We all suspected more Horizon content to flow down river, but I am a bit surprised by the reveal of Horizon Call of the Mountain, a full blown VR game set in the Horizon universe.
This is not an Aloy story, which I like because the world of Horizon is so deeply rich with lore that you could write a creative narrative in any corner of it. This adventure is currently in development at Guerrilla and Firesprite for PlayStation VR2.
Before we dive in, this title still has time to launch, so keep in mind our frequently updated lists of best PC games and best PC Game Pass games as well as our best Xbox Series X games and best PS5 games. If you haven't purchased the latest-gen of consoles, we highly recommend checking out our Xbox Series X|PS5 reviews. And if you're more into the imaginative play, see our best virtual tabletop software and DND tips pages.
Now, here’s everything we know so far about Horizon Call of the Mountain, from its release date and story to the gameplay and PSVR 2 shenanigans.
Horizon Call of the Mountain release date
Horizon Call of the Mountain is set to release on February 22, 2023 as a launch title for the PSVR 2.
Horizon Call of the Mountain will be available exclusively for the PS5. While I wouldn’t rule out a PC release, it’s likely that Sony wants to keep this title exclusive until it gets enough sales of the PSVR 2.
Horizon Call of the Mountain story
Well, if it isn’t about Aloy, then who is it about? We take the role of a new character, Ryas, a disgraced, former Shadow Carja Warrior searching for redemption. We’ll be traveling through the stunning vistas across Carja and Nora homelands in order to combat a grave new threat to the Sundom.
We know that Aloy will be making an appearance, but it’s still unclear when exactly Horizon Call of the Mountain takes place relative to Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West. Additionally, we’ll be meeting new characters introduced to the world as well as some old faces. I’m guessing that we’ll see the Sun King, considering who we are playing.
The main theme is that we’ll be uncovering secrets of the mountain, which more than likely means we’ll be diving into a Cauldron. I hope the narrative doesn’t stray too far from this core focus for the sake of scale. I love the idea of a small-scale narrative in a world like this. It only adds to the richness.
Horizon Call of the Mountain gameplay
We’ve seen quite a bit of gameplay, including some sick archery and climbing challenges. As far as big baddies go, we already know that we’ll be fighting a Thunderjaw, but it’s unclear who or what the main antagonist will be.
We’ll be climbing mountains, hunting machines, shooting our bow, but we can also craft items from raw materials. Additionally, Horizon Call of the Mountain will feature a section called The River Ride, which is designed to showcase the PSVR 2. That sounds very reminiscent of why Astro Bot was made.
Unlike some other VR games, Horizon Call of the Mountain doesn’t appear to be on rails, as Sony boasts that you’ll be able to explore the world in 360 degrees and interact with your surroundings using the two PSVR 2 controllers.
Horizon Call of the Mountain PSVR 2 features
- 4K HDR visuals. Feast your eyes on vibrant, super-sharp 4K HDR visuals (combined resolution of 2000 x 2040 per eye) that bring the beautiful world of Horizon into clear focus.
- Headset feedback. Feel subtle, responsive headset vibrations at key moments during gameplay for a deep, immersive experience.
- Tempest 3D AudioTech. Plug in your stereo headphones and pinpoint where noises are coming from with Tempest 3D AudioTech in enhanced, realistic soundscapes, as audio adapts dynamically to your position and head movements.
- Finger touch detection. Interact with in-game items and environments in a natural and intuitive way. Even when you’re not physically pressing a button, finger touch detection recognizes how your hand is positioned, so the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller can accurately replicate your hand movements.
- Haptic feedback. Feel what it’s like to fire your bow, craft tools, touch different textures and travel in different terrains through precise, distinct vibrations delivered via the PS VR2 Sense controllers.
- Adaptive triggers. Experience varying levels of force and tension as you interact with gear and environments for a deep sense of immersion, such as when pulling back an increasingly tight bowstring. In addition to adaptive triggers, both PSVR 2 Sense controllers also feature a “grip” button to grab in-game objects.
Outlook
I’m excited to see what Guerrilla and Firesprite are cooking up for Horizon Call of the Mountain. For those who don’t know, Firesprite is responsible for developing the survival horror game The Persistence and is actively co-developing the Theaters of War mode in Star Citizen. Unfortunately, the team hasn’t developed any widely known works, but given their experience with PlayStation products, it’s likely they are more familiar with PSVR tech than Guerrilla.
Stay tuned to find out more about Horizon Call of the Mountain and how the upcoming release of the PSVR 2 will ultimately affect this title.
