Horizon Hunters Gathering: The Announcement of the Cooperative Action Game
Robot dinosaur hunters, unite
In recent years, a recurring rumor suggested that Guerrilla Games was working on a multiplayer spinoff of its famous Horizon franchise. In fact, a few months ago, something similar was announced, though developed by NCSoft. However, Guerrilla's rumored multiplayer Horizon does indeed exist: today marks the official announcement of Horizon Hunters Gathering.
What is Horizon Hunters Gathering?
Before continuing, a clarification: Guerrilla, through Jan-Bart Van Beek, specifies that they continue to love single-player titles and will continue to produce them in the future. Hunters Gathering is an action game designed for cooperative multiplayer, featuring very dynamic gameplay with tactical elements that reward player skill. The structure is based on replayable hunting expeditions, which can't help but remind us of a certain Monster Hunter.
A Different Graphic Style Than Usual
Watching the announcement trailer for Horizon Hunters Gathering, the first thing you notice is the graphic style, which significantly deviates from what we are used to seeing in the Horizon franchise. The new game's look is more colorful and has more cartoonish traits compared to the series. The reason for this artistic choice is simple: being an experience that emphasizes action and dynamism more than in the past, Guerrilla opted for a design that best conveyed these sensations.
Characters, Missions, and World
Players will be able to control one of several pre-established characters in Hunters Gathering, a cast that is destined to expand over time. Obviously, each character will have unique characteristics and strengths. At launch, the world will consist of four main hunting areas, plus a central hub, from which Hunters will depart to undertake specific missions. The trailer anticipates two main types of missions:
- Machine Incursion, where players must organize to stop a wave of enemy robots
- Cauldron Descent, a kind of dungeon with multiple floors to traverse
The Story of Hunters Gathering
Set thousands of years in the future, when human civilization has collapsed, Horizon Hunters Gathering is set in a robotic American wild west, where survivors must rely on the indispensable protection of hunters to escape the machines, which are more lethal than ever. The events will be narrated in a campaign, playable both solo and in multiplayer; the events are considered canonical to the Horizon universe, of which new aspects will be revealed.
The Hunters Gathering Playtest
If you want to try the game early, Guerrilla Games will conduct a series of closed beta tests on PS5 and PC, accessible through the Beta Program. The first test will allow players to use the three hunters Rem, Sun, and Axle, see the four main areas of the world, and try their hand at the two types of missions described above. The campaign, however, will not be available in the tests, but only at launch.
Where and When Hunters Gathering Will Be Released
The platforms for Horizon Gathering are PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. Guerrilla explains that the game is still under development: for now, there is no launch window, but don't expect it to be released soon.