No one could have expected that Horizon Zero Dawn would turn out as good as it did. There was certainly anticipation around the game owing to its unique setting and fascinating premise, and the fact that it was a AAA Sony first party PS4 exclusive regularly placed it in headlines as well. But it was completely unlike anything Guerrilla had ever made, and it was coming at a time when the studio hadn’t ever really made anything that was universally praised, with the exception of Killzone 2.
Many were taken aback by how easily and confidently Horizon Zero Dawn surpassed expectations, even with a few issues, and perhaps its developers themselves, too, were surprised by the rapturous reception the game was met with, both critically and commercially. With the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West though, the situation is entirely different.
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