‘Horizon Forbidden West’ blog details sequel’s world design

A new dev blog reveals the world design of Horizon Forbidden West and how tribes and landscapes come together.

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A post on PlayStation.blog goes in-depth with Guerilla Games on how they are bringing Horizon Forbidden West’s new landscape to life, beginning by discussing the tribes that populate the world of the game.

“At the start of a project, we put a lot of thought into every tribe we’re going to encounter,” says senior writer Annie Kitain. “What their conflicts are, how they fit into the story, and how they interact with the world around them.”

“Take the Tenakth, for instance,” Kitain adds. “Many of their beliefs are influenced by the ancient ruins of the Forbidden West, and unlike other tribes, they’re comprised of three distinct clans. Their shared history, convictions, disputes – all of that is important to developing the characters that Aloy will meet on her journey.”

One of the first locations players will visit in Horizon Forbidden West is Chainscrape. This settlement belongs to the Oseram tribe and features large circular metal buildings. Lead living world designer Espen Sogn says, “With so much activity, so many visual cues, Chainscrape was a place where we could demonstrate many new systems and animations that make the world and its people feel much more alive. In Horizon Zero Dawn, there were a lot of assets and things in the background. In Horizon Forbidden West, they’re not just textures: they’ve been elevated into actual objects that are being used by people in-game.’

Sogn continues, “Where you previously saw a person standing in front of a forge, they will now actively engage with what’s around them: moving materials, leaning on walls, drinking from cups, talking to friends, and just living their daily lives. They move and exist with purpose.”

Horizon Forbidden West is currently in development for PS4 and PS5, and is set for release on 18 February 2022.

In other news, Square Enix is releasing a jazz album inspired by classic JRPG Chrono Trigger.

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