Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds

For less than $20, Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds (which was supplied to us by SIEA free of charge) is a meaty story-driven, single player expansion for one of the best games of the year and comes very much recommended. While it doesn’t significantly expand on the some of the mysteries that lingered after the conclusion of the original game, the new content fleshes out the universe in a way that has us more excited for the inevitable Horizon Zero Dawn sequel.

Everything DLC is supposed to be. For only $19.99 ($14.99 if you’re on PlayStation Plus), the wonderful playground we last saw Aloy in is expanded by an impressively large, immaculately detailed, diverse landscape. Like the base game before it, this is a tough area that almost everyone will enjoy exploring. Yet for those who hate open-ended games, fast travel points and simple navigation can keep you on the beaten path, if desired. With more content in this fantastic expansion than other entire games, The Frozen Wilds is a must-buy, can’t-miss experience.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is an outstanding expansion that not only tells its own story, but makes the main game better and more rewarding to play as well. Lapsed fans should make sure they’re at a solid level of at least 25 or so if they want a good challenge, and going back into the world of Horizon Zero Dawn is a blast. Aloy’s new abilities greatly expand her riding skills and the new cast of characters provides another set of people for Aloy to interact with and continue a bit of her journey. It controls wonderfully, looks gorgeous and has some top-notch acting as well. At $20, it provides a hefty amount of content and never feels like a cash grab – it’s a rare piece of DLC that makes the core game better.

With a new focused story, a harshly beautiful new area, new weapons, enemies and skills, Horizon Zero Dawn The Frozen Wilds is a worthy expansion of the open world game developed by Guerrilla Games. Ultimately, it's more of the same, as the expansion lacks any major new gameplay mechanics, but when so much love is put into a product, is it really an issue? Highly recommended to all Horizon Zero Dawn owners.

I could summarize The Frozen Wilds in three simple words — it’s more Horizon — and that would be enough for some, but that simple sales pitch really doesn’t do the whole thing justice. The Cut is equally beautiful and treacherous, the struggle of the Banuk is fascinating, and the new machines lining this new world are awesome to take on. The Frozen Wilds sets Aloy in a clear new direction while maintaining the same excellent gameplay we loved back in February, and I couldn’t be more pleased with it.

If you enjoyed Horizon Zero Dawn and want to revisit this universe again, The Frozen Wilds is a must have DLC that give the player an impressive area to explore as Aloy. Given that most players should be able to finish this game in around 10-12 hours, exploration is definitely the key to increasing the longevity of this DLC and once you have finished the main mission, you’re free to continue exploring. Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds succeeds at giving the fan a well-thought out DLC from start to finish.

A must have expansion for one the best games of this year.

As much as I loved all the activities that Wilds provided on the side, Thunder’s Drum continued to call my name. Centering the world around the mountain provides compelling motivation to keep pushing through the main quest. I was equal parts interested in advancing the central storyline and in exploring all the side content that Wilds had to offer. That’s a rare, and joyful, feat for an open world game to achieve. Wilds pulls it off.

A great DLC that has everything that made Horizon Zero Dawn special, and goes even further.

In what is easily one of the best expansions of the year, Guerrilla Games gave us an interesting new story arc, some great new characters, and most importantly a reason to revisit a game that was probably shelved months ago for most gamers because there is literally too much good stuff this year.

Some of the best combat encounters in the entire game takes place in The Frozen Wilds, making this expansion essential for all who are fond of the core game.

Everything that made Horizon Zero Dawn the outstanding work that it is undeniably carries over to The Frozen Wilds.

Frozen Wilds fits perfectly within the original content from Horizon Zero Dawn. The new weapons make for a better, more motivating experience. On top of this, the story expands upon the mythology that the original HZD built, making it a bigger world with more worthwhile content to live within. It’s quite remarkable how well Guerrilla built this game and how perfectly the DLC fits within it. I’m still at awe at the girth and life Horizon Zero Dawn brings with it during every storyline and every quest. This is still very much my GOTY, especially with the Frozen Wilds now a firm reminder of how great this gameplay experience can be and is from beginning to end.

