IS multiplayer time in home Sony. To prove it the imminent sequel to The Last of Us Factions and the most recent job posting from Guerrilla Games about a game multiplayer di Horizon dating back to last September. The latter resulted in a very recent leak of a 2020 build (presumed) viewable in a 12 minute video, which represents to all intents and purposes a multiplayer title under construction complete with debug functionality. To date, the project it was never presented, let alone made official, but it is quite clear how something is brewing. Having made the necessary premises and based on what has been observed, we want to launch into speculations, desires and expectations for this alleged title to come, not hiding that the potential of a similar project is undoubtedly high.
Horizon Multiplayer: What We Know
Con Horizon Zero Dawn e Horizon Forbidden West (of which you can find our review) we learned about the protagonist Aloy and her post apocalyptic world made of mechanical tribes and beastsand while waiting for a new sequel, the upcoming expansion Burning Shores and the VR chapter Call of the Mountainan alleged multiplayer sector linked to Forbidden West specifically could soon arrive on our consoles PS5. But what exactly is it about? Referring precisely to a fairly preliminary and dated build, it is complex to extrapolate a complete picture of what the project will be, given the numerous changes and adjustments that will be made in time, but we can try to understand the facets of an operation interesting and with a high playful potential.
First, it is worth noting that theaesthetics is very different from what we have been used to on PS4 and PS5. The characters we see in action in a typical Horizon scenario feature one stile “cartoon”an unedited novelty that if it were to meet the potential release might not meet the favor of all users, but it is possible to recognize the benefits of such a proposal, from attracting a wider young audience up to a less resource expenditureboth in the development phase and in terms of performance, considering that we are talking about an online multiplayer project.
As for the rest, both the third-person movements and the machines are well recognizable and the basis of the sector is clearly that of the reference game. We have no way of knowing currently direction and methods of this multiplayer experience, but we can decipher some clues. What it seems is that the Guerrilla Games project involves a strong cooperative componenta factor that leads us to imagine a structure very similar to a Monster Hunter, where players can collaborate with each other for more or less ambitious hunts starring the iconic machines of the series. From a role-playing perspective, everything is fully compatible with the spirit of the main titles, between crafting, equipment management, individual skills and character growth. We ignore whether there may be conditions for one original narrativeor if you will opt for a contextual story to the events of the two games to counteract the hunting exploits.
Definitely come back there collection of resources for survival, as we know that the environment of Horizon, outside of the settlements, is nothing short of wild, which is why the weapons, we imagine of different types, will be a crucial component in dealing with the threat of machines, and it is easy to understand that the coordination between players in open field hunts will be a predominant factor of the experience. We would tend to exclude one PVP component from the point of view of the hunt itself, but not if you want to implement an “arena” function where players can fight each other with their own arsenal for dominance. In this sense, it remains to be understood how multiple can be managed tribes with their own camps and the open world itself, assuming that you opt for this structure, but we lean towards a yes, as it is an important cornerstone aspect of the single-player experience that in multiplayer can only amaze and amuse.
Gameplay, characters and distribution model
From what little has been seen, thesettingalthough in a preliminary state, seems to be convincing and varied, especially as regards the color palette adopted, which does not distort the original product but redoes the look to welcome users who like a simpler and more light-hearted trait. Overlooking the graphic aspect of the multiplayer sector, what absolutely must not worry is the solidity of the combat systemimagining it taken entirely by seeing the movements of the characters of the build, and perhaps embellished with some improvements in terms of simplicity of execution, suggested by the interface, which however may not represent the final product.
We imagine the character growth from the gameplay point of view as if it were Aloy’s, naturally adapted to a project destined to last over timewhich must guarantee, with its structure, necessarily many more hours than its single-player counterpart, so we don’t struggle to imagine a model with microtransactions, where the project turns out to be free-to-play and standalone, which we would say probable if we were to make targeted inferences, while it would definitely be a surprise to see it as a free update to Horizon Forbidden West, which would imply exclusive access to players who own the game.
However, the style adopted strongly suggests a willingness to open up to a broad audience, the very one that perhaps appreciates titles similar to Fortnite for a number of reasons impossible to ignore in the market of game as a service, in order to bring users closer to their world made of technology and tribal customs that form a unique union. So here’s that the free, widely accessible and updated solution seems really possible, and who knows that a multi-platform launch has not been thought of that also involves the PC, naturally with active cross-play with PlayStation users. As proof of the above, a artwork leaked similar to the leak would confirm the more light-hearted and colorful direction of the multiplayer proposal, even if we reiterate that in the absence of an official confirmation everything could be reduced exclusively to a preliminary concept.
In terms of pure gameplay, we are assuming that the character can be created from scratch with the characteristics of the reference world just like in an RPG, but if instead the multiplayer project offered a choice of heroes with peculiar abilities? After all we see several cartoon characters with a reasoned design moving around the map, and it could indicate the presence of predefined playable counterparts with relatives game classes, for a system of progression in instances and with solution of continuity that encourages the organization of lobbies to the maximum. The images of the project also signal a certain differentiation of the environment in which we will be able to move in the third person, a bit like the Horizon brand blockbusters have accustomed us, another aspect about which there is little doubt.
Horizon’s multiplayer lacks an official announcement and logically a release date, but we know it exists without a doubt since the recent leak and the previous job announcement from Guerrilla Games form concrete proof of the will of the team and Sony, the which, in addition to quality single-player titles, also wants to aim for multiplayer thanks to its most popular intellectual properties. We just have to wait for the official announcement to clarify every aspect left to speculation, aware of the potential of such a maneuver. For our part, there are all the conditions for a title that will do well if published and managed properly, starting from excellent playful foundations testified by the two reference games on the market, but only time will tell us if the commitment made by the team Dutch will prove successful and convincing. For the moment, while awaiting official communications, he awaits with confidence and trepidation.
