Horizon Forbidden West will not only allow players to explore the surface of a beautifully designed open-world but also the deep waters running beneath. These underwater sequences though will be more than just a visual treat.
Speaking with IGN in a recent interview, game director Mathijs de Jonge and narrative director Benjamin McCaw reveled that developer Guerrilla Games wanted to make sure that the underwater world is “every bit as beautiful as what you see in the natural world above it.”
With the amount of work being put in, Guerrilla Games was hence not content with just being able to swim around underwater. The underwater levels of Horizon Forbidden West actually run deeper than how they appear in recent trailers, and they feature their own gameplay mechanics.
There are underwater currents for example to watch out for and “stealth kelp” which Aloy will be using to hide from approaching enemies. The developer also teased that the underwater levels will have a “cat and mouse” design when it comes to gameplay, details of which will arrive in the months to come.
“But it wasn’t just enough that you could swim around underwater. We wanted to do some things that are really surprising and interesting. And I think that’s where some of the story stuff comes in, and we just absolutely can’t wait for players to see what they’re going to experience.”
Horizon Forbidden West looks stunning on PlayStation 5. The recent gameplay reveal ascertained that everything from the landscapes, lighting, colors, special effects, textures, and more have been carefully put together for a highly immersive experience as well as an impressive showcasing of what the new Sony console can do.
Horizon Forbidden West remains slated for a release in fall 2021 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Sony Interactive Entertainment and Guerrilla Games are still banking on the release window with development going as scheduled. For the time being, the sequel does not appear to be getting pushed into 2022.
