Uncharted vs. Horizon Zero Dawn
Only just around the corner, Horizon Zero Dawn looks like one of the most exciting new IPs in the past decade. There’s a real sense it might become one of Sony’s new flagship franchises, carrying on the baton from an exclusive like Uncharted. Speaking of which, back in 2007, Naughty Dog launched Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, which has since become PlayStation’s golden child.
Drake’s Fortune might not have been as accomplished in its gameplay as the later titles in the series, but when it emerged on the scene it had an x-factor that immediately spoke to fans. The marriage of swashbuckling action adventure and a cheeky protagonist in Nathan Drake gave fresh life into the third-person shooter genre. Uncharted has since become the benchmark for cinematic action in video games and is adored by PlayStation fans.
Horizon Zero Dawn looks superb, but it has quite the task if it’s going to become as etched into PlayStation legend as the Uncharted series. We’re not expecting the same Hollywood levels of clever writing and set pieces, but Horizon’s fascinating thematic setting, gorgeous open world, and emergent gameplay might just see it uttered in the same breath as Uncharted in years to come.