A sizable new adventure for Aloy in a frozen wilderness that gives Horizon fans more of what they love.

It's great to have some new content for Horizon, and this piece of DLC certainly does it justice.

If somebody had asked me a few months ago how to make Horizon Zero Dawn even better, I probably would have said "just give me more". That's exactly what I got with The Frozen Wilds. My biggest criticism of The Frozen Wilds is that the story does not match the main game.

It’s a fairly significant time investment and, while it doesn’t do anything new with the patented Horizon formula, The Frozen Wilds is jam-packed with side quests, ravenous machines to hunt, and an interesting story. The new enemies are interesting to fight and the new region is a joy to explore.

It feels like greater attention has been paid to bridge the gap between her understanding of the world’s technology and that of the general public.

The Frozen Wilds expands the main game experience, with new machines, new abilities for Aloy and a complete new environment, but it neither completes the main story nor adds new gameplay mechanics.

An excellent addition to an amazing game. Developer Guerrilla has doubled down on the thrill of the hunt with more challenging machines and testing side quests that are added to the original map through an intriguing new storyline that delves into the mystical side of this post-apocalyptic world. It left me wanting start a brand new game, just to wander around the world, marveling at it.

Challenging, with smaller stories well worth telling, this DLC will satisfy anyone who loves HZD. [Jan 2018, p.75]

The Frozen Wilds is the last ride of one of the best adventures of 2017. This DLC adds 10 more hours to the base game thanks to a new zone with a brand new story, enemies and secrets. The perfect expansion for Horizon fans.

With some very well implemented graphical improvements, new and tougher enemies to fight and a new story that lasts about 15 hours, the Frozen Wilds expansion for Guerrilla's action-RPG is a great addition to the lore and ideal for those who enjoyed the original game.

Horizon: Zero Dawn - Frozen Wilds is a good DLC that shows that Guerrilla has mastered the making of an open world, even if the story is not as good as the main one. The infiltration system could use some work too but overall it's very decent content for fans of the IP.

The Frozen Wilds is a very good expansion. If you enjoyed Aloy’s adventure you will get another roughly 15 hours of pure entertainment out of it.

Winter is coming, literally, and going back home with Aloy at Horizon Zero Dawn is the best way to celebrate it. Get ready to get cold but above all have fun in this first and only DLC accompanying our redhead warrior in his great adventure through the frozen lands Banuk.

The Frozen Wild is a great DLC that takes the core game, makes some new additions, and gives player a reason to return to the world in great form. There isn’t much here to really persuade anyone that wasn’t hugely into Horizon, but that’s usually not the case for DLC additional content. While it might not have the same initial wow impact as the first time, it makes returning here much more incentive and is a nice reminder towards the end of the year, just how much I enjoyed my time with Horizon in March and now once again in November.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is a very good expansion to the core game, with a new region to explore, new quests, new activities and a new level cap to reach for Aloy.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is a very good DLC that tells a new story and broades the scope of the main one. With many missions to accomplish and a brand new location in the frozen lands of the Great North, it is a must buy extra content.

The Frozen Wilds offers to players new weapons and equipment in a new zone. The game feels like a successful addition package at every moment. It's an excellent addition and reminds gamers how an expansion should be.

Even though it doesn’t shake things up too much, The Frozen Wilds is a worthy expansion that is fun to explore. The DLC adds a new story, several side-quests and lots of challenges that will entertain veterans and newcomers alike.

The Frozen Wilds is crammed with enough side quests and new stuff to be an exciting add-on for anyone looking for an excuse to jump back into Aloy world.

Almost twenty hours in the Horizon's world brings new fun. Anything that extends this great game is great, and The Frozen Wilds prove this completely. [Issue#282]

A solid expansion to a great game. It even managed to improve combat which originally already had the best design among all the open world games I’ve played. [01/2018, p.68]

This addon can defend its existence with its head raised. The Frozen Wilds add on comes only with little improvements and a weaker story than the original game. But it does not lose the excellent gameplay and in 10-15hrs gametime it offers a selection of the best.

