Horizon Zero Dawn

[XIII]

Jim Sterling makes a good point about this game in his latest jimquisition

[Ramagamma]

Thank God for Jim Sterling

[Fide]

23 hours ago, forameus said:

I'm still not entirely sold on this yet.  It's got a few niggles that mean I'm not getting fully into it, but starting to grow a bit.  I really don't like the melee combat, feels a bit of a button masher, and several times the light attacks just phase through enemies without really hitting them.  Not very precise generally either.  Having said that, the ranged combat is brilliant.  Now that I'm improving gear and getting a few new weapons, the battles are getting a bit less like mashing buttons and dieing again and again until I get it right.  

The game is hands down the best looking game I've ever played.  Was going to say it could do with being a bit more varied, but I got into my first cauldron yesterday which was definitely something different.

Will make sure I play it to completion, but not getting the impression that it's quite as good as a lot of people have said.  But then I didn't really like Witcher 3 in the early hours either. 

Oh aye, and you can ride a fucking metal horse.  Yass.

I'm with you on the melee combat.  It's borderline broken.

The ranged combat is exquisite though.  Knocking bits off a Thunderjaw one by one until it's a shambling, fucked, ruined piece of metal is one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I've had in a long time.

[Mr. Brightside]

Just completed and "Platinumed" it. What a bloody game. A smidge under 50 hours of my time invested in it and I feel it has been a really rewarding experience. A superb and intriguing story, which is few and far between now (as is a game which you can put in 50 hours worth of playing time, that isn't multiplayer)The writing and dialogue really were superb, and what a main character Aloy is, and that's just it, she has character, a pretty complex person really. She's pretty sassy as well which is funny. 

 

Definitely one of my favourite games of the last few years and probably all time. 

[BBloyal86]

I wasn't expecting to much from this game as I was waiting for Ghost Recon to be released but after playing a few hours I don't think I'll bother getting GR. I can't wait to get stuck into this on my days off.

[Gordon EF]

Treated myself to a PS4 this weekend and picked this up at the same time. It's the first time I've had a go at any next-gen game so I may be a bit 'over-awed' by it all but I'm absolutely loving it so far. It's absolutely fucking gorgeous. I'd agree about the melee combat - it's a bit shit but creeping around in the long grass and using the bow feels pretty awesome.

I like open-word exploration games but often I feel like the exploration part is a chore. Even in Mass Effect it began to feel like I was only exploring planets to get more resources and all I really wanted to do was get to the next main mission. In Horizon, I've already spent hours scouring the starting area and the first 'outside' valley, making sure I've visitied every part of it just because I want to before I move on to the next quest.

[Fide]

15 hours ago, Gordon EF said:

Treated myself to a PS4 this weekend and picked this up at the same time. It's the first time I've had a go at any next-gen game so I may be a bit 'over-awed' by it all but I'm absolutely loving it so far. It's absolutely fucking gorgeous. I'd agree about the melee combat - it's a bit shit but creeping around in the long grass and using the bow feels pretty awesome.

I like open-word exploration games but often I feel like the exploration part is a chore. Even in Mass Effect it began to feel like I was only exploring planets to get more resources and all I really wanted to do was get to the next main mission. In Horizon, I've already spent hours scouring the starting area and the first 'outside' valley, making sure I've visitied every part of it just because I want to before I move on to the next quest.

I'm jealous as f**k that you're just starting this.

[forameus]

I still haven't fully got into this yet, but still enjoying it.  I'm not seeing it being an amazing example of the exploration part of open-world games.  Not a terrible thing, because to be honest the Witcher (my favourite game) wasn't great for it either.  By that I mean that although the world is absolutely, undeniably gorgeous, there isn't really much to explore.  It coudl be that I just haven't found the best bits yet, but at the moment it's a beautiful world that feels like it could have been filled with a little more stuff that matters, rather than just "stuff".  

I'm probably not explaining it that well, and believe me, I'm not saying the game is bad.  I'm really enjoying it, but hasn't really hit the heights that other games have just yet.  Apart from bow combat.  That still remains fucking satisfying.

[WFAANW]

Just ordered this, Guessing from the rest of the thread it's quite good then?

