5 Reasons Horizon Zero Dawn Is The PS4's Most Exciting Game

4. A Well-Rounded Protagonist

The protagonist in an open world game is a difficult aspect to execute properly. Since it's some the player will be spending at least 20+ hours with, they'll not need to be mildly interesting, but also engaging and somewhat likeable.

In the case of Horizon's protagonist Aloy, she seems to tick all of the necessary boxes, producing a protagonist that feels tough and confident against enemies, but is actually kindhearted at her core.

Through what has been shown through story trailers and gameplay footage, it seems that Aloy has plenty to appreciate in regards to her personality and demeanour. In the first gameplay trailer, during a stealth takedown of a robot enemy, she lays it gently to the ground and comforts it as it progressively turns off. Her compassion for life, regardless of where that life resides, immediately makes her a sympathetic character.

This behavior is likely due to her traumatic backstory, automatically making each action feel less cold-blooded in comparison to other open world protagonists that don't seem as remorseful about killing.

Thankfully, it seems that Guerrilla Games have taken the modern Lara Croft mould and applied it well. This is a great decision, providing players with a protagonist that is easily sympathetic and likeable, without reducing her overall physical and mental strength. Aloy seems to have that mix of compassion, intelligence, and strength, potentially giving us a memorable face for a potentially longstanding franchise.