The eagerly-anticipated Horizon Forbidden West will boast two different graphics mode – a Performance Mode favoring 60fps and a Quality Mode for those who prefer 4K visuals. Sony and developer Guerrilla Games finally showcased the sequel’s gameplay during a Forbidden West-centric State of Play in late May.
Most notably, the broadcast boasted approximately 15 minutes of footage, offering fans a first look at the lush open-world environments, combat, stealth, and Aloy’s newest gadgets. One piece of equipment that stood out in particular was the paraglider, a device the hero will use whenever descending from great heights. This should pair nicely with the franchise’s all-new free-climbing mechanics, which Game Director Mathijs de Jonge teased during a recent interview with Game Informer. The developer unleashed a slew of other details as well, sharing insight about the workbench Aloy will be able to access in settlements. De Jonge’s latest round of interviews has a few other interesting tidbits hidden within them, too.
Following Forbidden West’s gameplay reveal, fans were curious as to whether or not the sequel would feature 60fps capabilities. De Jonge confirmed as much and more while speaking with French YouTuber Julien Chieze (via ResetEra). The Game Director told Chieze players will have the option to run Forbidden West in two separate modes. Quality Mode targets 4K visuals at 30fps, the developer divulged. Meanwhile, the Performance Mode emphasizes 60fps gameplay, which should prove particularly beneficial in terms of the fast-paced combat and traversal.
Interestingly, de Jonge doesn’t appear to mention what resolution the 60fps mode will include. For instance, the Performance Mode for Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales runs in dynamic 4K at 60fps. Control: Ultimate Edition’s Performance Mode on PS5, however, aims for 60 frames per second at a resolution of 1440p. It’s hard to say for sure where Guerrilla Games may land on this front.
Of course, fans remain most curious about Forbidden West’s relatively imminent release. While the sci-fi adventure remains on track for a late 2021 release, Guerrilla Games and Sony have yet to offer details about a firm due date. Based on what the studio previously previously informed fans, launch-related information should surface sometime in the near future.
Horizon Forbidden West is expected to launched on an unspecified date later this year for PS4 and PS5.
