Horizon Zero Dawn reviews looking good...

[EXCellR8]

Played Zero Dawn for the first time in months last night, for a few hours. I did better than I expected and remembered pretty much all of the controls; even completed one of the cauldrons that I had been ignoring for too long. I really love this game but I still have some grievances with the combat... for one it can get pretty tedious to select which arrows to use and there's a few that I basically never even use. Dismantling machines was fun in the beginning but now it's like busy work; fighting against other humans, especially later in the game, is sort of clunky and annoying.

Having said that, though, this game is easily one of the best titles on PS4 and I will continue playing until it's done. I almost wish the map was smaller so I could obtain more collectibles but I'll just have to find the time.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

The arrows you use should be tied to what upgrades your weapon has. I view fire arrows as overly powerful when your bow has a bunch of fire upgrades.

One other arrow type (I forget what it was) is for breaking parts of off creatures. When you knock a piece off, it does extra damage. That's the whole secret to killing bigger baddies. Knock off their parts.

 

[EXCellR8]

I try to use the elemental arrows after knocking parts off with the tear blast ones i think they are called... like to overload, explode or freeze those canisters that are tricky to hit. i can't seem to get any of the blaze canisters on machines to explode anymore though, not sure why.

hardpoint arrow = general human enemies,
precise arrow = tougher human enemies (via headshots),
tearblast arrow = removing machines' armor bits
fire arrow = blaze canisters (other elemental for other canister types when needed)

that's basically what I use; I don't even know what a couple of the arrow types do

the corrupted thunderjaw was trashing me even with the disc launchers and jaw cannons removed. I was getting aggro because Aloy is quite cumbersome compared to the machines.

 

[HOOfan 1]

I finally finished the game and the DLC. The next play through will be on NG+ ultra hard so I can platinum, but I will have to wait since I still have to play LOU. It raged quit that one a year ago.

You don't have to do NG+ or Ultra hard to get the Platinum. Both of those trophies are DLC.

I try to use the elemental arrows after knocking parts off with the tear blast ones i think they are called... like to overload, explode or freeze those canisters that are tricky to hit. i can't seem to get any of the blaze canisters on machines to explode anymore though, not sure why.

hardpoint arrow = general human enemies,
precise arrow = tougher human enemies (via headshots),
tearblast arrow = removing machines' armor bits
fire arrow = blaze canisters (other elemental for other canister types when needed)

that's basically what I use; I don't even know what a couple of the arrow types do

the corrupted thunderjaw was trashing me even with the disc launchers and jaw cannons removed. I was getting aggro because Aloy is quite cumbersome compared to the machines.

Later in the game, the blaze canisters on machines are protected by armor, use hard point arrows to break the armor then you can use a fire arrow to light them on fire.

Also when you use elemental arrows, an icon appears above the machine, if you fill that up, then the elemental effect takes a lasting effect on them. Machines vulnerable to fire will burn for a short period and take damage the whole time. Machines vulnerable to freezing will slow down when frozen and take more damage from other weapons. Machines vulnerable to shock will go down and be vulnerable to finishing strikes with the lance.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Hoofan pretty much nailed it. Very good explanation of things.

Oh, trip casters are awesome when there are a lot of bad humans around. Get them to chase you ;-)

The tie down gun is also awesome.

I never tend to use the long range bow since the standard bow is easy to aim especially when zoomed in.

 

[EXCellR8]

i don't think i even have a rope caster... but i do have the tripping one, which is useful but some of the bigger bots don't see to be affected by them.

now that i think about it... i do remember some blaze canisters having both tear and fire vulnerabilities, which probably indicates that the canister is protected. i think the snapmaws are like that; I figured that out by accident at one point. i plan on attempting to finish up the main game this weekend because I should have some free time. the precision arrows are my go to for stealth and long range human kills. they also do a number on the rock breakers hind quarters.

 

[HOOfan 1]

i don't think i even have a rope caster... but i do have the tripping one, which is useful but some of the bigger bots don't see to be affected by them.

now that i think about it... i do remember some blaze canisters having both tear and fire vulnerabilities, which probably indicates that the canister is protected. i think the snapmaws are like that; I figured that out by accident at one point. i plan on attempting to finish up the main game this weekend because I should have some free time. the precision arrows are my go to for stealth and long range human kills. they also do a number on the rock breakers hind quarters.

