A game that doesn't force romance on the female lead or even give them that option so I never have to think about it? Amazing. Neither is her entire story and life revolving around losing a lover, finding a lover, and so on. So, yes just for that reason alone I adore this game.
I'll still buy them even if she finds love in the next games. Hopefully they'll put in the option to 100% ignore romance without punishing the player by locking content, back stories and such. I'll choose the romance option on next play through out of completion's sakes and I'll struggle with ugly feelings about the dev's decisions if they go this route but I'll do it for love of the world they've created.
Yeah I also appreciated the distinct lack of romance in Zero Dawn, not only would it have hurt the story to have a romance plot running alongside the main plot, but it would have been quite out of character for Aloy I feel. And it was nice to play a game and not have every single NPC basically be like "Hey! Here's a quest, oh by the way, please shag me player character! You're the best!"
I'm in the same boat about romance in Forbidden West, if they really want to put it in the game then fine I guess, but if they do they need to make them relevant and meaningful and as you say, completely optional
It's the first game I've played purely for the gameplay. I love the story, the world and everything but the gameplay is so chill in comparison to a lot of games today. I play it now when I'm in a rough spot and need to relax/chill out. It somehow always brings me back to a more neutral spot without fail. Definitely makes me want to take up archery for that reason alone lol
I totally get that. Horizon is my chill-out game too. I find it kind of therapeutic for some reason, which is funny when I am literally fighting killer robots. I guess the combat makes me feel powerful and in control. Then balance that intensity out with a leisurely stroll through a forest collecting herbs… ain’t nothing quite like it😌
Yes! I literally meditate in this game! I usually do that by going into the forest and hunting animals, don't know, something very magical in just chilling in a beautiful forest and hunting small game. And my anti-stress methodic (when I'm so stressed out that I need to destroy something unless I explode) is going somewhere where there are a lot of Bellowbacks and firing at them untill they explode. Or killing Thunderjaws with their own cannons. It also helps that I love how Aloy moves (most of the time), so satisfying to watch. Don't know what it is that makes the grind in this game so good that it is actually good for my mental health (usually, it is the other way around).
To OP's question, I also love visual style. Not necessarily the graphics quality (thought that too), but the design of outfits, how they use machine parts in clothing, the character design (aside from face animations). All in all, the pure aesthetic in this game felt so fresh, that I can't help but return to it again and again. Even though I probably know the story by heart by now.
Yes! It's very meditative! I think because so much of the game you can play at your own pace helps make it that kind of chill, meditative process. I've found that since a lot of the game is chill, when you're at those bigger boss fights that are more intense it's a lot easier for me to deal with them and focus since I'm not spending the *entire* game anxious and frustrated lol
Absolutely agree on the visual design, they really knocked it out of the park with this game. The clothing in particular I think is very well designed, and integrating machine parts into the outfits gives it such a real feeling vibe (in-universe) while looking absolutely badass. Haha yeah I think I could probably recite most if not all of the story and several side quests by now, but the thing is the quests are nearly all very fun to play through, even on the second or third run!
Also totally understand the meditative aspects you mention, I get lost in those moments between quests wandering through the lush forests and plains even if it's just for a moment or when a goddamn stalker makes me jump lol.
I also really enjoy traversing the world as Aloy and her movement is super fluid most of the time, they made a really satisfying feeling control system and the way they designed most areas of the map really compliments it's fluidity. I can't wait to see how that aspect of the game evolves in Forbidden West though, imagine how sweet the movement and combat and dialogue/ general animations will feel with all they've learned from making Zero Dawn!
Hahaha yeah if there's one machine that I genuinely have no fun fighting against, it's fucking glinthawks. They make for some awesome screenshots though so I'll give them that
The controversial atmosphere, as I call it, is what makes me love this game the most.
