Kat from Pixel a Day comprehensively details all the reasons she didn’t like Horizon Zero Dawn very much. Video contains spoilers.
All HZD footage capped by me
Patreon: patreon.com/pixeladay
Twitter: @pixel_a_day
Transcript: https://bit.ly/pixeladay-horizonzerodawn
Special thanks to:
Batman Arkham Videos for Batman footage
Joker Junior for Ass Creed footage
Video Games Source for The Witcher 3 footage
Gamer’s Little Playground for May Payne 3 and Uncharted 4 footage
RabidRetrospectGames for Red Dead Redemption 2 footage
Izuniy for God of War footage
Full Playthroughs for the Killzone 3 footage
Noclip for the developer interview footage (and for making awesome game documentaries generally)
bolkmar for the film crackle used at the beginning
Videezy for the old timey film effect used in the intro
ScreamStudio, RutgerMuller and Timbre at Freesound.org for sound effects
43 Comments
Yo this girls voice is absolutely heavenly
The real sin is that Sony is remaking it
Forbidden West doesn't fix what's wrong in the first game; it makes it worse.
Omg I thought I was insane THANK YOU. There were so many amazing ideas, and I actually thought the twist with the purpose of the robots was neat, and I did like the connection between Aloy and Elisabet, but everything else was so…blah. There was no point at all to explore the world. Kind of crazy to think about how this and breath of the wild came out the same month. BOTW probably had 1/6th of the processing power and graphical finesse but its game design fixed all the problems that HZD and games like it had which is why it's lived on.
You know, probably no one will look at this comment, but You are right, I was watching this video while I was beating the last mission, since Meridian I wasn't expecting anything, it was alright I think, but it was not at all what I was expecting, the lore was really good if I'm honest and maybe the ibly reason I completed the game, but from the 10 first hours off the game I sense that this wasn't gonna be a game I would remember dearly, ir was just so… Alright, nothing feels janky or bad, the gameplay was solid but the game is just…plain, is weird seeing a lot of effort put un some áreas whereas the overall experiencia feels dull, I'm glad I could beat it so I can't feel that pain of me not being able to beat a game, but I don't think I can beat it again and I wantes yo beat it since in the ps+ catalogue is now the Horizon: Fordibben west game, I was si excited but I don't think it's worth My time, I think I have experienced that game with the first one, that's how plain it feels
I wonder what you think of elden ring
I can’t even finish the story, it was boring as hell
I completely agree. The world design and combat are great. I spent 30 hours killing machines and upgrading weapons. I really enjoyed it. However, once I started following the main story, it became incredibly boring, not to mention the sub-quests. Despite my love for the sci-fi premise, the dialogue and quest design were killing me. There was no real emotion in the characters whatsoever. I couldn't finish it.
Great video. You perfectly put into words the feelings i was struggling to pinpoint because i thought I should love this game like everyone else. Yet I was never compelled to finish it–it felt like a chore without anything of meaning to make it worth my time and attention.
Don't know if you see this but i just wanted to say a bit more a out that 'strong female protagonist 'part. Niw then LITERALLY every female protagonist or general a female in a main role get negative reviews because most writers don't really know or can't handle i guess?? How to immortalise these type of character , which has led many people believe that male players who objectively speaking of course are the majority of gamers, again I say objectively don't eat me 😊( I wish i could persuade my girlfriend to play video games actually sometimes). Anyways this is not the case, they don't dislike the female protagonista because they're female they dislike them because they're badly written. And there are loads of examples of female protagonists who are genuinely iconic and loved by both sexes equally, and of course there are also many male protagonists who are hated because of bad writing. It's not the gender that is at fault here it's the portrayal
I think you did a great job in writing this video, presenting it and elaborating your arguments, and I do agree with some of them. Some of the NPCs seem lifeless and pointless, the looting everywhere with no logic obeys only to the internal logic of generic RPGs games and not the logic of world building, and yes, indeed gender equality in games require female characters with flaws. But I don't agree with your perspective that Aloy is boring or flawless. First of all, she doesn't enter her quest with the generic goal of "helping everyone", the only person she wants to help, is herself. She wants to know why is she an outcast, she really doesn't care about the Nora, and her reasons to go on are purely selfish, she wants to find out who her mother is. Yes, she helps people when she finds them in distress, because she has empathy, but her main motivation from the start was never "help people", even after the lesson that Rost taught her when she kills her first sabertooth. It's only when she finds out who her "mother" was and about the sacrifices that she made, that Aloy is moved to really do what's needed to stop the Faro plague for the moment. Also, Aloy never forgives some of the people that shunned her in the tribe, and clearly shows some contempt for others.
