Bethany Reed
level designer
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I worked as a Level Designer on the PS5 launch title Horizon: Call of the Mountain from 2019 - 2023
My duties included:
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Being the owner/vision holder for levels
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Paper design, pacing and level beats
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Designing and creating blockouts
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Scripting gameplay sequences (interactive sequences and puzzles)
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Designing and working with Programmers to create combat experiences
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Collaborating with environment artists, animators and programmers.
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Streaming setup
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VR workflow
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Pitching and presenting levels, scenarios, gameplay beats and cinematic sequences
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Bug fixing and maintenance up to release
Talonreach Ascent
I was the level owner of Talonreach Ascent which is set in the ruins of an old human fortified base and has the player being chased through the environment by a Thunderjaw. In several sequences the player is face to face with the machine, narrowly avoiding his clutches whilst frantically climbing through the environment and across ancient machines. This level was a lot of fun to develop as it allowed for some crazy exciting sequences with a Thunderjaw in close proximity, with an ultimate faceoff at the top of the ruins.
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I designed and developed this level from concept to final. Including paper design, level beats and I created and iterated on the blockout, I designed and created all of the sequences and puzzles included in this level. I worked with the environment artists, animators and programmers to create a fun and unique experience. I also presented this level to Guerrilla Games Execs to get the level green lit.
Talonreach Ascent - blockout to final
Talonreach Tower
I was the level owner of Talonreach Tower which is set in the same location as Talonreach Ascent but follows a different path through a new area of the ruins which was previously blocked due to a missing tool the player needed to progress. This mission has the player climbing across broken bridges, through a tank factory, up a lift shaft and around a broken down tower, fighting Glinthawks and Scrappers and completing puzzles along the way.
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I worked on this level from concept to final, I worked on the paper design and level beats, into the blockout phase through to working with the other departments to bring my design to life. I created and implemented the puzzle found in this level. I also presented this level to Guerrilla Games Execs to get the level green lit.
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Talonreach Tower - blockout to final
Mother's Tears
Mother's Tears was a level that explored a different area of the world looking closely at the history of the village and what had occurred including our main characters actions in his past. It was important to try and address these emotions and showing the history whilst also maintaining an exciting experience in our current playthrough. This was achieved by including Watchers that you had to evade stealthily and then come head to head with a group of them once you thought you had escaped.
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I worked on Mother's tears designing the initial layout and blockout, I worked on the initial pass of cinematic moments and combat encounters included within the level. I also presented to Guerrilla Games Execs to get the level green lit. After this stage the level was handed off to another Level Designer who then took over the design and development through to final.
Elder's calling
Elder's calling was a different type of level compared to the other ones that had come before which had all been a linear experience that was controlled and the route the player would take was predetermined through the level design. Elder's calling however offered the player different optional routes that they could choose from, each route included a different challenge, whether that was a climbing challenge, a combat encounter or a puzzle. These routes would then lead the player back to the 'hub' area of the level and allowed them to choose a different route to explore.
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I worked on Elder's calling, after the initial blockout I took this level on, iterating on the layout and the design of the areas - taking it from a mountainous space to old broken down buildings. I explored adding new areas that allowed for unique puzzles (i.e. a cavern with a torch puzzle). We also explored climbing on new assets (a broken down antenna). After working on this level I then presented it to Guerrilla Games Execs to get the level green lit before passing the level to another Level Designer that took over the design and development of the level through to final.
