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Old 01-08-2018, 03:06 AM
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The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger is offline
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Default Re: Video Games - Watcha playin'?

So, some preliminary thoughts on Horizon Zero Dawn. It's an open-world game, somewhat in the pattern of the Elder Scrolls games, but you can't choose your character. You play as Aloy, a young woman with a (so far) mysterious background who lives in a post-apocalyptic world. [Given the landscape and some hints in the "ancient ruins" you encounter, Aloy and the various people she encounters live in what's today Colorado, near Denver.]

The main threats you encounter are animalistic machines -- virtually all of which are immediately hostile toward any humans they encounter. So far, the game hasn't given an actual explanation for their existence, but it seems that discovering their origin and purpose -- and stopping them from wiping out the few remaining humans -- is a big part of what Aloy will eventually achieve.

The game doesn't give you anywhere near the same degree of options for customizing your character and playstyle as does a game like Skyrim. But on the other hand, the enemies you encounter are truly dangerous. Aloy may be a skilled warrior, but there are plenty of enemies who can kill her with a single hit. As such, you have to play smart -- rushing in to do hand-to-hand (er ... hand to claw) combat with even the weakest of the machines will get you killed PDQ. So, you have to learn the strengths and weaknesses of various enemies, figure out which weapons will be most effective against different enemies, employ stealth, learn how to set traps, etc.


All in all, it isn't as gripping as Oblivion or Skyrim, but I'm quite enjoying it so far. The closest equivalent that I've played might by The Witcher 3, because Aloy, like Geralt, is fully voiced. I've never finished The Witcher 3, though; I've played it off-and-on for over a year now, but the story just doesn't seem that gripping, and I don't particularly like Geralt as a character. Aloy is much more personable and likable.
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Thanks, from:
BrotherMan (01-09-2018), Crumb (01-08-2018), specious_reasons (01-08-2018)
 
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