In some ways, these disparate environments create a fresh game experience that constantly keeps you on your toes, and Guerrilla Games somehow makes these juxtaposed environments work well together. If you can brush aside the oddity of deserts bordering snow-capped mountains that loom over jungles, it truly is a marvelous playground to explore. With a vast map that sprawls across multiple biomes, Horizon's environmental visuals are a sight to behold. The slow start is quickly overshadowed by gorgeous vistas that serve as the backdrop of the 30-hour campaign. There are a number of reveals in the back half of Horizon that piqued my interest and drove me to see the story to the end. I continually found myself more engaged as I sunk more time into the experience. This isn't a title with an amazing concept that falls apart as you dig deeper. The opening hours are on the slow side, but Horizon feels like the exception to the norm in the video game industry. As the story progresses, you slowly unravel the mysteries of Aloy and the machines that inhabit the surrounding lands, and you quickly learn how they're intertwined. You play as Aloy, a motherless child who was cast from her tribe due to her irregular birth. While humans still roam the lands, they are merely tribal folk with minimal understanding of the technology from both the past and present. Set in a distant future, 1,000 years from the present day, the world has fallen to ruin and is overrun by zoomorphic robots. With incredibly fun gameplay and a story that delivers more and more intrigue as you delve further into its mysteries, the only thing holding it back is its presentation.Įven during the initial E3 reveal, it was clear that Guerrilla Games had something special with Horizon.
Where Death Stranding felt like a PC port masterpiece with a faltering story that couldn't match the top-notch production values, Horizon is the polar opposite. Both games utilize the Decima Engine, but despite these similarities, the two titles couldn't be more different. Sony, in its continuation to penetrate the PC player base, now releases yet another juggernaut from its long list of console exclusives, Horizon: Zero Dawn. Starting New Game + can give you an entirely different experience that is, in many ways, better than the original game.It wasn't that long ago that I was tasked with reviewing the PC release for Death Stranding. But if you've already completed the game, what can you get out of it?
Updated on April 12th, 2021 by Staci Miller: With Horizon Forbidden West on the way, fans want to dive back into the game that started it all. It changes the game in significant ways and has earnest potential to be an even better experience than the first time around. Related: Horizon Zero Dawn: 5 Side Quests You Need To Do (& 5 You Can Skip)īut after the credits have fallen away you have the chance to play through again on New Game +. Horizon Zero Dawn is a phenomenal game on the first playthrough as it tells a compelling story, lets you obtain your skills and abilities naturally, and gives you the greatest sense of growth and accomplishment.