Horizon: Zero Dawn

Horizon: Zero Dawn is a PlayStation 4 exclusive from Guerilla Games, the studio mainly known for the Killzone shooter series. This time we get an action game with RPG elements set in a future world, in which modern cities crumbled, human civilization collapsed, and the world has been overrun by mechanical beasts.

Story

The game is set in an open world, long after the mankind’s golden age has passed. After our grand civilization collapsed, those who survived the shift of power started to gather in tribes living in the wild territories of the new world. This, however, does not mean that all of advanced technology has been lost. Quite the opposite in fact - the world was dominated by machines that somehow evolved into intelligent animal life forms. You play as Aloya, a young, adventurous girl, who tries to uncover secrets of the lost civilization, while striving to learn her own destiny.

Gameplay

On her journey, the heroine has to take on various challenges and face numerous hostile machines. Fortunately, she is not a damsel in distress type of woman, but an excellent warrior, perfectly capable of standing her ground even in the toughest of situations. Wielding futuristic weapons made up of parts of fallen machines, Aloya fearlessly faces even the biggest mechanical beasts.

Gameplay-wise the title is a combination of TPP action adventure and a stealth game, supplemented with RPG elements. In combat you have to learn the opponents’ behavior patterns and make use of their weak spots. Of course, you do not have to fight all enemies on your way, and it is sometimes better to hide in the tall grass and wait out the danger.

Technology

Horizon: Zero Dawn features excellent visuals. Guerilla Games did a good job digging into PlayStation 4 architecture and employing its hidden potential.