Currently, we’re less than 23 days away from Guerrilla releasing the Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff game. It’s titled Horizon: Call of the Mountain and follows the story of a rebel named Ryas. In the game, Ryas previously worked for the Shadow Carja but later left this group. As punishment for his crimes, Ryas has to investigate a potential new threat to the Sundom. Since it’s a spinoff, you can expect plenty of new and familiar faces, including Aloy from the other entries in the Horizon series. Now, Guerrilla has revealed some new information about the game’s story, including the overarching theme.
Guerrilla will release the title on February 22nd, 2023, as a launch title for the PlayStation VR2 headset, which is part of the PlayStation 5. To help promote this new game, Guerrilla published a blog post on the official PlayStation Blog, which revealed some new details about the characters and story in the game. We already know that Ryas is the main character in this Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff game. However, the blog post revealed that he’s become an outcast and is looking for redemption for his actions. Here’s what the narrative director for the game, Ben McGraw, said:
“Ryas ended up on the wrong side for the right reasons. His family was torn apart, and ultimately, he was incarcerated. This is the story of how he tries to come back from that.”
Joining him, we have Hami, who plays the role of Ryas’s companion. However, don’t expect the pair of them to get along well. In fact, Hami loathes Ryas for his participation in the Shadow Carja. Previously, this group committed various crimes and destroyed many lives. So, it’s no surprise that Hami doesn’t like Ryas in the Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff!
Horizon Zero Dawn Spinoff Characters
Image: PlayStation Store/Guerrilla
Even so, we know that the pair go on a journey together in the Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff game. It’s unclear where this journey takes them, but the game’s focus is redemption.
In addition, Ben McGraw revealed some information about how they came up with Ryas’s character:
“We took the Horizon experience and built it from the ground up for VR. And for this, we felt we needed a new protagonist. As a master climber, hunter, and explorer, Ryas offers the perfect viewpoint of the sweeping vistas and dangerous wilds of Horizon.”
However, there’s one notable character missing from the blog post – Aloy. Previously, the Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff developers revealed that Aloy would appear in the game. It’s likely that this will only be in a supporting role, but it’s unclear how she will return. Perhaps they’re trying to keep her inclusion and role in the show a surprise.
Currently, several reviewers have given Horizon: Call of the Mountain positive reviews. Many have praised how immersive the title is and how it makes people feel part of the game’s world.
PSVR2 Games
Image: PlayStation Store/Guerrilla
As previously mentioned, the Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff is one of the PSVR2’s launch titles that utilize the PlayStation 5. Some of the other titles include Resident Evil Village, Demeo, Gran Turismo 7, and Beat Saber. Additionally, there’s also The Walking Dead: Sants & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution, Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, and No Man’s Sky.
Additionally, other reviewers praised the new virtual reality headset. They emphasized the Sense controllers, with many reviewers giving these gadgets critical acclaim. However, the new system isn’t without its flaw. Most notably, many reviewers criticized the PSV2’s lack of backward compatibility and its high price point. Currently, it’s priced at $599.99 in America, £529.99 in the UK, or $879.95 in Australia. Similarly, you can pick up the Horizon Zero Dawn spinoff game for $59.99 in America, £59.99 in the UK, or $109.95 in Australia.