Horizon Zero Dawn

[Gorf King]

Just finished this myself. Great game; a few niggles, but overall probably the most fun I've had with an in-game sci-fi yarn since the original Mass Effect, and definitely the best open world-ish game I've played in a very long time, thanks mainly to the machine combat, the beautiful, believable world, and the characters and story being so strong and tight for a game of this type.

 

My only real complaint about the ending is that it doesn't so much leave the door ajar to a sequel as fling it open with such force it flies off its hinges. Which was a bit disappointing really - that always cheapens stories a bit for me. But maybe that's just me. Anyway, this leaves the new ME with a lot of ground to cover if it wants to reclaim the crown of top schlock sci-fi series for this gen. Given my woefully wrong predictions about this one, I'm not even going to predict whether it can. 

 

But let's face it, it looks pretty rubs.

[df0]

Encountered a bug that prevents me from obtaining the last piece af armor, the one locked behind 5 items: the quest log tells me I have 1 out of 3, yet 2 of the spots where I should find 1 each are both empty (Maker and Grave Hoard).

[Chow]

45 minutes ago, Captain LeChuck said:

 

I briefly mention the Thunderjaw in my spoiler. I just want to reiterate how amazing that particular beast is. Not just when fighting it. It's a thing of beauty. Truly awe inspiring. If only you could ride one, imagine it...

 

I was actually a bit sad when I realised you couldn't ride the Thunderjaw.

 

I had visions of this in my head prior to launch:

 

[Uncle Mike]

Spent tonight clearing the Erend/Ersa/Sun King storyline. I enjoyed that a lot, despite it being mostly the weaker parts of the gameplay (versus humans.)

 

I think Erend is my favourite person in the game so far.

 

I'm feeling a bit over-levelled at this point though: I'm level 33, and my next Main mission is to go to the Grave Hoard. I've got all the Shadow weapons, and I've got a choice of three purple armour sets, all well modded. Silly me.

[Oz]

So I should have gueses I did this the wrong way around when I finished Zeta and still had one to do. Recommended levels are complete  bullshit in this game. 

[BubbleFish]

OK so even my family have started to say, "you really love that game, don't you"

 

37 hours in and taking my time. I spent 5 minutes last night watching the moonlight move through a forest, the stars moving across the sky. I then realised I was being hunted by two Stalkers and had a fight to the death, them chasing me to the river and falling into the trap I'd previously set for a Snapmaw.

 

As a kid who marvelled at the games on his ZX80 I'd never have thought I could play games like these 

[Gorf King]

My only substantial criticism of the robo-combat (apart from the stealth luring being overpowered) is that it's probably pitched a bit too easy, given the tools at your disposal. Though I could have fixed that myself by bumping it up to Very Hard, so the criticism's of my own faulty choice-making really. (I kept in on Hard because at the back of my mind I felt the difficulty might ramp up at some point - but it doesn't really spike, which isn't a bad thing.)

 

Obv I've platinumed it, but I'm tempted to stick it on again tonight just to get into a few more scrapes with multiple Thundercunts. There are probably some tougher enemies out there, but you can't beat a good Thunderjaw fight. Whoever decided it would be a good idea equipping heavily-armoured T-Rexes with shoulder-mounted machine guns and lasers, and pitting you against them armed with a selection of bows and arrows, ropes, and bomb-launching slings - alongside a mind-control device - had a very good idea indeed. And was tripping off their tits.

[Minion]

I find myself using the tripcaster / blast sling when in heavy fights, not sure your supposed to use the tripcaster in the heat of a frantic fight but I do. I don't really use the elemental bow as I already have 2 bows equipped and I'm not changing loadouts during a fight. What are other people's go to weapons / fighting techniques?

 

 The combat is great though the rock hopper or whatever he is called killed me a lot yesterday before I finally took him down. Only encountered 1 thunder jaw so far on my way to meridian and I confess I sneaked past it as I was scared. I'm a lot higher level now so I might go back and have it out with it next time I'm on. Great game!

[Uncle Mike]

I always have the Hunter Bow and Sharpshot Bow equipped. Then my other two change between War Bow, Tripcaster, Ropecaster, Slings and Rattler depending on what I'm fighting and how the fight's going.

