Horizon Zero Dawn

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12419 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10,195 out of 12419
  2. Mixed: 1,140 out of 12419
  3. Negative: 1,084 out of 12419
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  1. Heyitsfranklin
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Pros:
    This game is amazing! I remember being somewhat reticent about the game even though I was impressed with the first E3 footage but I'm very glad I purchased this game. The mobility is smooth, the graphics are astounding considering it's an open world game and the main character is pretty awesome. I really like the simple crafting which reminds me of the rebooted Tomb Raider    Pros:
    This game is amazing! I remember being somewhat reticent about the game even though I was impressed with the first E3 footage but I'm very glad I purchased this game. The mobility is smooth, the graphics are astounding considering it's an open world game and the main character is pretty awesome. I really like the simple crafting which reminds me of the rebooted Tomb Raider series. It feels like a good mix of a lot of current games which is like a top quality buffet.

    Cons:
    -Voice acting and facial animations are pretty stiff
    -Melee could've been better
    -Weather transition is abrupt    … Expand
  2. matthew300372
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Helo This game is outstanding beautiful graphics , great storyline characters even better female lol and combat they have outdone themselves period one best games rpg ever must by anyone who loves great games never disappoint ok
  3. yaseen1979
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    One of the best game i ever played in recent memories. Stories evolved from Aloy as young kid, as traveler outcast finally turns out to be iconic hero. As the story breathtakingly unfolded, it become curious to know what next happens to her. Game mechanics, its cold too, especially the silent kill. 10/10 highly recommended for each and every PS4 owners. This is the everyone should worthOne of the best game i ever played in recent memories. Stories evolved from Aloy as young kid, as traveler outcast finally turns out to be iconic hero. As the story breathtakingly unfolded, it become curious to know what next happens to her. Game mechanics, its cold too, especially the silent kill. 10/10 highly recommended for each and every PS4 owners. This is the everyone should worth investing.… Expand
  4. ISA_SCOUT
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Imagine if Far Cry and The Witcher had a little redheaded baby and that baby ran around fighting robot dinosaurs. That's what horizon is like. Superb storytelling, great gameplay, and jaw dropping visuals.
  5. gamesreflexoes
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Very good game, a mix of Skyrim, Assassin's Creed and Tomb Raider. Also, the game has its own originality and Aloy is pure charm. Playstation Exclusive or not, this game is perfect for me.
  6. Valorin
    Mar 1, 2017
    8
    I do not give outlier scores; no games are 10s nor 0s. Each game I've played had something about it that I did not like, or that could have been improved. Conversely, a 0 scored game is the absence of a game while a 10 is unacheivable perfection. Witcher 3, GTA 5, Mass Effect series, Skyrim, Xcom series, SWKotOR series, Last of Us are a number of games I rate a 9. I'll give Horizon an 8; aI do not give outlier scores; no games are 10s nor 0s. Each game I've played had something about it that I did not like, or that could have been improved. Conversely, a 0 scored game is the absence of a game while a 10 is unacheivable perfection. Witcher 3, GTA 5, Mass Effect series, Skyrim, Xcom series, SWKotOR series, Last of Us are a number of games I rate a 9. I'll give Horizon an 8; a game that is very good but has a few faults.

    Pros:
    Gorgeous game environment, visually stunning
    Original concept and story/lore
    New robot fights (bosses) are frantic fights that require good and varied tactics (weapons) to take down
    Music score and sound

    Cons:
    Too much gathering and crafting (must gather/harvest to make fighting equipment); which means killing easy robots for parts gets tedious
    Stealth kills are not realistic; if you kill one robot from tall grass all surrounding robots should spook, scatter, investigate, or attack immediately (metal on metal attacks cause noise, they should hear it)
    If the main character is an outcast, why is she too easily willing to help those who shunned her (side quests)
    Hand holding by using main character's spoken thoughts to guide you needs to be scaled back, she's a chatter box at times, she repeats herself alot and it gets annoying.    … Expand
  7. AlteraMoontail
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Great story telling, awesome combat system, likeable characters, beautiful soundtrack and gorgeous graphics.
    This is truly a game that deserves to be in everyone's PS4 collection :)
    I have already poured 12-15 hours and found it hard to put down.

    And those who gives this anything less than 7/10, are being pretty childish.
  8. SecretAsset
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    I thought this game was similar in design to Tomb Raider and Far Cry. This is a game I am enjoying immensely.

    + Visuals
    + Storyline
    + Open world (including side quests)

    - Looting and crafting are somewhat limited. We've seen this before and it didn't bring anything new.
  9. SHINYMUSIC
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great graphics, great gameplay, great story, great everything.

