Horizon Zero Dawn walks a precariously fine line between a primitive hunter/gatherer/explorer experience and a futuristic science fiction action/adventure. It is within this mashup of styles that Horizon Zero Dawn really shines, displaying an aesthetic that is distinct and unique.
I had been out in the open world just long enough to have forgotten the futuristic glows of the monitors and machinations of the opening cave sequence. And although I was literally hunting machines with a high-tech bow, I was doing this in the wilderness while crouched in tall grass. Oddly enough, the futuristic elements seemed to blend right in.
And then I came across my first wayfinding stone and had a small “whoa” moment. The blazing neon fuchsia letters dance, projected off an otherwise run-of-the-mill rock. It’s a striking appearance. I was slapped in the face by such a stark contrast between the two halves of this game world — the advanced elements of a bygone era and the primitive lifestyles of the current crop of inhabitants.
Although it’s a minor touch, it’s a brilliant design choice that encapsulates the dichotomy of this world.
I can’t wait to see what else lies ahead on my journey.