[Pandy]

16 hours ago, MardiganX said:

Anyone else got the "Ancient Armour"? Total game changer as far as the combat goes and makes what was already a superb combat system even better!

 

Possonly slightly overpowered but after 20+ hours of battling hordes of machines when all I want is to go 1v1 it feels very nice.

Yep, my thoughts too. Suggest putting this on and giving the hunter's lodge quests a go if anyone is still struggling. It made the one with the Thunderjaw a piece of piss. 

 

I finished the main game last night. I still really want to go and explore all the little places I haven't seen yet, and all of the side quests. I'm so horrendously overpowered now, and barely ever take any damage from anything, but it's still just such a nice game to randomly run through and explore.

[df0]

2 hours ago, Captain LeChuck said:

You sure you didn't pick them up when doing the relevant quests, and have actually missed other ones? 

I opened the first door using 2. This triggered the follow up quest to collect 3 more. I found 2 but the game registered just 1. Still 2 empty slots in he bunker, quest says 1 out of 3.

[Cosmic_Guru]

As promised, final post here after completing the game.  

 

I realise my perspective is influenced by not buying sufficiently into the world to undertake all the side quests or side activities.  Generally I played a stealthy build except for those boss fights where the only solution is constant move and stafe around the area. I started the final battle at around L26 and finished at L29, and only really felt the impact of being "under levelled" (on normal difficulty) at one point where dps is important  (I hadn't chosen the multi-arrow powerups)*.  I basically used the shadow hunter bow with fire arrows equipped for humans, particularly gun toting ones, and corrupted machines, and the sniper bow (the wire gobbling one) for machines in the wild.  Sometimes traps and the trip wire.  Didn't do any of the hunter lodges.

 

So, the good:

 

Aloy - how refreshing a character, a perfectly down to earth lass who isn't stylised or exaggerated or objectified or anything else which so often seems to be the case with a female lead.  I think there was one misstep when she queried the term "network" and otherwise wolfed down all the "science" exposition she obtained without demur, but other than that a real positive.

 

The music / soundtrack - really like this, nice variation between sort of melancholy with cello, ambient and then ramping things up for more menacing moments.

 

The story - a fair bit of gobbledygook in places but much much better than average.

 

The machine ecosystems - some really nice work there and when you see a real scrap develop which you played no part in provoking it's a sight to see.

 

General game quality - seems pretty flawless (other than @df0 issue) in performance terms, smooth, slick, bug and glitch free and so on. The only minor issue is at certain times in story missions multiple voices can and do overlap.

 

The less good:

 

A general blandness and / or obviousness in the world - can't think of another term really.  No real depth to any of the settlements matching their impressive footprints - no interiors accessible for example, being led to sit down and watch performances rather than exploring by yourself.  Those massively signposted climb points and the cringe making slow mo bits.  Those traps which seem the opposite of subtle or devious.  Then moving away from the settlements there is no sign of farming or, well, anything much really (a few watermills, remains of ruins, rusting cars and tanks and so on excepted).  Lots and lots of fairly empty world with little other than machines, collectible plants and smaller wildlife. 

 

Enemy AI - chronic.  Humans particularly. 

 

Lack of originality, other than said machine ecosystems.  I suppose you can't fault a game for taking elements and re-blending them to a new mix. Clearing bandit camps, hunting wildlife, using some gizmo to follow a blood trail, rogue machines and parental involvement (Re-core), using images from the past via holograms, that constant inner narrative, we've seen it all so many times before.  I kind of envy much younger gamers who are coming to this a good deal fresher in perspective.

 

Anyway, pleased to have played it and will doubtless return for part 2 (if you've played Quantum Break you will no doubt have a wry smile at a certain point).

 

* and I would have been better served if a checkpoint hadn't been place at a certain point since it limited a particular resource.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MardiganX]

I have the week from hell ahead of me with work so will be saving the last couple of story missions, cauldrons and side missions until its all out of the way. Like a little reward for getting through the mountain of shit I have to deal with

 

For me Horizon can sit comfortably alongside the best open world games I have ever played. Red Dead Redemption, Black Flag, Arkham Knight, all games where the world feels alive and once the story sucked me in I didn't want them to end. Thats even putting aside the fact it is the best looking game I have ever seen. In a year that includes games like ME Andromeda, RDR 2, Nier Automata and Last of Us 2 I really didn't expect Horizon to be in with a shout of my GOTY but its an early contender for so many reasons.

