There haven’t been any video-games I’d find myself going back to. In the past years, I remember playing Darkwatch, a first-person shooter on the PS2, all over and over again. Why? Because it was fun, the story might not be the compelling one ever told, but shooting monstrosity and vampire felt satisfying. Other than Darkwatch, I found a home in the place where tactical espionage was the key and that was in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. I hop into the story mode and play through it again and again, the emotional sequence where Naked Snake had to end The Boss’s life — it still makes shed a tear just by remembering it.
Video-games that gave me a reason to experience and relive it once again seems to have disappeared for me. This is entirely subjective as I know there are such games like Overwatch, Persona 5, Skyrim, and a hell lot more, but for me, it seems scarce at some point. The games I mentioned, I played them, but there’s something that’s not making me want to replay the whole thing.
The games we play are an escape from reality for a short amount of time – be away from problems, and all the bullcrap that life gives us. Games make us feel better and also bad about ourselves, and to live a different kind of life. But there is this one game, just one game that launched this year, that’s reeling me in, which still calls me, eager to make me open its steelbook case and pop it inside the console. Making me relive the satisfying hunting experience of extraordinary beasts of its world – Horizon: Zero Dawn.
The feeling of making me want to spend another 30 to 40 hours of my life and be lost in its spectacular world is back. Just a quick summary, Horizon: Zero Dawn is a PS4 exclusive developed by Guerrilla Games (the studio behind the Killzone franchise). It tells the story of a bold young woman named Aloy who is in the quest for answers and revenge. While you make your way through the lands of the post-apocalyptic Earth, you will get to encounter machines that you’ve never seen before.
I completed all the side-quests and acquired all collectibles after a dazzling adventure with its story. Horizon’s world is a sight to see, and when I say it, the world is damn beautiful that even waiting for the sun to set and rise is like a must. Hunting those deadly machines with different styles and approach feels endless! Even after doing all of those things to do like capturing those attractive wonders and taking down insanely dangerous beasts in Horizon, I still want more of it — not just taking screenshots of those lovely views or hunting, but the enthralling narrative.
Horizon’s world can bring a lot of potential extra content, especially downloadable contents or a possible expansion to expand its lore and answer some questions that were left hanging. As what we all know, Guerrilla Games is rumored to be working on Horizon’s additional content and might possibly be revealed this E3. I’m excited what else lingers beyond the lands of the tribe and All-Mother. Aloy’s story is too good to not continue, a sequel can be nice (it’s too early, yes), but it’s interesting to see some extra narrative before setting out for Horizon 2. Once this rumored DLC is out, I might, and probably, be stuck in Horizon’s world far longer than any other games did.
Some may not feel and have the same perspective as I do, but Horizon: Zero Dawn is the first game this year that made me want for more – that crave of content, adventure, the hunt, and story is just overwhelming!
[alert type=white ]Disclosure: Both screenshots were taken by the author from the standard PS4 system.[/alert]