The human inhabitants of this area find shelter in places to train, rest and equip themselves properly, settlements that are also very precious to Aloy on her journey, as well as to the tribes who find refuge there.
The “living world” of these settlements is another aspect that has been taken care of in a remarkable way by Guerrilla Games, trying to place them within an organic and sensible context: for example, the Nora live in relative isolation in the remote valley. of the Sacred Land, where it is difficult to communicate with the outside world. As a result, they have more backward technology than other tribes and do not trust foreigners.
Their settlements are built with wood and ropes, furnished just enough to provide for basic needs. The Nora forage for food and resources through hunting and gathering, which is why they surround themselves with hides, baskets or quivers full of arrows. The objects and people present in these settlements are placed realistically, and inextricably, in their context.
The chief designer of Guerrilla responsible for this particular aspect of the game, Espen Sogn, has therefore told some background on the construction of the living world of Horizon Forbidden West:
“When we explore the Forbidden West, nothing has to seem out of place. The Guerrilla Living World team takes care of the aspects of the game that make it believable and authentic: the tribes, the settlements and their inhabitants. Every element we put into the world has a very specific function.
This also includes the characteristics of each individual tribe, as confirmed by Annie Kitain, the senior screenwriter at Guerrilla:
“We wondered what their conflicts were, how they fit into the story and how they interacted with the world around them.
Let’s take the Tenakths, for example. Many of their beliefs derive from ancient ruins scattered throughout the Forbidden West, and unlike other tribes, they fall into three distinct clans. Every aspect of them, from shared history to their ideals and their disputes, contributes to defining the characters Aloy meets during the journey. “
In addition to the beauty of the natural settings and the ruins of the old world, in short, a great job has been carried out by Guerrilla to insert each character in a credible social system with respect to the narrative of the game. Within the settlements, this social system also regulates the roles, animations, movements and habits of the various characters:
By adding animations and behaviours we can further increase this sense of authenticity. When members of a tribe are in their settlement, in their safe spaces, they behave naturally. The Oseram are a sociable and historically patriarchal tribe, so their animations abound with pats on the back and informal greetings. The Utaru, on the other hand, are more composed and it is not uncommon to see them sitting together, with their typical dreamy air. During exploration, these details tell us on a subconscious level where in the world we are. “
Specifically, the PlayStation blog post introduces the Aspracatena settlement , an Oseram Frontier outpost, rich in natural resources and a major crossroads for explorers, merchants, and more. But this is just one of the many settlements that we will encounter on the journey of Horizon Forbidden West. For much more information on the game and these peculiar characteristics, we refer you to the news article on the PlayStation blog.
We also remember that Guerrilla will soon launch a podcast that will shed light on the game world, while previously always from the developers we had more information on the metal beasts that populate his world.
