Horizon Zero Dawn - Review

 Earth is ours no more.

Console: PlayStation 4 game played on a PlayStation 5.

The second-to-last PlayStation game I snagged during the 2021 Black Friday sales to build out my spiffy new console’s library was Guerrilla Games’ very own Horizon Zero Dawn. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has regressed to stone/bronze-age technology while highly advanced robot beasts roam the land. That dichotomy makes this game quite the standout and is what made me interested in it. That, and because I was very curious to see what AAA-title out of my own home country was actually like.  

With the sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, on store shelves, I felt it was the perfect time for me to finally experience the game and see what lies beyond its setup. OK, the real perfect time would have been to get this review ready before the sequel’s release, but I didn’t plan that far ahead. D’oh!

Anyway, let's talk about what has since become my favourite Sony 1st party series!

Cast out by her tribe at birth, Aloy has grown up in near solitude. Only Rost, a fellow outcast and the man who took her in, has been the only one she has ever had. Seeking answers to why she was cast out, and why she doesn’t have a mother, Aloy sets her sights on winning the proving. A ritual to celebrate the young ones becoming adults, not only will winning it lift her banishment from the Nora tribe but will also allow her to ask any favour from Nora’s leaders, the High Matriarchs. 

Aloy ends up winning the Proving, but the Nora are attacked by masked cultists immediately afterwards. This attack sets Aloy on a quest across the lands to not only uncover the reason behind the assault but to discover more about her true origins. Along the way, Aloy learns how the civilization of the 'Old Ones' fell and faces a threat that endangers the entire world.

The story of Horizon Zero Dawn (HZD) is a compelling one. The world, the lore, and Aloy’s personal journey all come together to create a successful and engaging narrative. One in which figuring out just what has truly happened for the world to become like this.

Aloy is a much better protagonist than I expected, given the genre. She’s a well-written character with a lot of depth—someone you can easily connect with. Well, if you’re a fellow lone wolf at least. Her emotions resonate, making the emotional moments hit that much harder. Like Geralt in The Witcher 3, she’s perfectly suited to the game. Her curiosity and inquisitiveness fit well with the exploration and freedom the game offers without breaking player immersion. 

Ashley Burch’s strong performance as Aloy helps tremendously in bringing the character to life. Lance Reddick, rest his soul, who you may know best as the concierge of the Continental in John Wick, also does an excellent job as the methodical Sylens. The rest of the voice cast delivers solid performances, though some lean more toward 'passable' than 'believable' at times. 

Aloy herself is a big reason why the narrative of this game clicked with me and, I think, will click with you as well.

A lot of attention has been given to the world which really is the main attraction here. The post-apocalyptic setting goes beyond the usual desert trope and features a more varied biosphere. Mother Nature has taken over again, resulting in a world full of plains, jungles, and more. If not for the clearly visible remnants of the old world—such as the metal frames of skyscrapers and a football stadium— and all the robots you might not even realize it’s a post-apocalyptic world at first. Neat.

 

The focus on the human element is also noteworthy. The impact of the 'Old World' on this new civilization, both big and small, is thought-provoking. From the 'technology as magic' trope to far more interesting aspects, such as how humans mystify and objectify things they don’t understand. How entire civilizations can rise from the simplest, and to us most mundane, things.

 

Now, onto that gameplay. HZD is an open-world game. You can freely explore, doing everything from stalking and hunting machines to collecting items and helping people through a variety of side-quests. The open-world nature is both a strength and a weakness, depending on what you seek in an open-world game.

The sense of exploration and discovery, especially as you progress and better understand the world, is excellent. The side-quests are plentiful and varied, and the collectables, loot, and gear are fun to gather if not always useful at lower difficulties. The combat, which I’ll dive into more later, is satisfying. You can invest skill points into Aloy’s skill tree and tailor her abilities to your playstyle. In short: the game does everything an open world should do, and it does it well.