[Oz]

1 hour ago, Captain LeChuck said:

I still used the whistle at times, but it was sparingly, and only when I was near one enemy that I wanted to lure over to override/take out.

I forbade myself from whistling. did not do it again. ever. I have found the game on hard to be a decent challenge (thus far). The battle with the death bringer at the cauldron was balls hard. 

 

3 hours ago, Captain LeChuck said:

You sure you didn't pick them up when doing the relevant quests, and have actually missed other ones? 

oh god that armor. I both love and hate these kinds of quests. I call this 'cock tease game design'. will I stumble into all the keys or should I follow a FAQ. I just don't want to unlock the coolest armor at a point when I am already done with the game. whatcha think? 

[Gorf King]

Just let the chips fall where they may - I think FAQ'ing / guiding this game would ruin it even more than most. If you search everywhere you'll get it (unless it's bugged, in which case it'll likely be bugged regardless). But using a guide as you play through would utterly destroy the magic of the events and the sense of discovery a game like this needs, I think.

 

I did use a guide once, myself - when I thought I had one or two missions left (I had only one) and saw the ghost of the trophy for knocking over all the combat dummies was leering at me when all the others were done; so I looked at a guide to dummy locations and just warped between them ticking them off before the final fight. But man, even doing that (and struggling over a couple of the hunting grounds challenges) were the worst parts of the game. It just doesn't seem right to introduce such box-ticking mechanisms into a game which is essentially so vibrant and full of life. And as it turns out, I could have just done the dummy-bashing after the game finished anyway - the game deposits you to the save before the finale after you finish, so you can clean stuff up you haven't done.

 

That won't help if the game's bugged out, though I half wish I hadn't done everything I could so I'd have more impetus for a second playthrough. I'd likely do it anyway were it not for the packed release calendar and that fucking Destiny update this month. (Fucking recycled fan-exploiting bollocks; yes obviously I'm in.)

[Tezcatlipoca]

Finished off the Bandit Camps yesterday...

 

Spoiler

RIP Nil

 

... and the last two Cauldrons.

 

Did a little bit more of the main story in Meridian, and a side quest for Olin.

 

Spoiler

Did anyone else find it strange that Olin kept his Focus on even after you rescued him and even when he was with you to rescue his family? Good job no one at Eclipse was monitoring it still, eh?

 

 

I think I'll do the rest of the Corrupted Zones next, then go back to the Lodge quests (not the hunting trials, but the quest chain).

 

Not sure I can be bothered to do all the collectibles, though. Tend to find that sort of thing tedious.

[Oz]

4 minutes ago, Tezcatlipoca said:

Finished off the Bandit Camps yesterday...

 

  Reveal hidden contents

RIP Nil

 

... and the last two Cauldrons.

 

Did a little bit more of the main story in Meridian, and a side quest for Olin.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Did anyone else find it strange that Olin kept his Focus on even after you rescued him and even when he was with you to rescue his family? Good job no one at Eclipse was monitoring it still, eh?

 

 

I think I'll do the rest of the Corrupted Zones next, then go back to the Lodge quests (not the hunting trials, but the quest chain).

 

Not sure I can be bothered to do all the collectibles, though. Tend to find that sort of thing tedious.

buy the maps and you will find most of it on the way to somewhere if you keep an eye on the map from time to time. collectibles are great in this game. specially vantage points. 

[Oz]

I just had a thought that if they added cauldrons as DLC or (more on the subject of exploring ruins of the old world) I would throw my money at the screen. best thing I can say about this game is that it is definitely one of those you think about when you are not playing. I find the whole mystery about the end of the world really fascinating. 

[Pandy]

I don't think the Cauldrons added THAT much in terms of content - I'd be pretty miffed if they were a standalone DLC for example.

 

Having completed the game now, I think I can see where one of the DLCs will be:

 

Perhaps some more insight into what Sylens got up to - will he perhaps be a playable character as you relive some of his memories? Or, there might be one which takes place after the post-credits scene where Hades once again manages to get set loose.

