Topic: Horizon: Zero: Dawn

Horizon:ZD is a lot smaller than games like the Witcher 3, Fallout 4 and other RPGs like Mass Effect too. Its much more linear as well with very little decision making and even the limited decisions don't have any major impact. I am not criticising but its less likely to be 'buggy' etc when its much 'simpler' and smaller. The number of quests, including side quests, errands etc are far less numerous than games its being compared with. Crafting is limited as is customisation - in fact customisation is one of the weakest for an RPG and the weapons are very limited too. Yes you can put a 'Mod' or 3 on them to change their stats a bit but its not like you have a lot of choice of various War Bows for example. Same with Armour. its not like you customise these a lot either. Other games let you pick arms, chest, legs and helmet and most can customised in colour and stats too.

I love the game and its certainly my Game of the Year (so far) but compared to the Witcher 3 or even Mass Effect, the game is very limited as an RPG. Most RPG's have replayability, play the game making different choices, with multiple outcomes and a variety of different endings. In this respect, Horizon is a game you can play through once and you will have experienced the entire storyline. Yes some of the side-quests may have a 'minor' impact at the end - whether you have extra help or not in the final battle - but if you do everything before embarking on that final mission, then the results are identical. Batman: Arkham City and Arkham Knight are similar in structure and have more in common with Horizon than games like the Witcher 3. Its far more an open world action game with a few small RPG elements.

Like I said, I love the game and not criticising it at all. Its just that if we are to judge it as an RPG, and compare it with games like the Witcher, then this game falls very short. Yes it maybe a little more polished and not require large patches to fix, but its far less complex and much smaller. By complex, I am referring to the pathway through a game, the impact of decisions and how that can change dialogue later, whether or not certain quests have been done when you meet other characters, etc. By that I mean when you meet a character, they could say 'A' if you chose a certain decision, say 'B' if you made a different choice or say 'C' if you haven't done that quest yet. Whether or not certain characters are in a certain area depending on what you have said/done so far. ME:A is full of decisions with choice and consequence and as a result that can determine how certain conversations can play out, which quests become available and where people (if they are alive) can end up. Even minor decisions can have an impact.

The only complaint I have is that the inventory is a mess. Navigating the menus takes some time to get accustomed to, but the items being displayed as generic 'rune' icons doesn't make things easier. And without an option to sort your inventory, it gets quite messy...

@Octane The inventory could really do with a 'sort' option or be separated into categories - like lens/hearts, ammo crafting materials etc. I ended up keeping just 4 of every lens/heart so it was easier to see if there was any taking up 2 slots and always gave me the option to pick up 1 before it over-ran into another slot. Its easy to check the number rather than try look for differences between the icons. Its not as if you need these anyway. They are only required to buy Armour/Weapons although can be traded for more than just 'cash'. I still kept up-to 4 of each - just in case they do add DLC and these are required for new weapons/armour.

Stupid thing but I don't like the menu soundtrack. I wish it would just retain whatever in game background noise is going on. Annoying hearing "Ahhhhhahhhhhhhh!!!" every time you open the map.

@BAMozzy Yeah I know, but I just like to sort my inventory, keep things tidy. Those coils and weaves for examples, can't sort them per type, that would be useful. Weapons too. Just some nitpicks. I hope HZD2 adds a feature like that, I don't think that's too difficult to implement.

@kyleforrester87 It haunts my sleep.

@starhops Ahhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa...!

@kyleforrester87 Damn. There goes any sense of productivity at work today.

@starhops Ok, that gives me the confidence to go silver fox - though I still have a flock of seagulls haircut, a slight overbite and only one nostril.

I agree with the comments on the menu and inventory. When editing modifications I kept clicking out over and over. User error but I thought the UI wasn't great.

@BAMozzy For sure Horizon is closer to Uncharted as an action game than the RPGs of The Witcher 3 or ME:A. Horizon is very linear. The Witcher 3 has 32 possible endings all depending on your choices or what quests/side-quests you completed and how you completed them; that's not including the two DLCs. It's truly amazing. I'd love to see the story arc matrix! I do enjoy games like The Witcher 3 and Mass Effect (a little DA:I, though not the greatest story) for player choice/outcomes. You really feel in control of your character. I think this type of storytelling is WAY underappreciated in the creative arts.

Next up, I'm hoping Detroit: Become Human takes us on one hellava journey!

Just had an email giving me my theme for getting the Platinum trophy...

@BAMozzy That's a nice touch. How's the theme?

@BAMozzy Wasn't that a US exclusive thing?

@roe Haven't downloaded it yet. I got sent a code (which I redeemed online and sent to my download queue) but not turned on the PS4 yet today. I have a Horizon animated theme on it now - the one with the limited edition and its not 'that' animated bt does play the theme music.

I will let you know.

@Octane I don't know if it was just US only but I got sent the email with the code, redeemed from the GB PS site and my account is UK based. I don't see why it should be US only - my Platinum was no different to achieve than theirs...

@BAMozzy Don't know where I've read it, but I found this forum post; http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/Games-Services/Horizon...
See the third post. Apparently it was US only for a limited time.

Having installed the Platinum theme - I prefer the Limited Edition one. Its just a picture of Aloy with her bow and a 'platinum' trophy up the name in the top left. The bottom picture is just the robots - not animated either. The Limited edition is at least animated - albeit quite basic. Some slight scrolling of the images and the Logo gets drawn - artwork is more like the box art.

@Octane Maybe it twas for a limited time but that time must now have elapsed as I have it. I platinumed the game about a week after release (about 3 weeks ago) and only just got the theme now.

@roe If you want to know what the theme looks like, I saw this video on youtube showing it off

I much prefer the limited edition theme though...

I'm hoping to get mine soon.

@BAMozzy thanks for posting those vids. Hadn't really thought to have a look on youtube. I really like that platinum one actually.

@roe Its OK, just very static and not as good as the limited edition one in that respect. I know the limited edition one is still a 'static' image that 'scrolls' and the only animated bit is the Logo, but it also has the audio and therefore I prefer to use that instead. I guess if you don't have the Limited Edition one, its not bad, but I still prefer to use animated themes myself and would use one of the other ones I have over the Platinum Horizon one. I can take a photo in game that looks better than the Platinum artwork - although I know it wouldn't contain all the robots like the bottom artwork.

I really expected more but I guess its still a nice gesture.