Horizon Call of the Mountain is an action adventure game developed by Guerilla Games and Firesprite. The game serves as a spin-off to the Horizon series and will be available on the PlayStation VR2 as part of the virtual reality headset’s launch title.

The Story That Calls the Mountain

In Horizon Call of the Mountain, the protagonist this time around isn’t Aloy but rather a soldier named Ryas. He comes from the Carjan Tribe and is a soldier who had remained loyal with the Mad Sun-King Jiran after Avad overthrew him.

Ryas had played a key role in the abduction of young Prince Itamen from his home in Meridian and is now on the path seeking atonement. He allowed himself to be captured and executed however Sun-King Avad and Blameless Marad spared him in exchange of sending him to investigate a new threat. 

Throughout the game, you’ll be able to encounter both new and familiar faces and this includes Aloy. However, Aloy don’t stick around for too much since this is not her story but rather Ryas.

Be as it may, the narrative for Call of the Mountain is on a smaller scale but nonetheless it was still enjoyable. Moreso that it brought more depth to the setting of the Horizon series. You get to experience the world filled of giant machines from a different perspective and I personally enjoy the novelty of it.

The Gameplay on the Horizon

Like past Horizon games, Call of the Mountain has a lot of climbing. And I mean, a lot. The way you climb in this game is by holding out your hand with the PSVR2 controller to reach and grab onto a higher platform. There’s a subtle and clear signs for which platform you should aim for so you won’t need to worry about any needless climbing.

It’s hard to get used to it at first but pass that, it’s a pretty enjoyable experience. It truly felt like I was exploring the world of Horizon myself. Having to physically imitate the climbing action throughout the game was certainly a way to burn down those calories.

We’re also introduced to a pickaxe later on to help up walls and honestly, I understood why this was an actual climbing technique after trying it out myself. In game, of course.

Walking in this game is pretty simple. Just swing your arm like you do when you walk while pressing the buttons on the controller and you’ll be moving towards the direction your facing. It feels all too natural  and immersive that I sometimes find myself walking in real life and kissing the wall face first. They also provide the option to just use the thumbstick to move but where’s the fun in that.

If you are familiar with the Horizon games, you should know that the game is packed with life. From the plants to the waters, they are all interactable in the game. It didn’t stop there, as even the objects you can find in the game are the same. You can look inside crates, pick up pots and yeet them across, the list just goes on. I am guilty of spending quite an amount of time gushing over this feature.

The Battles of the Horizon

Like Aloy, Ryas’s main weapon is the Bow and much like how it plays out with the movement of the game, you will also need to replicate the movements in archery to use the bow. You draw the bow, load in your arrow, pull the string and release it to let the arrow fly. With the haptic feedback from the PSVR2, I can feel the sensation of the bowstring tightening when I pull it and that is just downright awesome.

The machines aren’t just gonna stand there menacingly taking your arrows though, they’ll jump at you with the intention to kill. They’re not as agile as they were in the previous games, but a threat is a threat.

This is where the dodging mechanic comes in. No, you do not need to cartwheel from the enemy. All you need to do is strafe past the enemies by swinging your arms left or right while pressing the buttons on the controllers.

It isn’t much but it’s a far better and less strenuous action compared to Aloy’s summersault. In fact, strafing the enemy left and right while taunting them is pretty addicting. You can also aim for their weakness to lop off their plates and still strafe around them out of spite.

Speaking of the enemies, the devs did an amazing job bringing in tons of different enemy types into the VR game. From the Watchers to the humongous Thunderjaw and even the docile Tallneck. They even got Stormbird in the game and even in VR, that machine is still the bane of my existence. You would think a huge flying bird would be easy to hit with a bow and arrows.

Crafting is present in Call of the Mountain albeit limited. There are still different types of arrows that you can craft so you adapt to the situation at hand like Shock Arrows to stun enemies. Unfortunately, there is no spears so you’ll need to rely on your trusty bow to fight. They’ve also forego healing herbs and instead, the apples you can pick up around the game are what you’ll be using to keep your HP up.

The Beauty of the World of Machines

Immediately at the start of the game, I fell in love with the game’s visual as I fully immerse myself in it. As I rode the boat and witnessing the world of Horizon with my very eyes, I couldn’t help but just be at awe. From the lush green forest, the serene waters and to just the overall atmosphere, it’s simply beautiful.

Enter the machines and my amazement quadrupled. Seeing the Grazers on the riverbank as they bask in the sun is simply amazing. Even those wretched Stormbird looks great as they soar above the skies. It makes me want to shoot them down even more but its still beautiful nonetheless.

Just from afar, you can already tell that these machines are gigantic in scale but it was only after get to look at a Tallneck up close will you truly understand just how ginormous they really are.

Horizon Call of the Mountain’s visuals are far above anything I’ve seen on any previous PSVR games. In fact, it almost looks as beautiful as Forbidden West. Yes, it is by the same developers but the fact that they can translate it into the VR game just as well is just absolutely amazing.

The headset feedback from the PSVR2 is superb. The mild vibration that they gave you as the machines approach you, or just having them walk near you shoots up my adrenaline to the roof. It was so immersive that it actually made me feel that there really was a machine in my room.

The Mountain’s Verdict

Horizon Call of the Mountain is definitely a must have if you’re planning on getting a PSVR2. Not only is it visually impressive, the gameplay is also both fun and very addicting. From just walking around to climbing the ledges in this world, I never tire of it. Well not physically speaking that is.

Even the combat is extremely fun and I just like how you can toy with the enemy’s trajectory with all the strafing we can do. I had a lot of fun and honestly, I do not mind working out a sweat if it means I can continue to play this game longer.

To reiterate it again, this game is a must have, especially if you are fan of the Horizon series since it pushes every sense of immersion you had with it to the max in this VR game. Even if you haven’t played any of the main games, Call of the Mountain would still be an extremely enjoyable game for you to play.

Horizon: Call of the Mountain is played on the PlayStation VR 2