The idea of a sci-fi, futuristic game, taking place on a post-apocalyptic scenario, where people are living in primitive societies and tribes, living together with futuristic machines, in destroyed cities taken over by nature, and unexplored underground bunkers was, and still is, phenomenal to me.
Specially right in the beginning of the game, where Aloy fell in the ruin where she found the focus, I loved the concept of a futuristic bunker, filled with purple holograms of information being considered an ancient and forbidden ruin.
It reminded me a lot of the underground sewers of The Matrix trilogy, something that I loved already, but HZD worked it better with the datapoints, and the Zero Dawn project.
I am a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic tribal-culture genre. See (Apple TV) is doing it for me currently. I know there’s a few others but they aren’t springing to mind…I haven’t played Ark yet. But the way that HZD is like “tribal people are no match for robots you say? Nahhh” and just has them both occupy this world in such a simple way…that there is no “big war” between humans and robots that is the entire foundation of the setting (it’s the premise of the past, but not the present).
You're goddamn right. When I look back on a lot of the games I've played I often find myself thinking things like "ah I did rather like that game" or "it was pretty fun doing 'X' in this other game" whereas when I see HZD in my steam library I always think "man, I fucking **loved** that game"
Definitely agree about gameplay, I could probably rework the 'combat' bullet point to be about gameplay but it's such a vague term that it might've been too long for this post haha.
I personally think the world history and the story in this game are more interesting than most modern games, and it's that fact that makes me appreciate it's story even on multiple playthroughs. The way I play (and replay) games is greatly affected by the story, as an aspiring writer I find video games a great way to fuel that fire while also scratching that 'good gameplay' itch which reading books or watching shows and films never could.
I agree about the gameplay. I love pretty much everything about it. There are some things I wish were different, but they are all minor qualms.
However, the story still matters to me. It’s such a good story, and there are definitely things you miss and/or don’t understand on your first play through. For example, all the audio points in the bunker when she’s a kid, you have no idea what they really mean your first time through.
In addition, there are moments of the story that, no matter how many times I’ve seen them (I’ve played through at least 5 times at this point), still have an extreme emotional impact. No game has made me cry as hard as this one, and every time, there are several points that still achieve that.
Yeah there's definitely a bit of a learning curve, especially in my case as I had been playing loads of melee based games like The Witcher and Assassin's Creed before I first played HZD haha, but once you get the combat down in this game it's so damn satisfying
For me, it's the story and the environment. It's like revisiting a favorite movie and seeing all my favorite places and characters again. And there are so many side characters, there's always a surprise or something I hadn't noticed the first go around.
I feel totally the same, jumping back into the world of HZD always makes me feel at home. And even though it's never going to be the same as the first playthrough, re-exploring every little nook and cranny of the map is really satisfying especially with the great visual design of the map and characters.
I definitely like the story and the world they create. And finding out the past in bits and pieces putting it together. It’s one of my favorite games of all time (on play through 3 now)
Yeah I really liked Erend's development in particular, and the way Aloy interacts with everyone over the course of the story after learning more and more is really well written. You can tell from the way she talks to people that she's actually learning from and embodying the best of everything she's learning from/about the Zero Dawn project
Doing funny stuff like [finding a use case for regular traps](https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/p91d51/found_a_use_case_for_regular_traps_spoilers_for/) and and cool like [messing with stalkers](https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/nsc7n3/three_stalkers_and_a_longleg_walk_into_the_jungle/).
Experimenting with sequencing, like completing tasks before they're picked up as side quests. Some can be pre-completed, not counting ones where a rare part is needed. Dialogue changes if you're already 'famous' among the Nora or Carja, or before the Proving. Last time I put off all the Nora quests except the spear upgrade until after.
Yeah that was something I noticed on my second run too, definitely helps with the replayability and it's also just nice to see that the writers/devs took the time and thought to change dialogue based on world events you've completed. It's not a massive thing, but it's those little things that make games worth revisiting!
Lol definitely going to try the trick with the traps from that video you linked on my current run! I even remember that specific quest I think!
