The eagerly awaited second part of the post-apocalyptic adventure will be released on 18 February. We have all the info for you!
Preloading for the second part of the award-winning title “Horizon Zero Dawn” has started today. “Horizon Forbidden West” was already announced for both PlayStation 4 and 5 at the unveiling of the PlayStation 5 in June 2020. Thus, it is a cross-gen release: the full power of the PlayStation 5 should be utilised, but the game should still be able to run on the PlayStation 4. The third-person adventure will finally be released on 18 February.
A new threat: the story of Horizon Forbidden West
The second part of the story of Aloy, the fearless machine hunter, picks up about half a year after the story ending of Horizon Zero Dawn. This time, too, she tries to learn more about the past of the post-apocalyptic world. But that is not her main concern this time. A whole new danger threatens the earth and the creatures that inhabit it: The mysterious “red plague” is spreading and killing everything it affects. In addition, destructive energy storms occur and lay the world in ruins.
Aloy embarks on a mission to find the source of these threats and save the world from them at the same time. To do so, she goes to “the forbidden west” to California, Utah and Nevada. This should not come as a big surprise to fans of Horizon Zero Dawn, as this setting was already hinted at several times in the first part. In her search for answers, Aloy crosses arid deserts, snow-covered mountains, tropical beaches and finds one or two ruined cities from the time before the apocalypse.
These landscapes are not uninhabited and so she once again encounters native tribes that are not always well-disposed towards her. So in this part there are again new enemies who stand in the way of her mission. In addition to other humans, the earth is of course also inhabited by other creatures, which also form the story centre of the series: The futuristic machine creatures, which have similarities to animals and dinosaurs and are a threat to humanity.
More complex combat systems and more: this is new
In Horizon Forbidden West, Dutch development studio Guerrilla Games has implemented feedback from the community and fulfilled many of their promises. These are the new features:
- An even more complex combat system for tactical battles and improved melee combat
- A revised and more detailed climbing mechanic
- Freer exploration of the even larger, open game world with new underwater landscape
- More fluid movement, revised stealth technology and new locomotion options such as a grappling hook and a paraglider
- New machine types and behaviours, so Aloy will encounter over 40 different machines
- New weapons, a new weapon system and a workbench to upgrade
- Twelve “Valor Surges”: enhanced super attacks that need to be charged
- Various outfits for Aloy linked to her six skill trees
- Better rewards for sidequests and more interactions with characters
- Ingame board game “Strike” that can be played against characters
Opportunities for accessible play:
The developers Guerrilla Games have made sure that the game offers options for an accessible experience: Players:inside can choose from five difficulty levels, with custom settings also available. There is also an optional motion sensor control and assistive settings can be freely adjusted. The available co-pilot system is also special. Here, a second player with another controller can take control of Aloy and thus assist with the gameplay.
Horizon Forbidden West’s co-pilot system grants a second PlayStation controller with mirrored controls access to the game. More accessibility feature info: https://t.co/YuiIGClPVD pic.twitter.com/xaA5d7EVNH
– PlayStation (@PlayStation) February 11, 2022
Horizon Forbidden West will be available for purchase in various editions with extra content in addition to the standard version*:
- Regalla Edition*
- Collector’s Edition*
- Special Edition*
But beware! Even though the PS5 version is available for purchase separately, a free upgrade from the ten euro cheaper PS4 version to the PS5 version can be made. Sony has caused significant confusion with changes to this offer in the past.
Horizon Forbidden West is said to be exclusive to the PlayStation for now. However, the award-winning predecessor Horizon Zero Dawn was also subsequently released for Windows, which gives us hope for this part as well.
