Horizon: Western Forbidden Territories Optimization Details: CG and side quests improved

After introducing horizon: Forbidden Lands gameplay and skills, Game Informer took stock of eight optimizations for the sequel. These optimizations include the use of full motion capture and better facial animation, plus the ability to optimize CG with the "top celebrities" claimed by showrunner Benjamin McCaw. Benjamin McCaw said: "This quality is found throughout the game, even in some subtle scenes. "Players can see in the game that the dialogue between Elloy and the other characters is more natural and the body language is richer.

The more "livable" settlements in the game are also key, and many tribes can be seen in the recent trailer. McCaw said: "We optimized the population system of the previous game, improved the animation and sound effects, and upgraded the residents and settlements in the game. Players can experience a sense of realism and life from the game. ”

In terms of gameplay, the HUD has become a bit cleaner. The minimalist mode in the game, as described by game director Mathijs de Jonge, displays "as little HUD information as possible." But in this mode, players can swipe the touchpad directly, so that important information you want to see is immediately displayed on the screen, such as mission objectives, health bars, and item slots."

Guerrilla Games offers more rewarding side quests (and more interesting). De Jonge said: "The side quests in the game are more diverse, and the player can get some great things and a greater sense of accomplishment after completing these tasks. This is also where we think there is room for optimization. Players get excellent weapons or equipment that can help with subsequent missions and activities. ”

Another convenience optimization, like Monster Hunter, is that missions can be set according to different upgrade routes. Players only need to enter the crafting menu to create a corresponding mission to find the location of the machine with the parts you want. Manufacturing systems no longer rely too much on metal fragments and instead place more emphasis on the need for specific parts. "In this game, we wanted to make the battle mechanics part more integrated into the gameplay, so a lot of upgrades required special mechanical resources. Players must go out hunting specific mechanical enemies. ”

Players who like the characters of the first game will find that the game's role in Elloy's companions is aggravated a bit. These include roles for main quests and roles for specific side quests (McCaw says these roles are not "just tool people for a task").

Horizon: Western Forbidden Lands will be released on February 18 and will be available on the PS4 and PS5 platforms.