The PSVR 2's eye-tracking is Lit. Take Horizon Call of the Mountain moments to next level.

September 14, 2022 By Prelo Con

(Image Credit Google)

I am drifting down a river in a lush virtual world. I am aware that I am in a land of amazing mechanical creatures. But, a small moment in my consciousness transfixes: My captor is making eye contact. [caption id="attachment_39729" align="alignnone" width="1200"]

Horizon Call of the Mountain-gadgetany[/caption] I'm not referring to looking in my direction but rather looking into my eyes. The characters of Horizon Call of the Mountain are able to see exactly where they need to be looking thanks to the eye-tracking system in the HTML5's HTMLVR 2. They look at me when I am in handcuffs, and they also look at each other when I speak. They are so small, yet they keep me grounded in the world. Jan Bart van Beek, Guerrilla Games' director of studios, tells me that "we put a lot psychology into how it feels for another character to be watched because it's intense." It can get creepy if characters stare at you for too long. They will "switch between looking into your eyes and looking at your hands when they move your hands." If you stare at them for too long, they will "glance away", as if you have made them uncomfortable. After my guards release me, I can trail my hand in water and hear the sound of the broken surface. The controller gives me a feeling of drag on my hand, and I feel a slight buzz. Van Beek states, "The physicality of the headset changes everything." "The headset immersion and the haptics provide an additional sensory boost." This imitation of reality makes the things I see in boats so much more real. It's vital for me to start seeing things I have never seen before. I can hear Horizon's wildlife as the canoe moves downstream, passing waterfalls and banks that are bursting with tropical green leaves. In a flash, a group of one-eyed watchers emerges from the bushes. [caption id="attachment_39731" align="alignnone" width="1920"]

Horizon Call of the Mountain-gadgetany[/caption]

They are amazing up close. They look amazing up close, despite having seen them hundreds of times in previous Horizon games. Playing with the PSVR 2 eliminates the distance caused by the third-person view in Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West. They are also larger than any time I have seen them before. They are six feet tall, and twice as long as a car. I feel vulnerable and small when I have to confront these robot dinosaurs, which are the smallest and weakest in Horizon's ecosystem. My PSVR 2 headset begins to shake and I feel this new sense of scale. Horizon's tallneck, a multistory building-sized machine that measures over ten stories high, moves slowly through the valley. Its massive feet land right next to me and I feel haptic shakings through the headsets and controllers in both my hands. As if I was a mouse looking at the beautiful machine in the kitchen, I felt like I was staring up at it, wondering if they have been seen, or if I should just stay put. Guerrilla's team was equally surprised when they began playing Call of the Mountain. Van Beek states, "You can get an idea of the size of the machines." It's totally different when you see them from a first-person view. Mathijs de Jonge was the game director for Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. He said, "I didn't know we were making these things so large." '" My demo features a Thunderjaw, the T.Rex of Horizon. This sense of scale is terrifying. It's one thing to confront a mechanical monster in third person, even if there are only a few feet between you, but it's quite another to do so in a headset that surrounds you with more game world. You feel its footsteps in your hands and your head and their attacks shake and jar everything around you. It is a sensory wave that shakes and buffets you throughout your fight. As I dodge between laser blasts and avoid incoming rockets, I must keep my cool. I also have to draw arrows from the quiver, aim at weak spots and try to eliminate chunks of the beast’s armor. To increase the damage to the weak spot, I must carefully aim my shots when a metal sheet falls off its flank. My fingers vibrate more when there is more tension in the string. This is another subtle touch that elevates the reality of the world. My arrow hits its mark and the thunderjaw falls to the ground with a loud screeching sound. I feel the impact on my head, hands and body, but it's almost like it's all around me. Since the Oculus Rift's release, I have played many VR games. Sensory immersion is one of its immediate effects. Firesprite and Guerrilla have created a refined experience of this sensation with the PSVR 2's feedback system. It is a worthy one. I cannot wait to explore more of Call of the Mountain's universe, view more of the machines of the game from this more vulnerable location, and visit the villages and towns of Horizon. Meet the cultures and tribes of this prehistoric sci fi universe. Sony needs only to announce a release date.

By Prelo Con

Following my passion by reviewing latest tech. Just love it.

The PSVR 2's eye-tracking is Lit. Take Horizon Call of the Mountain moments to next level.

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