LTTP: Horizon: Zeroed on generic, formulaic open world

[Sanctuary]

Funny seeing this after the Ubi thread.

But yeah, I mostly agree with what you've said. It's a lot of this generation's AAA design tropes wrapped up in an extremely pretty bow.

I'm just sad they eventually made ROBOT DINOSAURS feel like a run of the mill thing that I should just not bother with.

Click to shrink...

Don't worry, we've got at least one more AAA open-world game yet to go this gen that will do exactly the same thing.

As far as Horizon goes, I bought a Pro to play it on my OLED, hoping that it wasn't going to turn out to play just like how I assumed it was going to. I loved the aesthetic of the zoids, and the combat seemed like it had potential, but the story and characters were bland, the facial animations were kind of ridiculous at times, and despite the world looking great, it was just like every other generic collecathon in the end. The best part about it was encountering a new zoid, but after learning how to easily dispatch them, it just became rote gameplay. Prior to the expansion, they stop introducing new threats long before the halfway mark.

 

[benhan]

Completely agree. I found it to be just another generic Ubisoft-style open world game but with Sony exclusive wrapping. The combat was basically just aim at weak points and dodge roll around. The world design was super boring as well.

Click to shrink...

IF you are still on elementary level...
Skilled player can one-shot a Thunder Jaw. It's all about using a bit of the brain when playing game. HZD has a lot of options in combat and players are encouraged to try a few tricks in the Hunting Lodge quests...

 

[Samanyolu]

By generic I refer to the gameplay and systems, not the art direction which is of course gorgeous!

Click to shrink...

Funny, I aboslutely loved the gameplay. You're right in that something was definitely missing, though, I felt the exact same. The gameplay however was absolutely solid and was the only thing pushing me to complete the game. I couldn't care for like 80% of the story and some of the side quests were just ridiculous.. The data fragments scattered around the world has never interested me in any game at all, so that too was nothing.

Yet, I loved the game, just for the gameplay. I'm quite sure a lot will be improved in the sequel, so count me hyped! Now, time for flying mounts!!

 

[Scottoest]

I really enjoyed the world itself, and the building of the lore of the world. The options at your disposal for hunting are interesting too, like traps, pitting robots against one another, etc. The visual fidelity and polish of the game is obviously also top rate.

Everything else was... okay. As much as loved the world and the twists of what you find out about that world (and Aloy), the stories involving the tribes themselves is pretty forgettable. Character animations are a little stuff, and are pretty firmly in the uncanny valley a lot of the time. Quests are pretty standard fare for the genre (not really a criticism per se). Aloy was fine.

HZD is a game, like several of Sony's games this generation, where I simultaneously think it's fantastic, yet also find is hyperbolically overpraised (including by some people in this thread, lol).

A solid 9/10. Sequel will be a day-one buy for me, assuming I've found a PS5 by then.

 

[Deleted member 21411]

It was a game I kinda forced myself to play but I for the life of me don't know why it didn't resonate. It's beautiful with interesting combat and a unique setting and I was bored for most of it

The story is.. okay? OKAY?!?

It's got the best fucking story of the entire generation, IMO.

Click to shrink...

It was no NiER but I enjoyed it

 

[Ignis]

It was a game I kinda forced myself to play but I for the life of me don't know why it didn't resonate. It's beautiful with interesting combat and a unique setting and I was bored for most of it


It was no NiER but I enjoyed it

Click to shrink...

Yep Nier Automata had a fantastic story and really took advantage of the mediums format which elevates it light years ahead of the fairly typical plot of this game.

 

[benhan]

Funny, I aboslutely loved the gameplay. You're right in that something was definitely missing, though, I felt the exact same. The gameplay however was absolutely solid and was the only thing pushing me to complete the game. I couldn't care for like 80% of the story and some of the side quests were just ridiculous.. The data fragments scattered around the world has never interested me in any game at all, so that too was nothing.

Yet, I loved the game, just for the gameplay. I'm quite sure a lot will be improved in the sequel, so count me hyped! Now, time for flying mounts!!

Click to shrink...

I think the game's problem lies on the pacing and tutoring players of different options in combat. I myself only found the combat enjoyable after completing Hunting Lodge quests one by one. It can be easily missed because those quests are optional. Then you're starting to use Ropecaster, Tripcaster, Shock and Freeze Arrows, Corruptions, etc. It opens a new dimension in viewing and playing this game. Some players might have quit before then.

