The developers of the upcoming action-adventure Horizon: Forbidden West have taken to the official site to reveal the details of building the awe-inspiring machinery of the game and the increased lethality of the metal beasts roaming its landscape.
Horizon’s machines come in all shapes and sizes, based on various life forms that existed on Earth throughout history. Some of the machines encountered in Zero Dawn make a return in the sequel, such as the Watcher or the Snapmaw. However, Forbidden West is also filled with unique new dangers, such as agile Clawstriders or dealy Tremortusks. Aloy encounters some of them in the gameplay trailer you can find below.
“We’re getting to explore a new area within the world of Horizon,” said Blake Politeski, Principal Machine Designer. “It was interesting to figure out what type of machines would live in different ecological zones, and how they would interact with each other, their environment, and of course humans. Machines are the so-called caretakers of this world, so how they perform their roles and what the player can do to use these behaviors to their advantage was always interesting to consider.”
Check out the lengthy blog post to see how the creative process for Zero Dawn and Forbidden West shaped and what challenges had to be overcome to make the machines work!
ABOUT HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST:
As Aloy travels to the Forbidden West, she discovers stunning valleys, deserts, and ruined cities. The landscapes may be stunning, but danger lurks in every corner. Players will discover dozens of new machines as they explore the new region. If you want to fight those new enemies effectively, each of the new machines needs to be scanned and studied.
The Forbidden West features another challenge: collapsing biosphere. As red blight infects the lands, it’s choking wildlife and starving animals and tribes. Additionally, weather spirals out of control, generating massive storms that flood canyons and fields.
- Brave an expansive open-world – Discover distant lands, new enemies, rich cultures and striking characters.
- A majestic frontier – Explore the lush forests, sunken cities and towering mountains of a far-future America.
- Confront new dangers – Engage in strategic battles against enormous machines and mounted human enemies by using weapons, gear and traps crafted from salvaged parts.
- Unravel startling mysteries – Uncover the secret behind Earth’s imminent collapse and unlock a hidden chapter in the ancient past… one that will change Aloy forever.