    SJW Themes hold back the game a bit. Me being a male I would much rather play as a male. The female protagonist is breaking some of the immersion when NPC's are flirting with me.    … Expand
  10. ivyking007
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    +amazing graphics on the standard ps4
    +beautiful animation of robot and character
    +solid 30fps
    +native 1080P
    +combat similar with the monster hunter and far cry series but irt is very good
    +side quest and rpg system is very good
    +mainline story is incredible

    -melee combat did't have lock-on system
  11. sakion
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Great story, breathtaking graphic, intense combat, overall is amazing, masterpiece. If you like Skyrim, Fallout 4, Uncharted 4 you will love this game.
  12. Honelith
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    Wow, this game never really interested me, I watched videos of it in the past and it looked all right. Then all these positive reviews started pouring in as it got close to release and figured I'd give it a shot, it caught me by surprise, this is easily one of the best games ever made.

    What you have here is top notch visuals, top notch music and sounds, top notch story and gameplay.    Wow, this game never really interested me, I watched videos of it in the past and it looked all right. Then all these positive reviews started pouring in as it got close to release and figured I'd give it a shot, it caught me by surprise, this is easily one of the best games ever made.

    What you have here is top notch visuals, top notch music and sounds, top notch story and gameplay. Part Monster Hunter, Part Tomb Raider, part Far Cry, part Dark Souls with a generous topping of Zelda with its sense of wonder, it takes the best of all these games and creates something which is both unique and unforgettable.

    Everyone needs to play this slightly rough but wonderful gem.    … Expand
  13. Dattwood7
    Mar 1, 2017
    7
    It's the Witcher 3 with robots. For some people, that's a dream come true (and that's totally cool, btw.) But for a SMALL number of people -- and this review is for them only -- this will be the same old open-world, fetch-questing, choose-your-diaolgue-answer-KOTOR-style, bland crafting and inevitable stealth mechanic snooze fest. Pros are the graphics and the combat, which is often a LOTIt's the Witcher 3 with robots. For some people, that's a dream come true (and that's totally cool, btw.) But for a SMALL number of people -- and this review is for them only -- this will be the same old open-world, fetch-questing, choose-your-diaolgue-answer-KOTOR-style, bland crafting and inevitable stealth mechanic snooze fest. Pros are the graphics and the combat, which is often a LOT of fun. The rest is too predictable to recommend. Again, if you're into games like the Witcher, then I think this is well made and probably worth your time.… Expand
  14. Shahin72
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Awesome game, one of the best ps4 exclusives, if not the best. the graphics and visuals are astonishing, the story is very intriguing. Just the intro makes you attached to the main character. a must buy for ps4 owners. butthurt xbox fans keep hating and rate 0 so you might feel a little better.
  15. Lennon_John
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Breathtaking! One of the best PS4 games until now! An amazing open world full of side quests and mysteries! The machines are the great attractive: Their look are so bealtuful and the combat is great!
  16. Giamast
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    This game is totally astonishing. It is just the perfect mix of the better parts from modern and most succesfully open-worlds. Narrative is strong, voice acting (english) is amazin for an open world, even better than The Witcher 3, cut-scenes are really amazing and have that cinematic-vibe good enough to satisfy everyone. The bast part, anyway, are the machines and the awesome combatThis game is totally astonishing. It is just the perfect mix of the better parts from modern and most succesfully open-worlds. Narrative is strong, voice acting (english) is amazin for an open world, even better than The Witcher 3, cut-scenes are really amazing and have that cinematic-vibe good enough to satisfy everyone. The bast part, anyway, are the machines and the awesome combat system, very depth and various. You can literally hunt them with so much stuff and in so many different ways that is really hard to even remember all of that!! The dinorobots are f**cking AMAZING!
    Last but non least, the awesome graphic, just the best thing on consoles and one of the best-looking game EVER.    … Expand
  17. Velvet_Brusch
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    I'll be eternal grateful to guerrilla for letting me play this outstanding game. Horizon zero dawn is a work of art and love, the atmosphere, story, gameplay, graphic
  18. Samyar91
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    this game make it's way to it's own path and distance itself from other games in this genres like Tomb raider or assassin creed...the graphoc will stunn you from the first moment..the plot is very classic and it strarts well...everything about it is perfect
  19. trustme707
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    It's just 10, simply because of the feeling I have when playing this game. Haven't had this feeling since the last of us. PC gamers must be a little bit jealous
  20. Giorg10
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    this game is awesome! it's beautiful, fun to play, original...i can't remind when an original game (not a sequel) was great in all the ways that this one...
    Those who gave 0 to this game, i am sure they haven't play it, and even they don't have a PS4...
    Best gaming surprise of the year so far
  21. orrey1110
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Without a doubt one of the best single player game the i ever played!
    Huge maps, a lot of play hours, very interesting plot and verity of tasks and quests.
  22. FallenAsh
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    I just love this game! Spent 5+ hours in this beautiful world and can't get enough. Honestly, don't trust the people who rate it 0 - those are not genuine ratings. The world is massive, the combat and dynamics great. For me personally, the best PS game since The Last Of Us.
  23. JMARSseph
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    This game delivers on all fronts. Graphics and sound are great. I have roughly 7 hours in and am quite satisfied with the story and character development to this point. The leveling up system and point distribution is just right, not overbearing and not lacking. The combat mechanics are solid and tactics are easily used. For the so called users giving this title poor scores... please goThis game delivers on all fronts. Graphics and sound are great. I have roughly 7 hours in and am quite satisfied with the story and character development to this point. The leveling up system and point distribution is just right, not overbearing and not lacking. The combat mechanics are solid and tactics are easily used. For the so called users giving this title poor scores... please go back to your xbox1 or pc. The same idiots trashed Bloodborne, Last of Us, Uncharted....etc. Your act is thin and grown old and pathetic. To the complaints about lack of anything new to offer.....get over it. How many shooters can you play and honestly claim are groundbreaking. How about racing games... how much creativity and inventiveness do you find there... if your bored with the state of video games find a new hobby. Otherwise save us the time of seeing your bull s..t review when we know...as you know, your sitting at home wondering why your xbox1 lacks the exclusive titles the ps4 has. I myself own both systems....its ok, I owe no allegiance to either, but facts are facts...the ps4 reigns supreme and once again released an exclusive title to upset you morons.....ha ha ha ha ha.....go play halo or recore, or quantum theory. Horizon is a great title and I will thoroughly enjoy playing it as more dust settles on my xbox1.… Expand
  24. jack28791
    Mar 1, 2017
    0
    The game looks beautiful and the facial animations have set the standard for games. The story however is there to push an agenda. Personally I could not finish the game because of all the blatant propaganda. The same as you will now find in Hollywood.
  25. ChazzRabble
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    Incredible game with some of the best graphics I've ever seen. On a 4K tv this is just mind blowing. The story is super intriguing and the gameplay is slick and feels amazing. Anyone who gives this less than a 9 is either crazy or a troll. Seriously! Incredible. If you own a PS4 you need to play this.
  26. AceSeptre
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    Going into Horizon: Zero Dawn my expectations were very high. Often this is a recipe for disaster; this however could not be further from what happened with this game. When Horizon first debuted I immediately latched onto the concept. A stone aged tribal society living in the ruins of a post apocalyptic world of the distant future is a concept that just hasn't been explored. GuerrillaGoing into Horizon: Zero Dawn my expectations were very high. Often this is a recipe for disaster; this however could not be further from what happened with this game. When Horizon first debuted I immediately latched onto the concept. A stone aged tribal society living in the ruins of a post apocalyptic world of the distant future is a concept that just hasn't been explored. Guerrilla Games' first venture into the realm of the RPG is a wondrous success.

