Ray Willmott reviews Horizon Zero Dawn…
Horizon Zero Dawn seems to be just like every other Open-World RPG we’ve played over the last few years. Large map, lots of quests, tons of things to collect. But it comes from the unlikeliest of sources in Guerilla Games, a company that put their name on the map with the Killzone series. While it seems like they’ve been quiet since the launch of the PS4 and the moderately received sequel to their landmark IP, they’ve actually been building the brand new Decima engine set to power the next generation of Sony titles, including Hideo Kojima’s latest, Death Stranding.
And with Horizon we can immediately see that it’s been hard work well spent. While Until Dawn gave us a glimpse into the future, Decima truly comes alive in this mechanical, futuristic nirvana. From blades of grass flexing in the wind to the beautiful glare of a sunset, the engine glistens and gleams at every turn. And that’s on your launch PS4, let alone the crisp, high-definition resolution offered by the Pro.
As Aloy, players will hunt down mechanical-looking dinosaur creatures of various definitions and descriptions with a hunter bow and spear. Under the tutelage of Rost, she also finds herself contending against tribes who have outcast Aloy because of her upbringing. However, as her lessons continue, so Aloy learns more about the culture that has shunned her and the mysterious beings that have seemingly inherited the Earth.
Horizon constantly feels refreshing in the ways you can bring down your enemies as well. Using explosive tripwires as traps, launching fire arrows, stealth kills from dense foliage, and even environmental advantages like spilling logs down on top of unsuspecting mechanoids. Using a Focus Scan, Aloy can also trace the pathways of each enemy to ambush them unsuspectingly, or even avoid them altogether. You can even hack enemies and turn them into mounts or party members. While you use mostly similar weapons, the way you approach each individual conflict manages to stay frantic and fresh.
This is also achieved by the amount of customisation available to you. You have the standard talent tree which lets you invest points in stealth, combat and healing across a variety of different skills, like soft landings or shooting arrows from walking tight ropes. You can also socket augmentations into your weapons and armour with varying effects.
Horizon also has a fairly elaborate crafting system. Players can harvest various resources from around the playing fields, collecting plant life as well as the remains of each robotic life form. These can be used to create new ammo, bolster storage space, add adjustments to other items and more. Using the focus scan also allows Aloy to see what items each machine will drop.
Horizon Zero Dawn is a living, breathing world. There are day and night cycles, you can move between the play space freely, missions can be tackled in any order and there’s even multi-choice decision-making to be made at key points that impacts the ongoing story. The most important part, though, is that unlike many other like-minded games, you’ll want to explore Horizon as deeply and thoroughly as possible. Every nook and cranny harbours an exciting mystery, each character you meet sheds new light on this fantastical world, while also revealing more of Aloy’s personality.
It’s been one hell of a start to 2017 with the likes of Resident Evil 7 and Nioh, but Horizon Zero Dawn is not only a clear cut above the rest with it’s enriching storytelling, it’s also one of the best open world games we’ve ever played. This is yet another strong, fulfilling addition to an already strong, bolstered library of PlayStation exclusives and also a great advert for Sony’s newest powerhouse PS4 Pro.
Guerilla Games have given us our first real look at the next generation and it is glorious.
Pros
+Great visuals Fantastic characters and story
+Entertaining mechanics and combat
+Compelling open world environment
+One of the best games on PS4 to date
Cons
-Some quests are a tad repetitive and predictable
Rating – 9/10
For more on Horizon Zero Dawn, visit the PlayStation Store
You can follow me on Twitter – @RayWillmott
Originally published March 5, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
