While you might think the appeal of Horizon: Call of the Mountain might be in getting to immerse yourself in a fantastical world full of towering robot dinosaurs through PSVR 2, players are really latching onto little things like touching ferns or holding sticks.
Just take a look at the clips early players are posting to social media. You won't see big, spoiler-filled videos of the scripted story encounters and set pieces - instead, everyone is eager to share how they're playing around with small details in the environment. You can toss plates around, pick up torches and hold them to campfires to light them, or dip your finger in paint and use it to write messages on rock walls.
Horizon: Call of the Mountain is... kinda amazing?The amount of tiny interactions that most players will probably miss is plentiful. These are the things that actually make me feel more inside the world they artistically crafted pic.twitter.com/iUgv6MrMA4February 22, 2023
سحبت على القصة و ركزت بالفيزياء 🤣#HorizonCallOfTheMountain #PSVR2 pic.twitter.com/5MtDy8vVItFebruary 17, 2023
one of the best things in Horizon Call of the Mountain is that I picked up two random sticks, threw it in the air and caught them both. The game is super responsive. It is DEFINITELY a PSVR2 SELLER. 100%It's a good workout tooFebruary 23, 2023
None of these things are new for VR games, of course. In fact, many of these clips are taken from an opening area that serves up a ton of objects to play with, and you see similar sorts of introductory VR physics playgrounds in games like Half-Life Alyx. Call of the Mountain does stand apart with its visual fidelity and attention to detail, however. For example, just look at how you can stick your hand in the water and watch the ripples form.
Subtle interactions > spectacle #PSVR2 pic.twitter.com/WVz3WhRrQSFebruary 23, 2023
For me, I just want to play with the instruments. Who needs a new Samba de Amigo when you've got VR Horizon maracas?
"So how's Call of the Mountain going-" pic.twitter.com/2dGGsdjImhFebruary 22, 2023
Interacting with the environment in Horizon Call of the Mountain 😮💨 #PSVR2 pic.twitter.com/ocFDYAM9kNFebruary 23, 2023
In our Horizon: Call of the Mountain review, we call it a "a stunning game that really brings the Horizon world truly to life in a way I didn't really imagine was possible." It's the little things that really help to sell the reality of that world.
Speaking of little things, have you seen Aloy in Call of the Mountain? I had no idea our hero was so… fun-sized.
