Horizon Call of the Mountaindiffers from the mainstreamHorizongames in many ways. Most noticeably, it is a PS VR2 exclusive title, allowing for some unique and exciting gameplay. It is also thefirstHorizongame to not feature Aloy as the protagonist. Instead, gamers play as Ryas, who is seeking a pardon for his crimes. Although Aloy isn’t the star of this adventure, she does make a surprise appearance. Her arrival is useful because she helps players find their feet before they start the main leg of their quest.
Aloy doesn’t stick around for long, and she merely shows players where to go to continue their journey. Nevertheless, seeing her is a big treat. For the first time, players get to see how short Aloy really is, and she reacts to players if they attempt to touch her. Though Aloy’s fierce personality doesn’t drive the story forward,Horizon Call of the Mountainmanages to be a compelling game filled with action-packed set pieces and unexpected narrative twists.
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Aloy in Horizon Call of the Mountain
Call of the Mountaintakes place betweenHorizon Zero DawnandHorizon Forbidden West.It centers onRyas the former Shadow Carja warrior. As players learn inHorizon Zero Dawn, the Shadow Carja are a break-off cult that formed when a few Carja did not wish to be ruled by Avad once he took over the Sundom following the Liberation of Meridian. The Shadow Carja partake in the Battle of the Alight which almost brings down the Sundom and reignite the Faro Plague. Fortunately, Aloy puts a stop to it and defeat the Shadow Carja and HELIOS.
At some point, Ryas is captured alive and imprisoned by the Carja. Although he is due to be executed, he isspared by the Sun-King Avad. Marad offers him a pardon and freedom if he can explore a mountain that machines strangely attracted to. Before Ryas can set off on his perilous quest, Aloy shows up to steer Ryas in the right direction. Her cameo is very brief, though it is very exciting to see her. As many players have noted, it is a shock to see how short she is, as VR allows gamers to better grasp the scale of things. Although it would have been nice to see more of Aloy, it was likely for the best that she did not appear for too long, as it would have drawn attention away from Ryas who is the real star of the story.
The Horizon Franchise Without Aloy
Call of the Mountainis the franchise’s attempt without Aloy at the helm, and it manages to succeed brilliantly. While Aloy excels as a machine fighter, Ryas is more of a climber, with the skills to scale any mountain and leap from any height. Ryas definitely lacks some of the positive traits thatmake Aloy a great heroine, including her hopefulness and tenacity, but Ryas' story is still one worth following to the end, as he has a genuine urge to atone for his past wrongdoings.
FollowingCall of the Mountain’s framework,futureHorizonspin-offscould also explore the stories of other characters. Figures like Talanah and Varl have rich backstories that could be further expanded upon while giving players the chance to seeHorizon’s world from a new perspective and with new skills. Even though such games would focus on different characters, there would always be space for a special Aloy appearance.
Horizon Call of the Mountainis available on PS VR2.
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