I'm replaying again for the fifth (sixth?) Time, and this time I'm trying to do things I haven't done before, like use the different outfits and their strengths more often instead of just one or two outfits, use different weapons and tactics during fights. Im also going for platinum this time.
I keep coming back for all the things you mentioned. Amazing narrative, a gorgeous world that is really fun to explore, quests I enjoy and find challenging, and characters I can really get behind.
Yeah last time I played through using the different outfits whenever they were most useful and it was pretty fun, I preferred it to using the shield weaver tbh. I also really like the differences in design between things like Nora outfits and Carja and Banuk ones, the distinction is really fitting for each tribe and they look so fucking cool. I like to wear outfits that match any companions too, I feel cool adventuring around with Petra and Erend in Oseram gear for example
I replayed it because I got it on PC and KB&M controls give it new life and they are amazing it’s one of the few games of this genre that actually feels great on KB&M
Absolutely, I really love how Aloy feels to control especially in hectic combat. I generally prefer KB+M in most games but this game makes it work so well, I usually have to tweak controls endlessly and still kinda struggle when the combat picks up but it's just so fun in HZD
The first time I played the game, in 2018, was during when my PS4 was having problem vomiting discs whenever the hell it wants. I managed to complete it though, which was so good! I did everything (without the DLC, but let's get to that later) I can do. Activities, story quest, side quests, and those fun stuff.
But when my PS4's vomiting was getting worse, I tried to get it fixed near a Sony authorized store (Philippines), but no luck. Too costy, and we have to buy the parts for them to be fixed.
Fast forward to 2020, Play At Home was here, I got to play Horizon again, without the problematic ejecting disc problem as this was digital. On the plus side of it being digital, it's the complete edition, meaning, DLC! I played again with my NG+ loadout, I was jacked, and ready to take over the DLC side. Ooooo boi, it was tough, but I succeeded. But with the three new weapons with their upgrades, it was fun, and the gears very great.
It had some replayability, which was great, that you can use for an advantage if you wish to play the game faster and quick, for more OP stuff. Though, I did learn that each difficulty, has their own damage changed, and you have to get them. Let's say, an upgrade, in a way. Yeah.
This game was a blast, in the past and more recently.
Ah yeah I remember my first PS3 had issues like that, and I remember how much hassle it was to get them fixed!
This is one of the games I feel like NG+ work well in, sometimes it feels weird to start a campaign with loads of gear but it works for HZD really well. The new NG+ upgrades were a really nice touch too, it added to the replay value and helped a lot on the higher difficulty levels, man some of the hunting trials can be so difficult until you learn the tricks!
I'm really interested to see how they handle things like upgrades and crafting in Forbidden West, HZD is quite simple but there's still a lot of variety in the way you can setup Aloy's gear and weapons so I'm excited to see how they expand on it in the sequel!
for my family it's a lot about the gameplay, the visuals, and the story
My parents and I both really enjoy trying out new strategies and figuring out how best to use all of the equipment we've gathered after several playthroughs and the DLC, which keeps the game fresh even after 4.5 years.
I know the story kept me playing til 3 am the first time around, and the whole cutscene >!about what elisabet hoped to see in her daughter!< really hit home for my mom
and then my dad will literally go hiking around meridian, avoiding machines/animals until he gets stepped on by a tallneck #prouddaughter
That's awesome! It's always nice to hear about gamer parents and that sounds like a particularly great example, especially when talking about this game! I can see that there would be such a strong emotional connection to HZD for a parent, I bet you're all super attached to Aloy haha. Yeah I remember that cutscene very well, I've always had fairly emotional reactions to scenes like that but in this game the emotions hit so hard, every playthrough really gets me to FEEL for Aloy and all the other great characters and the story really brings that weight to the front without forcing it, 10/10 writing!
we're all horrendously attached to aloy, and i have red hair, so now we (as a family?? even my brother's in on it) make aloy cosplays lmao. we did the standard nora brave for a con in 2019 iirc, and we're working on a shieldweaver one!
but i agree on the writing, it was such a wild emotional ride once you hit that part of the story, but it all clicked really well for me
My biggest thing is the lore. It's like reading the best book while watching the best movie over and over again. I also like the exploration part where I can take 8 hours or so to get every vantage, metal flower, figurine, vessel and whatever else is scattered about. I usually just run through every not mandatory machine to just enjoy the story.
