Horizon: Zero Dawn Review

Open world titles grow more and more beautiful as time goes on. Technology allows developers to create life-like worlds full of vivid colors and vast exploration at our fingertips. Guerrilla Games leaves its stand out FPS title Killzone, and delivers a gorgeously crafted sandbox adventure game in, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Taking the role of Aloy – an outsider raised in the wilds of mother nature – you’re plunged into a world reclaimed by Earth. Over a thousand years into the future and technology has plummeted, only found in the wild lands roamed by dangerous jurassic-style machines. Trained by a fellow outsider, Rost, you’ve honed your skills to one day be welcomed back to the tribe that cast you aside.

The introduction missions of the game take you across various tasks through the younger years of Aloy. Stuck in the depths of a cave, Aloy stumbles upon a small piece of technology created by the human race long before the immense population decrease and extinction of the modern era. Equipped near her ear, the Focus allows Aloy to scan the surrounding area, in turn helping you later in the game to look for clues, loot and other useful tactics like following scent trails, and so on.

As the game progresses, you find yourself in control of the young, mature and skillful Aloy, ready to discover the truth about what happened to Earth, and why these dangerous machines roam the land. With the help of friendly characters and tribes across the enormous map, you set to embark on a journey full of lavish detail and excellent, combative and strategic gameplay.

A healthy variety of bows such as warbows and sharpshot bows, traps, mines and your trusty spear, allow Aloy to fight her way across the dangerous lands, upgrading her skills along the way. With a heap of useful skills and abilities in the game’s skilltree, as well as plenty of armor and weapons to discover, the journey makes for a distinct and exciting experience as good as any.

A diverse and large map to explore, excellent storytelling and dialogue, impressive graphics and detail, unique RPG/action fighting mechanics, authentic gameplay, features and skills, loads of quest and missions to take on – Horizon Zero Dawn makes a demanding statement for game of the year. Endure a passionate and uplifting adventure in a world just begging to be explored.