Horizon Forbidden West news: everything we know so far

27 January 2022

Very soon, we will be able to celebrate the world premiere of Horizon Forbidden West. The expectations are high: the game has to live up to its prequel standards and test PS5’s capabilities on top of that. So, what’s waiting for us in the Guerrilla Game’s newest production?

The sequel to Aloy’s story

Horizon Zero Dawn was a game that won the hearts of many gamers almost instantly. It gave them an original story, beautiful designs, and a stunning world to explore. The setting of the game is a mixture of fantasy, science fiction, and reality. Set in the 31st century in post-apocalyptic America, the game brought some refreshment to a rather stale genre. 

Yes, humanity has been decimated, but instead of lifeless plains and omnipresent gloom, we’ve got a colorful, even magical, world. Humans live now in tribes with their traditions and, of course, resentments to other outside groups. The planet is ridden with mysterious robotic creatures that resemble animals. These robots aren’t a big threat, but as in the old ways, humans hunt them and use their parts. The main heroine, Aloy, an outcast from her tribe, acquired a mysterious device called Focus: this small gadget equipped her with special abilities.

The next chapter

The next installment of the series will continue Aloy’s arc and expand the already existing world. This time, fate will bring Aloy to a mysterious land to find out what is the source of a deadly plague. She will have to face the dangers of a diverse frontier: not only the plague but also violent storms and previously unknown machines. Forge new friendships and make alliances, visit remote settlements and discover the secrets of the past step by step. To see a glimpse of this beautiful world, make sure to check out the Horizon Forbidden West trailer. It’s a work of art!

A world open even more

Horizon Forbidden West’s developers listened to fans and provided them with new features and upgrades. Now, the world of Horizon will be even more responsive to your actions. With gadgets such as a grappling hook or a Shieldwing, you can reach previously inaccessible spots and overcome obstacles. Thanks to these mechanics, the game is dynamic and grants more realistic gameplay. In addition to that, these advancements let the player complete their quests in many different ways. To fully explore the beautiful world of Horizon Forbidden West, Guerrilla employed the long-awaited free climbing system. Thanks to this system, players can now access more locations and immerse themselves in this world even more!

Compatibility with the DualSense controllers

While Horizon Forbidden West is crafted for both PS4 and PS5, the players of the newest console will have a chance to experience the features of PlayStation’s 5 DualSense controllers. The game’s mechanics will be fully compatible with the pad, offering different sensations while pulling, pushing, fighting, or climbing. The advanced technology of the DualSense controller enhances the experience like never before: feel the trigger tension upon pulling a bow, experience the subtle feeling of grass blades when you hide from your enemies or feel no adaptive tension when your ammunition runs out.

The studio has also dedicated some time to work on the game’s side quests. As they promise, Horizon Forbidden West’s side missions will be more compelling and rewarding than previously. They will be richer in lore as well: the team’s goal was to let the player develop deeper bonds with the characters and therefore make the side quests more meaningful.

Your game, your playstyle

Thanks to a revamped skill tree, you’ll be able to customize Alloy’s skills the way you want. There will be six specializations: Trapper, Hunter, Survivor, Warrior, Machine Master, and Infiltrator, all with different abilities and perks. If you can’t decide which playstyle you should master, you can freely mix all of them!

An important feature that is coming to Horizon Fordibben West is the workbench. Crafting will become an important part of the game, letting you upgrade your gear, weapons, and produce ammo or traps. Many items will feature a few tiers that boast better stats and unlock new skills on top of that. Having read about all these upgrades, we are more than sure that Horizon Fordibben West gameplay will be fantastic!

New enemies

Aloy will meet some new formidable robots on her way. We’ve seen a quite detailed list of both old and new robotic creatures featured in Horizon Forbidden West. Let’s name a few!

  • Tremortusk: this large, mammoth-like robot is like a walking fortress. This new boss monster boasts heavy armor plating and cannons, making it a difficult enemy and a true test of Aloy’s skills,
  • Shellsnapper: this huge turtle is a territorial robot that will attack anyone who dares to step onto its territory. Shellsnappers use camouflage and easily ambush any intruders. Their resistant shell is difficult to pierce, so defeating this monster will require a strategic approach!
  • Clawstrider: these robots, inspired by velociraptors, are as beautiful as dangerous. Despite their aggressive nature, Aloy might use them as mounts, similarly to Chargers we know from the previous installment,
  • Sunwing: looking almost like pterosaurs, Sunwings are majestic creatures that use solar panels-like wings to fly,
  • Tideripper: gigantic and fearsome, Tiderippers are aquatic machines that can pose danger to you both underwater and on the land,
  • Slitherfang: what’s scarier than a snake? A huge robotic snake of course! Slitherfangs are cobra-like snakes that spit acid, so be cautious.
  • Rollerback: Armadillos are cute and seemingly innocent animals, but their Horizon counterparts are completely different: these machines will roll over you and crush you with their thick armor plates.

These are of course only a few examples of what is waiting for us in the sequel to Horizon Forbidden West! The monsters will be divided into machine classes you’ll discover using Aloy’s Focus. Speaking of which, Focus will get some upgrades as well, including an advanced scanner. 

When is Horizon Forbidden West coming out?

Horizon Forbidden West’s initial release date was sometime in 2021, but due to delays, the developers had to postpone the premiere. The sequel hits the shelves on February 18. The game will be released on PS5 systems, but you’ll be able to play it on PS4 as well! 

While the first installment was a PS exclusive for some time, it was eventually released on PCs as well- let’s hope Horizon Forbidden West will share this fate as well! Check out Horizon Forbidden West pre-order if you want to experience the game as early as possible!