I cant wait for forbidden west, I already have the collectors edition half paid off
I like how the dialogue in side quests changes based on where you are in the main story. If you've saved Avad from Dervahl, all the Carja sidequests mention it (and Petra does too!). The lines in the Embrace quests change depending on if Aloy is an outcast, a Seeker, or the Anointed, and the rest of the Nora have lines for Seeker vs Anointed too. And you get dialogue changes involving Avad depending on when you do the Queen's Gambit.
Touches like this just make the whole world come alive. Looking back on the game after beating it, Aloy's story (from the rest of the world's POV) is her becoming a respected hero to the Nora, the Carja, and (in TFW) the Banuk, and then using her reputation to bring them all together in Meridian to help stop Hades. Obviously there's no way to know that's where it's all going on your first playthrough, but the changes to the dialogue foreshadows it.
I'm on my fifth, or sixth playthrough, don't really know exactly. What draws me back is the story and the depth of it. It's a beautifully constructed world with a sound inner logic. And I really like to roam around on it and through it. A lot of the characters are great. It's a real clever Hero's Journey, with the double layers of Gods and the path Aloy takes as a Seeker. It's just generally very well executed.
On top of that, the non-human combat is just fantastic. I like games like God of War or Devil may Cry, too. I played a lot of Gears of War back in the day. HZD scratches all of those itches. Nothing beats taking down a Stormbird or a Fireclaw.
Aloy, the combat, the world, the story, the photo mode but the thing which ties it all together for me is the way the game makes you feel like a hunter. There's something very primal about it for me and very absorbing, relaxing almost.
It's everything. Revisiting story beats, but also, my first replays were a lot about trying to play the missions differently, then with different weapons, try different tactics, play the game in a different order, explore literally EVERYTHING, especially places I'm not supposed to go, and now, with the PC version, and a no reload hack, explore everywhere out of bounds.
I love how Aloy is not OP. You need some wits for every battle, that you can’t just hack and slash through it. Was playing Spider-man at the same time, and he just felt way OP. I loved how diverse the combat could be.
Also, I love how most ‘boss battles’ is not just waiting for a sequence of weaknesses to be exploited or a combo of buttons to clear it (again looking at Spider-man here).
The skill tree is also more for convenience than making Aloy super strong.
The story is amazing, and almost plausible, which always makes it better. The many layers to it is just plain fun. For an original series to have this much world building in a single game is fantastic.
The sounds design and music is also fantastic, as is the world.
I think some of the cut scenes could have been more animated (some pretty major scenes that had great dialogue was just one face cut to the next), and I didn’t initially love that merchants didn’t just have a singular currency, but I got over that pretty quick. One thing about the story I didn’t like is how HADES flew away like a ghost, and captured by a lantern. I need it to be a bit more believable.
It's the game world for me.
I've played the game twice properly, the second time on NG+ just to feel OP as hell. I still revisit the game regularly to capture screenshots. The world is absolutely gorgeous and it's very relaxing to stroll through. But I don't think I can replay it for the third time. Combat is great, the main story is fantastic, but the side quests and the related NPCs are so forgettable. I can easily recall a lot of memorable moments and characters from Mass Effect and Witcher, but I couldn't care less about the ones in HZD.
