Horizon Zero Dawn
Best PS4 Exclusives of 2017
When it was revealed that Guerrilla Games would be putting down first-person shooters to try their hand at an action-RPG, not many knew what to expect. Guerrilla has proven its talent in the FPS space with the entire Killzone series, but that one-track record made the sudden shift a surprise that could’ve easily ended in disaster. Instead, we got one of the most breathtaking and enjoyable PS4 exclusives not only of 2017, but of the console’s life cycle so far. Horizon Zero Dawn hits so many of the right notes that it instantly became a Game of the Year contender and yet another feather in Sony’s illustrious cap.
Players take on the role of Aloy, an outcast from her tribe since birth, but also humanity’s last hope as a machine threat grows ever stronger. This isn’t your grandfather’s robot game, though. While your various mechanical enemies are equipped with powerful guns, lasers, and even missiles, you’re left with hunters tools: bows, traps, makeshift bombs, grappling hooks. This adds an interesting dynamic as you stalk your prey and rely more on wits and hunting prowess than just sheer brute force. Helping to make it all gel together is the backdrop, a world that has been reclaimed by nature after the fall of humanity so many centuries ago. The remnants of old cities are shrouded in vines of ivy and lush forests. You can find messages and holograms of people that experienced technology before your time, and you’ll even uncover dark truths about the world and the people within it.
Horizon Zero Dawn is an emotional rollercoaster set in a beautiful world filled with action and intrigue. If you have a PS4, there’s no reason not to pick up what will go down as a classic for the console.