GG certainly needs to get better in mentoring the players on how to play this game. With the introduction of diving and fighting under water (I expect), and improving the melee system, HZD sequel might reach the level of TLOU2 in term of gameplay improvement.

I also hope they also learned how to tell background stories outside of using countless scattered audio logs and hologram videos. To be cleverer in delivering this part of the game might make a big difference in term of immersion to the lore/plot.

 

[Sponged]

Feel the same, although I do feel playing breath of the wild first ruined the game for me.
I've tried playing it a few times and never get more than maybe 10-15 hours in.
The game outside of the combat felt so boring compared to my favourite open world games, I'm hoping it improves with the new game as there's a lot of potential for it, just didn't quite reach it with the first game.

 

[tzare]

Oh, generic thread about aaa exclusive again.
I enjoyed horizon, has lots of room for improvement, but got the basics right with probably the best presentation of any game, at least until later today, at 12PM

 

[Minky]

The entire experience rang hollow for me. I know it's lazy to rag on triple-A for being triple-A, but this game really doesn't do itself any favours. Glossy to look at, but formulaic in the extreme. Flavourless and generic. Did not get the hype at all.

 

[aevanhoe]

I own it but haven't had a chance to play it yet. It's nice that you've pointed out that Aloy was at least well done because the Forbidden West trailer almost turned me off from the character. Her giving a generic monologue about having to save the world reminded me of modern Lara Croft's hero complex in the newer games which is something I'm completely over.

Click to shrink...

I think this was a line written by marketing, Aloy is quite different (no hero complex). She is a great character.

 

[aevanhoe]

The entire experience rang hollow for me. I know it's lazy to rag on triple-A for being triple-A, but this game really doesn't do itself any favours. Glossy to look at, but formulaic in the extreme. Flavourless and generic. Did not get the hype at all.

Click to shrink...

Because it was done so amazingly well? Combat is really fun, the lead character is awesome and the story is great.

The story is.. okay? OKAY?!?

It's got the best fucking story of the entire generation, IMO.

Click to shrink...

Agreed. This. I can't believe this thread.

 

[MrWindUpBird]

Honestly it's not even just this game it's just when people start to stay stuff like "generic" And all the accusations that come with a loaded hyperbolic title like that.. And by bubble I meant I don't know how people can say some of the stuff they are in this thread when by pretty much any metric you want to look at it's a resounding success of a game.

Sure people cannot like it, but some of the negativity in these posts is very transparent and that is why I like reminding those people that are hating that much there's more coming so sorry if you ( the general you, not @ you) thought it was " generic".

You have people in here that don't like it but haven't even played it, barely played it, think anything that isnt breath of the wild open world isn't good, that HZD is "overhyped ", " piss poor" , " shit AI/story" And on and on. Just overly negative type of stuff that is just so annoying to read.

Click to shrink...

The thread title itself set the tone for what was clearly going to be a discussion on the negative aspects of the games. Why would you come into a thread and play the "it sold well so you're wrong" when no one has argued that it didn't sell well, just that like there are those who didn't like BOTW, there are plenty of people who had good reasons for disliking Horizon. You're being overly defensive of the game.

 

[iamandy]

The open world activities are quite basic, but the game have an awesome world, good characters, great story and the very best combat in any Open World RPG.

Completely agree. I found it to be just another generic Ubisoft-style open world game but with Sony exclusive wrapping. The combat was basically just aim at weak points and dodge roll around. The world design was super boring as well.

Click to shrink...

There are SO MANY tools and weapons to use in combat. You probably only used the bow?

 

[Magic Mushroom]

I really can't think of many open world games with better combat. I played on Ultra so I don't know how it is on lower difficulties, but it's strategic and a ton of fun. That and the wonderful lore carry the game for me.

 

[Kongo B]

GTAV and specially GTA Online is the only game that revolutionized open world. The interactions between players and the world dwarfs everything in BOTW.

Click to shrink...

Bruh how? Care to give a couple examples?

 

[amemehack]

I mean, most of the criticisms can be explained by the fact that its their first OW game and they wanted to get the basics right instead of trying to re-invent the wheel?

I'm glad they didnt get ahead of themselves and fumble the core of the game ala The Order/Watchdogs

 

[benhan]

I think this is was a line written by marketing, Aloy is quite different (no hero complex). She is a great character.

