One the new tricks Aloy has access to in Horizon Forbidden West is to Glide using her Shieldwing. It’s a handy power that’ll save you from falls and let you traverse the world with ease. What isn’t clear from the start of the game, however, is how to glide in Horizon Forbidden West. So in this guide, we’ll teach you exactly that.
Horizon Forbidden West: How to glide
© Guerilla Games
Before you can glide in Horizon Forbidden West, you first need to obtain the Shieldwing. This special piece of apparatus is unlocked automatically once you pass through Barren Light and leave The Daunt area. You’ll get to enjoy a lengthy series of conversations and cutscenes before Aloy gets stuck in with some fighting. One enemy you face wields a blue energy-powered shield which must be broken before you can deal him damage.
After the fight, Aloy will collect the shield from his body. It won’t work well enough to stop damage any more, but it can be used to slow her fall by gliding after jumping from great heights. Hence the name, Shieldwing.
Once you have the Shieldwing, you can glide by holding Square after jumping off a ledge. Hold the button until the circle fills next to the icon and Aloy will deploy the Shieldwing, slowing her decent and allowing her to glide further. You can then press Circle to deactivate the Shieldwing and fall normally at any time.
Don’t forget that you need to hold Square for a short time to open the Shieldwing – tapping it won’t open anything and might leave you tumbling to a painful landing! You’ll need this skill soon to conquer the Cinnabar Sands Tallneck, so make sure you practice.
That’s all we can teach you about how to glide in Horizon Forbidden West, but you’d also do well to check our full controls list to ensure you know every action Aloy has at your fingertips. For more useful tips and tricks, visit our hub page for the Forbidden West.
