Horizon Zero Dawn – One of the PS4‘s Must-Play Exclusives in 2025

Is Horizon Zero Dawn still worth playing in 2024? As someone who considers themselves a gaming expert and recently did a complete playthrough, I can wholeheartedly say yes! Five years after its release, Horizon remains one of the most impressive open world games of the PS4 generation with its incredible visuals, deep progression systems, and memorable sci-fi story. This action-packed robot dinosaur hunting adventure stands the test of time and is easily one of the console‘s must-play exclusives.

Horizon Zero Dawn‘s Glowing Reception and Lasting Popularity

To understand why Horizon Zero Dawn is so highly regarded even 5 years later, let‘s first look at its stellar reception when it launched in early 2017:

• 89 average critic score on Metacritic, with nearly 90 positive reviews [1]
• Won over 75 awards for Game of the Year, narrative, visuals, etc. [2]
• Sold over 10 million copies worldwide as of 2021 [3]
• PS4‘s best-selling new IP this generation [4]

{| class="table-style"
|-
! Award
! Year
|-
|The Game Awards – Best Narrative
|2017
|-
|BAFTA Game Awards – Best Performer
|2018
|-
|DICE Awards – Outstanding Achievement in Story
|2018
|-
|Golden Joystick Awards – Best Visual Design
|2017
|}

Clearly both critics and gamers recognized Horizon as something special based on this unprecedented level of recognition. Fast forward to 2023 – Forbidden West‘s launch earlier this year made Zero Dawn relevant again. It remains widely considered one of the PS4‘s best and most essential exclusives.

Satisfying Combat vs Agile Machines

Horizon‘s popularity stems primarily from its deeply satisfying core combat loop. The game strikes an excellent balance between stealth, preparation, and exhilarating action when engaging the deadly machine creatures.

Each enemy type requires learning their attack patterns, weaknesses, and ideal strategies. Do you stealthily set traps and pick them off with arrows at a distance? Or override them to turn these robotic beasts against their own kind? Maybe blast off armor plates with Tearblast arrows and cripple movement before tying them down with the Ropecaster. The flexibility makes every encounter an engaging puzzle.

Uncovering optimal strategies feels rewarding, especially against the towering Thunderjaws or breathtakingly massive Stormbirds. The machines move with realistic agility and animal-like behaviors that dynamically react to your actions. Landing that final blow on a formidable foe you‘ve strategically weakened and outmaneuvered is intensely gratifying every time.

Uncovering the Secrets of the Old Ones

Equally compelling is the mystery unraveling at Horizon‘s core – how did Earth and humanity come to be this way? Scattered audio logs and hologram projections offer puzzle pieces to what caused the apocalypse centuries ago. Ancient sealed bunkers and laboratories hide clues about the "Old Ones" civilization.

Early on, Horizon hooked me emotionally with its premise alone. I desperately needed answers to questions like: Why do tribes worship these machines as gods? Who created these robotic creatures? What catastrophic event destroyed civilzation? The story intellectually engages you with high concepts about AI, humanity‘s hubris, and over-reliance on technology without becoming overbearing.

Each revelation about the Old Ones‘ fate and connection to Horizon‘s ecosystems had me glued to the screen. The excellent voice acting and lifelike animations bring emotional weight to every cutscene. Uncovering Horizon‘s mysteries kept me compelled for all 30+ hours – a rare achievement in open world storytelling.

Guerrilla Games‘ Technical Prowess

While many games claim to offer "open worlds", Horizon feels utterly convincing as a living, breathing ecosystem. No matter where you look across its vast spaces, every inch overflows with intricate details that make its landscapes feel hand-crafted. From swaying red-leafed bushes, to crumbling asphalt streets split by sprouting grasses, Horizon‘s environments tell visually rich stories.

I still frequently pause just to pan the camera around and admire the scenery. Few games capture nature‘s tranquil beauty like Horizon. Guerrilla Games leveraged the Decima Engine to its full potential to render these jaw-dropping environments while maintaining rock-solid performance. Horizon undoubtedly stands as one of the most visually stunning games of its generation.

More Hours Than You Can Possibly Imagine

With around 30 hours for just the main story, Horizon Zero Dawn offers a longer adventure than most single player games. But completing all side activities can easily double your playtime. Machine hunting, bandit camps, collectibles, side quests – the world is densely packed with things to do. The excellent Frozen Wilds expansion adds several more hours of additional story content and progression.

Rarely does open world game maintain such consistently high quality and diversity of activities throughout its vast spaces. Thanks to its solid mechanics and engaging progression systems, Horizon avoids the repetitive grind or boredom common in bloated open worlds. There‘s no fluff here – every piece of content is thoughtfully hand-crafted.

Given the staggering breadth and depth of things to discover, Horizon boasts nearly endless replay value. I‘m already itching to dive back in for another playthrough!

The Start of an Exciting PlayStation Franchise

Horizon Zero Dawn‘s most lasting impact is introducing a bold new Sony franchise. Forbidden West expanded the universe with a stellar sequel earlier this year. With developer Guerilla Games committing to a full trilogy, Horizon‘s future looks bright. The mystery at the series core – why machines dominate the Earth – gives the writers tons of creative freedom to take the premise in exciting directions.

I fully believe Horizon can stand toe-to-toe with Sony‘s other big household name exclusives like God of War and Spider-Man. Zero Dawn kicked things off memorably by deftly blending polished combat, satisfying progression, and memorable characters against the backdrop of an imaginative post-apocalyptic world. It established the strong foundation Guerrilla can build upon.

Still a Must-Play in 2024

Horizon Zero Dawn exceeded nearly all expectations when it released in 2017 and started the generation off with a bang for PlayStation. While numerous great open world games have launched since, Horizon remains one of the most visually striking and memorable of the bunch. The imaginative premise, mystery-driven narrative, and thrilling battles against mechanical beasts securely cement its status as a must-play PS4 exclusive.

It‘s a testament to Guerrilla Games‘ talent that a new IP could so profoundly resonate with gamers. Five years later in 2024, I wholeheartedly recommend any PS4 owner dive into this incredible adventure. Horizon Zero Dawn doesn‘t just hold up – it shines brighter than ever as a highlight of the console‘s library. Tracking down answers about the fall of the Old Ones civilization while battling robot (and actual) dinosaurs is an unforgettable experience no PlayStation gamer should miss.