Horizon Forbidden West, though coming next year, has every now and then new material that keeps the hype behind this sequel to the great PlayStation exclusive. After introducing us to Aloy, and discovering how they made a new world design and new Aloy abilities, Guerrilla reveals details about the aspect of fighting within the game and the dangers that await Aloy.
Primarily, the game was presented in detail on the PlayStation Blog this time by Charles Perin, fight designer, and Richard Oud, director of animation at Guerrilla Studios.
The epic landscapes and ruins of the “Forbidden West” may be breathtaking, but danger lurks at every turn. Aloe’s enemies, both humans and machines, are pono in greater numbers here than in Horizon Zero Dawn. Whether he encounters a convoy of cargo machines and their guards or a pack of Stalkers hiding in the woods, the heat of battle will bring new challenges, but also opportunities for a turnaround. For the team at Guerrilla, one of the goals of Horizon Forbidden West is to significantly improve combat design versus Horizon Zero Dawn, and to continue working on the principles of freedom and choice while playing.
“Aloy is a smart and agile fighter”said Charles Perin, a combat designer. “At Horizon Forbidden West, the tools at her disposal generate a wide range of tactics that allow her to fight physically stronger opponents – from fully armored people to very large machines.”
“Our changes in combat design have remained true to Aloy’s identity. First, we wanted to add extra depth to the gameplay and increase the skill limit for players, through skills like melee combo and Valor Surges. Players who spend some time perfecting their fighting skills will find some effective and elegant ways to eliminate their enemies. Second, we wanted to cater to different styles of play and really focus on freedom of choice. Through new weapons and clothing, which can be upgraded to the desktop, players can adjust their tactics. Finally, we wanted to design challenging enemies that encourage players to use all of their abilities and skills. A whole new set of machines as well as advanced human enemies will keep players on their feet throughout the game! ”
“It was important to us that the players had the feeling that Aloy had improved in her skills and self-confidence thanks to her adventures in Horizon Zero Dawn and Frozen Wilds.” – claims Richard Oud, director of game animation at Guerrilla, and continues to talk about Aloya’s new abilities: “She gained a lot of experience and that had to be shown in her animations. Our goal was to show that Aloy is more comfortable touring her surroundings – of course, without losing sight of the fact that she is human, so things don’t always go perfectly for her. Grapple mechanics is a good example of this: it is more agile and resourceful, but at the same time we show how much it struggles at higher inclines. ”
The AI team has played a major role in improving the combat system, especially when it comes to increasing the level of challenges. Leading AI developer Arjen Beij said they are “We wanted enemies to be more authentic by improving their fluidity and continuity of movement, such as making enemies (and companions) more capable of crossing rough terrain. The AI at Horizon Zero Dawn has already supported some dynamic terrain changes, but we wanted to improve that by adding jumping and climbing as a systematic part of their behavior. As you play the game, AI will look for opportunities for shortcuts.
“Another example is that more machines are now capable of swimming and have the ability to dive and chase Aloy underwater. Amphibian enemies can also use jumps to get in and out of the water, so if you’re unlucky they’ll combine that with an attack. “
Aloy not only encounters many threatening machines, but also has to face an increasing number of human enemies, for example Regalla’s rebels, the Tenakth tribe faction. This led Guerrilla to focus on a deeper combat system for encounters with humans, including new enemy classes with their own combat behavior and functions.
The Guerrillas team in charge of combat mechanics added a nice new feature to make switching between long-distance and close combat even more useful. The resonator rewards players for using a spear combo: whenever Aloy attacks with it, the resonator in her spear gathers some energy. This energy can be thrown at the enemy and will be kept for them for a short time. If you shoot it with an arrow before it explodes, it will do tremendous damage! This mechanic creates a strong synergy between close combat and long-distance combat, encouraging players to make a smooth transition between the two. ” – claims Chales.
If you want to learn more about what to expect in the world of Horizon Forbidden West, visit PlayStation.Blog.
Horizon Forbidden West release date
Horizon Forbidden West will be released on Playstation 4 and PS5 consoles on February 18, 2022.
Horizon Forbidden West cost
The price for the Standard Edition $69.99 for PS4/PS5 and for Digital Deluxe Edition $79.99. The Collector’s Edition price is $199.99 comes with the digital versions of Horizon Forbidden West for PS4 and PS5. The Regalla Edition costs $259.99.