A ruthlessly challenging, rich expansion to the world we fell in love with complete with a touching backstory - if a bit sparse on the side-quest front. [Christmas 2017, p.91]

More of what you love. [Issue#194, p.74]

A gorgeous expansion that emphasises Horizon’s strengths - it may feel a little too familiar at times, but the core gameplay is as solid as ever.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds does not start a revolution and has a pretty weak storyline but it offers enough new and diverse content that all fans of mechanical dinosaurs wanting to return to this world after defeating Hades should play it without hesitation.

The Frozen Wilds is best discovered during a first playthrough, and recommended for anyone that wants to get the full experience out of everything Horizon Zero Dawn has to offer. You definitely see Aloy increase in power, with new weapons, skills, and armor. It feels strange to return to a side-quest missing from the game’s story, but it’s easy to re-learn this special form of frantic combat, and conquering the new territory is a blast.

Quotation forthcoming.

All in all, Horizon: Zero Dawn - The Frozen Wilds is a straightforward and respectable expansion. It adds to everything that worked well in Horizon: Zero Dawn and does so with confidence. The Frozen Wilds features some of the most fun content in the game, but it's also a very orthodox addition that doesn't make many changes to the core of the game. It's great if you want more Horizon content, but if you were burned out or hoping for a game-changing expansion, this isn't it. Fans who are chomping at the bit for more Horizon action will enjoy The Frozen Wilds.

Don’t venture into the Frozen Wilds expecting clues as to the nature of Horizon Zero Dawn 2, then - in truth this is barely HZD v1.2. Instead, revel in a sizeable single-player, story-driven expansion that harks back to a time before season passes, loot boxes and downloadable dress-up kits, and which also provides an excellent excuse to revisit one of the year’s most enjoyable games.

It is hard to resist this incredible dlc for Horizon Zero Dawn. The new missions in this new amazing looking environment are not very refreshing, but it always good to have an extra reason to play Horizon Zero Dawn again.

In the end, Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds does what every good DLC should set out to do: give players more of what they love. Needless to say, if you enjoyed the base game, you will undoubtedly enjoy The Frozen Wilds as well. Given the game's success up to this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the Banuk isn't the last new tribe we'll encounter. For now though, just remember to dress in layers and stay warm!

With its huge amount of new content and the impressive look of The Cut, The Frozen Wilds provides a great reason to head back to Horizon Zero Dawn’s universe.

The Frozen Wilds exactly does what is expected of dlc: it is a more of the game we already loved to play.

It's been a long wait, but Aloy's new adventure into The Frozen Wilds is every bit as fulfilling as the main game.

Ultimately, The Frozen Wilds is a welcome addition to Horizon. The mysteries residing in Thunder's Drum may not reach the same heights as the main game, but they are a great reminder of how wonderful and compelling Horizon is. The Frozen Wilds doesn't reinvent Guerrilla's new hit game, but I'll gladly accept the excuse to jump back into Aloy's world.

The Frozen Wilds offers a delectable slice of familiar action in a new, dangerous, yet beautiful land with plenty of lore and content to keep you exploring The Cut long after you’ve completed your quest. Though not as polished and perfectly paced as the core experience, The Frozen Wilds is still more than worth the $20 price tag.

Horizon's DLC Frozen Wilds feels like a very natural extension of Zero Dawn. The new snowy location markedly separates it from the rest of the game, and powerful new gear gives you more than enough drive to discover the region's secrets. It's not a dramatic step forward – but if you loved Zero Dawn, then this is a snow-capped version with more addictive, beautiful and barmy adventures in a world you'll happily be buried in for hours. Roll on the sequel!

