Horizon Forbidden West is the highly-anticipated sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn. It releases on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on Feb. 18, 2022. A new inclusion is the Shieldwing, which will let Aloy safely descend from great heights. Some fans may recognize a familiarity in this item—specifically a resemblance to the Paraglider in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
The Shieldwing in Horizon Forbidden West likely draws direct inspiration from the Paraglider, a main mechanic in Breath of the Wild. Many games adopted Breath of the Wild's climbing mechanics, open-world design, and the Paraglider. This new tool is shown off in IGN's Horizon Forbidden West preview. This item appears around the 2-minute mark.
Related: The powerful Shield-Weaver armor carries over to Horizon Forbidden West but its power has been lost
Other games that have implemented a version of the Paraglider include Biomutant, Immortals: Fenyx Rising, Genshin Impact, and others. Having the ability to glide opens up a game's world and expands the player's ability to traverse it.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild wasn't the first game to introduce a mechanic like this, but it certainly made it more popular. Horizon Forbidden West taking inspiration from Breath of the Wild definitely isn't a bad thing!
For more information on Horizon Forbidden West, check out What is the Pullcaster in Horizon Forbidden West? and Horizon: Forbidden West first preview is out and showcases the huge leap in quality from Horizon: Zero Dawn.
Justin has been diving into fantasy worlds since he can remember. He is a certified nerd who has a deep love of reading, writing, and hiking. He has been writing since his college days, but specifically in gaming for two years. His favorite games are The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Banjo Kazooie.