New Horizon Zero Dawn Gameplay and Details Revealed

With the digital version of Game Informer’s October 2016 issue now available, NeoGAF user Obliterator has compiled a list of the possibly spoiler-filled details revealed about Horizon Zero Dawn, which is featured on the cover.

According to Obliterator, Guerrilla Games began working on Horizon in 2010. Built using its own engine, Guerrilla wanted to make a game that’s “beautiful in a majestic way,” as opposed to the grit of the Killzone games. With Game Informer saying they saw desert, arctic, and temperate environments, as well as machines that will hide in the water, Guerrilla added that Horizon is a sci-fi game and they won’t depend on fantasy at any point. We’ll also learn why the post-post-apocalyptic world is the way it is.

As for protagonist Aloy, she’s focused on finding where she comes from, and who her mother was. Although Aloy was raised in the Nora Tribe, which is ruled by women, they ignore her existence and seem to shun her for reasons she doesn’t know. Raised by Rost, a male outcast who was forced to bring her up, Horizon will include playable flashbacks of Aloy’s childhood.

Here’s everything Obliterator says is revealed in the latest issue of Game Informer, including the fact that there will be lots of sidequests, but they won’t be as expansive as The Witcher 3’s:

Guerrilla wanted to make a game that’s “Beautiful in a majestic way” instead of the grit of Killzone. They wanted to create a world you wanted to be in, instead of escape from.

Work on Horizon began in 2010

Horizon has its own engine. Not the same as Shadow Fall

GI saw settings in desert, arctic, and temperate environments. Saw machines that will hide in the water.

Guerrilla promises why the world got this way will be answered. Also say “this is a sci-fi game and that they won’t depend on fantasy at any point.

The various tribes are radically different including how they feel about the machines. Some of them believe the machines becoming more violent is punishment from the gods.

You aren’t recruiting different tribes to your cause but they will sell you different gear and have their own side quests and storylines

Aloy is most concerned with finding her origin, and most importantly who her mother was

She has been raised in the Nora Tribe, but the tribe completely ignores her existence. For reasons she doesn’t know they seem to shun her.

The Nora are ruled by women, Matriarchs

Aloy was raised by another outcast named Rost, who didn’t do it of his own will. The Tribe forced him

Rost is stern and overprotective but only wants the best for Aloy/Father figure

There are playable flashbacks of Aloy’s childhood

There are Hunter Trials which are essentially Big Game Hunts/Hunter’s Guild

A flying enemy called a Glinthawk can throw ice bombs

There are “Corruption Zones” which are areas of the map filled with dangerous enemies. Some of the biggest fights in the game can be found in these zones

There are lots of sidequests but don’t expect them to be as expansive as The Witcher

Screenshots show a large Hermit Crab type enemy.

GI was surprised at the depth of the game, how intelligent the AI is, and how fluid the controls are

You can craft different outfits to change Aloy’s appearance

A screenshot shows Aloy wearing a metal chest piece, quite a bit different than her normal “animal skins” look

Aloy has 3 different skill trees that you can put level up points into. They are Prowler (Stealth), Brave (Damage focus), and Forager (Resource Gathering)

Aloy can find modifications when she defeats enemies that can be slotted into her weapons and armor. These affect things such as stats and give buffs