 

The potential weakness lies in how much you enjoy the open-world formula. HZD offers little innovation. A consequence of the time it came out I feel. Not late enough for many of these things to have become a bit tiresome and overdone but after a game like Breath of the Wild which breathed new air into the genre. 

HZD doesn’t really innovate doesn’t mean it doesn’t put its own spin on things. The ‘towers’ for example have been turned into walking machines. You still have to climb them so the fact that they don’t stand still adds an extra layer to the proceeding.

I don’t think a lack of innovation is inherently bad, but given said saturation of the genre right now (the early 2020’s), I can understand if people are growing tired of it. Certain annoyances, like a map filled with hundreds of little icons that clutter the, become more than just a minor irritation.

 

Just because HZD doesn’t innovate much doesn’t mean it lacks its own unique twists. For example, the ‘towers’ (a staple in many open-world games) have been reimagined as walking machines. You still have to climb them, but the fact that they move adds an extra layer of challenge and some much-needed personality. If I’m allowed to get ahead of myself in this re-edited version, even in Forbidden West I looked forward to climbing the Tallnecks. That’s how much I like this little challenge (and no, the Lego Tallneck set has nothing to do with that but it is quite excellent).

 

To the combat in earnest. Like I said, it’s very satisfying even to someone who fully admits he’s not all that good at it. Aloy is a hunter through and through, and the game does an excellent job of making you feel like one. Charging in with your bow blazing, even if you’re double the level of the machine, won’t end well. To take them down, you need to be smart.

Use the stealth mechanics to sneak up for a surprise attack or try to override the machines. Snipe weak spots from afar with your bow, or plant traps, such as bombs, in the machine’s path. It’s methodical and as a casual enjoyer of strategy games, I dig that.

 

The only issue is the melee combat. It’s sluggish, slow, and difficult to aim. When fighting large machines, this is passable with how big they are, but against human enemies, it becomes more of a hassle than it’s worth. I never felt I was really doing much against them with my spear. Felt like hitting them with a blunt stick more often than not. You’re better off sticking to your bow and stealth tactics whenever possible, in my opinion.

 

One of the most interesting and somewhat unique gameplay elements is Aloy’s Focus. It’s like Lara’s ‘survival instinct’ of Tomb Raider; This little device not only provides a narrative justification for her ability to interact with Old World technology, but it also seamlessly integrates UI elements with the game’s world. The Focus can scan for data, reveal machine paths, and perform X-ray-like functions, making it the best tool in your arsenal. Always, always, do a quick scan before you start fighting or get in a building. You’ll always learn something useful. 

A little look at the focus scanning your environment, showing you some animals you otherwise would not have spotted from your vantage point.

Now, let’s talk about performance. Here, on the PS5, the game runs like butter. High-fidelity models, textures, and the world design add up to a visually stunning experience for the PS4 era. The difference between HZD and its sequel is as clear as rain but only because that game looks so stunning.

 

My only issue is with the character models. Their movement is stiff, and their facial animations could use some improvement. It’s my biggest gripe with this game, which makes me feel petty, but I can’t deny that it is reason numero uno that I’m so susceptible to the remaster.

 

Last and by no means least is the music composed by Joris de Man, The Flight, Niels van der Leest, and Jonathan Williams, with vocals by Julie Elven. It uses experimental instrumentation to blend different musical styles. Cellos and guitars create the tribal music, while synthesizers and other electronic sounds are used for tracks related to the machines. It’s an interesting mix that works wonders, thanks to the skill of the artists and the game’s world.

 

Conclusion

 

Horizon Zero Dawn is a fantastic game. A well-crafted AAA open-world experience that is thoroughly enjoyable, with a well-written narrative and breathtaking world. It may not be the most innovative title in the open-world genre, but hey, nothing’s perfect. If you haven’t played it yet, it’s definitely worth checking out. For just 20,- SRP, you can get the definitive edition, which includes some extra goodies and the Frozen Wilds expansion, so you don’t have to spend much to give it a go.

 

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to dive into that expansion—and finally finish Triangle Strategy. But that’s a whole other story.