Shortly, PlayStation will be starting its Thursday State of Play presentation forHorizon Forbidden West. The showcase will undoubtedly show offHorizon Forbidden West’s new setting in astonishing detail, as well as debuting a variety of new gameplay features, too. But before the State of Play begins, some ofHorizon Forbidden Westis already being shown off as part of the show’s countdown presentation. Early environmental footage shows the game’s new day/night cycle, as well as other interesting details.
For the five hours leading up to the start of theHorizon Forbidden WestState of Play eventa video has been running. That video shows multiple camera views, each a perspective looking into the world ofHorizon Forbidden West. These cameras not only show different regions, but also the same regions at different times of the day. As such, players get to see what the world ofHorizon Forbidden Westlooks like at dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight.
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In one example, a large tower in the foreground stands apart from aMetal Devilin the background, with a settlement in between. A photo of thisHorizon Forbidden Westregion at dawn paints the area in golden hues, with deep shadows cast from the tower and mountain ridges. Cut to the same area at dusk and it glows red as daylight fades, with torches beginning to light up around the settlement. Finally, a late-night view shows the area in deep blue, dozens of orange torchlights and campfires spread through the valley.
It’s not a surprise that PlayStation andHorizondeveloperGuerrilla Gamesare choosing to highlight these environments leading up to the show.Horizon Zero Dawnis perhaps best known for its outstanding visuals that make the most of a day/night cycle that really lets the game’s lighting, shadows, and environmental detail stand out.Horizon Forbidden Westlooks to continue delivering award-winning visuals.
Horizon Forbidden Westisn’t just showcasing environments akin toHorizon Zero Dawn’s but better, of course. These environments have impressive new levels of verticality, implying a much deeper system for movement and exploration. It also shows a muchmore diverse range of biomes, from lush deciduous and coniferous jungles and forests, to dry deserts and snowy mountain peaks.
Much remains to be revealed fromHorizon Forbidden West, but as far as introductions go the State of Play countdown captures the heart of what theopen-world action-adventureis all about. Stay tuned for the State of Play to see this world truly come to life.
Horizon Forbidden Westreleases in 2021 for PS4 and PS5.
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