Horizon Zero Dawn

"*Earth is our no more.*"
―Tagline.

Boxart, depicting Aloy facing a Thunderjaw, one of the many Machine types encountered

### Writer

John Gonzalez
Ben McCaw

### Composer(s)

Joris de Man
The Flight
Niels van der Leest
Jonathan Williams

### Platforms

PlayStation 4
PC

### Release

**PlayStation 4**:
February 28, 2017

**PC**:
August 7, 2020

### Mode(s)

Single-player

***Horizon Zero Dawn*** is a 2017 action-role playing video game developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. A PC version ported by Virtuous was released in 2020. It is the first installment in the *Horizon* series.

*Horizon Zero Dawn* is set in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by robotic lifeforms called the "Machines", while humans have been reduced to small, primitive tribes. The game's main plot follows Aloy, a young huntress who sets out to find out about her origins while fighting hostile Machines and foiling the schemes of a mysterious cult. As Guerrilla's first action role-playing title, *Horizon Zero Dawn* features an open world in which players control Aloy and can hunt various Machines for parts or as part of a challenge, complete quests and collect collectibles which expand on the setting's lore. Aloy has access to various long-ranged weapons, a spear and stealth mechanics, can climb designated surfaces and turn specific Machines into mounts or AI-controlled allies.

*Horizon* was Guerrilla's first new Intellectual Property since *Killzone*. Early development began following *Killzone 3'*s release in 2011. Mathijs de Jonge was the game's director, having previously directed *Killzone 2* and *Killzone 3*; de Jonge considered it at the time to be the riskiest concept pitched by the studio. The game utilizes Guerrilla's in-house Decima game engine, which was overhauled for the open world design of *Horizon*. During development, Guerrilla consulted anthropologists to authenticate the game's post-apocalyptic details. *Horizon Zero Dawn* was formally announced at E3 2015 and originally planned for 2016 before getting delayed to February 2017.

*Horizon Zero Dawn* received critical acclaim upon release and was nominated for multiple end-year accolades, winning a variety of them. It was praised for its concept, setting, world-building, art direction, map design, combat system, story and Aloy's characterization; the melee combat, supporting cast and aspects of the writing received mixed reactions, while the facial animations received criticism. *Horizon* was a commercial success, selling over 20 million copies by February 2022; it is one of Sony's best-selling video games. Guerrilla supported the game with several post-launch updates and an expansion pack, *The Frozen Wilds*. The game's success led to a franchise including comic books, an upcoming television adaptation, and a sequel, *Horizon Forbidden West*, which was released in 2022.

## Gameplay

*Horizon Zero Dawn* is an action role-playing video game set in an open world environment and played from a third-person perspective. Players take control of Aloy, a huntress in a post-apocalyptic world conquered by animal-like Machine lifeforms, who sets to uncover her origins and the world's lost history. As the player character, Aloy can walk, run, jump as well as climb designated yellow markers and dodge enemies. As a role-playing video game, *Horizon Zero Dawn* contains a progression system based on experience points, which can be obtained through combat scenarios or completion of quests.

The open world environment of *Horizon Zero Dawn* includes various quests and activities for Aloy to complete, including story missions, side quests, short character-focused quests called errands, challenges, bandit camps and Machine territories to clean up and a variety of collectibles scattered around. To uncover the map, Aloy can scale Tallnecks - tall Machines resembling giraffes - and override them. Completing activities and quests allows Aloy to level up, which increases her health, attributes and gives her skill points to spend on a skill tree. An additional aspect of *Horizon Zero Dawn*'s map is the abundance of multiple Machines which the player has to either avoid or fight to progress through the world. The open world of *Horizon Zero Dawn* also contains a day-night cycle and a weather system.

Combat is primarily long-range with Aloy making use of various bows, arrow types, bombs and other projectile-built weapons, though a melee option also exists through Aloy's spear as well as an alternative usage of stealth. Bows vary in their precision, rate of fire and range, as well as several elemental and attribute-based arrows such as fire, electricity and ice. Aloy can also use traps and bombs that damage or halt both Machines and human enemies. Melee includes light and heavy attacks to weather down or finish off enemies. For stealth, Aloy can hide in foliage to evade enemies, stealth takedown human and small Machine enemies, or significantly reduce the health of tougher Machines. An unlockable ability also allows Aloy to turn some Machines into allies with specific Machines can be also used as mounts.

Machines are the main enemies encountered through *Horizon Zero Dawn*; they comprise over twenty varieties based on real-life prehistoric and contemporary animals such as dinosaurs, birds of prey and crocodiles. Most Machines turn hostile whenever they spot Aloy or other computer-controlled human characters, and attack either physically or through projectiles such as energy shots, bombs or laser beams. Aloy can defeat Machines by withering down their armor, using elemental weaknesses and targeting exposed areas of their bodies. Aloy can also encounter "Corrupted" Machines throughout the story mode or in designated areas; Corrupted Machines are controlled by malicious, war-like Machines called Corruptors, who turn their victims into stronger and more aggressive versions of their existing counterparts.

