Horizon Zero Dawn: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

6. Fighting Machines Is Where Combat Comes To Life

Combat-wise, there's a standout human-related negative which I'll address towards the close of this article, but the game is overall at its best whenever you decide to fight the machines. Without going into spoilers, let's say there's a reason you're more comfortable staying within the smaller vicinity of the Nora tribe at the beginning of the game, tackling the serpentine Watchers and occasionally something a little bigger.

Following that, when you start venturing out into the 'real world', almost every creature you find will need a considered approach to bring down. Bringing up your 'Focus' vision-mode will highlight specific parts of the beasts to target - which you can then do so, depending on which weapons or items you have equipped.

Potions can be chugged or outfits worn to maximise defence, and that's before you start implementing things like ropes to tie down flying or agile enemies, freeze bombs to slow them down, tripwires to lure them into, stealth to sneak up and deliver a critical hit, etc.

Combine all of these, factor in a lightning-fast, responsive feel, the constant rollout of new machines and how tackling multiple species' at once means you'll have to alter your tactics on the fly to survive, and you have one HELL of a package.