Horizon Zero Dawn Release: 5 Things You Need to Know

Pre-Order Bonuses and Special Editions

If you’re not content with just buying the game itself, there are two special editions of Horizon Zero Dawn to check out.

For $119.99, you can pick up the Horizon Zero Dawn Collector’s Edition pictured above. It includes:

• 9” Aloy Statue by Gentle Giant
• 48-Page Artbook by Dark Horse
• Steelbook Case and Horizon Zero Dawn game
• 4 Resource Packs: Carja Trader Pack, Banuk Traveler Pack, Nora Keeper Pack, and Nora Machine Trapper Pack
• 2 Outfits: Carja Storm Ranger Outfit and Banuk Trailblazer Outfit
• 2 Weapons: Carja Mighty Bow and Banuk Culling Bow

For those of us with shallower pockets, there’s the Digital Deluxe Edition for $69.99, which comes with:

• Horizon Zero Dawn PS4 Game
• The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn Digital Art Book
• Exclusive PS4 Theme
• 3 Resource Packs: Nora Keeper Pack, Carja Trader Pack, and Banuk Traveller Pack
• 2 Outfits: Carja Storm Ranger Outfit and Banuk Trailblazer Outfit
• 2 Weapons: Carja Mighty Bow and Banuk Culling Bow

As for pre-order bonuses, there’s one universal bonus and a couple of retailer-specific ones to be aware of.

Pre-ordering Horizon Zero Dawn from anywhere will award the Nora Machine Trapper Pack, “a resource pack that includes modifications for your weapon and outfit, and resources for crafting ammo and traps.”

Pre-0rder from the PlayStation Store, and you’ll get the Horizon Zero Dawn Dynamic Theme.

And if you pre-order Horizon Zero Dawn from GameStop, you’ll get the Nora Lookout Outfit, Nora Longshot Bow, and an Exclusive Double Sided Poster while supplies last in-store. 

The Premise

If you’ve not been following the Horizon story so far, let’s break down what you should expect from its narrative and gameplay. This is an open-world action-RPG game, set in a future where humanity as we know it has vanished, and nature has reclaimed the earth. In place of the mysterious “Old Ones,” the last remnants of humanity live in scattered tribes, sharing the land with menacing, robot animals.

Our protagonist, Aloy, isn’t satisfied with this life, however. She’s propelled away from her tribe by questions about her mother and the earth’s history. As she journeys in search of answers, she learns to face off against the varied beasts of the land, and so will you. Combat is fiery with a hint of strategic requirement, as each machine carries its own behaviors and weaknesses. Using Aloy’s bow, scanning tool, traps, and more, you’ll be taking down everything from peaceful grazers to metal T-rex monsters equipped with missile launchers. Eventually, you’ll dive deeper into the world’s lore and Aloy’s place within it, but that’s all we can say for now. 

PS4 Pro Compatibility

If you’re wondering whether Horizon Zero Dawn will utilize the PS4 Pro, we’re here to say yes. This is the PS4 Pro game we’ve been waiting for.

Horizon Zero Dawn supports 4K TVs, rendering 2160p checkerboard with increased anisotropic filtering. Basically, you’re going to see lots of detail and very few rough edges and textures. The game also puts to great use the new HDR capabilities of the Pro and Standard PS4, deepening the lighting quality over every seen.

It’s perhaps not surprising considering Horizon has been the poster child of the Pro since its reveal, but it truly is incredible the level of detail the upgraded console achieves. Light catches the fine wood grain on Aloy’s bow, the mouths of mechanical beasts are filled with tiny hints of rust and scraps of metal, and you can even see tiny ants climbing up the sides of trees, carrying bits of leaves along with them.

If you’re looking for the most graphically impressive game of 2017 so far, it is without a doubt Horizon Zero Dawn, and the PS4 Pro is the definitive way to experience it. 

Release Date and Time

Horizon Zero Dawn releases on PlayStation 4 on Feb. 28, 2017. That means it’ll be available to download at midnight, Feb. 28, EST. If you’re on the west coast, the game will actually be available from the store at 9pm PST on Feb. 27.

You will also have the option to pre-download the game 48 hours before the release. We recommend hardwiring your PlayStation for this process – the download is a hefty 39.485GB. 

Is it Good?

The question we all really want to ask: is Horizon Zero Dawn any good? According to our reviewer Chris Jecks, “it couldn’t have gotten much better.” Guerrilla Games has created its most immersive world yet, filled with compelling storylines, a likable protagonist, enjoyable combat, and of course, gorgeous sights like the one above. If you’re looking for a good way to spend 30-60 hours in the near future, we’d have a hard time not recommending Horizon Zero Dawn.

You can check out our full review over here, and the five things we liked most about the game here. Let us know if you’ll be picking up a copy in the comments below.