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Full Version: Horizon Zero Dawn Review
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Let me just start this out by saying, Horizon Zero Dawn is not only one of the best games for PS4 that I've played, but it is the best game I've played in years. From the visuals, to the music, to the characters, and combat there are few, if any flaws. The game starts you out as an outcast from her home village at a young age. Desperate to prove her worth and get answers about the mother she never knew, Aloy enters a proving. Incident takes place directly after though, prompting the leaders of her village to grant her the title of seeker, allowing her to travel the world and return to her new home, whenever she wants.

From there you really start to get a feeling for the game, through it's beautiful world and amazing settings and atmosphere. Combat is a huge focus of the game, and no matter what difficulty to play in, going in with spear in hand from the start is a huge mistake that will lead to death. Instead, stealth is the best way to ensure victory, and the way it's used in the game is brilliant, making every encounter tense and exciting, and extremely rewarding when you succeed. Dying is not as frustrating as you might think it would be, because most of the time, it just shows you what you did wrong, and it never feels like the game cheated you. Using different types of weapons both in terms of elements and what they do is fun, but if you want to pick a favorite element and weapon type, say a bow with fire arrows, in lower difficulties, you can certainly use though exclusively until the end. 

The story of the game, while not the best in the world, is surely enough to keep you invested, and several of the sidequests, will also introduce you to many interesting characters, some of which you can meet at the end of the game. Either way, the story is interesting and has enough shocking moments in it as you find out what happened in the past and how to deal with the threats of the present. The story, regardless of it length and a truly center evil, is more than enough to keep you invested, and the conversations you can have with people you meet along the way will endure several of them to the player, making it well worth it.

The music of the game is not only some of the best I have ever heard in recent memory, it's also the best at setting the mood that it intends that I think I have ever experienced. Little to no words are needed to set the stage wherever it is being played, and that makes it greatly enjoyable. I honestly hope at some point soon, that the whole OST will be purchasable. It's one thing to have it on spotify, but it would be all the better to own it, as just listening to it will help me relive some of my favorite memories of the game.

The world of Horizon Zero Dawn is by far the best looking I've ever seen on a console, and it also fits the setting of the game perfectly. The changing landscapes, and the foes that are more common in some places than others, all of whom also look amazing, the visuals couldn't be more impressive if they tried. Running across a desert or climbing a snowy mountain, all of it is enjoyable and should be praised by all for being so enticing. 

The overall length of the game depends on what you do in it, and with a world the size of this one, there's a lot to do. Because of this, it wouldn't be impossible to believe that you could spend 100 hours playing the game, whether you take storied sidequests on, or battle corrupted zones and bandits, there's plenty here for you to enjoy.

I could probably sit here and gush about the game for hours, but suffice it to say, Horizon Zero Dawn has almost no equal, and would be one of, if not the biggest snubs in gaming award history if it didn't win several awards. There a lot of games to look forward to, but this is one, I will always look back at. My rating for Horizon Zero Dawn, is a perfect 5/5, and it's the easiest perfect score, I have ever given. There's a bit of DLC or sequel baiting at the end of the game, but I'm fine with either of those, so I have no issue with it at all. If you have a chance to play this game, do it, I doubt there will be a better one to come for the rest of the year.