Ryas is the character you will play, as you experience a new story in the world of Horizon.
The Carja Sundom is still reeling from the bloody Red Raids, a brutal campaign of attacks and ritual sacrifice inflicted by the Carja on their neighboring tribes. These raids, which devastated countless lives, were ended when the Mad Sun-King Jiran was overthrown by his son Avad.
The aftershocks of Jiran’s rule splintered the Carja tribe, with those grateful for an end to his rule remaining in the Sundom, and soldiers loyal to the slain leader forcing their way into the citadel at Sunfall, reforming as the Carja in Shadow.
The protagonist of Horizon Call of the Mountain, Ryas, was one such soldier. Having played a key role in the abduction of young Prince Itamen from his home in Meridian, Ryas seeks to atone and regain his honor.
After allowing himself to be captured and imprisoned by the Carja, Ryas was spared execution. Now, he has been recruited by Sun-King Avad and Blameless Marad. A master climber, archer, and hunter, Ryas must earn his freedom in exchange for investigating a new threat. Guerrilla’s Studio Narrative Director, Ben McCaw, offered us further insight: “Ryas ended up on the wrong side for the right reasons. His family was torn apart, and ultimately, he was incarcerated. This is the story of how he tries to come back from that.”
Ryas has a dangerous adventure ahead of him, and while he may be the only one who can do the job, he won’t do it alone. Along the way, players will meet new characters and be reunited with familiar ones, though his past has affected these relationships, explains Ben. “Having fought for the Shadow Carja, Ryas’ relationship with these characters is at best adversarial. He needs to make inroads and amends if he hopes to be accepted.”
Take Hami, for example, a stalwart soldier for the Carja Sundom who was spared the horrors of the Red Raids thanks to her posting as a Border Guard. Even she is unable to forgive or forget the atrocities caused by the Shadow Carja, having lost many friends and comrades to the conflict. Known for her sharp wits and quick temper, Hami resents the task of escorting Ryas. Her hatred for what Ryas represents is just one of the challenges he will face.
With Horizon Call of the Mountain, players will be able to experience the world of Horizon from a new perspective, through both Ryas as a compelling new protagonist and the PlayStation VR2 headset. With haptic feedback, intelligent eye tracking, and an ultra-wide field of view, the player becomes incredibly immersed, and Call of the Mountain puts them right at the most thrilling peaks of the Sundom and beyond.
Says Ben McCaw, “We took the Horizon experience and built it from the ground up for virtual reality. And for this, we felt we needed a new protagonist. As a master climber, hunter, and explorer, Ryas offers the perfect viewpoint of the sweeping vistas and dangerous wilds of Horizon.”
Horizon Call of the Mountain is due out for PlayStation VR2 on February 22.