For me, HZD however, was never purely the story of Aloy. It was in my interpretation about what can be considered family. How Rost is clearly a father even though he was not biologically related to Aloy, because he chose to be her father. How Elisabet became a mother even though she died not knowing that she would have a child, and how that image of that mother and who she was, inspires Aloy to be something that she wasn't before.
And yes, the story in general (the plot) is so well written and thought of and is indeed a warning that humanity so far is not hearing. It's about human arrogance and how we think that we will be able to control technology. It's about greed and capitalism and how far it could take us to destroy the only planet we inhabit as as species. Take all the recent examples with people playing with "AI" programs online and creating images "for fun" but this is already impacting the life of human being for the worse. Artists whose work was stolen for the database that the AI uses, and now have less commissions (less money to support themselves!) because anyone can "create" an image "in their style" with the "AI". Deep fake images ruining the reputation of real people, and this is only the beginning. We're still ignoring all the warnings as a society, it's all fun and giggles. The game does address that! And yes, robotics is being used for war purposes right now, not with the complexity the game shows, because we're not there yet technologically, but people are not worried and it's plausible that some real life Ted Faro would suggest something ridiculous to save costs, and it would be approved. The game IS warning about it. Oh and yes, it lets you kill cool robots.
Overall like I said I really enjoyed your video, I just wanted to elaborate the points I don't agree with from your take. I'll definitely be around your channel because like I said I loved the dedication with which you expressed your points!
Resident Evil games doesnt have great story but you want to replay them again and again after the first playthrough.
One could argue that Aloy is such a boring protagonist because she isn't really a human. She's a genetically engineered copy of a genius, and we constantly hear the burried AI match her genetic code to ALMOST perfect match with that progenitor genius who "saved" humanity. That difference the AI detects could actually be changes Gaia made in order to make her stronger and more inclined to help even those whom she feels disconnected from due to her identity conflict.
Where other protagonists would have struggled with their connection to the tribe that shunned them, Aloy feels disconnected and bitter about them but still strifes to save them and be part of them. Where other stories would explore these conflicting emotions, H:ZD chooses to just march through them. There is a lot that could have been there but isn't, and clever writers would capitalize on this dichotomy.
Regarding your questions in particular… I agree with your interpretation but not with your conclusion. Yes, the game could and should have been deeper and more meaningful. It was written at a time where all of the themes it had were starting to get scrutinized by the wider public. It falls short of actually being a great piece of art. There is just so much wasted potential right there at the tip of the developers fingers. But does it HAD to be that piece of art and does every game needs to aim to become that? No.
Do I want to see more games that get to that point of being true masterpieces? Yes, but that doesn't mean that I want to see less games that just want to provide that one thing they know how to do really well and then ace the execution. What I really want to see less of are games that fail on all fronts. It's ok to make something you know how to do and make it as good looking as possible and then add a bit of set dressing on top.
But I agree that H:ZD is frustratingly good. It's so good that it could have become great but had some flaws in the execution that prevented it from doing so.
Very underrated video. It is very sad because this game could easily become masterpiece if it had some real characters in it.
(minor spoilers ahead)
Hey, great video! This game series is my absolute favourite in terms of combat and lore/story, but I love watching a fresh (3 years ago anyway) and critical perspective on things that I love.
