5/5 ★ – chickensquasher's review of Horizon Zero Dawn.

Ever tried to play the game on Ultra Hard mode with no map and quest markers, and no compass to navigate? I did, and it was amazing! Playing this way felt so much more natural than having all of the crowded UI blocking your view. Exploration felt fresh and when I found something it felt like an actual discovery instead of checking a box. And yes, I died a lot without saving for long periods, mostly because I couldn’t find a fireplace nearby. In that sense it felt a lot like dark souls. Every choice I made while journeying was a risk. I could harvest some long horns, but are there stalkers nearby? Those glinthawks “shouldn’t” be able to see me. I also appreciated the art of patience while stalking my prey. One wrong move and it could be over in an instant. So much of my time was spent just crouching in the grass setting up trip wires and whistling for machines towards the trap. Then run for dear life because the other machines will hear and start charging for me if I stay in one place. So I sit in a new spot waiting for a the yellow to fade. Rinse and repeat.