Yes, the Snapmaws often have armor on their blaze cannisters. So do some of the chargers and perhaps a few more. The fire-bellowbacks have a cluster of blaze canisters in their belly and you have to break that armor for them to drop down. As for the trip caster, you need to use your focus, or the machine info notebook to determine the machine's body weakness so you can choose the correct tripwire to use.

 

[EXCellR8]

got all of the cores overridden, I think. did the one with all of the eclipse goons and was able to make fairly quick work of it. i think my next main quest is taking me back to the citadel at sunfall so I'll give that a whirl tomorrow night if I still have some time. i have like 15k metal shards but nothing to really buy... but I did manage to finally acquire the unlimited fast travel pack, so check that off of the list.

Also, the eastern portion of the map is way more interesting than the west area. For me, anyways, I liked seeing all of those city ruins and vantage points that showed what they looked like. Not that the rest of the map is bad or anything but the earlier sections of the game seemed to draw me in a lot more.

 

[EXCellR8]

Almost done this game!! ...I think. Probably.

Just got out of Gaia prime and now I'm on my way to the sun-worshiping weirdos at Meridian again; the spire which was previously just ignored like it didn't even exist. I'm just trying to find the last power cell so I can open up that armory located on the eastern side of the map. Pretty much the only optional mission I've been adamant about completing since starting the blasted game almost a year ago. I also adjust my controls slightly and I'm having a much easier time dropping enemies. Not sure if I'll buy and play the DLC but maybe I'll catch it on sale.

Oh, and Deus Ex is free for Plus members right now. Good little freebie.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

got all of the cores overridden, I think. did the one with all of the eclipse goons and was able to make fairly quick work of it. i think my next main quest is taking me back to the citadel at sunfall so I'll give that a whirl tomorrow night if I still have some time. i have like 15k metal shards but nothing to really buy... but I did manage to finally acquire the unlimited fast travel pack, so check that off of the list.

Also, the eastern portion of the map is way more interesting than the west area. For me, anyways, I liked seeing all of those city ruins and vantage points that showed what they looked like. Not that the rest of the map is bad or anything but the earlier sections of the game seemed to draw me in a lot more.

You waited that long for the gold fast travel pack? Wow. Ummm, I won't say anything. The shards are nice. I burn them whenever I am at a "store" and load up all my ammo, health, etc.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Almost done this game!! ...I think. Probably.

Just got out of Gaia prime and now I'm on my way to the sun-worshiping weirdos at Meridian again; the spire which was previously just ignored like it didn't even exist. I'm just trying to find the last power cell so I can open up that armory located on the eastern side of the map. Pretty much the only optional mission I've been adamant about completing since starting the blasted game almost a year ago. I also adjust my controls slightly and I'm having a much easier time dropping enemies. Not sure if I'll buy and play the DLC but maybe I'll catch it on sale.

Oh, and Deus Ex is free for Plus members right now. Good little freebie.

The DLC is good but I could have lived without it. Same old shit. Bigger badies, kill, rinse, repeat. The DLC is worthwhile if you go right into it rom the main campaign. Trying to go back to the game 6 months later felt kinda meh.

 

[snarfbot]

what annoys me even more is that to heal you have to press up or down on the dpad, which is hard to do while trying to move around with the left stick. i use my right thumb to go around my left hand and hit up or down depending on whether i want to use the medicine pouch or a potion and also select potions. i almost never use traps because of how awkward they are to use and select in a combat situation.

making square slide while running and duck while not running is also unintuitive because one makes you go faster, like a better alternative to rolling while one makes you move very slow.

 

[EXCellR8]

I think of the traps as "pre-combat" while healing and dodging are more useful during combat. The control scheme is definitely an acquired taste and I don't like the tediousness of all the ammo types but you can make it work okay if you're used to playing. I was actually surprised at how much I remembered but I think I can attribute that to muscle memory.

One issue that I encountered pretty much the entire time is quickly selecting the wrong ammo type or bow on accident; then being absolutely screwed when I had a machine right up in my face. Aloy also seemed to get stuck on a just about everything around her. I wish they had implemented a more fluid way to scramble around when you were in the middle of an encounter but there are a few things that help. Also, the enemy awareness (!) needs to be bigger or more obvious. I've been trampled more times by machines I had no idea were even noticing me lol.

 

[EXCellR8]

Well, probably keeping myself company at this point but I finally managed to grab the ancient armory armor after completely failing to realize that I had to return to the first bunker to grab the final power cell. Gaming fail for sure but I totally overlooked it. About to wrap up the game so that I can dive into God of War next weekend.

