For: PS4
From: Guerrilla Games
Reviewed by Simon Bishop
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Yes, Horizon Zero Dawn is as good as you’ve heard it is. Somehow it’s lived up to the hype in a way that games rarely do.
Horizon Zero Dawn is the new franchise from Guerrilla Games, creators of Killzone. When Horizon was announced, people wondered how a developer who’d only really made first person shooters would be able to translate to making third person action/adventure games. They have done so with gusto.
Horizon Zero Dawn plays very similarly to the excellent Far Cry series. There’s a vast world for you to discover, featuring both human and animal foes, and plenty of interesting places to explore. The world feels alive, which is a key indicator of the success of an open world game.
You play as Aloy, an outcast from the Nora tribe of humans, beginning the game as a child with your protector/mentor Rost. The beginning does an excellent job of drawing you into the world, at first I was sceptical; but it’s superb and sets the tone brilliantly for what lies ahead.
What does lie ahead is a journey of discovery in a world recaptured by nature, but mysteriously features mechanical fauna (such as robotic deer and so on); getting to the bottom of why this is and where Aloy came from is the crux of the story.
Aloy is fiercely independent and capable and this is refreshing to see. She is also very well designed, giving her a real sense of character, which only draws you further into the story. This game plays like Far Cry, but thankfully the story is significantly better. Far Cry’s stories were… average at best, to be kind. Horizon Zero Dawn is the full package.
The combat is where this shines, however. Aloy is incredibly mobile, but so are the enemies. In particular, the robotic animals are beautifully animated and designed. Your weapons of choice are somewhat primitive; Aloy’s main ones are a sling, and a bow and arrow. Using the bow and arrow is effortless, and combined with the upgrades that slow down time during their use, make hunting a breeze. It truly never gets old.
The combat presents a significant challenge, too. Even on normal difficulty, you need to keep your wits about you, as the enemies do significant damage and pose a real threat. All the monsters have weak spots (as is gaming custom), but in Horizon these are represented by mechanical parts that fly off. Combining attacking these points with specific weapon types (eg fire arrows), causes chain effects that change the tide of battle. It’s an old gaming mechanic that somehow feels fresh and new. There’s various tactics you can use, including setting traps, using stealth to turn animals friendly towards you, and using elements to your advantage that keep it interesting.
The game is well written, and looks absolutely superb too. As this is a first party game, it’s designed to utilise the 4k that an appropriate TV and the PS4 Pro can provide, and even on a standard PS4 (as I played it on), it looks incredible. This is a visual tour de force. It runs very well, and the animation on characters, enemies and the environment in general is first rate.
PS4 first party games might be few and far between, but when they come out they are tremendous. Uncharted 4 set an incredibly high bar, and while I’m not sure Horizon has cleared it, it’s come exceptionally close. This is the definition of a must play experience.
Give away:
Fancy a trip into the intense, exciting world of Horizon Zero Dawn? The Otago Daily Times has a copy of the PS4 exclusive to give away, thank to our friends at Sony. The prize package includes a copy of the game and a Horizon: Zero Dawn cap. To enter the draw, email your name and address to signal@odt.co.nz. Please put ‘‘Horizon Zero Dawn’’ in the subject line. Entries close at noon on March 10.
- Simon Bishop
