As video games have grown progressively more popular as a means of entertainment over the past few decades, it has become paramount for developers to include features that make it easier for a wide variety of players to get the most out of games. Accessibility features have become progressively more common over the years. While this was initially things like subtitles and options for colorblind players, there are new types of features being added all the time.
With the release of the new expansion, Horizon Forbidden West takes this one step further with a feature to accommodate players that have thalassophobia. For those unfamiliar with the term, thalassophobia is the fear of deep water. Here is how Horizon Forbidden West players can turn on thalassophobia mode.
How to Turn on Thalassophobia Mode
In order to enable this new accessibility feature, players must pause the game and go into settings. Thalassophobia mode will be under General settings, just below the Co-Pilot feature. There are only two options for this setting, and they are to either have it enabled or disabled. This feature can be switched on or off at any given time, and it does not disable Trophies. Unlike some settings, thalassophobia mode can be used on any difficulty.
What Does Thalassophobia Mode Do?
To help players that have thalassophobia, several changes occur when this special mode is active. First, players do not run out of air if they are swimming underwater. It doesn't matter if it is in the ocean, a lake, or an underwater ruin of an Old Ones facility. While this is a feature that is unlocked via the Diving Mask during the story, this allows players to have it right from the start instead of roughly halfway through the game.
Second, thalassophobia mode makes it easier for Horizon Forbidden West players to see underwater by making a significant adjustment to the visual ambiance. Without this setting on, it is more difficult to see underwater. With machines roaming around, this adds an element of danger anytime Aloy takes a dive into the nearest body of water. Obviously this could cause a great deal of discomfort for players that are afraid of large bodies of water.
To help alleviate these situations, thalassophobia mode will make it easier to see underwater. While it doesn't change the lighting, players will notice a constantly pulsing blue outline of the environment underwater. It is faint, but it makes it significantly easier for players to see what is around them at any given time. The visual effect is similar to the one that appears when players use the Focus to scan the environment. This additional feature makes it much easier for players to navigate around underwater.
Horizon Forbidden West is available now on PS4 and PS5. Burning Shores is available exclusively for PS5.
