The Way They Hunt You Down
Horizon Zero Dawn is just around the corner and is one of the greatest games to hit the PS4 since its launch. Within its beautiful world, players will face off against a number of animal robots. These machines are the real stars of Horizon Zero Dawn, with incredibly realistic characteristics and traits that bring them to life.
Horizon Zero Dawn’s robots are just as predatory as their real-life counterparts, and if you step into their territory, you better be prepared for a fight. If you’re spotted within a machine’s territory, the chase will begin. This is where Horizon Zero Dawn’s machines really come into their own, as their pursuit fills you with a sense of fear that few other video game foes can manage.
Sawtooth’s will stalk your location, and Stalkers will use their cloaking devices to creep up on you undetected. Vulture-like Glinthawks dive bomb you from above, and will often be found in swarms, just like their real-life counterparts do. While it’s obviously a high-tech take on the real deals, being hunted down by the animal robots in Horizon Zero Dawn is a fear-inducing experience.
Body Parts Physically Act Like Real Limbs and Muscles
With a predatory instinct, the animal robots in Horizon Zero Dawn can be pretty formidable, but their likeliness to the real deal is heightened even further when they even move the same. Snapmaws may seem slow, but get within range and they’ll leap towards you, snapping their large jaw with an incredible amount of power. Stalkers will silently tip-toe around you, using their cloaking device to remain undetected as they close in on you.
What makes these movements so realistic is the way that the limbs and muscles of each machine move in perfect harmony, and respond as they would in real life. The shoulder blades of Stalkers move in that circular motion that real-life Panthers have. A Snapmaw’s body ripples with movement as it hauls each side of its body forward with each step. It’s these movements and the way their bodies work so naturally that not only makes them feel more immersive as enemies, but as truly formidable beasts, and not just robots.
They’re Not Just Out to Get You
As you begin exploring the world of Horizon Zero Dawn, it’s not unusual to see the shining remains of a Watcher or Grazer lying on the ground, strewn open from a fight with another machine in the world. It’s these little hints that really help to establish just how animalistic these creatures are, and what they get up to when Aloy isn’t looking.
These creatures are going about and living their lives when Aloy isn’t invading their territory, and these carcasses suggest a survival of the fittest mentality. What’s most impressive, however, is the way that these machines don’t just have their sights set on Aloy. If any random NPC finds themselves in the territory of a machine, you can bet your bottom dollar that a fight is gonna go down. It makes these robots feel far more than just enemies, but living creatures within the world, with their own rules and wild tendencies.
They’ll Just Do Their Own Thing
Some of the most beautiful and calming moments in Horizon Zero Dawn are the moments where Aloy remains unseen by nearby machines and they go about their daily business right in your view. Strolling through a lush green field, Aloy crept past as a Glinthawk was grinding away on the remains of a downed machine. Other, more peaceful creatures go about their own lives, feasting on the grass with their razor blade teeth, or bull-like Chargers sprinting across a field at seemingly nothing, destroying anything that lays in their path.
Each and every one of the animal robots in Horizon Zero Dawn isn’t just waiting to take Aloy down, they have other things they must do and it’s delightful to catch these moments for yourself.
The Way They Communicate
Not all animals are lone hunters, and that’s not lost in Horizon Zero Dawn. Wandering the world and stumbling upon a stray robot far from the rest of the pack isn’t always going to be an easy fight. Yes, if you can creep up on them, you might be able to silently take them down, but get spotted and the odds can quickly turn against you.
Some of the machines, like Longlegs, have the ability to sound out an alarm and communicate with other nearby machines, pinpointing your location for others to join the fray. Soon, you’ll be taking on a handful of enemies and will need to keep your cool and use your full arsenal of weapons to emerge victorious. Likewise, the cries of a machine under fire will alert others of the imposing danger. Grazers gallop off into the distance, avoiding the fight, while others like Ravagers will add another dimension to the fight. Silencing animal robots as quickly as possible should be at the top of your priorities, especially if there are a number of other animal robots nearby.
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