Ready your mind and body to see the world in a new way with Horizon Call of the Mountain.
Immersion has been a highly desirable feature ever since video games were created, going back to Nintendo’s Virtual Boy. Developers have inched closer to it with what a flat screen could offer via a first-person perspective and creative visual cues to make you feel inside a game. Then virtual reality arrived. Fundamentally changing the game to transport you into the world around you in a 360 area of view, this technology has rarely been used to its fullest extent. But Horizon Call of the Mountain, the PSVR2 exclusive launched with the system, makes a strong case for it.
Set in the acclaimed PlayStation IP of Horizon, known for its graphical fidelity, action-heavy combat, and unique sci-fi take on a post-apocalyptic setting, it fits the bill perfectly for a powerful showcase of the stellar debut of Sony’s new peripheral. Horizon Call of the Mountain is currently sold as a bundle with the PSVR2 system, and it is easy to see why.
The game does an excellent job of easing you into the VR perspective, regardless of your previous knowledge. You start in a canoe, sitting down and looking at your surroundings in a jungle biome with soldiers from two other tribes. Turns out you are a prisoner and are on your way to be judged for your crimes.
It is a lot to take in for a first-time VR user, as the level of immersion shown is truly staggering. As you recover from the lifelike nature around you, like clockwork, an iconic Tallneck towering over you eclipses the sun and walks dangerously close to your little boat. For a first impression, Horizon Call of the Mountain certainly swings for the fences.
Once you get your feet back on terra firma, the true gameplay star is introduced: the climbing. The name Horizon Call of the Mountain lives up to its reputation because as you start moving, all sorts of ladders, rock formations, and decaying structures will stand in your way to move forward. For new adopters of VR, it is rather stimulating to move your arms to grab ledges to press on.
Gadgets such as the zip-line tool and pickaxe invigorate the climbing as they introduce new and somewhat more complex tools to use, and curiously enough, they all have to be crafted manually with pieces you gather along the way. Crafting is utilized in a novel manner to create the gadgets you find. Physical maneuvers with your motion controllers are needed to produce them. In the case of your ammo, like fire and precision arrows, you will also need to recreate the movement with your body.
Horizon Call of the Mountain’s combat system works as an on-rails movement where you dodge to the sides and attack the well-known robot dinosaurs of the Horizon series, such as the Watcher, Stormbird, or even the mighty Thunderjaw. To describe much of the late-game encounters in detail would be to rob of the firsthand experience of living it in your skin. Still, it can be said that for brief moments, it is possible to forget you are in your living room and truly believe you are fighting for your life in a post-apocalyptic world.
Outside of the visual splendor and vigorous gameplay, there is little story to fawn over in Horizon Call of the Mountain. Yes, it is the same world in which heroine Aloy -who makes a brief appearance- is fighting against a rogue AI, but the stakes of protagonist Ryas are much more mundane and down-to-earth. He must find his missing brother, and it is in this vehicle used as an excuse to visit some of the most pristine natural environments seen to date.
To take advantage of every set piece you go through, Horizon Call of the Mountain keeps its surprises well hidden to keep you on your toes throughout your playthrough. Just when you start to feel comfortable with the gameplay loop, it throws you a scripted scene that might even make you scream if you are not used to this level of immersion. That, alongside the different gadgets available, makes for an enjoyable 6-8 hour adventure.
Accessibility features such as auto crafting, increased damage to enemies, reducing to the player, and making it impossible to fall while climbing are some options available. There is also the well-known feature in VR setups to sway the camera in 30-degree set angles to reduce motion sickness, an option that, for beginners, is arguably a must-have.
Something that cannot be helped with accessibility features is the fear of heights. As you climb an ever-higher mountain in Horizon Call of the Mountain, it is nearly impossible not to look down. While some people might be built out of stronger material, some others might be dizzy at the prospect of looking down at such a high altitude, even in a digital way.
Cairns, the piles of rocks to represent a marker, are also present as a side activity. Although an entirely optional pastime, it can become a cathartic experience and a respite from killer dinosaurs and legendary climbs. With the right amount of persistence and patience, that feeling of success when you stack them in the right way is unmatchable.
Taken from the Horizon Call of the Mountain’s first moments but in an extended sequence and with more content added, you can go on a canoe ride called the Machine Safari. True to its name, there is not much for you to do but sit in awe as these incredibly detailed robot dinosaurs roam the lands of Horizon.
Working as a park ride, you see the many wonders of this universe, and even some machines clash in thrilling combat. At the same time, it does not offer anything in terms of gameplay; the spectacle that is shown more than makes up for it and works as a showcase for each machine’s design and abilities.
Outside of the main quest, there are several gameplay avenues to explore once done with it. There is a training area for getting used to your bow and arrow gameplay or flexing your mastery in a series of challenges against groups of machines. All sorts of collectibles, armor upgrades, and hidden targets known as warning beacons are scattered on each level for your keen eye to find.
It is important to remember the universe of Horizon already has two full-fledged mainline releases, Zero Dawn and Forbidden West, developed by Guerrilla. As Firesprite developed Horizon Call of the Mountain, it is commendable how precisely they recreated this world for VR.
Every intricate dinosaur design, the outfits of each tribe, and even little details about the overarching lore of the series are all so true to their roots that it’s hard to believe it was made by another developer.
All adulation aside, some people might take issue with certain design decisions about how this game turned out to be. The mainline games in the series are open-world affairs, and Horizon Call of the Mountain is very much a level-based mission structure with scripted combat sequences and limited movement. While this does perfectly fine and is a great showcase for what VR can achieve, it is certainly a different take on what the series is known for. And then there’s the climbing.
Part of what a reasonable buyer would be intrigued to buy a VR system is to immerse themselves fully into what the games ask of them. This would naturally involve a more active, physical role, moving your arms and legs around to a degree to emulate the sensation of hiking.
For someone who has never gotten used to that feeling of excitement of climbing endless mountains, jumping and sliding across ropes, it can be a source of joy for all the credits, but for other players, it can drag on as there is undoubtedly a sizable amount of rock walls to climb.
Among the current offerings on the VR market, Horizon Call of the Mountain stands out as a PSVR2 exclusive because of its unique use of all the PlayStation ecosystem represents. A faithful representation of arguably one of its biggest IPs, standout use of its flagship Adaptive Triggers and Haptic Feedback, and a heightened cinematic feeling throughout Ryas’ journey. If there ever was a system seller for an unproven technology, this is it.
