Guerrilla Games is preparing for a February 18, 2022 release date of Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to the huge hit, Horizon Zero Dawn. Part of the road to release includes receiving an official rating from the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) in the US which has finally happened. The game has officially received a “T” (Teen) rating for its inclusion of “Blood, Use of Alcohol, Language, and Violence”.
This is an action-adventure game in which players assume the role of a hero (Aloy) traveling to discover the source of a mysterious signal. From a third-person perspective, players traverse post-apocalyptic environments/landscapes, complete quests, interact with characters, and engage in combat against enemy tribes and robotic creatures. Players use slingshots, bows, javelins, and spears to kill enemies in frenetic combat. Puffs of blood are depicted as human enemies are hit; blood stains also appear underneath bodies in some environments. Players can also perform stealth attacks (e.g., spear impalement) to eliminate enemies discreetly. Cutscenes depict additional acts of violence: a character impaled by swords or spears; a character crushed to death by a statue. The game depicts drunk characters stumbling around, and in one area stating, ‘I’m inebriated’; one cutscene depicts Aloy drinking beer from a mug; several background characters are seen drinking alcohol in taverns. The word ‘sh*t’ is heard in the game.
Forbidden West is a PlayStation 5 exclusive title (also backward compatible for PS4) and is currently available for pre-order.
Check out the Horizon Forbidden West official site to learn more.
