I’m a sucker for Sony’s narrative-driven, single-player adventure games — and for my money, 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn and its apocalyptic sci-fi story might be my favorite in all of gaming. You play as Aloy, a hunter in a mysterious world that somehow feels both pre- and post-technology. Much of the world is inhabited by nomadic clans with little obvious technology to speak of, but the world is also populated by massive machines modeled after different birds and beasts. The story has two main narrative thrusts that intersect in fascinating ways — Aloy tries to battle a threat to the world as she knows it, but the only way to do so is to find out what happened to the world hundreds of years prior. A few reveals that happen throughout the adventure are some of the most chilling dystopian storytelling I can remember.
But Horizon Zero Dawn, which was just remastered for the PS5, and its 2022 sequel Horizon Forbidden West aren’t just great stories. They are masterful adventure games that feature one of the most exquisitely-rendered open worlds I have ever played. Whether it be sun-baked deserts and mountains, snow-capped peaks or lush jungles, the world is gorgeous and incredibly detailed (I’d kill for a Zelda game that looks this good). As with most games like this, there’s a main quest and tons of activities you can do to find out more about the world and improve your skills. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, some of those side adventures get a little repetitive. But at their best, both games combine masterful storytelling alongside an extremely intricate combat system that you use against a host of mechanical enemies, each with their own weak points you’ll need to learn and exploit. A button-masher this is not — it’s a monster-hunter of the best kind, and you can spend hours tackling progressively more giant threats and figuring out strategies to take down massive mechanical beasts.
While it’s hard to top the surprises and dramatic reveals found in Zero Dawn, Forbidden West is still a successful sequel, improving the first game’s already-stunning visuals, giving you an even larger world to explore and upping the stakes of the story throughout. The scope of the two games is mighty and massive, as are the enemies you encounter throughout — and with any luck, it’s all leading to some sort of epic finale in an as-yet-unannounced/ but highly likely third entry in the series. But, it’s not just about the epic — there are small touches throughout the games that manage to make the story more intimate. It’s not an easy needle to thread, but developer Guerilla Games skillfully pulls it off.
Horizon Zero Dawn was just remastered, and it’s a $10 upgrade for anyone who owns the original PS4 version. If you plan on playing this game, either for the first time or if you’re jumping back in, get that remaster. The game’s world is even more beautiful than before, player animations have been greatly improved, and it runs smoothly at 60FPS. There’s detailed haptic feedback and adaptive trigger pressure on the Dualsense controller, and the PS5 Pro will unlock even more visual splendor. It’s the definitive way to play this classic, and it’s worth dropping $10 to upgrade your older copy. — N.I.