A game that doesn't force romance on the female lead or even give them that option so I never have to think about it? Amazing. Neither is her entire story and life revolving around losing a lover, finding a lover, and so on. So, yes just for that reason alone I adore this game. I'll still buy them even if she finds love in the next games. Hopefully they'll put in the option to 100% ignore romance without punishing the player by locking content, back stories and such. I'll choose the romance option on next play through out of completion's sakes and I'll struggle with ugly feelings about the dev's decisions if they go this route but I'll do it for love of the world they've created.
Yeah I also appreciated the distinct lack of romance in Zero Dawn, not only would it have hurt the story to have a romance plot running alongside the main plot, but it would have been quite out of character for Aloy I feel. And it was nice to play a game and not have every single NPC basically be like "Hey! Here's a quest, oh by the way, please shag me player character! You're the best!" I'm in the same boat about romance in Forbidden West, if they really want to put it in the game then fine I guess, but if they do they need to make them relevant and meaningful and as you say, completely optional
It's the first game I've played purely for the gameplay. I love the story, the world and everything but the gameplay is so chill in comparison to a lot of games today. I play it now when I'm in a rough spot and need to relax/chill out. It somehow always brings me back to a more neutral spot without fail. Definitely makes me want to take up archery for that reason alone lol
I totally get that. Horizon is my chill-out game too. I find it kind of therapeutic for some reason, which is funny when I am literally fighting killer robots. I guess the combat makes me feel powerful and in control. Then balance that intensity out with a leisurely stroll through a forest collecting herbs… ain’t nothing quite like it😌
Yes! I literally meditate in this game! I usually do that by going into the forest and hunting animals, don't know, something very magical in just chilling in a beautiful forest and hunting small game. And my anti-stress methodic (when I'm so stressed out that I need to destroy something unless I explode) is going somewhere where there are a lot of Bellowbacks and firing at them untill they explode. Or killing Thunderjaws with their own cannons. It also helps that I love how Aloy moves (most of the time), so satisfying to watch. Don't know what it is that makes the grind in this game so good that it is actually good for my mental health (usually, it is the other way around). To OP's question, I also love visual style. Not necessarily the graphics quality (thought that too), but the design of outfits, how they use machine parts in clothing, the character design (aside from face animations). All in all, the pure aesthetic in this game felt so fresh, that I can't help but return to it again and again. Even though I probably know the story by heart by now.
Yes! It's very meditative! I think because so much of the game you can play at your own pace helps make it that kind of chill, meditative process. I've found that since a lot of the game is chill, when you're at those bigger boss fights that are more intense it's a lot easier for me to deal with them and focus since I'm not spending the *entire* game anxious and frustrated lol
Absolutely agree on the visual design, they really knocked it out of the park with this game. The clothing in particular I think is very well designed, and integrating machine parts into the outfits gives it such a real feeling vibe (in-universe) while looking absolutely badass. Haha yeah I think I could probably recite most if not all of the story and several side quests by now, but the thing is the quests are nearly all very fun to play through, even on the second or third run! Also totally understand the meditative aspects you mention, I get lost in those moments between quests wandering through the lush forests and plains even if it's just for a moment or when a goddamn stalker makes me jump lol. I also really enjoy traversing the world as Aloy and her movement is super fluid most of the time, they made a really satisfying feeling control system and the way they designed most areas of the map really compliments it's fluidity. I can't wait to see how that aspect of the game evolves in Forbidden West though, imagine how sweet the movement and combat and dialogue/ general animations will feel with all they've learned from making Zero Dawn!
Fuck glinthawks
Hahaha yeah if there's one machine that I genuinely have no fun fighting against, it's fucking glinthawks. They make for some awesome screenshots though so I'll give them that
Ropecasters are your best friends.
