Horizon Forbidden West: How PS5’s SSD Enables Virtually No Loading Screens
Horizon Forbidden West is one of the most anticipated games of 2022. The sequel to the critically acclaimed Horizon Zero Dawn promises to deliver an epic adventure in a stunning open world full of mysteries and dangers. But what makes this game even more impressive is how it takes advantage of the PlayStation 5’s SSD to offer virtually no loading screens throughout the entire experience. In this article, we will explain what Horizon Forbidden West is about, how PS5’s SSD works, how Horizon Forbidden West uses it to eliminate loading screens, what are the benefits of having virtually no loading screens in the game, and how to pre-order Horizon Forbidden West for PS4 and PS5.
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What is Horizon Forbidden West?
Horizon Forbidden West is an action role-playing game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It is a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn, which was released in 2017 for PlayStation 4. The game follows Aloy, a young hunter who lives in a post-apocalyptic world where machines have taken over and humans are reduced to primitive tribes. Aloy has a special connection to the machines and can use their parts to craft weapons and gadgets. She also has access to an ancient device called a Focus that allows her to scan the environment and uncover secrets.
In Horizon Forbidden West, Aloy travels to a new region called the Forbidden West, which spans from Utah to the Pacific coast. There she faces a mysterious threat that is causing a deadly blight that infects both machines and humans alike. She also meets new allies and enemies, and discovers more about the ancient civilization that preceded her own. Horizon Forbidden West features action role-playing gameplay, with players taking on the role of Aloy as she navigates a post-apocalyptic world filled with robotic creatures and ancient ruins. The game features a diverse range of weapons and enemy types, and players can use various tactics and abilities to overcome challenges.
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What is PS5’s SSD and how does it work?
PS5’s SSD stands for solid state drive, which is a type of storage device that uses flash memory to store data. Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), which use spinning platters and mechanical heads to read and write data, SSDs have no moving parts and can access data much faster. This means that SSDs can significantly reduce load times, which are the moments when a game has to load new data from the storage device to the memory. Load times can occur when a game starts, when a player travels between different areas, when a player dies and respawns, or when a game has to stream new assets in the background.
PS5’s SSD is not only faster than HDDs, but also faster than most SSDs on the market. It has a custom design that allows it to achieve a data transfer speed of up to 5.5 GB/s (raw) or 8-9 GB/s (compressed). This means that PS5’s SSD can load 2 GB of data in 0.27 seconds, compared to 1 GB of data in 20 seconds on PS4’s HDD. PS5’s SSD also has a dedicated I/O (input/output) unit that handles data compression and decompression, encryption, memory mapping, and other tasks that would otherwise burden the CPU (central processing unit) or GPU (graphics processing unit). This allows PS5’s SSD to deliver data to the memory and the graphics card more efficiently, resulting in smoother gameplay and higher fidelity graphics.
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How does Horizon Forbidden West use PS5’s SSD to eliminate loading screens?
Horizon Forbidden West is one of the first games to fully utilize PS5’s SSD capabilities to create a seamless gaming experience with virtually no loading screens. According to Mathijs de Jonge, the game director of Horizon Forbidden West, the game can load its huge open world in an instant, allowing players to explore without interruptions or delays. He also said that the game can handle fast travel across the map, restart from checkpoints, and boot up the game with almost no loading screens. Here are some examples of how Horizon Forbidden West uses PS5’s SSD to eliminate loading screens:
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Fast travel across the map
Horizon Forbidden West features a vast and varied map that spans from Utah to the Pacific coast. The map includes different biomes such as deserts, forests, mountains, swamps, and underwater areas. Each biome has its own unique flora, fauna, weather, and hazards. To traverse this massive map, players can use various modes of transportation such as riding machines, gliding with a device called the Shieldwing, or swimming with a device called the Diving Mask. However, sometimes players may want to quickly travel between locations they have already visited, such as settlements, campsites, or landmarks. This is where fast travel comes in handy.
In Horizon Zero Dawn, fast travel was possible by using special items called Fast Travel Packs, which could be crafted or purchased from merchants. Fast travel also required loading screens, which could take several seconds or minutes depending on the distance and the hardware. In Horizon Forbidden West, fast travel is much more convenient and accessible. Players do not need any items to fast travel, and they can do so from anywhere on the map as long as they are not in combat or in a restricted area. Fast travel also does not require any loading screens, as PS5’s SSD can load the destination area almost instantly. This means that players can jump from one end of the map to another in a matter of seconds, without breaking their immersion or losing their momentum.
