Horizon Forbidden West’s swimming is exhilarating, once you’ve unlocked the Diving Mask, which lets you breathe underwater. Here’s how to get it.
Horizon Forbidden West ’s world is a massive one, built to be explored over long stretches of time. The vast, open wilderness is stunning and overwhelming, giving players the chance to roam freely around some of the west coast’s most famous natural sites and cities. There are towering sequoia forests, endemic to parts of Northern California, along with the desiccated Death Valley and its ocean of sand. You’ll climb mountaintops and iconic American landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge. You’ll also swim lakes, caves, and oceans, which comprise one of the unique highlights of Forbidden West. The way these elements weave together ultimately makes the exploration aspect of the game stand out. “One of the first things we said when we started development was that we wanted to focus more on variety and density,” Mathijs de Jonge, director of Horizon Forbidden West, told Polygon. Related Swimming is a key part of this: It’s beautiful, and best of all, it’s absolutely seamless. Outside of games specifically dedicated to swimming, I’ve typically experienced bodies of water as gating mechanisms. When I can swim, it’s often with a limited endurance bar — or it might be on the back of a creature, like in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. In Forbidden West, there’s no running around lakes to avoid falling in, or tiptoeing around waterfalls. I leap the fuck in. There are brimming ecosystems in there, crumbling American landmarks, and tons of collectibles. Though Aloy is initially limited by holding her breath, there’s luckily a Diving Mask tool that allows her to breathe infinitely. Admittedly, swimming can feel graceless before finding this tool, as quests make Aloy navigate labyrinthian underwater passages. Stick it out and get that Diving Mask, and swimming becomes truly liberating and exciting. It turns the game into one of my all-time favorites for exploration. Once you have unlocked your base, and have spoken with GAIA, I would highly recommend getting that Diving Mask as soon as possible.