Click to shrink...

That trailer line indeed is contradicting her character. I like how all the characters in the first game ended up helping her in the final quest, without being asked directly. She never considered herself a hero but she also didn't reject the responsibility to be one to lead the pack. To answer the call.

She reminds me of Luffy, from One Piece, somehow...

 

[Euler007]

Agreed. This. I can't believe this thread.

Click to shrink...

The posting history of most critics checks out. I loved the story and the gameplay. While I was playing it I was wondering how I could play any game from now on that didn't involve huge robots with breakble parts.

 

[RespectThySole]

Don't worry, we've got at least one more AAA open-world game yet to go this gen that will do exactly the same thing.

As far as Horizon goes, I bought a Pro to play it on my OLED, hoping that it wasn't going to turn out to play just like how I assumed it was going to. I loved the aesthetic of the zoids, and the combat seemed like it had potential, but the story and characters were bland, the facial animations were kind of ridiculous at times, and despite the world looking great, it was just like every other generic collecathon in the end. The best part about it was encountering a new zoid, but after learning how to easily dispatch them, it just became rote gameplay. Prior to the expansion, they stop introducing new threats long before the halfway mark.

Click to shrink...

This was so disappointing. It looks like they've taken notice of this criticism and are adding "dozens" of new machines for the sequel.

 

[jaymzi]

Sometimes people just want to sit back, relax and enjoy a well polished generic formulaic open world game with great graphics.

It is why they sell so well.

 

[jon bones]

The giant robot combat was fun, but everything around it mostly fell flat.

I think I'm just not into that Ubisoft style formula anymore.

 

[Ignis]

The posting history of most critics checks out. I loved the story and the gameplay. While I was playing it I was wondering how I could play any game from now on that didn't involve huge robots with breakble parts.

Click to shrink...

People going through my post history to come to the defence of their game even though I outlined my critique fairly lengthily in the OP and throughout the thread.

Y'all are wild

It's okay to not agree on the internet

 

[Cyberclops]

IF you are still on elementary level...
Skilled player can one-shot a Thunder Jaw. It's all about using a bit of the brain when playing game. HZD has a lot of options in combat and players are encouraged to try a few tricks in the Hunting Lodge quests...

Click to shrink...

Is this video meant to make the game look interesting?

 

[Tora]

Yeah this game was boring as hell, felt extremely generic

Ubi formula does nothing for me these days, I think I can at least appreciate why people enjoy it of course.

No hype for the sequel aside from the fact that it looks pretty and has a strong potential to feel more unique and improve its sense of exploration.

 

[ngower]

I played the game shortly after Skyrim and shortly before Breath of the Wild. HZD's world and art direction was arguably the best among the three, but I found the combat and general "what you do" way more intuitive and fun and interesting in the others. HZD always just felt kind of...soulless? It was kind of Zelda but not Zelda enough, kind of Assassins Creed but not Assassing Creed enough, kind of Monster Hunter but not Monster Hunter enough...it just felt like it dabbled in too many areas without particularly exceeding in any of them (sans art direction).

I never really understood the game being a GOTY contender--it always felt like a good-not-great game to me. Something in the same vein as Astral Chain or Infamous

 

[EagleClaw]

Bruh how? Care to give a couple examples?

Click to shrink...

No one beats Rockstar in open worlds..
it is because of the "random" encounters



I think that is what a open world is about, randomness.

 

[benhan]

Is this video meant to make the game look interesting?

Click to shrink...

Nah, it's about being creative in using tools at your disposal to kill the usually formidable machine. It's fun when you found it the first time. Like an awakening experience.

 

[Sanctuary]

There are SO MANY tools and weapons to use in combat. You probably only used the bow?

Click to shrink...

What does it matter though if modded bows end up being typically the most efficient way to dispatch foes in most encounters? The next best weapon was the sling. Sure, you could use the ropecaster, or rattler, but they were usually just more of an alternate way to do what you could already do about as well with the bow and for an exclusive select few enemies. The only other weapon that stood out was the tripcaster for expansion enemies, or setting up traps in enclosed areas. Most of the extra weapons were redundant.

 

[Tibarn]

I won't comment about the story because I didn't finish the game, but I mostly agree.

Art is interesting, tech is great, but the gameplay feels too derivative. At the point HZD was released I was already bored of the formula (as it was repeated ad nauseam during the previous years) and BotW being the first interesting world in a while and released at the same time made all the generic components even more evident.

