Horizon Zero Dawn

[judas]

scrubchub said:

A sequel as a ps5 launch title would be a HUGE boon for Sony. It would tip the balance for me in terms of which console to buy.

The original was enough to persuade me to buy a PS4 Pro, but unfortunately not enough for me to 'git gud' with a console controller and hence remains unplayed past the first couple of hours Will be getting it on PC though provided it's playable with keyboard and mouse

[A Winner Is You]

My 6 year old nephew played the game, he's still getting the hang of doing more than one thing at once with a controller, but he is starting to understand how to move and control the camera at the same time. He decided the best way to play was to build a fort and wait for the dinos to attack him.

[PhilboSE]

scrubchub said:

I'm still a bit stumped by all the weapons. I mainly use the tripcaster before a fight and the bow during but I know there is more I could be doing.

That works...but there's a whole bunch of different tactics and weapons that can really accelerate the process. Becomes more necessary when playing on harder levels and they take more damage.

Experiment with:
- Using freeze arrows (from a freeze-optimised bow) to do significantly more damage with followup attacks
- Use the percussive arrows/weapons on their defensive plates to knock them off and expose vulnerable parts
- Tripling up on arrow types and using focus to target weak spots
- Using arrow types on explosive / flammable canisters to cause big damage
- Disabling them or their attacks with shock arrows

You'll want a variety of each weapon, each modded for different attack types. Not all tactics work equally well on different monsters. Working out the optimum way to take each one down is half the fun.

[scrubchub]

PhilboSE said:

That works...but there's a whole bunch of different tactics and weapons that can really accelerate the process. Becomes more necessary when playing on harder levels and they take more damage.

Experiment with:
- Using freeze arrows (from a freeze-optimised bow) to do significantly more damage with followup attacks
- Use the percussive arrows/weapons on their defensive plates to knock them off and expose vulnerable parts
- Tripling up on arrow types and using focus to target weak spots
- Using arrow types on explosive / flammable canisters to cause big damage
- Disabling them or their attacks with shock arrows

You'll want a variety of each weapon, each modded for different attack types. Not all tactics work equally well on different monsters. Working out the optimum way to take each one down is half the fun.

Thanks for that. I've been using the tear arrows to shoot the funds 6 off certain machines and then grabbing the guns. Really satisfying.

[Ruskie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq594XmpPBg

I am buying PS5 for this alone!

Has anyone replayed this through on the hardest difficulty? I'm tempted to have a go but I remember getting hand ache from some of the boss battles on the easier levels!

[Radec]

Ruskie said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq594XmpPBg

I am buying PS5 for this alone!

Has anyone replayed this through on the hardest difficulty? I'm tempted to have a go but I remember getting hand ache from some of the boss battles on the easier levels!

Yeah finished it on the hardest difficulty and it's one of the few games that I actually actively wanted to platinum. It's not that bad if you use the right weapons and tactics although some of the baddies take quite a while to kill like the storm bird.

If you've not got the frozen wilds expansion then that's a deffo purchase as it brings a whole new experience to the game although it was quite difficult from what I remember.

I'd say the frozen wilds on normal difficulty was like playing the main game on hard.

[PhilboSE]

Radec said:

Yeah finished it on the hardest difficulty and it's one of the few games that I actually actively wanted to platinum. It's not that bad if you use the right weapons and tactics although some of the baddies take quite a while to kill like the storm bird.

Ditto.

For the storm bird:
1. Ropecaster until it collapses on the ground
2. Triple freeze arrows to freeze it.
3. Percussive arrows to knock off armour protecting the heart
4. Triple damage arrows to heart until dead (usually just a couple of salvos should do it).

If it thaws and starts to break free then repeat from 1 before it takes flight again.

Radec said:

I'd say the frozen wilds on normal difficulty was like playing the main game on hard.

Yup, it's pretty brutal at first.

Hard to work out if anything from the PS5 demo video was gameplay vs render, but if the next HZD reviews well I might have to be an early adopter...

Think I might play the original through again now...

[The Rotrex Kid]

It’s 2022 and I’ve just bought this game

I’m really enjoying it. I started on hard, went to easy and now I’m on Story mode. I’m actually enjoying just exploring, sneaking around and finding as much as possible. I reckon I’m about 40 hours in so far and I’m at 35%. I’ve done most of the frozen wilds stuff first so I’ve got an amazing Banuk Powershot bow which I’m enjoying using.

So yeah, roast me for playing Story mode. I don’t care. It doesn’t take away from how great the game is.

[Richyvrlimited]

The Rotrex Kid said:

It’s 2022 and I’ve just bought this game

I’m really enjoying it. I started on hard, went to easy and now I’m on Story mode. I’m actually enjoying just exploring, sneaking around and finding as much as possible. I reckon I’m about 40 hours in so far and I’m at 35%. I’ve done most of the frozen wilds stuff first so I’ve got an amazing Banuk Powershot bow which I’m enjoying using.

So yeah, roast me for playing Story mode. I don’t care. It doesn’t take away from how great the game is.

probably had to go to story mode as you started off with the frozen wilds, that DLC is properly hard with the main campaign completed and special armour you get near the end

[conkerman]

I played on Story mode as I suck with a controller for shoostings.

It is a cracking game. Sylens is awesome.

[PhilboSE]

Timely thread resurrection, I just started a new playthrough of this yesterday. First I had to (re)finish my previous game save in order to create a NG+; given that I was playing on Ultra Hard and I'd forgotten a lot of the controls & game mechanics that proved quite tough!

I'm really enjoying this all over again; the edge has been taken off the graphics compared with the state of the art (RDR2 IMO) but the story and gameplay and depth are just brilliant.

You might want to reserve judgement on Sylens until you've finished the game...!

[Radec]

It is great and counting down the days until the sequel is out.

I've already posted this on the forbidden west thread but Curry's are giving 15% off code if you pre-order with them also the PS4 version is a tenner cheaper but you get a free upgrade to the PS5 version so you can make a further saving.