Accessibility features have become more and more common in games over the past few years as publishers and developers seek to reach a wider audience of gamers by taking into account that some players have different needs. Guerilla Games has jumped onboard the accessibility train with Horizon Forbidden West‘s innovative new feature: Co-Pilot mode.
Some accessibility options are fairly common, such as adjustable difficulty levels, subtitles and options to make certain actions such as sprinting or gathering resources trigger automatically. However, the industry is recognizing the needs of players more than ever before, with The Game Awards even including a category for Innovation in Accessibility. Horizon Forbidden West‘s Co-Pilot Mode is going to be a new concept to many players, but it’s a feature that will open the game to audiences that may not otherwise be able to play it otherwise.
The Co-Pilot system requires two controllers and two profiles on the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5. To use Co-Pilot mode, start the game normally, then press Options and select Settings from the game’s pause screen. Go to the Accessibility tab, highlight the Co-Pilot Option and switch it on. Then, using the second controller, press the PlayStation button to turn it on and select a profile other than the one currently playing Forbidden West.
Co-Pilot works by giving the controllers have mirrored controls, meaning both players have the same level of input and control over Aloy. Neither controller’s inputs are prioritized over the other, so if Player A tries to move left at the same time Player B tries to move right, the inputs will cancel each other out. To use the Co-pilot system effectively, both players will need to communicate with each other. It may take a little getting used to, but Horizon Forbidden West‘s movement and combat systems work surprisingly well with this feature.
For example, by allowing Player A to control Aloy’s movement and Player B to control the camera, Player B can easily steer Player A through the world and even aim Aloy’s bow for them with ease. As long as both players are familiar with the controller layout, it should be relatively easy to help one player navigate and engage in combat without taking away a sense of accomplishment. The beauty of both controllers being given equal input is that players can figure out for themselves how they want to take advantage of the system and divide various aspects of movement, combat and interacting with the world according to their own needs and preferences.
Guerrilla Games worked with a sightless accessibility consultant to develop the Co-Pilot system wth with blind players in mind, but the application of this system will no doubt be helpful for gamers with all kinds of disabilities. Players with limited use of their extremities could benefit from having a partner that can compensate for missed button presses or slow reaction times, and someone who has a hard time reaching certain buttons on the controller could delegate those tasks to a second player.
Even players who struggle with motor control could have Player B make adjustments for them or handle certain aspects of the movement and aiming systems. The genius of the Co-Pilot system is that it could be used to overcome all sorts of challenges that might otherwise keep players from being able to play, allowing anyone to experience the world of Horizon Forbidden West.
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