 

[Oyeve]

Well, probably keeping myself company at this point but I finally managed to grab the ancient armory armor after completely failing to realize that I had to return to the first bunker to grab the final power cell. Gaming fail for sure but I totally overlooked it. About to wrap up the game so that I can dive into God of War next weekend.

You can start a new game+ mode that will let you keep all the weapons and armor that you acquired in a previous game. When I was playing HZD I did the ultra hard mode with the DLC and got my ass serverd to me.

 

[EXCellR8]

I was never actually very good at the game but I would like check out Frozen Wilds at some point. I had a really good time with the main game, alongside several bouts of really frustrating sessions, but overall it was a great title. It was actually pretty cool to return to that ruin at the beginning of the game, since I had played that part well over a year ago when I first bought the game. I grabbed the art book recently too because I'm a concept art nerd.

With new game plus, what happens with the perks? Retained or lost?

 

[Oyeve]

I was never actually very good at the game but I would like check out Frozen Wilds at some point. I had a really good time with the main game, alongside several bouts of really frustrating sessions, but overall it was a great title. It was actually pretty cool to return to that ruin at the beginning of the game, since I had played that part well over a year ago when I first bought the game. I grabbed the art book recently too because I'm a concept art nerd.

With new game plus, what happens with the perks? Retained or lost?

You keep everything. All perks and weapons. Everything. Frozen Wilds is actually a much harder game. The machines are way more powerful than in the main story. I mean, really powerful. I could not finish the last main machine in frozen wilds on ultra hard mode and could barely beat it in reg hard mode.

 

[Schfifty Five]

You keep everything. All perks and weapons. Everything. Frozen Wilds is actually a much harder game. The machines are way more powerful than in the main story. I mean, really powerful. I could not finish the last main machine in frozen wilds on ultra hard mode and could barely beat it in reg hard mode.

I need to get the DLC. Put it on my backlog and now having an itching to jump back in. The soundtrack for the original game and the DLC are top notch.

 

[EXCellR8]

Hmm, kind of sounds like I'd be doing myself a favor to NOT get it then--but I might not get around to playing it for awhile anyway. It will remain on my backlog for now. AFAIK it's the only planned DLC for the game.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I gotta get back into this game after buying the DLCa couple of months ago. I absolutely loved my first playthrough and got the platinum on it, but I have gotten so into Japanese games like Nier, Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Yakuza since that I haven't gone back to Horizon. I definitely want to do a new game plus though as I don't want to jump into the DLC cold turkey while I have forgotten most of the game though I'll probably only do main quests until getting to the DLC.

 

[Oyeve]

I gotta get back into this game after buying the DLCa couple of months ago. I absolutely loved my first playthrough and got the platinum on it, but I have gotten so into Japanese games like Nier, Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Yakuza since that I haven't gone back to Horizon. I definitely want to do a new game plus though as I don't want to jump into the DLC cold turkey while I have forgotten most of the game though I'll probably only do main quests until getting to the DLC.

Yeah, neir is pretty fun. Got it after horizon.

 

[jpiniero]

I think I am at the final mission, def like it although yes there are some issues. I think everyone in the thread covered them all except I found it kind of strange that the AI seemed obvious to traps. I guess that needed to be in there so people wouldn't get frustrated that the traps wouldn't get triggered but it doesn't feel right.

It's just over 8 months old.

For a typical console release, something like 80% of lifetime sales are the first week or two. And then sales tank until the first price cut, that gets a small bump in sales. By 8 months, sales are not much even for the best selling games.

 

[JujuFish]

I think I am at the final mission, def like it although yes there are some issues. I think everyone in the thread covered them all except I found it kind of strange that the AI seemed obvious to traps. I guess that needed to be in there so people wouldn't get frustrated that the traps wouldn't get triggered but it doesn't feel right.



For a typical console release, something like 80% of lifetime sales are the first week or two. And then sales tank until the first price cut, that gets a small bump in sales. By 8 months, sales are not much even for the best selling games.

Horizon sold 7.6 million copies in its first year. By the end of year 2, it had sold "well over 10 million copies," meaning that it sold millions of copies after 8 months. Millions. Let that sink in.

 

[Oyeve]

Eagerly awaiting HZD2.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Eagerly awaiting HZD2.

Is it in Development? If so, I'm off To Google. Man, imagine raytracing wit this? Just rerelease the original with ray tracing! Take my money!