New gameplay footage of Horizon Forbidden West running on PS4 Pro doesn't reach the highs of the PS5 version, but the older hardware still manages to showcase the beautfy of Guerrilla Games' latest. The studio previously unveiled screenshots of Horizon Forbidden West's PS4 iteration and, in so doing, made it clear the gorgeous open-world would retain its luster regardless of platform.
Announced during Sony's PlayStation 5 reveal event in June 2020, Horizon Forbidden West at first seemed as though it would launch as a next-gen hardware exclusive. The publisher later cleared the air by confirming a PS4 build, which left some PS5 owners wondering whether the cross-gen nature of the title would hold back the sequel's overall potential. Game Director Mathijs de Jonge allayed such concerns last year, revealing the development crew didn't really take hardware limitations into consideration while building the adventure. Rather, the team primarily focused its efforts on crafting a unique Horizon experience for both PlayStation consoles. Fortunately, the wait for the adventure's release is nearly at an end.
Guerrilla Games' Studio Director and Executive Producer Angie Smets took to the PlayStation Blog to share new footage of Horizon Forbidden West in action on the PS4 Pro, which was later shared to YouTube by PlayStation Asia. Of course, the graphical quality does not reach the incredibly high bar set by the PS5's superior hardware, yet the last-gen gameplay is nothing short of stunning. Forbidden West's environments appear vibrant and beautifully colored, the draw distance could put some PS5 titles to shame, and the special effects warrant a round of applause all their own.
Watch the video on YouTube here.
As previously promised by developers, it seems as though Horizon Forbidden West will impress on PS4 and PS5, but, of course, the real test will come when the action-adventure title finally enters the hands of the public. It seems unlikely that PS4 users will suffer too greatly in not having the latest Sony console, as titles like The Last of Us Part 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn are still impressive-looking, even on older hardware. With the game's release right around the corner, fans don't have too long to wait until they can experience Aloy's next adventure hands-on.
Originally scheduled for a late 2021 launch, Horizon Forbidden West was postponed by several months to give developers more time to fully flesh out the eagerly-anticipated experience. The release window seems fitting, though, given that the sequel will hit store shelves just 10 days shy of Horizon Zero Dawn's five-year anniversary. Thus, Horizon fans can expect to celebrate by diving even deeper into the mysterious sci-fi world.
Horizon Forbidden West launches digitally and at retail for the PS4 and PS5 on February 18.
Source: PlayStation Blog, PlayStation Asia/YouTube