Most "critique" videos on this series are outright toxic, and just get me in a shitty mood after watching. I get the feeling of "how can you not see what I see". Well, this video is not like most videos. An excellent and honest critical look at a game you clearly also like (and don't just hate for hate's sake). Brilliant!
One point I disagree with you on is the "this game has nothing to say" line. I think the themes and story (even if not original) give a great outlook on the dangers of technology on the wrong, greedy hands. I also think there's a message about human nature to fall into tribalism and want to wage war on eachother. People aren't born different; it's when people see and interpret things in a different way, they start to become different people. This naturally creates a divide, and the gap only widens as time goes on. And this is told in the game through the lore, how the first people interpreted the machines and nature differently and thus created the different tribes, even if everyone was born in the same cradle facility.
Most other points you made in the video I agree with. It's just simply true that Aloy talks too much, lmao. During my experience with the game (and the series so far) I was enjoying the combat, lore and story so much I was willing to forgive and look past these flaws. This was a huge leap of faith for the company and so far they have made a great success with it.
I know the video is 3 years old, but it was really a fantastic critique! I will definitely check out your other videos as well, cheers!
ps. I would love to hear your thoughts on Forbidden West (if you played it). They really improved a lot of stuff for the second installment. All the best!
I tried so hard to like this game. But couldn’t.
Am i the only one that thinks iid alloys face is so punchable
Yes, it is boring
It's a souls less game that doesn't respect one's time, which is sadly the case with many recent AAA games.
Very late to the party! But I enjoyed your thoughtful analysis even though I see Horizon a bit differently! Horizon aligns more with the mythic saga tradition, like Lord of the Rings, than the postmodern style of Game of Thrones common in modern media.
This Tolkien-esque approach to narrative prioritizes rich world-building over morally ambiguous, flawed characters. Characters serve as cultural conduits and are often aspirational, thus maybe appearing less complex. Take Aragorn, something of a 'Mary Sue' yet still an enduring icon. In games, playing as a virtuous character like can also be compelling (although I also enjoy a grey hero). Because we project ourselves onto them, embodying someone admirable can be rewarding. However, I do think Aloy has more nuance than she's credited – while noble-hearted she's socially awkward, skeptical of received wisdom, and struggles to form bonds.
Befitting the Tolkienesque 'saga' approach, the depth of Horizon lies in its cultures like the Nora, Carja, Oseram – and their detailed histories and cultures that weave an immersive, vibrant world. And I love that Horizon's 'post post-apocalyptic' setting presents a thriving world instead of a desolate wasteland, an approach I haven't seen in other post-apocalypse media. Horizon might not fit the postmodern mold, but it shines with its own narrative depth.
Comparing this game to older ones (e.g. Gothic 1/2 or Fallout 1/2, etc), i can see the problem of soulless trend in modern games..
Can agree with everything you said in this video 🙂
I am playing horizon zero dawn these days, and I completely agree with you!
This game is great, but it also feels completely soulless and childish at the sametime.
Alloy could have been a great protagonist, but she quickly becomes very annoying.
The A.I is absolutely horrendous!
This game had a very ubisot feel which I don't like
Completely agreed with you. I’m very sensitive to good presentation, and Zero Dawn just feels so awful to me, especially after being spoiled by games with great dialogue and stories like Uncharted, GoT, God of War, etc.
The whole game feels like it was directed by a D-tier director.
I recently played and it was good up to the 2nd hour, then it became a drag. I was starting to like the game and pacing, but combat/stealth is AWFULLY painful.
Depends on what you play it for. I play it for the atmosphere and exploring the city ruin at night was exhilarating. If you demand it to be perfect in other areas it isn't.
I uninstalled this third wave tribal masturbation naivefestival, after the "From now you are a seeker" I chose the obvious question "WHat is a seeker?" Matriarch answered "Thats you" … Well no fucking shit lady, I am done. every dialogue is like this. Pseudosmart characters. This vide was great FUN =D I am glad people like you exist xD
You know, this is beautifully written, fantastically argued, and I… completely disagree on the overwhelming majority of points. There are many things to criticize about Horizon's story and gameplay, but what bothered you, I often actually like, and there are many things that you never mention that drive me crazy.
