Over the past few months, we’ve shared previews of Horizon Call of the Mountain, an upcoming PlayStation VR2 adventure launching February 22. Today we wanted to spend some time getting to know Ryas, the character you will play as you experience a new story in the world of Horizon.
Carja Sundom is still reeling from the bloody Red Raids, a brutal campaign of attacks and ritual sacrifices inflicted by the Carja on their neighboring tribes. These raids, which devastated countless lives, ended when the mad Sun King Jiran was overthrown by his son Avad.
Aftershocks of Jiran’s rule have shattered the Carja tribe, with those grateful for the end of his rule remaining in Sundom, and soldiers loyal to the slain leader forcing their way into Sunfall Citadel, reforming as Carja in Shadow. .
Horizon Call of the Mountain’s protagonist, Ryas, was one such soldier. Having played a key role in the kidnapping 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 gave us some additional insight: “Ryas ended up on the wrong side for the right reasons. His family was torn apart and eventually he was incarcerated. This is the story of how he tries to get over it.
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 reunite with familiar ones, though his past has affected those relationships, Ben explains. “Having fought for the Shadow Carja, Ryas’ relationship with these characters is adversarial at best. He must break through and mend his ways if he hopes to be accepted.
Take Hami, for example, a loyal Carja Sundom soldier who was spared the horrors of the Red Raids thanks to his assignment 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 in the conflict. Known for her quick wit and quick temper, Hami dislikes the task of escorting Ryas. His hatred for what Ryas stands for 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 PS 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 places them directly on the most exciting peaks of Sundom and beyond.
According to Ben McCaw, “We took the Horizon experience and designed it entirely for virtual reality. And for that, we felt we needed a new protagonist. As a master climber, hunter, and explorer, Ryas provides the perfect vantage point for the sweeping vistas and dangerous wilderness of Horizon.
For more information on Horizon Call of the Mountain, please visit here.