A crafting system exists, from which Aloy can craft ammo, armor, clothing, accessories and other items. Crafting tools and ingredients can come from plants, animal hides or organs, Machine parts that fell down or other resources existing in the game world. The game's health can be replenished by using herbs.

*Horizon Zero Dawn* contains several role-playing elements and mechanics. Aloy's skill tree is broken into three categories called Prowler, Brave and Forager, which govern skills aimed for stealth, combat and crafting respectively. Aloy is customizable to an extent, as players can dress her with various armors that offer different benefits such as additional defense or enhanced skills. In addition, a dialogue wheel exists, from which Aloy can choose to answer using thoughtful, emotional or aggressive options, or use other dialogue options that expand on the story and setting.

## Plot

### Setting and characters

*Horizon Zero Dawn* is set across a post-apocalyptic United States in the 31st century, roughly a millennium after modern human society collapsed. Mechanical lifeforms called "Machines" has since become the dominant species on the planet, with humanity regressed to tribal societies and hunter-gatherer groups. Pre-apocalypse humans are referred in-universe as the Old Ones, while the game features four tribes across its map: the hunter-gathering Nora who live in the mountains and worship an entity called the All-Mother; the desert-dwelling Carja who worship the Sun and are known for their city constructions; the shamanistic Banuk who reside in snowy environments and adore the Machines; and the tinkering Oseram who are known for their brewing and metalworking. Another faction, the Shadow Carja, is a rogue Carja group.

The protagonist of *Horizon Zero Dawn* is Aloy (Ashly Burch), an outcast of the Nora tribe who sets out to uncover the world's lost history. She was primarily raised by a fellow outcast called Rost (JB Blanc), who serves as a major character for the game's opening act. Other major characters affiliated with the Nora tribe are the High Matriarchs (played by Nicolette McKenzie, Eve Karpf and Rachel Atkins), who lead and govern the tribe and posses a complicated relationship with Aloy.

Other major allies Aloy encounters on her journey are Erend (John Hopkins), an Oseram guard and later captain; Avad (Josh Keaton), the current ruler of the Carja-affiliated Sundom territory; and Sylens (lance Reddick), an enigmatic but technologically-savvy and shrewd individual who becomes Aloy's most valuable ally in spite of their differences. Additional instrumental characters include Elisabeth Sobeck (Burch), an Old One with strong ties to Aloy; and GAIA (Lesley Ewen), a powerful artificial intelligence affiliated with Sobeck's history.

The game's main antagonists are the leaders of a malicious cult called the Eclipse. They are Helis (Crispin Freeman) a rogue Carja fanatic who Aloy clashes with throughout the game; and HADES (John Gonzalez), a malevolent artificial intelligence left by the Old Ones responsible for the increasing hostility among Machines. Another antagonistic character is a Ted Faro (Lloyd Owen), an Old One responsible for the current state of humanity.

### Plot

Aloy, a child of mysterious origin branded as an outcast by the Nora, is placed under the care of Rost, a fellow outcast. While having a warm relationship with her father figure, Aloy is both curious and tormented by her situation. During her youth, Aloy is told by Rost that she might get access to information about her birth if she wins at the Proving, a tribal competition to win the right of becoming a Nora. For the next few years, Rost trains Aloy various combat and survival skills so she would be ready; simultaneously, Aloy studies and becomes proficient with the Focus, a device of augmented reality she found as a child.

As a young adult, Aloy wins the Proving, but the event turns into a massacre when the Nora are attacked by masked cultists led by a man called Helis. The attack leaves many Nora dead, including Rost who sacrifices his life to save Aloy from Helis. After the battle, the Matriarchs of the Nora reveal to Aloy that she was found as a baby within the tribe's sacred mountain and her mysterious appearance led to her be outcast. Aloy is anointed as a Seeker, Nora that are permitted to leave the tribe lands, so she could pursue the attackers.

In her journey, Aloy learns that the cultists belong to the Eclipse, a faction made of rogue Carja members, who targeted Aloy for her resemblance to an Old World scientist called Elisabet Sobeck. Aloy goes to explore the ruins of Faro Automated Solutions, a weapon and automation company responsible for one of the Machines she encountered after the Proving massacre. She learns that the Old World was destroyed by Faro's robots after the company lost control of them. The robots, capable of self-replicating and consuming biomass, stripped earth of life upon going rampant. As a last-resort counter initiative, Sobeck was chosen to spearhead Zero Dawn, a project that aimed to terraform earth and restore its life.