[Mr. Brightside]

Just ordered this, Guessing from the rest of the thread it's quite good then?

Yeah it's alright.

[Fide]

20 hours ago, WFAANW said:

Just ordered this, Guessing from the rest of the thread it's quite good then?

It is the cat's pyjamas.

The dog's danglies.

The chimpanzee's chookies.

It's effing tremendous.

[Hamish's Passenger]

Stuck in a cauldron with a Thunderjaw was fun.....

[Tri-TON]

People still playing this?

Borrowed Horizon off a pal who had completed it. I think I've played about 30 hours and about half way-ish into the story roughly. And wow, what an incredible game. These open world RPG type games are just not me, too much faffing about for my liking, but this game just does it all so well. The fact that when you come across a new machine I know I'm not at the skill level required to beat it and shit myself, usually remarking "the f**k is that" as I see it in the distance.

Aloy is a great character and even though she can just constantly ask questions there's many times where what or how her character says something has me in pieces laughing. Some of the 'side' characters are great too.

I am also loving the story, incredibly much so. I'm a massive Metal Gear Solid fanboy so I do love a complex science fiction story and this is so up my street. Without spoiling much the game does tackle some real interesting plot points in politics, capitalism, corruption etc.

Having phenomenal fun with this game right now and there's plenty to do bar the main quest, however I do find errands etc can be rather tedious.

So far, 11/10 - GOTY - and I've not even completed it.

PS - has anyone looked into the photo mode? The game is utterly beautiful but it's also got a very deep photo mode, and for someone who doesn't bother with these things I found myself spending 40 minutes messing around with it. You can pause the game during cutscenes etc and get great shots. I've managed to upload one of them as my theme on my PS4 and it looks great.

[NotThePars]

I'm playing it patchily. Just left the Embrace after the Proving and heading to Meridian. I am really enjoying it. Stuck it on hard and it's rewardingly challenging.

[Tri-TON]

I'm playing it patchily. Just left the Embrace after the Proving and heading to Meridian. I am really enjoying it. Stuck it on hard and it's rewardingly challenging.

The love of this game is the challenge of taking on new enemies

[NotThePars]

The love of this game is the challenge of taking on new enemies

Aye it's great. Love seeing something and thinking "how the f**k am I tackling that?" and that's only in the first few hours.

[#Gary]

Just hit my first Cauldron... f**k ME!

Recommended level for it was 8... I'm 16 and struggling big time! 

[Stellaboz]

This a decent storyline and exploring like title to pick up, like Witcher/Skyrim esque?

[well fan for life]

Rockbreakers are absolutely brutal. Just done the one in the quarry and it must have taken me about 10 attempts.

Stormbirds are still a fucking nightmare, though.

Tearblast arrows & the Tearblaster itself are the ticket for dealing with Thunderjaws. Far easier to deal with when they've no ranged attacks.

[forameus]

Still don't like it quite as much as the Witcher, but really starting to get into it as I reach the last few quests

Just finished the Hunters Lodge line of quests, probably the most challenging I've faced.  Had to kill the Stormbird and Thunderjaw pair, must've been ten minute battles for each.  First time I faced the Thunderjaw, neither disc cannon appeared after I shot them off, so I couldn't use them.  Well, shit.  Must've bugged out, second time (after it smacked f**k out of me with its tail) they appeared as normal and I managed to get it down.  New favourite weapon though - Tearblaster.  Taking off every bit of the Thunderjaw armor then killing it with a perfect three arrow shot to the heart was pleasing.

Then onto fighting Redmaw, and the most unintentionally funny moment of the game when Ashish or whatever he's called is fighting.  "He's holding his own" they say, before he gets tail fucked into a wall.  "No.  No he isn't." They add.  Brilliant.  Again though, really starting to get into the act of focusing attacks, stripping armour then going at them that way.  A lot of battles I was just going in and trying to fire enough arrows at them with little plan.  The machines have been designed so well with their weak points and armour.

Trying to work my way through the side quests and errands I have open now.  Got all cauldrons, all long-legs, and got to the main quest where they say you've hit the point of no return.  Work my way through all of those, then finish off the last few main quests, then I'll be golden.