Gaming Horizon Series: Zero Dawn (PS4) and Forbidden West (PS4/5)

Downloading

Then puppy training

Then play

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Right, I need some er, guinea pi... test volunteers!

HZD: TFW sounds excellent. BUT, it's supposedly a lot harder too. I get the logic of why they've done that but that doesn't mean it's good for me.

Does it offer easy or even, story, difficulty?

The other element are these repair towers - you can supposedly over-ride them, but are they killable too? Or does it go for 'knock out for a time then regenerate'? Because the latter would really piss me off.

And for that kid, it was fun - you were just bored because you wanted him to do something else while you watched!

Zelda: BotW is every bit the reinvention for Nintendo as HZD is for Guerilla. It breaks with a huge amount of tradition - and Ninty are certainly traditional - but also innovates in similar ways to HZD. The idea of a fully customisable map, which HZD does, but Zelda goes a bit further, is refreshing in these days of icon overload.

Being able to climb surfaces, subject to stamina, changes how you play the game, as does the environment - you can climb in wet weather for instance. Or thunderstorms will fry you if you have a metal sword equipped. Then there's heat / cold to factor in, along with day / night cycle, which also hits the temperatures. The elemental aspect also really comes into play - hit a desert enemy with ice in day-time and they die fast. Chop down a tree to get wood or throw a bomb at a bomb barrel and that's a neat bit of environmental interaction, but if you set fire to the grass.... Never mind the Guardians, who are scarily good at killing you.

Zelda's main weakness is in its story, which is minimal for a Zelda game and weapon destruction that is a bit too severe, but the rest of it, including world design is every bit the equal of HZD save in sheer graphical power.

As I say, you don't need to tear down Zelda to love HZD and it's probably going to be a while before we get two such excellent games in the same year, never mind at the same time.

Both games look very good, but to really see why they've succeeded, you have to play them.

 

Like and don't like the scorcher

Not too far in. Done the tallneck which was an interesting diversion.

New zone is maybe just under a quarter of the size of the original map but looks just as stunning.

More time pending tonight.

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It was kind of funny last night. I went into the game assuming I'd jump right into the Wildlands area, and I wound up continuing my main story in the area just south of it; it's the one with the big frozen "Metal Devil" that Aloy slides all the way down that long wire to the ground. I did manage to acquire two new skills: Shard Salvager and Mount pickup.

 

Been playing TFW since last night. Can confirm, machines are tougher. Heh. Been very fun so far though.

 

Just completed my first ruin which had a mini puzzle in it. Was rather enjoyable and the companion I had amused me.

Completed and a whole new ruin has suddenly appeared.


That's for tomorrow I think.

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Second ruin not much of a ruin

 

I don't like the bandit camp mission.


Granted I shouldn't do it whilst drunk though.

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There's a few Chargers hanging around not so far from the bandit camp. They are not Daemonic, so you can override them, ride over to the camp, and leave them by an entrance. You can then trick bandits into pursuing you right to your chargers and let the chargers do the work. They won't get all of them, and you still have to fight the chieftain and his guards on your own. But it's funny to let the chargers kill almost bandits for you.

 

Ugh, that's a shame - the human enemies were the weakest part of the game for me, was hoping they hadn't made it to this.

Helis had more health than a Thunderjaw!

 

HZD has been nominated for pretty much every award at the 2017 game awards. That’s awesome!

 

Deserves it.

Have decided to hold off to see if there's a mad PSN Friday Sale on new DLC like Frozen Wilds.

 

You haven't gotten the new DLC yet?

 

Is it just me, or is the DLC a major drain on resources? Cleared all the Towers and having a hard time just restocking wood for arrows before I begin the assault on the Volcano/Cauldron. The Cut is definitely a harsh place! Heh...

 

At least it lets you expand your resources pouch with the available skill. For now I'm working on getting that cool Dismount Strike ability.

 

Nope, I'm letting you lot be willing volunteers to test it!

Nor do I have the cash for it right now.

 

Even thought I've bought the DLC, I still have yet to actually delve into the new region. I'm only on the main game and building up my skills abilities to get the new ones included in the DLC.

 

Golden Joystick 2017: Best Storytelling, Best Gaming Performance (Ashly Burch as Aloy), and Best Playstation GOTY

http://www.pcgamer.com/here-are-your-2017-golden-joystick-award-winners/

 

is this game worth getting and also what does it play most like?

 

It plays like nothing else.

It uses a lot of familiar architecture - map towers, crafting system, enemy specific weaknesses, stealth, but it combines them into something new.

I'm not a huge fan of stealth, but here it is done quite well and you do have options without it if you don't want to go that way - preparation is critical on both routes.

It is the densest sandbox you'll have played in ages and very well designed.

Absolutely worth getting.

 

I'd highly, HIGHLY recommend it. There's so much to do in the game; I can't imagine getting bored of it at all. And the photo mode highlights the scope of the realism in the game.

 

It's an excellent game. well structured with a good storyline


Some niggles as mentioned in the thread which are fair but YMMV if you consider them big issues or not.

 

THE best combat system ever, with a huge range of ways to take down enemies. One of the best open worlds, with stunning visuals. Very creative and innovative game. Interesting from start to finish. Lots of good main and side quests. Aloy (the main character) is awesome. It’d be nearly impossible not to like this game.

 

Just beat my first Frostclaw today. Jeez is that machine (the form of a bear) tough.

 

Nasty beasties. I'd rather take on 2 Thunderjaws or Stormbirds than those