TEST Horizon Call of the Mountain: or when The Climb meets Uncharted on PSVR 2

Of the three big exclusives available at the launch of the PlayStation VR 2, Horizon Call of the Mountain is the only one to be completely new since Resident Evil Village And Gran Turismo 7 have already been released in classic versions on PlayStation 5. In fact, even if the contribution of virtual reality on these last two titles will sublimate them, curiosity and the call for novelty are on Horizon Call of the Mountain which plunges us into an epic adventure taking place in the universe ofaloy and the famous robotic machines. At the helm, the studio Firespirit has he managed to offer a gaming experience faithful to the license of Guerrilla Games ? Here is our review!

For the gameplay, Firesprite played it safe by offering mechanics well known in VR, while innovating a bit for the fights.

The story immerses us in the skin of RyasA Shadow Carja clearly not appreciated by anyone when the adventure begins. Released from prison for the occasion, he will be entrusted with a mission that could allow him to benefit from a pardon and find his brother thanks to his skills as a hunter and climber. Throughout the adventure, the thread of his thoughts and encounters with non-player characters allow us to discover his story.why he is poorly regarded and how he will get out of it, or not. If all this is just a pretext to link the phases of climbing and those of combat, the dressing is really very pleasant and can be listened to with pleasure. Incidentally, even if you have never played the license games, there is no concern for understanding or immersion in this universe. The localization in French is excellent, the acting of the dubbing actors is convincing, which means that for once it is really useless to play in VOST. In short, on this part, everything is in good shape.

Horizon Call of the Mountain is a clever mix between The Climb (reference climbing game) and a kind ofUncharted. It will therefore be necessary to cross several levels by moving on foot, but especially by climbing walls, buildings or other structures. Virtual reality obliges, this is played rather standing, or even seated if you have no choice, with the super power of detection of movements of the joysticks PlayStation VR2 Sense. Indeed, if it is quite possible to move as in a FPS classic, with joysticks, this method can easily generate motion sickness (motion sickness). To avoid this, the option of moving by swinging the arms is offered, already used in several titles including Planet of The Apes, which in addition to being very fun to use and misleading for our inner ear, makes you spend a few calories. It is this option that we advise you to choose.

However, most of the time, you have to climb, climb high, even very high and there is no alternative, this is done in a natural, physical and evolutionary way. In the beginning, you have to grab a fulcrum with your hand like you would in real life, find another to progress and so on. No stress, there is no high-level challenge here, all you have to do is choose the right path, your supports and everything goes without real difficulty, even leaving time to appreciate the superb view offered during the many climbs. Some passages require jumping between two points (platforms, ropes, etc.) via a dedicated gesture, and the impression of “flight” is really nice especially since the reception is done in slow motion and gives an impression of control of its hooks very enjoyable. Sliding along a rope stretched between two points or simply hanging is just as manageable and fun while letting us think that in real life, our hands would have been burnt.

As progress progresses, we collect elements that will allow us to make accessories, such as ice axes, grappling hooks or even pliers, which will come to decorate our arsenal in order to face passages impossible to cross without them. It brings a bit of freshness to a gameplay which might otherwise seem a little too repetitive. The only small downside in the immersion is in the way of selecting its tools which imposes a support on R3then select the desired one in the wheel with the joystick and finally hold R2 for it to come into our hand. Admittedly, once done, the chosen tool is directly accessible by “taking it” over your shoulder, which makes it possible to switch from manual grips to those with a tool in a natural way, but for all that, during certain passages, it is necessary to change it several times and there, in the heat of the action, there is sometimes a little confusion in the methodbut nothing out of the ordinary.

Fighting with a bow against robotic machines in total immersion is fun!

During our journey, we will meet various and varied robotic machines which we will have to get rid of either by fighting them or by choosing to avoid them by being as stealthy as possible. The most pacifist among us will therefore hide in the grass and wait for the said critters to look elsewhere to pass. The others will attack and that’s where things get a bit tricky. The fights are done with a bow (and another weapon, but we don’t spoilers pas) and, as in the original game, there are several different arrows which are unlocked as we progress. Here, the nicest thing is that you have to make them by hand by assembling materials collected in barrels or other hiding places. To kill the machines, you have to shoot arrows aiming at weak points such as, among other things, pieces of armor or the eye. The damage varies depending on the type of arrows used and knowing how to choose the right one helps.

As for the level bosses, the fights all take place in a clear space. If the shooting mechanics remain the same, movements are limited to a circle that surrounds the square. It is therefore possible to slide to the right or left precisely, to manage to recover ammunition or fruit (life points), or more energetically to avoid an attack. This combat system may seem a little disturbing at first, but quickly becomes immersive and fun. Victory strategies, excluding nonsense as a rule, vary from one boss to another, it is quite interesting to find the flaw, to see what in the environment can be used to defeat with honor. Note, if the ammunition offered in the arenas is limited, the fruits are not and allow you to regain your strength in the event of a bad blow. In short, there is a challenge in these moments, but everything is done to make it affordable and non-punitive.

Regarding graphics, sound and immersion thanks to the VR, Horizon Call of the Mountain is a perfect illustration of what must be offered so that players can adhere to the medium. While it’s bound to look less beautiful than the original 4K HDR titles on a screen, it more than makes up for it by flattering the retina throughout the adventure with exotic environments, superb textures and a depth of field that commands respect.

Heavy in terms of graphics and immersion.

For us, this title enters the top of the most beautiful games VR to date alongside the amazing Half Life: Alyx to name only the best. It must be recognized that being able to fight with a bow against giant robotic machines in total immersion is purely and simply enjoyable. The very fact of walking in a canoe in the middle of these ugly beasts and thus apprehending their size to the point of having to really raise your head to see that of the tall-neckfor example, is an absolute pleasure. As far as audio is concerned, it’s also a party and there are good sensations thanks to the spatialization of the sound generally supported by very appropriate haptic vibrations., even if not often enough for our taste. If the vibrators of the controllers are always very well solicited, that of the helmet is much less and it’s a shame, because it really gives more impact to what is happening around us.

Note, for the record, there are plenty of objects scattered on both sides that we have not found what to do with in the story. There are thus functional musical instruments, brushes for painting on the rock, torches or even gongs. If you find them useful, let us know in the comments. Next to that, completionists will be thrilled with plenty of items to collect just to get to the famous 100%. As such, note that there are sometimes several ways to finish a level and that you will therefore have to come back to it to be able to explore everything. Finally, always with a view to finishing the game thoroughly, it will be necessary in each level to find the location of the cairn challenge and above all to have a lot of patience to manage to assemble poorly cut stones in order to form a pile high enough to reach at the marker. Take a deep breath and be zen, it’s not easy.

In the end, Horizon Call of the Mountain should welcome, without disappointing them, all those who have decided to start the experience PlayStation VR 2 with this title. It must be said that it sends heavy in terms of graphics and immersion, and that even if its gameplay may seem a little repetitive, it offers a good ten hours of change of scenery and pleasure to those who get carried away trying to finish it 100%. Well-armed against a possible problem of motion sickness thanks to numerous options and above all well-thought-out modes of movement and combat feign the inner ear by forcing the player to move his armshe could even become a good ambassador for the FPS in VR. In short, this title is essential for anyone who owns a PSVR 2.