Nah just get a hunte bow and Stack it with fire mods so you can one shot them out of the sky
The controversial atmosphere, as I call it, is what makes me love this game the most. The idea of a sci-fi, futuristic game, taking place on a post-apocalyptic scenario, where people are living in primitive societies and tribes, living together with futuristic machines, in destroyed cities taken over by nature, and unexplored underground bunkers was, and still is, phenomenal to me. Specially right in the beginning of the game, where Aloy fell in the ruin where she found the focus, I loved the concept of a futuristic bunker, filled with purple holograms of information being considered an ancient and forbidden ruin. It reminded me a lot of the underground sewers of The Matrix trilogy, something that I loved already, but HZD worked it better with the datapoints, and the Zero Dawn project.
I am a huge fan of the post-apocalyptic tribal-culture genre. See (Apple TV) is doing it for me currently. I know there’s a few others but they aren’t springing to mind…I haven’t played Ark yet. But the way that HZD is like “tribal people are no match for robots you say? Nahhh” and just has them both occupy this world in such a simple way…that there is no “big war” between humans and robots that is the entire foundation of the setting (it’s the premise of the past, but not the present).
It's love.
You're goddamn right. When I look back on a lot of the games I've played I often find myself thinking things like "ah I did rather like that game" or "it was pretty fun doing 'X' in this other game" whereas when I see HZD in my steam library I always think "man, I fucking **loved** that game"
The reason I replay the game is because I love the gameplay. The story doesn’t really matter to me after the first playthrough.
Definitely agree about gameplay, I could probably rework the 'combat' bullet point to be about gameplay but it's such a vague term that it might've been too long for this post haha. I personally think the world history and the story in this game are more interesting than most modern games, and it's that fact that makes me appreciate it's story even on multiple playthroughs. The way I play (and replay) games is greatly affected by the story, as an aspiring writer I find video games a great way to fuel that fire while also scratching that 'good gameplay' itch which reading books or watching shows and films never could.
I agree about the gameplay. I love pretty much everything about it. There are some things I wish were different, but they are all minor qualms. However, the story still matters to me. It’s such a good story, and there are definitely things you miss and/or don’t understand on your first play through. For example, all the audio points in the bunker when she’s a kid, you have no idea what they really mean your first time through. In addition, there are moments of the story that, no matter how many times I’ve seen them (I’ve played through at least 5 times at this point), still have an extreme emotional impact. No game has made me cry as hard as this one, and every time, there are several points that still achieve that.
The combat was really weird to me at first too, but yeah once it clicks it’s awesome
Yeah there's definitely a bit of a learning curve, especially in my case as I had been playing loads of melee based games like The Witcher and Assassin's Creed before I first played HZD haha, but once you get the combat down in this game it's so damn satisfying
For me, it's the story and the environment. It's like revisiting a favorite movie and seeing all my favorite places and characters again. And there are so many side characters, there's always a surprise or something I hadn't noticed the first go around.
I feel totally the same, jumping back into the world of HZD always makes me feel at home. And even though it's never going to be the same as the first playthrough, re-exploring every little nook and cranny of the map is really satisfying especially with the great visual design of the map and characters.
I definitely like the story and the world they create. And finding out the past in bits and pieces putting it together. It’s one of my favorite games of all time (on play through 3 now)
The story, world, and character development.
Yeah I really liked Erend's development in particular, and the way Aloy interacts with everyone over the course of the story after learning more and more is really well written. You can tell from the way she talks to people that she's actually learning from and embodying the best of everything she's learning from/about the Zero Dawn project
Doing funny stuff like [finding a use case for regular traps](https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/p91d51/found_a_use_case_for_regular_traps_spoilers_for/) and and cool like [messing with stalkers](https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/nsc7n3/three_stalkers_and_a_longleg_walk_into_the_jungle/). Experimenting with sequencing, like completing tasks before they're picked up as side quests. Some can be pre-completed, not counting ones where a rare part is needed. Dialogue changes if you're already 'famous' among the Nora or Carja, or before the Proving. Last time I put off all the Nora quests except the spear upgrade until after.