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Restart from checkpoints
Horizon Forbidden West is not an easy game, as players will face many dangers and challenges along their journey. Aloy will have to fight against hostile tribes, corrupted machines, and a mysterious blight that threatens all life on Earth. She will also have to navigate treacherous environments, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets. Sometimes, Aloy may fail or die during her quest, and she will have to restart from the last checkpoint she reached. Checkpoints are points in the game where the player’s progress is saved automatically, such as when entering a new area, completing an objective, or reaching a safe spot. In Horizon Zero Dawn, restarting from a checkpoint also involved loading screens, which could interrupt the flow of the game and frustrate the players. In Horizon Forbidden West, restarting from a checkpoint is much faster and smoother. PS5’s SSD can load the checkpoint area almost instantly, without any noticeable loading screens. This means that players can resume their game quickly and easily, without losing their interest or motivation.
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Boot up the game
Another aspect of loading screens that Horizon Forbidden West eliminates is the initial boot up of the game. Booting up a game is the process of launching it from the console’s menu or dashboard, and it usually involves loading screens that show logos, disclaimers, menus, and other information before the actual gameplay starts. Booting up a game can take a long time depending on the size and complexity of the game and the hardware it runs on. In Horizon Zero Dawn, booting up the game could take up to a minute or more on PS4. In Horizon Forbidden West, booting up the game is almost instantaneous on PS5. PS5’s SSD can load the game data so fast that there is no need for any loading screens before the gameplay starts. This means that players can start playing Horizon Forbidden West as soon as they select it from the PS5’s menu, without having to wait or watch any unnecessary screens.
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What are the benefits of having virtually no loading screens in Horizon Forbidden West?
Having virtually no loading screens in Horizon Forbidden West is not only a technical achievement, but also a creative and artistic one. By eliminating loading screens, Horizon Forbidden West enhances its gameplay, graphics, and storytelling in various ways. Here are some of the benefits of having virtually no loading screens in Horizon Forbidden West:
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Immersion and continuity
One of the main benefits of having virtually no loading screens in Horizon Forbidden West is that it increases the immersion and continuity of the game. Immersion is the feeling of being fully engaged and involved in a game world, while continuity is the consistency and coherence of the game world and its events. Loading screens can break immersion and continuity by reminding players that they are playing a game and not experiencing a real world. They can also disrupt the narrative and emotional flow of the game by creating gaps and pauses between scenes and actions. By eliminating loading screens, Horizon Forbidden West creates a more immersive and continuous game world that players can explore without interruptions or distractions. The game world feels more alive and realistic, as players can see everything happening in real time and with high detail. The game story feels more compelling and coherent, as players can follow Aloy’s journey without losing track or interest.
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Exploration and discovery
Another benefit of having virtually no loading screens in Horizon Forbidden West is that it encourages exploration and discovery. Exploration is the act of finding new places and things in a game world, while discovery is the act of learning new information and secrets about a game world. Loading screens can discourage exploration and discovery by making them tedious and time-consuming. They can also limit exploration and discovery by restricting what players can see and do in a game world. By eliminating loading screens, Horizon Forbidden West enables exploration and discovery by making them fun and rewarding. The game world offers more opportunities for exploration and discovery, as players can travel across vast distances, enter different biomes, dive underwater, climb mountains, glide through the air, and interact with various machines, animals, plants, and people. The game world also offers more surprises and secrets for exploration and discovery, as players can uncover more about the ancient civilization, the mysterious blight, and the hidden factions that inhabit the Forbidden West.
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Gameplay and performance
A final benefit of having virtually no loading screens in Horizon Forbidden West is that it improves gameplay and performance. Gameplay is the way players interact with and experience a game, while performance is the quality and speed of a game’s technical aspects. Loading screens can affect gameplay and performance by slowing down the pace, reducing the variety, and lowering the quality of a game. They can also cause glitches, bugs, and errors that can ruin a game’s functionality and enjoyment. By eliminating loading screens, Horizon Forbidden West enhances gameplay and performance by making them faster, smoother, and richer. The game offers more gameplay options and possibilities, as players can use different weapons, skills, gadgets, and machines to fight, stealth, craft, hack, scan, and loot. The game also offers more gameplay challenges and rewards, as players can face more diverse and dynamic enemies, quests, puzzles, and events. The game delivers more performance quality and stability, as players can enjoy higher resolution, frame rate, lighting, shadows, textures, animations, sound effects, and music.
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How to pre-order Horizon Forbidden West for PS4 and PS5?
Horizon Forbidden West is set to release on February 18th, 2022 for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. If you are interested in playing this game as soon as possible, you may want to pre-order it before it launches. Pre-ordering a game means reserving a copy of it in advance, usually by paying a deposit or the full price online or at a physical store. Pre-ordering a game can have some advantages, such as securing a copy of the game before it sells out, getting access to exclusive bonuses and incentives, and supporting the developers and publishers of the game. Here are some details on how to pre-order Horizon Forbidden West for PS4 and PS5:
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Editions and prices
Horizon Forbidden West is available in four different editions: Standard Edition, Special Edition, Collector’s Edition, and Regalla Edition. Each edition comes with different contents and prices, depending on what you prefer. Here is a table that summarizes the editions and prices of Horizon Forbidden West for PS4 and PS5:
