of the Horizon Forbidden West soundtrack on various streaming services. To be precise, the track in question is the one present in the first trailer of the game. The eminent Dutch video game composer Joris de Man wrote the entire soundtrack for the next chapter, titled “Promise of the West”. According to the composer, the OST will be a dynamic mix of epic, electronic and much more. In short, a lot of hype also on the musical side.
We're running out (finally)
Well friends, these were our "what to know" waiting for Horizon Forbidden West. The wait is almost over, the title will be on the shelves in less than a month and frankly we can't wait. Let us know in the comments how much hype you have, and as always don't forget to follow {marca_origen} for more guides, news and much more from the world of video games. Also, consult the Instant Gaming catalog for always discounted games. Hello!