So let's start with the obvious: Aloy herself. She talks to herself when alone, yes. Where you find this annoying, I find it very relatable. She feels driven to do good because she can, to at least some degree. Awesome. Some people do have an overabundance of empathy that makes that sort of thing happen. My gripe, actually, is with the fact that she often almost walks away first, or acts like she doesn't care before turning around and caring. It's as though someone in the writers' room said "hey, she's too perfect, make her a jerk sometimes. More realistic." Except it's not. She also never struck me as being perfect. I mean yes, she has a flat character arc, but that's not in itself a bad thing. She has an ideological conflict, but it's with ideas that are out there in the world, not ideas she has internalized. She was spared from having those ideas forced into her head. Spared… by being considered barely human, if that, by the people pushing the ideology. That rings painfully true, though I suppose most people wouldn't understand. The worst thing about Aloy as a character is, in my opinion, making her very DNA into a macguffin. That all but forces the game to treat her as excessively special. Everything else, though? Love it.
As for the gameplay… I can agree to some extent with the idea that the super senses granted by the focus are a crutch, but they didn't sting as much for me. Maybe because I haven't played a bunch of other games where that's the norm. The fact that you can only climb on specially-marked, color-coded spots, though? I found that absolutely galling. The most fourth-wall-breaking thing in the game, hands down. Perhaps that's also because I haven't played all the games that made that the norm up until now.
The story you uncover throughout the game is… well, it's a very basic tale of capitalistic greed destroying the old world, and of fools who don't know any better recreating the old power structures that killed the world once already in the new one. An excellent premise that needs more play, done… relatively competently. Nothing particularly amazing about the execution, but the foundation is strong enough that it can survive mid-tier execution unharmed. The execution of the worldbuilding, on the other hand, is excellent. There's plenty of rather interesting philosophy that you can get into while reading or listening to the logs from the old world, and plenty more of interest to think about with the characterization of the cultures of the various tribes. That all is interesting enough to think about that I don't really mind the (already very basic, tbh) puzzles being quickly spoiled by Aloy. There were points, IIRC, where things seemed to abruptly swerve away from an interesting topic when it threatened to really make introspection inevitable, and that made me roll my eyes, but overall, it worked well. It's no Disco Elysium, but that's okay. Can't expect every game's writing to measure up to the best written game of all time.
I wouldn't call it the best game around or anything, by any means. There's nothing revolutionary to be found here. There were moments when it could have said something interesting and chose not to, and moments when Aloy seemed to break character to be a jerk in order to make her look more obviously flawed. All in all, though, I think it did a lot more right than wrong. Aloy is a fantastic character in her own right, and the story's pretty good too. And in terms of representation — at this point, we just need more female protagonists in games. No single character could ever be quality representation on their own. We need a range, and multiple examples of each sort. Aloy is more on the uncomplicatedly heroic and very strong side of things, where a lot of very straightforward protagonists are, but honestly, we need more video game women in that role too.
I gave this game a shot 3 Times. The first time I was excited to get into it, I played for a maybe 5 Hours before I got Bored and I put it down for a Good Few Months. Then I started again and I kinda enjoyed it, I started getting into the Combat a Bit more and played through more of the Story before I put it down for a few more months. My final time I played a bit more of the story, did some side quests, and then started exploring the Open World, this was when I realized just how BORING this game is. The Story and Side quests were so BORING with how much talking and talking and talking, which would be fine if the dialogue was actually good. I HATE Aloy’s character, she’s just an Asshole to everyone and sounds disinterested 90% of the time. All the Side Character were so GENERIC and BORING, aside for the Mohawk guy he was kinda funny. The Open World LOOKS nice but in reality they’re BORING huge areas with nothing to do. The Combat was Somewhat fun but I always felt so underpowered even when I tried collecting as much shit to level up. Whenever I got bored of just Shooting Shit at the Robots I would try Melee combat but it’s so bad. I haven’t played the game since, worst $10 I ever spent. Later on I Played Tomb Raider 2013 after I had bought it for $3 and I fucking loved that game. When I was Playing it I realized how similar it was to Horizon, only Tomb Raider was ACTUALLY FUN with a LIKABLE PROTAGONIST who doesn’t treat everyone like shit. It did the Story, Platforming, Combat, and (Semi)Open World WAY BETTER than Horizon ever could. Go Play Tomb Raider 2013 instead.
