Horizon: Zero Dawn E3 2015 Preview

On Monday, PlayStation unveiled Horizon: Zero Dawn, the upcoming exclusive from first-party studio Guerrilla Games. Provided was a glimpse of a bleak future. One in which mechanical behemoths roam the lands and the human race has been reduced to a relatively primitive state. Not much else was revealed aside from the fact it will be coming next year. Luckily, we got the chance to sit in on a hands-off demo where we were treated to some gameplay and a bit more information on this already highly-anticipated title.

The gameplay I got to see was pretty much what they showed during PlayStation’s conference.The protagonist goes on the hunt against a herd of mechanized cattle-like creatures. After picking a few off and giving chase, a large, dinosaur-like juggernaut attacks, destroying some of the smaller creatures and making a beeline for the player. On the surface it all looks pretty straightforward, you shoot the things, the things die, you rinse and repeat. But, after getting a bit of insight into the game, what presents itself is a much larger picture.

Horizon: Zero Dawn is an open-world action RPG set in a post-post-post apocalyptic world. A world where, for some reason unbeknownst to the player and protagonist, technological beasts roam the world eliminating all humans in sight, and that is the root of the problem in Horizon: Zero Dawn. You are a hunter, but not one of animals. You hunt these mechanical monstrosities for resources and technology.

This hunting offers a surprising amount of depth and variety depending on what you decide to be your end goal with each encounter. Stealth is paramount as you avoid smaller enemies known as Watchers that scan areas and sound off piercing alarms. You can work your way around them stealthily, or dispatch them if need be with a well-placed spear.

While hunting larger foes for resources, your method of attack is of the utmost importance. You can use any weapon at your disposal to take care of the different enemy types in Horizon: Zero Dawn, but that sometimes comes with a risk. You are a hunter who must gather resources. Resources that happen to be part of the beings you hunt. This means you can potentially destroy the very things you seek if you go in haphazardly with no game plan whatsoever.

Using the proper weapons and ammunition will keep you in control of any battle, while guaranteeing you the spoils of battle that you’re trying so hard to obtain. This introduces a level of strategy wrapped in a risk/reward system that will keep players on their toes as they endeavor to uncover just why these machines are alive in the first place.

While further information is still pretty sparse, the peek into the functions of battle, and the knowledge that this will all take place within a vast world is enough to pique almost anyone’s interest. Expect to hear much more over the next few months since Horizon: Zero Dawn is due sometime next year.

Are you excited for this brand new video game? What would you like to see in this upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Also, be sure to check out our E3 2015 wiki for news, features, previews, and more.