A new post on the PlayStation Blog details Aloy’s new abilities in Horizon Forbidden West, which will see our heroine be given more freedom and choice on how to approach exploration and battles in the world.

Aloy will have more tools at her disposal, making her more mobile than ever before, and Guerrilla Games are simply improving on the strong foundations from the first game.

Free climbing will be a more crucial aspect of Horizon Forbidden West, making it so that Aloy can easily traverse surfaces even in the absence of footholds. Aloy can also vault herself from walls and surfaces, which will allow for more potential for exploration.

Tools will also play a big part in Horizon Forbidden West, and Aloy is outfitted with a Pullcaster that can both serve as a grapple and a winch, which allows for both traversal and object manipulation.

The Shieldwing will also allow Aloy to glide through vast spaces safely.

Combat will also be given an upgrade, where Aloy can upgrade her weapons and outfits, unlocking new perks, mod slots, and skills through workbenches.

The Valor Surge will also be an integral part of Aloy’s arsenal, and there will be 12 in total, with each representing a specific approach.

We put a lot of effort into creating more choice and depth for the players, and are super excited to see how people will play as Aloy with so many new possibilities of skills, weapons and gear she can obtain throughout the mysterious Forbidden West. We had a lot of fun creating cool and powerful combinations for players to discover, and we hope people will enjoy the game when it launches!

Dennis Zopfi – Guerrilla’s Lead Combat Designer

Horizon Forbidden West is set to launch for the PS4 and PS5 on February 18, 2022.