How ‘Horizon Call of the Mountain’ leverages PS VR2 to deliver next-gen virtual reality

Developed by Guerrilla and Firesprite, Horizon Call of the Mountain is the next installment in the critically-praised and beloved Horizon franchise. It is one of PlayStation®VR2’s marquee launch titles. In the game, you play as disgraced soldier Ryas seeking redemption in a standalone title set during the events of Horizon Zero Dawn. Developed using Unreal Engine, Horizon Call of the Mountain offers gorgeous visuals and vibrant colors that take advantage of PS VR2’s next-generation virtual reality platform.

To learn more about the development of the game, we interviewed Guerrilla Studio and Art Director Jan-Bart van Beek, who talks about some of the goals coming into the game’s development, how the team iterated on Horizon Call of the Mountain’s gameplay loop, how they approached combat design, and more.

For the uninitiated, what is Horizon Call of the Mountain about?

Guerrilla Studio and Art Director Jan-Bart van Beek: Horizon Call of the Mountain is a PlayStation VR2 game developed by Guerrilla and Firesprite. It tells the story of Ryas, a disgraced former Carja Soldier. Players see the world through his eyes while he seeks redemption for his past actions.

Where does Horizon Call of the Mountain fit within the previous two games in the series?

JB: Horizon Call of the Mountain takes place between two missions in Horizon Zero Dawn, although it is not necessary to have played Horizon Zero Dawn to understand Horizon Call of the Mountain. We are excited to see if our players can pinpoint what missions these are!

With Horizon Call of the Mountain being the first VR entry in the esteemed franchise, can you talk about some of the goals you had coming into the project? What advantages does VR bring to the world of Horizon?

JB: This is a unique, new Horizon experience, one that has been built from the ground up for PlayStation’s next-gen VR hardware. The world around you feels alive and immersive, from the rumbling of a huge machine stepping over you to the tension of pulling a bowstring. VR truly offers players that authentic experience of being in charge and experiencing the game world on a whole other level, and we put great care into every detail to make sure that this is how it comes across.

Exploring the world in first-person is a spectacle. The team really made the world feel majestic, with potential danger lurking around each corner. Taking on the ferocious machines will have players calling on every skill they’ve learned throughout their playthrough! We look forward to seeing how our community faces the challenges of the wilds.