Horizon Zero Dawn Reviews: 12 Critical Reactions You Need To Know

8. Surprisingly Great Characters

"Horizon's cast of characters was strong enough to earn my investment. That cast includes characters like the drunken warrior Erend, the new-to-the-throne and progressive-minded Sun King Avad and the mysterious, omniscient Sylens. It's a cast whose progress through the story I was eager to witness, and the political maneuvering of the world of Horizon weaves myriad opportunities for intrigue both in this game and the future." - Polygon

"Aloy’s personality helped me care about her journey on a more personal level...She’s a charming character to watch and play as because of the wry wit that tempers her big-hearted heroism; some of my favourite smaller moments came from Aloy’s sarcastic interactions with other characters who didn’t get the joke." - IGN

One of the game's least-known aspects to date has been its characters, but it seems like Horizon mostly delivers on this front.

Praise has been lent to protagonist Aloy as a spunky, resourceful hero who's easy to root for and makes the player care about her struggle.

More surprising was some critics singling out not Aloy but the cast of supporting characters, who reportedly play well off Aloy and have distinct personalities that prevent them from becoming too familiar (as is so often problematic in open world games).