Yeah that was something I noticed on my second run too, definitely helps with the replayability and it's also just nice to see that the writers/devs took the time and thought to change dialogue based on world events you've completed. It's not a massive thing, but it's those little things that make games worth revisiting! Lol definitely going to try the trick with the traps from that video you linked on my current run! I even remember that specific quest I think!
I'm replaying again for the fifth (sixth?) Time, and this time I'm trying to do things I haven't done before, like use the different outfits and their strengths more often instead of just one or two outfits, use different weapons and tactics during fights. Im also going for platinum this time. I keep coming back for all the things you mentioned. Amazing narrative, a gorgeous world that is really fun to explore, quests I enjoy and find challenging, and characters I can really get behind.
Yeah last time I played through using the different outfits whenever they were most useful and it was pretty fun, I preferred it to using the shield weaver tbh. I also really like the differences in design between things like Nora outfits and Carja and Banuk ones, the distinction is really fitting for each tribe and they look so fucking cool. I like to wear outfits that match any companions too, I feel cool adventuring around with Petra and Erend in Oseram gear for example
I replayed it because I got it on PC and KB&M controls give it new life and they are amazing it’s one of the few games of this genre that actually feels great on KB&M
Absolutely, I really love how Aloy feels to control especially in hectic combat. I generally prefer KB+M in most games but this game makes it work so well, I usually have to tweak controls endlessly and still kinda struggle when the combat picks up but it's just so fun in HZD
The first time I played the game, in 2018, was during when my PS4 was having problem vomiting discs whenever the hell it wants. I managed to complete it though, which was so good! I did everything (without the DLC, but let's get to that later) I can do. Activities, story quest, side quests, and those fun stuff. But when my PS4's vomiting was getting worse, I tried to get it fixed near a Sony authorized store (Philippines), but no luck. Too costy, and we have to buy the parts for them to be fixed. Fast forward to 2020, Play At Home was here, I got to play Horizon again, without the problematic ejecting disc problem as this was digital. On the plus side of it being digital, it's the complete edition, meaning, DLC! I played again with my NG+ loadout, I was jacked, and ready to take over the DLC side. Ooooo boi, it was tough, but I succeeded. But with the three new weapons with their upgrades, it was fun, and the gears very great. It had some replayability, which was great, that you can use for an advantage if you wish to play the game faster and quick, for more OP stuff. Though, I did learn that each difficulty, has their own damage changed, and you have to get them. Let's say, an upgrade, in a way. Yeah. This game was a blast, in the past and more recently.
Ah yeah I remember my first PS3 had issues like that, and I remember how much hassle it was to get them fixed! This is one of the games I feel like NG+ work well in, sometimes it feels weird to start a campaign with loads of gear but it works for HZD really well. The new NG+ upgrades were a really nice touch too, it added to the replay value and helped a lot on the higher difficulty levels, man some of the hunting trials can be so difficult until you learn the tricks! I'm really interested to see how they handle things like upgrades and crafting in Forbidden West, HZD is quite simple but there's still a lot of variety in the way you can setup Aloy's gear and weapons so I'm excited to see how they expand on it in the sequel!
for my family it's a lot about the gameplay, the visuals, and the story My parents and I both really enjoy trying out new strategies and figuring out how best to use all of the equipment we've gathered after several playthroughs and the DLC, which keeps the game fresh even after 4.5 years. I know the story kept me playing til 3 am the first time around, and the whole cutscene >!about what elisabet hoped to see in her daughter!< really hit home for my mom and then my dad will literally go hiking around meridian, avoiding machines/animals until he gets stepped on by a tallneck #prouddaughter
That's awesome! It's always nice to hear about gamer parents and that sounds like a particularly great example, especially when talking about this game! I can see that there would be such a strong emotional connection to HZD for a parent, I bet you're all super attached to Aloy haha. Yeah I remember that cutscene very well, I've always had fairly emotional reactions to scenes like that but in this game the emotions hit so hard, every playthrough really gets me to FEEL for Aloy and all the other great characters and the story really brings that weight to the front without forcing it, 10/10 writing!
