Horizon Zero Dawn: A Look at Combat, Equipment, Skills & Exploring
Sep. 8, 2016Horizon Zero Dawn: A Look at Combat, Equipment, Skills & Exploring
The game is being designed with an element of danger in mind. This is a world where humanity is no longer top of the food chain. Playing as the main characterAloy, if you stay on the road, it’s relatively safe but when you wander off into the wild, you run into more challenging foes.
When you do encounter these mechanized enemies, you will use tactical options andtechnologyto defeat them. When first encounter anenemy, you scan it for weaknesses, such as fire or ice. You can shoot off armor to expose weak points or shoot off weapons to pick up and use against machines. The game features a hacking mechanic to turn a machine to your side as well as a diverse arsenal of weapons to use and traps to prepare.Combatis designed around 3 phases of Prepare, Engage, Escape and the environment is designed to support those elements.
As you progress through the game, you will encounter harder machines and the game provides options for upgrades and customizing. You can acquire newoutfitsfrom tribes, with outfits from more hidden tribes featuring improved stats. The outfits have mod slots where you can insertupgradesyou’ve looted from defeated machines. Weapons have a similar system with multiple mod slots and ammo types that increase in versatility as you progress. When you earn enough XP you level up and gain points for uniqueskillsto expand combat moves. A specific skill referenced was a concentration mode where Aloy can slow down time.
The game will feature a significant variety oflocationssuch as snow covered mountains, deserts, and jungle settings. Machines,tribal factionsand music are all themed around the environments, creating a sense of culture that is tied to climate of the land. A fog of war obscures the world, and as you uncover parts of the map you will find settlements, points of interest, collectibles and activities outside ofquests.
The game was shown off in 4K during the Playstation Meeting that saw the unveiling of the new PS4 Pro. Check out the gameplay footage from the event:
Coming from the Killzone franchise, Horizon: Zero Dawn marks a significant departure for developer Guerrilla Games as it makes its first foray into the RPG genre. Thoughts on how the game is looking? Let us know in the comments.
Visit theHorizon Zero Dawn Wiki
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Emergence
Editor at Fextralife. I look for the substantial in gaming and I try to connect video games to the emotions and stories they elicit. I love all things culture and history and have an odd fondness for the planet Jupiter. I think my dogs are pretty awesome too.
