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"The strength to stand alone, Aloy, is the strength to make a stand. To serve a greater purpose than yourself. That is the lesson you must learn”

Horizon Zero Dawn (HZD)... Oh boy, one of my favorite titles from PS4 finally made it to PC, and a complete edition at that! Since I traded the game before the extra content came out — Which I regretted, I just had to get this the moment it was on sale; Additionally, I'm a massive nerd for mecha-ish stuff, and HZD has no shortage of them. Additionally, the delightful expansion added a beautiful finish to the already captivating plot.
🟢 Tidbits And Takeaways
Combats are often enjoyable, well, at least the majority of them
There are numerous weapons and tools to experiment with. Each has advantages that come in handy in various situations
The visual is an absolute eye candy, definitely one of the best in the recent games I've played
The modification system is pretty simple to understand; get a mod coil for weapons and mod weave for armor, then add it to the available slots — It's a no-brainer! Unless you plan on optimizing, then it's a different story
The Steam version includes the "Frozen Wilds" expansion, adding a short filler story while shedding some light on our cryptic companion’s background

🔴 The Not So Good Part
While I find the ranged combat exceptional, sadly, I can't say the same about the melee combat. I'm not a huge fan of Aloy's heavy attack animation, as it leaves you open to counter most of the time, but that's just me being nitpicky.


💻 My Setup
⌛ Completion
🔗 More Reviews, More Picks


AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
32GB RAM DDR4
RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
SSD NVMe
2560x1440
Win11


Average: 48 hours

Mine: 94.3 hours

Consider following Jeev’s Selection for some other fine picks reviewed by yours truly.


Here's the breakdown
The story is actually pretty mind-blowing after a certain point in the game
The overall story was pretty alright for me — at first that is. The fact that Aloy wanted to join the very tribe that shunned and banished her to prove a point baffles me. And at the cost of being forbidden from having contact with the only person who cares for her at that! — I mean, sure, but why? However, After a certain point, the story starts to get interesting as it starts leaning toward ruins exploration and mysteries of the old world. Not to mention the pacing and build-up were splendidly done; it kept me glued to my chair, wondering about what actually caused the apocalypse. And the big reveal was spot on! They definitely did justice to it. The only issue I have with the story is the multiple responses that pop up on some scenes, which have no effect on the story's outcome or progression. Kind of a letdown, to be honest.
Visually, the game looks fantastic; the use of color in the environment was perfect, eye candy for sure. And the mecha designs are just WOW! If you're a fan of Zoids or any mecha-stuffs, you'll love this. They definitely didn't cut corners on the design. Simply amazing.
The Frozen Wilds expansion included in the Steam version was, *Chef's Kiss, perfect! A whole new region to explore, new machine types to hunt, an additional bow mechanic, and! Best of all, the expansion splendidly wraps the original story while setting up for the second game, Horizon Zero Dawn: The Forbidden West.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2966938627
An epic combat system that's hella fun and challenging at times
Horizon Zero Dawn's combat system is nearly flawless. It's both enjoyable and challenging, at least most of the time. I have a minor problem with the melee heavy-attack auto-tracking. While it poses no problem against smaller mobs — Extremely helpful by the way, It becomes a problem when you're up against mobs twice your size due to the random parts it targets, potentially leaving your character vulnerable after the attack animation.
Now for the juicy part! The game includes a plethora of tools to aid you in your fight against these massive mechanical beasts. One of them is a handy device known as "The Focus." An ancient artifact that allows you to pinpoint enemies' weaknesses and movement patterns. This device will be your best friend throughout the HZD gameplay. My personal favorite is the sling, which deals greater elemental damage and has a larger area attack than the bow. The tricky part about combat is finding out which tools work best against your foe, which means flexibility is necessary. The more versatile you are, the easier your gameplay will be.
In addition to straightforward gun-blazing fights, HZD also features a subtler option, which also happens to be my preferred option, stealth! Stealth allows you to launch a sneak attack that will take a chunk of enemy HP, giving you a considerable advantage against harder enemies. Of course, some enemies can't be sneak attacked due to them staying airborne most of the time. However, you can still position yourself in an advantageous position before engaging your targets, and that's a plus in my book.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2966938570
Hit a wall on your progression? Try sidequests for a change; they're pretty cool
When it comes to RPGs, aside from a solid main campaign having rewarding side quests or side activities is a must. The great news is HZD has both of them covered. First thing first, about the quests, while some of them can be a tad tedious due to the range you have to travel back and forth, most are a-okay. Story-wise, they are enjoyable and informative as they add depth to the lore. And I very much appreciate the fact that depending on which one you clear, it will affect a particular scene in the last chapter. Heck! There's even an achievement related to it, so if you plan to get total clearance, you should keep an eye out.
Next to sidequests, HZD has a wide range of activities that'll keep you busy — from scouring sections of the map for collectibles to dungeon diving into the bowels of the earth for that sweet spoils. What I love about the dungeons is their contrast to the surrounding landscape.
On the one hand, it's a vibrant post-apocalyptic greenery; on the other, it's a fully automated factory with low lighting that gives an eerie vibe. Plus, for each dungeon you clear, the easier your gameplay will be! Why? Cause the spoils I mentioned before involve a skill improvement that'll make hunting easier. So be sure to clear all of them if you can!
There are also bandit camps and hunting grounds (time-attack challenge) scattered throughout the map, so if either one of them tickles your fancy, I'd say do it. Some can be challenging, so you might need trial and error before scoring that perfect run. And if you clear them all, there's also a sweet reward waiting at the end, which is pretty cool.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2964868332
Overall
Horizon Zero Dawn is a solid A in my book. It checks all the boxes of what makes a great RPG. Story? Check. Beautiful visual and level design? Most definitely. Combat? Well, the best part was the combat; it got that easy-to-learn yet hard-to-master feel, and I love it! Mad props to the Guerilla, the developer, cause they nailed this part of the game. Plus, Horizon Zero Dawn has plenty of stuff to do that will definitely keep you hooked for hours. If you happen to have some extra dough, or the game is on sale, give Horizon Zero Dawn a shot! I Highly recommend it.
If you're going to do an Ultra-hard NG+ run, I strongly advise you to clear the expansion first, as the new mechanic adds a massive damage boost! I am looking forward to the sequel!