Horizon Zero Dawn is an open world, story-based action role-playing videogame. It was released by Guerilla Games in 2017 for PlayStation exclusively, but that changed with its recent Windows release in 2020. The PC version also comes with the Frozen Wilds DLC that provides extra content. It borrows a lot of aspects from other games, but this does not make it boring. Horizon Zero Dawn has been acclaimed by both fans and critics alike. Because of its refreshing gameplay and amazing plot, the game is super popular to this date. And in this Horizon Zero Dawn review, we will discover the true beauty of this game together.
Story
Story is perhaps the best aspect of Horizon Zero Dawn. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world that is ruled by machines. The world was destroyed by an unknown event that no one knows about. Slowly, clans, societies, tribes, and kingdoms start to arise, forming an interesting lore for you to enjoy.
The story follows Aloy, whom you play as. She is a member of the Nova tribe that gets attacked for an unclear reason. Thus starts her journey to find more about the attacks, and to better understand humanity’s origins.
The story is very dense and provides a lot of mysteries for you to solve till the end. Each character also has a solid background that makes you care for them deeply.
Gameplay
The gameplay of Horizon Zero Dawn is very satisfying. You fight against 26 distinct animal-like machines. You use two of your weapons – either a spear to get in close range, or a bow that shoots off projectiles – to destroy them. Each machine is different, so you’ll have to spend some time learning about each one and understand their weak points. All of them have different weak points that you must recognize as hitting different points will result in different outcomes for a battle. The best thing is there is no tutorial for any of the beasts, so you spend time learning about them in your own time. As you learn, it improves your survival chance and the ability to hunt them down.
You also have other weapons like the tripcaster, sling, or a rope gun. Your weapons can hold different special attributes that let you deal with different situations. Throughout the game, you will be able to upgrade your weaponry by purchasing from merchants.
Enemy designs are very unique, thus giving you a new experience each time. Each machine has a different fighting style so you must learn patterns and how to avoid their attacks. Overall, the combat feels versatile and does a very good job at providing you with a challenging and thrilling experience.
Visuals
Horizon Zero Dawn has beautiful graphics that will leave you in awe. The game features a well-designed post-apocalyptic world with great attention to detail. Accompanied by the soothing soundtrack and rhythmic music, it truly feels like an otherworldly experience to play in Horizon Zero Dawn’s world.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the game is worthy of all the praise it has gotten. It offers an amazing narrative story, a really intricate gameplay with a lot of complexities, and one of the most stunning graphics ever in videogames. The game does not feel lacking anywhere which just shows how much work the developers put into it. Additionally, there is a Frozen Wilds DLC that unlocks special content for you to enjoy. Horizon Zero Dawn is a must-play for everyone.