BENGALURU: When it came out, a little over a year and a half ago, Horizon: Zero Dawn was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism. Guerilla Games was best known for the FPS series Killzone, which fizzled to a close with an underwhelming review. It was certainly a departure from their previous output, but open-world games haven’t historically lent themselves to a smooth launch either. So the scepticism was entirely justified; and yet, as it turns out, completely unnecessary.
Horizon is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, although one that’s closer to The Last of Us than Fallout. Nature has reclaimed the ruins of the old world, dangerous machine creatures prowl the land, and the remnants of humanity have splintered into various technologically-phobic tribes. You play as Aloy, a young outcast orphan of the Nora tribe, who soon finds herself embroiled in a conflict against her will. Aloy will not only need to contend with the machinations of a sinister enemy, but also fight to survive the swarms of machines that are everywhere. At first glance, Horizon doesn’t seem to deviate much from the standard hero’s-journey template; but it does come together eventually, aided by writing that occasionally transcends its limitations to deliver some genuinely moving moments.
From a perhaps shallower point of view, it also helps that Horizon is a genuinely beautiful game. The stark splendour of the wilderness alone would be worthy of mention, particularly the weather effects and the stunning day/night cycle. You’ve also got the machines themselves, the design of which is perhaps Horizon’s secret weapon — from the majestic Tallnecks to the evil Stalkers to the dreadful Thunderjaw, each machine has a character and majesty all its own. What’s more, you’ll still find time to be impressed by them even as they proceed to hunt you down.
Survival in Horizon is no walk in the park. In the course of her journey, Aloy will go up against enemies both human and machine. The humans are more predictable, but quantity has a quality all its own. The machines, on the other hand, are a deadly puzzle and no two are the same. To make it through the game’s harsher challenges, you’ll need to study their patterns of behaviour and weaknesses; and even then, success isn’t guaranteed.
My favourite thing about Horizon’s gameplay is how it gives you a variety of tools and then essentially tells you to have at it. For example, this was my preferred style of hunting machines — I’d find a nearby vantage point with a clear line of fire, set up traps and tripwires around it and then climb on top and open fire with Tearblast arrows. Tearblast arrows don’t do any damage, but what they do is rip off plates of armour and expose vulnerable weak points; right before the enraged target charges into the traps I’d previously set up. Sure, it’s not particularly innovative or even courageous — but it feels like something I developed over the course of the game.
And that’s where Horizon excels — it gives you what you need to master any situation, and then lets you feel smart about it. Horizon: Zero Dawn went on to be a massive success; in fact, it’s currently third on the list of the highest-selling PS4 games of all time. It also got an expansion late last year, which was well received too. There’s a lot here to love, and so this is one of the easiest recommendations I’ll ever make.