Horizon Zero Dawn: How to Change Difficulty Settings and Which You Should Choose

Difficulty Settings – Horizon Zero Dawn

Like most other games, Horizon Zero Dawn has a number of difficulty settings for you to choose from. You’ll be able to choose the difficulty settings at the very start of the game before the first cutscene even plays. However, some may be wondering which they should play on, or whether they can change difficulty settings later on in the game.

Horizon Zero Dawn has four difficulty settings for you to choose from – Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. The game provides the following definitions to help you decide which is best for you.

Easy: An accessible difficulty level for those who simply want to explore the world and story.

Normal: A difficulty level that balances the journey with a challenging combat experience.

Hard: A more demanding combat experience throughout the journey.

Very Hard: The toughest combat experience for those who really want a challenge.

When playing through the game, we found that Normal was the best fit for the average player. Though, if you’re very familiar with ARPG games and fast-paced combat, you may enjoy a stiffer challenge in the higher difficulty settings.

In terms of what changes in the difficulty settings, you’ll find that the medicinal plants you scavenge around the world won’t fill your pouch up quite as much on the higher settings. Enemies will deal out more damage and will be able to take more before going down, and they’ll generally be a lot more ferocious, too.

To change the difficulty settings after you first choose them in Horizon Zero Dawn, simply press the Options button while playing and head to the Settings option. Under the General tab, at the very top is the Difficulty option. Simply move left or right to cycle through the different difficulty options available in the game.

For more tips, tricks, and information on the game, be sure to check out our ever-expanding wiki guide.