Horizon: Zero Dawn
I recently finished one of the better stories I’ve ever played through. Growing up, I have always thought of video games as a medium to deliver meaningful stories. Video games practically taught me how to read, and they taught me how to distinguish differences between characters better than any book could ever teach. The characters came alive with music and sound effects. Today video games are
a pure form of art as well as a solid form of entertainment that has continued to expand and flourish. The graphics are nearing perfection, it often appears as if you are watching a 60 hour long, CG animated movie. The characters are voiced by real voice actors and coupled with the flawless and perfectly matched facial animations, they can come to life better than ever before. Games today are able to convey a sense of emotion better than they have ever been able to. As with any good story it’s the characters that make you give a shit or not. That is where Horizon really shines is in its character development and details.
We have all started those books, stories, movies, or games that just didn’t grab us. Something didn’t stick and I only end up reading for so long and I may never pick it up again. It’s all too rare for stories to grab at me the way Horizon did. From the onset of the game it paints a very clear personal conflict and it almost instantly makes you want to know more about the main Character, a female named Aloy. I will not spoil anything in the story, but the game does a beautiful job of making meaningful attachment between the characters, whether the relationship is good or bad, as a player I wanted to resolve every conflict and figure out truths throughout the whole game.
The game has excellent pacing as well. A lot of sand box titles offer the standard fetch and escort missions to build experience and level up your character. Horizon sticks to this but I never once found the missions overly tedious or overly boring. Largely, I gained the most experience from hunting the mechanical beasts that roam the world. The game is hard but not unbeatable with adjustable difficulty it’s impossible to get stuck. There were definitely areas that you weren’t supposed to be in based on your player level but never did I feel like I have to grind levels to get past any events. The great pacing of the game provided me with the necessary techniques and tools just about when the problem presented itself. I appreciate non grindy games. However, the side missions and main quests are where the beautiful writing and storytelling really gets unearthed. The world that Guerilla created is absolutely awe inspiring, lush, and feels very alive. Every small mission uncovers pieces of information and bits scenery that really flex the imagination.
Horizon is arguably one of the best put together games I have ever played. Everything made sense overall. Other than a couple minor things I found, it plays perfectly and all of the controls are quick and responsive. The maps and menus all work perfectly so you can get as lost or as on track as you ever want to be as a player. Clunky controls or camera can take the fun out of a game pretty quick but Horizon is solid. Very few times did I encounter small glitches or issues but for such a massive and polished game I was thoroughly impressed with how smooth it ran all the time.
Where this game really shines is its complex and very mature story line. In the age of DLC and games coming out only 60% completed, it is a huge relief to get a solid game that is a complete experience. Guerilla made such a well-crafted story that they needed to tell it all in one sitting in order for the player to grasp the epic scope of the events that unfold. It includes complex psychological, personal, moral, and ethical undertones that really grab at a conscious and attentive player. Other than the main characters arch and development, there are twists a plenty and ultimately the multiple conflicts that present themselves in the game all come down to one epic Mind Fuck. One of the best and probably most memorable stories I’ve ever played in my 30 years of gaming. And I don’t have to pay an extra 60 dollars to enjoy it over the next year of my life.
Obviously I highly recommend this video game to anyone who owns a Playstation4. This is the cream of the video game crop. Little bit scifi, little bit survival, epic adventure, and solidly complete package. Top notch graphics and animation and some of the best voice acting I’ve seen in a video game. One that will stick with you long after the credits roll, and not just the Story and conclusion but the main character and the epic challenge she persevered through.
Cheers, and happy gaming!