20:13 you can’t use Optimus Prime as an Example, he’s got a Huge Backstory from when he was Orion Pax that we Don’t see in the Movies that basically leads to him Becoming The Ultra Wise and Stoic Leader he is. Besides, he does have Flaws in those Movies. DO NOT DISRESPECT OPTIMUS PRIME.
All the terrible side quests kept me hating the game as I was required to do atleast some to keep up in xp to be able to play the main story. It took me several attempts of installing and uninstalling due to being not engaged at all in anything but I finally finished it and for some reason I bought Forbidden West on release and just havent progressed more than 2hours in it as it's the same game as the 1st.
One of the most overhyped game ever. It was such a bore. Stopped playing it after 20 hours as it wasn't getting interesting at all.
Apologies for the awkward cut at 16:16 where the best part of the video used to be (a montage of Aloy kicking butt to Shania Twain's 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman'). I had to cut it to stop it from being blocked in like, half the world. This is what you get when you start a Youtube channel and throw music in your videos because you're entirely clueless about things like copyright checks. Anyway, go watch my newer stuff instead of this broken old-ass video. 🙏
I really wanted to like this game. A game where you are fighting giant robot dinosaurs and the game had good reviews? I figured it would be a sure thing, but… I couldn't get into it. I kept telling myself it was going to click at some point but then I fought the biggest disappointment of a final boss and the credits rolled. There was like 4 hours of fun sprinkled throughout a nearly 30 hour game. My God…..
I was so excited to play this game and when I finally got it I ended putting more than 20 hours in but it never got any better for me. to each his own I guess. but it wasn’t for me
I got the game when I was about 10, it was a really fun and I loved it so hard, I full replayed it like 10 times.
It's a tough realization to know that the story wasn't that good. Still love it though.
And even the combat suffers from the rest of the game's design. If you bother in doing all the side quests you will end up sick and tired of the combat as well. I ended up so over-leveled that unless it was part of a main quest, I just kept bashing everything with my spear to get done with most fights that weren't a thunderjaw, the giant lightning bird or the mole thing.
Aloy is also VERY limited on exploration you can't climb on anything that does not have anything yellow on it its very sad how limited exploration is
Just beat this game and I agree with most of your points, but something about it still draws me to play. I think the art direction and world design is what carries it for me, if I had to guess (but there was a bit too much desert in the map relative to the beautiful rainforests and grasslands in my opinion). As a side note, I love the humor and commentary when it came to gender representation. A lot of reviewers and gamers seem to cover that topic in bad faith.
Horizon Zero Dawn is a very hard to get into kind of game. You have to play it for too long to kinda like the game. The main character has cero personality and the game is super annoying. It is a very good game but it has a lot of annoying problems and way too much side tracking. The quest are way too far away from each others. Lots of problems but it is good after you play it for 10 or 15 hours or more. Very hard to get into it.
Metal Gear solid phantom pain.
So good. Big boss was quite a character…
The very opening with Pas…
Being a hero and committing heroics can be for any cause. It's these real desires, motives and characteristics that make us attached.
Take for example Sara Connor from T1 and T2. Her transition to believing in the apocalypses and struggling to accept help from the one that killed Kyle, while being strangely happy that john began to have some form of a father figure.
That is how you write a female protag.
20:42 seeing a female protagonist that behaves as chaotic, ruthless, and gray as kratos would be revolutionary. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that done before. It’s probably happened but I’ve never heard of it.
I think those games will not improve as long as everything is hard scripted. Maybe a. i. will change that in future games. 👀