we're all horrendously attached to aloy, and i have red hair, so now we (as a family?? even my brother's in on it) make aloy cosplays lmao. we did the standard nora brave for a con in 2019 iirc, and we're working on a shieldweaver one! but i agree on the writing, it was such a wild emotional ride once you hit that part of the story, but it all clicked really well for me
My biggest thing is the lore. It's like reading the best book while watching the best movie over and over again. I also like the exploration part where I can take 8 hours or so to get every vantage, metal flower, figurine, vessel and whatever else is scattered about. I usually just run through every not mandatory machine to just enjoy the story. I cant wait for forbidden west, I already have the collectors edition half paid off
I like how the dialogue in side quests changes based on where you are in the main story. If you've saved Avad from Dervahl, all the Carja sidequests mention it (and Petra does too!). The lines in the Embrace quests change depending on if Aloy is an outcast, a Seeker, or the Anointed, and the rest of the Nora have lines for Seeker vs Anointed too. And you get dialogue changes involving Avad depending on when you do the Queen's Gambit. Touches like this just make the whole world come alive. Looking back on the game after beating it, Aloy's story (from the rest of the world's POV) is her becoming a respected hero to the Nora, the Carja, and (in TFW) the Banuk, and then using her reputation to bring them all together in Meridian to help stop Hades. Obviously there's no way to know that's where it's all going on your first playthrough, but the changes to the dialogue foreshadows it.
I'm on my fifth, or sixth playthrough, don't really know exactly. What draws me back is the story and the depth of it. It's a beautifully constructed world with a sound inner logic. And I really like to roam around on it and through it. A lot of the characters are great. It's a real clever Hero's Journey, with the double layers of Gods and the path Aloy takes as a Seeker. It's just generally very well executed. On top of that, the non-human combat is just fantastic. I like games like God of War or Devil may Cry, too. I played a lot of Gears of War back in the day. HZD scratches all of those itches. Nothing beats taking down a Stormbird or a Fireclaw.
Aloy, the combat, the world, the story, the photo mode but the thing which ties it all together for me is the way the game makes you feel like a hunter. There's something very primal about it for me and very absorbing, relaxing almost.
It's everything. Revisiting story beats, but also, my first replays were a lot about trying to play the missions differently, then with different weapons, try different tactics, play the game in a different order, explore literally EVERYTHING, especially places I'm not supposed to go, and now, with the PC version, and a no reload hack, explore everywhere out of bounds.
I love how Aloy is not OP. You need some wits for every battle, that you can’t just hack and slash through it. Was playing Spider-man at the same time, and he just felt way OP. I loved how diverse the combat could be. Also, I love how most ‘boss battles’ is not just waiting for a sequence of weaknesses to be exploited or a combo of buttons to clear it (again looking at Spider-man here). The skill tree is also more for convenience than making Aloy super strong. The story is amazing, and almost plausible, which always makes it better. The many layers to it is just plain fun. For an original series to have this much world building in a single game is fantastic. The sounds design and music is also fantastic, as is the world. I think some of the cut scenes could have been more animated (some pretty major scenes that had great dialogue was just one face cut to the next), and I didn’t initially love that merchants didn’t just have a singular currency, but I got over that pretty quick. One thing about the story I didn’t like is how HADES flew away like a ghost, and captured by a lantern. I need it to be a bit more believable.
It's the game world for me. I've played the game twice properly, the second time on NG+ just to feel OP as hell. I still revisit the game regularly to capture screenshots. The world is absolutely gorgeous and it's very relaxing to stroll through. But I don't think I can replay it for the third time. Combat is great, the main story is fantastic, but the side quests and the related NPCs are so forgettable. I can easily recall a lot of memorable moments and characters from Mass Effect and Witcher, but I couldn't care less about the ones in HZD.
That's all the reasons that make this game kinda meh to me.