Sony has released a lengthy new blog post about Horizon Forbidden West. Not only is the article a treasure trove of fresh combat details, but it also includes several new gameplay snippets that will make us eagerly await the February release date.

To be honest, while I consistently enjoyed fighting giant robot creatures in Horizon Zero Dawn, I didn't quite enjoy clearing out a bandit camp full of human enemies. Thankfully, Guerrilla's development team clearly acknowledges this problem and is actively trying to fix it in "Forbidden West."

Guerrilla community leader Bo de Vries explained that not only will there be "more human enemies," but also "new enemy classes with their own combat behaviors and capabilities." Richard Oud, director of gameplay and animation, added that the goal is to "make human combat as deep and challenging as machine combat." This sounds very promising.

The blog post also outlines that increasing the intelligence of enemy AI was a major focus for the development team. This upgrade should be felt especially when facing human enemies; in Horizon Zero Dawn, bandits would often sit back and wait to be slaughtered, unaware that their camp was under attack. now that the AI is smarter, the forbidden western world should feel more engaging and dynamic.

The PlayStation blog post also outlines how Alloy's abilities can be used in harmony to create dazzling combos, as well as the importance of sound in the combat experience in Horizon Forbidden West. But it is the mere 30-second gameplay footage that has PlayStation fans going wild.

In this very impressive video, Aloy dives underwater to avoid a leaping mechanical beast after launching a stealth attack on a smaller enemy. Later, Aloy dives underwater and encounters another robotic creature as he swims toward the ocean floor.

In Zero Dawn, Aloy could swim, but not dive underwater. The inclusion of underwater exploration and combat should take Forbidden West to a whole new level.

Since its launch, the PS5 has been criticized by some for not having enough exclusives to compete with Xbox's GamePass service; Demon's Souls, Returnal, and Ratchet & Clank were all well received: Rift Apart While well received, they lack the mass appeal of games such as "Horizon Forbidden West."

While "Horizon Forbidden West" is not a true next-gen exclusive, as it will also be available on PS4, it is clear that the best way to experience this game is on Sony's flagship console. In fact, "Horizon Forbidden West" looks so good that it may be worth looking for a PS5 restock.

We'll have to wait to get our hands on the full game to make a final judgment, but as it stands, "Horizon Forbidden West" looks to be the PS5's first truly essential game; when it launches on February 18, 2022, it will be at the top of the PS5's best games list we will be shocked if it does not rank in the top ten of the PS5's best games.