    Outside of the concept behind Horizon, the game is hardly original. Guerrilla has borrowed pages from Bioware's ability to create memorable characters and dialogue, and CD Project Red's ability to create sharp and meaningful gameplay mechanics and gorgeous believable worlds, and Guerrilla executes this things almost flawlessly. The characters in Horizon are absolutely memorable, and the world may be the most beautiful open world to be seen on a PS4 yet. The core mechanics of the game are sharp and defined, but also very organic. The story is meaningful, even emotional in some ways, and the soundtrack to back it up is spot on, a shoe in for best original score for 2017.

    Horizon: Zero Dawn has some tough competition among PS4 exclusive titles. Having to contend with the likes of Naughty Dog's Uncharted 4, and From Software's Bloodborne is no easy task. However, considering that Horizon: Zero Dawn is Guerrilla Game's first foray into role playing games, even rating it among the top contenders is extremely impressive. Would I go as far as to say that Horizon is the single best PS4 exclusive to date? No I would not, however I believe this game is deserving of a top three spot, no questions asked. Maybe even a top two. I rate Horizon Zero Dawn a 9/10.    … Expand
  27. MrBramZero
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    This game is tremendous!
    - Gameplay: 9,5/10
    - Graphics (PS4 PRO with 4K screen): 9/10
    - Storyline: 10/10
    - Music: 10/10

    Glad that I bought this game. In my opinion, if you do not buy this game, you will miss a lot!