## Development

### Overview

*Horizon Zero Dawn* was developed by Dutch game studio Guerrilla Games under the studio management of Hermen Hulst. The initial credit to the conception of the game is attributed to studio art director Jan-Bart van Beek, while long-time *Killzone* director Mathijs de Jonge served as the game director. John Gonzalez served as the narrative director with studio veteran Benjamin McCaw as the lead writer, and studio veteran Michiel van der Leeuw served as technical director. The production team included executive producer Angie Smets and lead producer Lambert Wolterbeek Muller. The soundtrack was composed by Joris de Man. Parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment served as the game's publisher. The game was estimated to have a budget of €45 million.

Additional support on the game's development came from Sony Interactive Entertainment's Creative Arts, Naughty Dog's ICE Team, Japan Studio and Virtuos.

### Background

During the development of *Killzone 3*, Guerrilla members were set in a meeting discussing the studio's future plans. Then-managing director Hermen Hulst suggested that the studio should try new ideas. According to producer Angie Smets, the 150-person team juggled ideas for a new intellectual property, including the prospect of another shooter, but that was dissuaded due to the saturated market of the genre. The studio leadership tasked its employees to pitch ideas for the next title, resulting in approximately 40 pitches and concepts. *Horizon Zero Dawn* was deemed to be the "most risky" by *Killzone 2* and *Killzone 3* director Mathijs de Jonge, who was later chosen to be the new game's game director.

### Technology

*Horizon Zero Dawn* uses Decima, Guerrilla's in-house proprietary game engine, which was previously used for the studio's 2013 title *Killzone Shadow Fall* and Supermassive Games' 2015 title *Until Dawn*.

## Release

* Limited Edition
	+ Steelbook case
	+ 'The Art of *Horizon Zero Dawn'* art book
	+ Exclusive PS4 theme

## Reception

### Reviews

* **MetaCritic**: 89/100
* **Destructoid** - 7.5/10
* **Edge** - 9/10
* **Easy Allies** - 8/10
* **Eurogamer** - Essential
* **Game Informer** - 8.75/10
* **GameSpot** - 9/10
* **Giant Bomb** - 5/5
* **IGN** - 9.3/10
* **Hardcore Gamer** - 4.5/5
* **Jimquisition** - 9.5/10
* **PlayStation Lifestyle** - 10/10
* **PlayStation Official Magazine** - 9/10 (UK), 10/10 (AU)
* **Polygon** - 9.5/10
* **Push Square** - 9/10
* **US Gamer** - 2.5/5

*Horizon Zero Dawn* was met with critical acclaim. On MetaCritic, the game holds a score of 89/100 based on 115 reviews, categorized as "generally favorable reviews" on the site. It was the forth highest-rated PlayStation 4 game on MetaCritic of 2017. It was also Guerrilla's highest-rated game since 2009's *Killzone 2*.

*Horizon Zero Dawn* received significant acclaim for its open world design. Zoe Delahunty-Light of GamesRadar called it as a "lush, fascinatingly intricate world" and praised the map as an "effortlessly satisfying experience for curious explorers". Lucy O'Brien of IGN called it "dense" and noted that while its content was familiar, the rewards made the side-quests "very compulsive". Jim Sterling of The Jimquisition found the open world to be addicting, and praised it for its varied locations. Sammy Barker of Push Square praised the game's world for being "sprawling, seamless".

The game's premise also drew considerable acclaim from critics, with Sterling noting that much of the game's creative success came from its setting.

## Legacy

The critical and commercial success of *Horizon* paved the way to a franchise. A direct sequel, *Horizon Forbidden West*, was announced in June 2020 and was released to similar acclaim in February 2022. A third installment was teased by director Mathijs de Jonge in April 2022, following the release of *Forbidden West*. A spin-off, *Horizon Call of the Mountain*, was announced in January 2022 as a PlayStation VR2-exclusive title. A second, multiplayer-oriented spin-off was confirmed to be in development in December 2022.

*Horizon* was also expanded beyond video games, including comic books and board games. A television series adaptation by Netflix is in works.

Since the release of *Horizon Zero Dawn*, Aloy has gone to appear in several crossovers with third-party titles such as *Monster Hunter: World*, *Fortnite*, *Genshin Impact* and *Fall Guys*. Accessories, customization options and easter eggs based on Aloy and the *Horizon* franchise also feature in first-party titles such as the *LittleBigPlanet* series, *Death Stranding*, *Ghost of Tsushima*, *Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart* and *The Last of Us Part I*.

## References

1. ↑ *Horizon Zero Dawn* end credits
2. ↑ https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/02/26/hoe-de-grootste-mediaproductie-van-nederland-is-gemaakt-6962270-a1547873
3. ↑ https://venturebeat.com/games/angie-smets-how-guerrilla-games-made-horizon-zero-dawn-in-7-years/
4. ↑ https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/06/26/the-origins-and-world-of-horizon-zero-dawn.aspx