I hope they deliver something more unique and interesting with the sequel.

 

[Cyberclops]

Nah, it's about being creative in using tools at your disposal to kill the usually formidable machine. It's fun when you found it the first time. Like an awakening experience.

Click to shrink...

I don't know if I'd call putting down a bunch of trip-mines that creative.
This was such a weird video to use as an example that I thought you were being sarcastic lol

 

[medyej]

There are SO MANY tools and weapons to use in combat. You probably only used the bow?

Click to shrink...

I tried things like the rope traps as they were introduced, never found them worth it when you could just run around shooting arrows into things.

 

[Rodelero]

The open world elements are fairly by the book, yes. But the story is excellent, the world design is beautiful, and the combat mechanics are unique and extremely engaging throughout the game. All together it is a very good game that I enjoyed a great deal, but you would hope they can improve across all areas with the next iteration.

 

[MrKlaw]

Frozen Wilds is indeed excellent and a significant step up from the rest of the game. Here's hoping Forbidden West takes its cues from that.

Click to shrink...

I'll need to play this before Forbidden West. Is it paid DLC? Finished the original game (did HZ before BotW and I think that was the correct order) and really enjoyed it. maybe it helps I don't play any Ubisoft open world games like AC so some of the tropes may be newer for me? But I loved exploring and avoiding/capturing/fighting the various animals. Story was great too

 

[Chromie]

What exactly is generic about the dino combat?

Click to shrink...

Each combat encounter ends up feeling the same. There's already an excellent series they could've stolen a lot of ideas from, Monster Hunter. Ranged combat was fun enough but melee, I hate it.

 

[BarryFishFinger]

I loved it. Combat was great, the world was interesting, the story was intriguing and different.

Some stuff could be better; side quests were a little dull, cutscenes were a little stilted and flat and it would have been nice to be to free climb properly but these are things I expect to be addressed in the sequel.

 

[KTroopA]

Glad to find this discussion as im playing Horizon right now. Gameplay is nothing new but fuck me do they actually explain the states and WTF all the elemental icons mean?.Im really struggling with all the flashing circles and different states. Im sure its straight forward, but unless i slept thru the start ( i didnt) have missed where you learn about this?

 

[Euler007]

Y'all are wild

Click to shrink...

This was a general comment aimed at the recurring HZD hate threads that pop up. Some people are still upset that others dared to think that HZD is in the same league as BOTW. It wasn't directed at any specific user.

 

[Deleted member 51539]

Yep. Looks really nice though. Not even being facetious, it's the best looking game I've ever played.

But yeah, I couldn't name you a single side-quest that stood out or a single character that I have any opinion towards that isn't a recording.

 

[BioDigital Jazzman]

I always find it funny how when I say I found it generic and kinda boring people bring up the dinosaurs. Ok no game has robot dinosaurs but they get boring fast

 

[Plainsong]

I played Horizon and Breath of the Wild in the same week of release and that was a huge mistake.

Click to shrink...

Aha this might be my issue with it as I also tried it out right after botw. Hmm I may give it another shot then as I own it digitally. It felt like I was playing another Ubi formula and I am so tired of that genre now after loving them for years. I did enjoy the combat from the 10 hours or so that i played it. I fear for Ghosts of Tsushima for the same reason. Assassin's creed and a bit of Far cry. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[benhan]

I don't know if I'd call putting down a bunch of trip-mines that creative.
This was such a weird video to use as an example that I thought you were being sarcastic lol

Click to shrink...

It was creative because I never thought that could kill a Thunderjaw in one shot!
Have to admit it's a bit out of the box... LOL.

 

[4KLobster]

Interesting, you echo Eurogamer's review (or Gamekult's - French site)... did you write it?

I feel like enjoyment of this game depends on one's own number of past played games/ read SF books.
If one ranks high on those,chance of feeling formulaic is likely to get quite high.

Didn't find the artistic direction of HZD very appealing but strangly really liked it in the PS5 sequel reveal reel.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

Everything about this game screamed "you're gonna hate this-its typical nu-sony game that isnt for you"

But I ended up loving it. Go figure

 

[Deleted member 17207]

I played the game shortly after Skyrim and shortly before Breath of the Wild. HZD's world and art direction was arguably the best among the three, but I found the combat and general "what you do" way more intuitive and fun and interesting in the others. HZD always just felt kind of...soulless? It was kind of Zelda but not Zelda enough, kind of Assassins Creed but not Assassing Creed enough, kind of Monster Hunter but not Monster Hunter enough...it just felt like it dabbled in too many areas without particularly exceeding in any of them (sans art direction).