    Thank you Guerilla Games for this epic game.
  28. SpawnCap
    Mar 1, 2017
    10
    One of the best games I have played I think since 2014, and I have played all AAA titles (those that I wanted to play). Graphics are the best I have seen and that includes 4K games on both PS4 Pro and PC. Huge open world but not as empty as many other open worlds. You aren't doing the exact same thing the entire game it mixes it up a bit. The most ALIVE/living world I have ever playedOne of the best games I have played I think since 2014, and I have played all AAA titles (those that I wanted to play). Graphics are the best I have seen and that includes 4K games on both PS4 Pro and PC. Huge open world but not as empty as many other open worlds. You aren't doing the exact same thing the entire game it mixes it up a bit. The most ALIVE/living world I have ever played in and that includes Red Dead Redemption, Witcher 3, and GTA V.

    If you LOVE single player games with rich full content than this is it. Those who don't like the game (those who ACTUALLY played it) probably just prefer multiplayer games with their total lack of content entirely.    … Expand
  29. GamerJosh0137
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    This will probably be one of the easiest reviews I have ever written. I can honestly say that there is absolutely nothing I hate or even dislike really about this game. Horizon Zero Dawn is classified as an open world, action RPG, and on those things it does not disappoint. You play as Alloy (no not like the metal) a cast out for reasons I won’t say. Alloy is haunted by questions aboutThis will probably be one of the easiest reviews I have ever written. I can honestly say that there is absolutely nothing I hate or even dislike really about this game. Horizon Zero Dawn is classified as an open world, action RPG, and on those things it does not disappoint. You play as Alloy (no not like the metal) a cast out for reasons I won’t say. Alloy is haunted by questions about the “ancient ones” and sets out on a journey to answer questions she has about her past as well as what happened to those that came a thousand years before her. HZD’s fluid controls and even better combat mechanics make it a joy bringing down giant robotic beasts. Although quite challenging at times HZD never oversteps its bounds. What I mean is that the times I did die, it was never something that wasn’t my own fault or stubbornness. This is something I deeply admire about this game. It’s not a cakewalk. It’s not afraid to challenge your every move, and it does it without being a complete troll. The story was quite fascinating to me, and I found myself really anxious to find out what Alloy finds out next. Gorilla studios, the developers that brought the Killzone series to the PlayStation, really show what they are capable of and although I never believed Killzone to be bad games, they just never quite clicked for me. After playing HZD I cant help but admit to the reader how wrong I was about my perspective of Gorilla being a somewhat mid tier developer. HZD in my humble opinion rockets Gorilla Studios to legendary status. This game is an instant classic, and although it shows a lot of influence from other games Gorilla has crafted the perfect mesh. If I had to say one thing I wasn’t super impressed with would be SOME of the side missions. It seems like they might have tried to go the Witcher 3 route. Making each side quest a strand of a much larger thread and just as important to the lore as any story mission would. HZD just misses that mark. I never felt like I was doing tedious filler, but I think there were a couple that I would have loved to see expanded on. If you own a PlayStation and are a fan of open world RPGs chances are you are playing this game as I write this. If you are not a playstation owner and are a fan of action RPGs go buy a playstation and this game like now. Throw away any stupid ideas of console loyalty and get this game.… Expand
  30. Jusoon
    Mar 1, 2017
    3
    This game gets really tedious really quickly. The combat is pretty standard, the quests are just like all the quests ever coded and the story-line is uninspired. The dialogue is a weird mix of stone age and "street" with just enough modern one liners and cultural references to spoil any immersion you might be able to dive into. Boss fights are really ridiculous. There is no real strategyThis game gets really tedious really quickly. The combat is pretty standard, the quests are just like all the quests ever coded and the story-line is uninspired. The dialogue is a weird mix of stone age and "street" with just enough modern one liners and cultural references to spoil any immersion you might be able to dive into. Boss fights are really ridiculous. There is no real strategy other than "get somewhere where they can't hit you and shoot them until they die". The extreme feminist bias of the Horizon did little to endear me to the game as well.
    All in all its a purchase I regret.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS4 Game of 2017
1
#1 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
1
#1 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 115 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 110 out of 115
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 115
  3. Negative: 0 out of 115
  1. Quarter to Three
    May 22, 2017
    60
    The unfortunate fact of Horizon is that most of what it does well, other games have done better, and they did it with a compelling who and where. This is the game you play after you’ve finished The Witcher 3, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and Far Cry: Primal. It is the greatest hits compilation of open-world games. Yeah, sure, you might want to own it, but the real connoisseur has the original albums.
    Read full review
  2. App Trigger
    Apr 21, 2017
    95
    Horizon Zero Dawn has an unforgettable protagonist, world, story, visuals, soundtrack and gameplay. Due to minor issues with inventory management and quest selection, I cannot call it perfect but I can say it is absolutely worth your time.
    Read full review
  3. Riot Pixels
    Apr 10, 2017
    75
    There is enough spectacular action to keep you occupied for a couple of weeks, but Horizon is not the hot new killer app for PS4.
    Read full review
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