[Gorf King]

I think the latter will obviously be the subject of the inevitable sequel. Which is why I don't see much room for meaningful DLC really - everything I can think of seems a bit perfunctory and pointless, cos otherwise it's a pretty well-rounded story. (Though sure, you could do some backstory stuff... I guess.)

[Uncle Mike]

Did a side quest where you help an Oseram village out with two idiots trying to hunt Behemoths. It ends, obviously, with you fighting Behemoths. It's a lot of fun!

 

I do continue to like the fighting in this.

[df0]

11 hours ago, Captain LeChuck said:

You sure you didn't pick them up when doing the relevant quests, and have actually missed other ones? 

I did. Thanks

[Harsin]

I love coming across a pair of Ravagers minding their own business in the jungle.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I can never resist shooting the cannon off and taking care of them directly.

[Chow]

6 hours ago, Pandy said:

I don't think the Cauldrons added THAT much in terms of content - I'd be pretty miffed if they were a standalone DLC for example.

 

Having completed the game now, I think I can see where one of the DLCs will be:

 

 

  Hide contents

Perhaps some more insight into what Sylens got up to - will he perhaps be a playable character as you relive some of his memories? Or, there might be one which takes place after the post-credits scene where Hades once again manages to get set loose.

 

 

I would expect any story DLC will be

 

Rost's story, which is pretty badass. Or some stuff set during the time skip, when Rost is training Aloy.

[Oz]

this game does put on a fair challenge in spots. and the combat is superb. late game boss battle spoiler in video (rockbreaker). I would argue without dark souls, boss battles like this would not exist anymore. 

 

[df0]

Finished it. Solid golden shiny 8/10 and absolutely a must-play for the story alone. Not fond of the sheer amount of available weapons when you realistically can pick 4 and stick with it, the amount of outfits when you get any with 3, boring bandit camps, terrible Hunter Trials, the very limited amount of engaging and memorable side quests and characters.

 

Looking very much forward to the inevitable sequel.

[Uncle Mike]

Tackled the Z Cauldron and the Grave Hoard mission tonight. I think I've possibly done my Cauldrons in a different order than the game intended, but it was a cool guy nonetheless.

 

The the Grave Hoard mission was cool, and I actually appreciated listening to all the audio diaires. The end boss fight was hard, but easy enough if you kept moving and switching attacks.

 

Off to presumably save people from Redmaw tomorrow, I think.

[KartoffelKopf]

Did my first cauldron last night and holy crap that was good. Fantastic change in the art direction from the mountains and trees to, well, whatever it was. Amazing stuff and tense as fuck.

 

Im still struggling a little with effective combat and I feel a little underpowered. I been neglecting ability points and buying upgraded weapons and armour as usually whenever I spend a load of whatevers on equipment I immediately get a quest that rewards me with something far superior. Think I'll visit a merchant tonight and spend some cash. 

 

Fighting atop a machine as you gallop around a herd of grazers taking them out is utterly thrilling though. 

[Darren]

I had an odd experience in the quest where you

 

go to find Olin at the dig site

 

After killing the machines the next objective was to kill all the human baddies. I shot a few but then hid while I replenished health, crafted new ammo etc. but obviously hid too well (or perhaps too long), as the three remaining baddies gave up shooting at me and just wandered off into their unreachable caves around the site. The person I went there to see was still cowering in the middle as if under fire, and the next objective was to go and talk to them but that wouldn't trigger until I'd dispatched the no-longer-interested baddies. Eventually in a flash of inspiration I put a balloon bomb in the middle of the site, retreated and shot it, which attracted the attention of the last three baddies so I could then finish them off and finally talk to the person I went there to see in the first place.

 

I'm sure that wasn't supposed to happen, but I'm glad and impressed I was able to solve it using the game's own tools and logic, rather than revert to the last save and try again as I thought I might have to.

 

I'm now about 30 hours in, level 25 I think, I've done all the quests I can find in and around Meridian and so now I'm heading North to progress the story a bit further. I hope I find a second cauldron soon because I want to be able to set some of the bigger machines against each other!