I never really understood the game being a GOTY contender--it always felt like a good-not-great game to me. Something in the same vein as Astral Chain or Infamous

Click to shrink...

I agree. I just never found a spark in it, I never found myself hooked. I certainly wanted to like it, because the setting, enemy design - all of that, was unique enough to warrant a look. But I just couldn't get into it, and I think it's because I couldn't find that something in it to keep me coming back.

I want to give it a second try, but I don't know. There's so much that I'm just fatigued by when it comes to the "open world/RPG" genre and this game has those things in spades, unfortunately.

Feel the same, although I do feel playing breath of the wild first ruined the game for me.
I've tried playing it a few times and never get more than maybe 10-15 hours in.
The game outside of the combat felt so boring compared to my favourite open world games, I'm hoping it improves with the new game as there's a lot of potential for it, just didn't quite reach it with the first game.

Click to shrink...

People hate to hear it, I think - probably mainly because it's been said a billion times - but Breath of the Wild sort of "broke" this genre for a lot of us, I think. My best friend absolutely adores Horizon, it became his all-time favourite game almost immediately, he's mega-hyped for the sequel, etc. - and he just can't fathom why I couldn't get into it - but I feel the same way about BOTW, and he hasn't played it. They're two completely different games, and the aspects of open-world games that BOTW completely threw out were the exact things I was getting so tired of, and the exact things that Horizon really excelled at. Base-camps, "watch towers", side-quests, etc. etc..

Despite finishing BOTW back in 2017 (replayed it a bit earlier this year), its effects on me are still apparent. It's just super hard for me to go back to those "standard" design choices. The fact that SO many open-world games share so many of those things almost feels like parody for me at this point. Again, I know people hate to hear the generalization of so many games like that, but IMO it's true - BOTW just completely changed the game for me, no pun intended, and I'd love to see more open-world games follow that playbook.

 

[benhan]

Glad to find this discussion as im playing Horizon right now. Gameplay is nothing new but fuck me do they actually explain the states and WTF all the elemental icons mean?.Im really struggling with all the flashing circles and different states. Im sure its straight forward, but unless i slept thru the start ( i didnt) have missed where you learn about this?

Click to shrink...

There are only 4 elemental status: Freeze, Shock, Burn, and Corruption.
You learn from the Notes and item description in the menu. It's pretty straight forward. As I wrote earlier, try to do Hunting Lodge quests whenever you find them. It will help you greatly in understanding a few tricks in combat.

 

[TheWorthyEdge]

People talk about the combat of this game with HIGH praise, but I really don't get it. Played and beat the entire thing. Loved the world and the story, but other than that it was kind of disappointing to me. The combat really didn't stick out at all and felt kind of janky to me if anything. Just felt messy.

 

[KTroopA]

There are only 4 elemental status: Freeze, Shock, Burn, and Corruption.
You learn from the Notes and item description in the menu. It's pretty straight forward. As I wrote earlier, try to do Hunting Lodge quests whenever you find them. It will help you greatly in understanding a few tricks in combat.

Click to shrink...

Thanks I saw those and ignored them tbh. Im playing soley to get thru and trying a critical path to beat the game. The trials and side quests look like filler/fluff to me that I aint got time for. It would probably have been better had they designed these lessons as part of the main campaign, instead of buried somewhat is side quests. I do like this game on an artistic and technical level it rules. Gameworld is gorgeous, but the characters apart from aloy send me to sleep. Im hoping i can last out and see the end.

 

[LocoRoco]

"lacks something"

a good MC

and, the thing that i most hated in this game is the story, the game just give way that she is a clone at the first hours and at the end they kind make this like a surprise in the plot "oh, look Alloy is a clone" as if I didn't know this from the beginning of the game.

 

[PopcornMegaphone]

I really liked ZHD and completed it, but I also felt it was overrated. It looked great and the story was nice, but it borrowed a lot from UBI open world systems. I honestly thought AC:O was a better game. I think the largest flaw of ZHD is they didn't really low key force me to try different combat systems. In retrospect, there were a lot of combat options but I never really needed to use them.