Since it hasn’t been too long since the main game’s release, The Frozen Wilds knows what makes the main game as fantastic as it is, and it effectively capitalizes on its breathtaking visuals, heavy lore, interesting characters, and exciting fights. It plays it relatively safe; the expansion is very good at doing what the game has always done well, but it doesn’t do too much more than that. Even so, Horizon Zero Dawn is a great game, and this expansion achieves its purpose of reminding you that in a year with a plethora of spectacular releases, this new franchise can certainly hold up its own.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is a short, but substantial expansion for an already great game. It doesn’t reinvent the game in any major way, but offers a few excellent hours in a world that players have come to love.

Horizon Zero Dawn The Frozen Wilds looks and feels familiar, but does introduce enough new elements to keep the rather short story interesting. Although the DLC can’t match the original games quality, it's still worth your time.

Shortcomings are, however, counterbalanced by a stratospheric artistic direction.

The Frozen Wilds is undoubtedly high level content, albeit short. The gameplay and technical sector are still of a high standard, but the new setting, the new types of machines and the love of adventure, even in a land covered with ice, are particularly striking.

The Frozen Wilds expands the Horizon Zero Dawn's gameplay driven philosophy to a brand new area, packed with tons of action and a new questline. The DLC offers a solid 10 hours more of the same experience, while Guerrilla Game's open world still shines after nine months in terms of breathtaking visuals and compelling gameplay.

The Frozen Wilds extends the already fantastic Horizon experience into a region worth exploring, but uneven difficulty and only a few surprises await.

Made for those who have devoured the whole of Horizon: Zero Dawn, this DLC isn’t just about upping your game. It’s a rich expansion of Aloy’s world, with flashes of comedic brilliance and narrative depth.

Horizon Zero Dawn remains one of the best games of 2017 and The Frozen Wilds complements it with a decent chunk of new content. While not a necessary addition to the main narrative, the expansion adds a personal story that’s well-worth exploring.

The most generous reading of The Frozen Wilds is not as a prequel or sequel, but as a collection of missing missions. I suspect those who skipped Horizon earlier this year and find time this holiday to play the game with The Frozen Wilds interwoven into the campaign will enjoy the offering more than those of us returning nine months later. They won’t have to relearn the controls, the value of so many items or the names of tribes and their leaders. The Cut will be just another beautiful stop in Aloy’s spectacular adventure.

Coming back to Horizon for The Frozen Wilds alone is still worthwhile for the fights and sights, but it ultimately feels like a missing chapter, rather than an eye-opening extension of what came before. It's easy to imagine how newcomers to Horizon will benefit from its new gear and skills the most, for example. Likewise, its story feels better suited as an interlude than the revelatory companion to the conclusion it tries to be. Yet these are feelings that come up after more than a dozen hours of riveting battles and serene hikes flew by, so it's hard to get too upset at such a captivating experience when it's all said and done.

Horizon: Zero Dawn delivers a timely reminder of why it should be a Game of the Year candidate with The Frozen Wilds. This sizeable selection of snowy quests expands upon an already excellent campaign with a decent new storyline and plenty of fresh exposition. While it is, by its very nature, more of the same, it’s hard to complain when the foundations are already so strong.

While the new content in The Frozen Wilds is on par with the rest of Horizon Zero Dawn, it's hardly a must-play expansion. The story tells us little we didn't already know, and the new weapons and quests feel like more of the same.

The Frozen Wilds doesn't feel like a must-play add-on, but it's more Horizon Zero Dawn.

It may seem like I’m being extremely harsh on The Frozen Wilds, but it needed to offer something new. Guerrilla Games has made an excellent world with some very interesting lore behind it, and I am definitely keen for a sequel, but at the end of the day, unless you are a huge fan, and really want to know more about the Banuk tribe, there’s no real point to this DLC.

A generous expansion that through its stunning visuals and inspired creature design showcases the best features of the original, even if it doesn’t fix many of its flaws.

Nothing unexpected in The Frozen Wilds. It adds a few pleasant features, a lot of cool characters, side-quests, content, challenges and things to collect to the recipe of a great game. As it's extending its universe well, we can say the job is done. And now we're waiting for the next chapter.