Last week, we got a first look at games being developed for PlayStation 5 at the Future of Gaming event where Sony shared finally revealed their next-generation console. One of the bigger games revealed during the showcase was Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn. The trailer revealed that Aloy will be traveling to new locations outside of where she was in the first game, new enemies, new ways to explore, and a mysterious phenomenon that is ravaging the world. Game Director Mathijs Jonge shared a little more insight into what players can expect from the game in a new video.
Horizon Forbidden West takes place in a mysterious new frontier that spans from Utah to the pacific ocean. Based on the trailer, you may see familiar landmarks based on other locations such as the Golden Gate Bridge so it seems that we could be traveling towards California. Like the first game, the world is filled with a variety of different locations such as stunning valleys, deserts, and ruined cities. The game also introduces new ways to explore the world. Mathijs said, “For the sequel, we wanted to go wider and deeper so the map is a bit bigger but we also wanted to let players discover what lies hidden beneath the surface of lakes and rivers. The landscapes may be stunning, but danger lurks in every corner in the Forbidden West.”
The Forbidden West is home to new tribes and dozens of new machines such as the Shell Snappers, Sunwings, and Tremor Tusk. Some of the new tribes are peaceful but some aren’t and have the ability to take control and override machines. The main story of Horizon Forbidden West seems to be associated with what’s happening in the world. “The Forbidden West harbors an even greater challenge that’s a collapsing biosphere. A red blight infects the lands. It’s choking wildlife and starving animals and tribes,” Mathijs Jonge said. “And the weather has spiraled out of control, generating massive supercell storms that flood canyons and fields. Aloy will have to go to great lengths to save this world.”
The video ends with the revelation that developer Guerilla Games is set to release Horizon Forbidden West next year. “We have been working very hard in order to create a worthy sequel, one that will hopefully appeal to all the fans but also newcomers to the franchise. And we’re aiming to release the game next year in 2021.”