Horizon: Zero Dawn is the next of the popular "open-world action RPG" genre, a sort of extension of classic action games into the freedom of sprawling maps popularized by the adventure games of yore. "RPG" is the term that doesn't fit in this classification generally, in my opinion, since although there is present some systems for progression, they are not the focus of strategy or risk-reward management. So it is here with HZD, where white-knuckle dodge-rolling and over-the-shoulder shooting, coupled with some stealth and acrobat elements, make the dance of cutting down quadrupedal robots.
As far as sound and visuals go, the game is quite good. Lots of bloomy environments, flowing grass, sparkly explosions, haunting orchestras, particles, the works. The character models are very attractive, with bright, slightly oversized eyes, symmetric features and polished skin. Little details abound. In this sci-fi game of the "technology was bad so now we live in old-school tribes" genre, the art direction is rock solid, and the game is worth looking at at the very least.
As far as gameplay goes, it's solid, but totally unremarkable. Aloy, the main character, is a super-strong nimble acrobat and precision shot, as you'd expect from the heroes in these sorts of games. There are predetermined points where you can climb around on setpiece jungle gyms, slide down ropes, and grapple on cliff faces. In between you'll be shooting robots (and occasionally people) with bows and sometimes finishing them with melee kills. There are also consumables, traps and other gizmos to round out the arsenal, but as you'd expect their utility is minor. The game also rewards stealth, as jumping out of the bushes (literally) is usually the best way to start a fight. In between you'll be picking up materials from harvest points and corpses, until your inventory swells with clutter, in order to purchase upgrades and fulfill fetch quests. There's a story arc that ties it together, and thanks to HZD's high production values, you can stick with the tedium long enough to squeeze out the enjoyment from the game's narrations.
The game borrows everything from its predecessors, which is a big flaw in my book. It does absolutely nothing new, offering a game that's been done nearly exactly on various platforms for years. It is nearly identical to Shadow of Mordor, which itself borrows heavily from games like Batman: Arkham whatever or Assassin's Creed, which in turn stole from others, down the line and so on. It becomes difficult for me to praise this game or even score it well, because it is only so barely a refinement. The original IP is a welcome change from some other bastardized setting, but that in of itself can't keep a copycat game afloat long enough to warrant a replay. Take your 30-40 hours of open world shoot-stabbing and move along.
If you've never played an open-world-action game before, Horizon: Zero Dawn is a solid game and would make a great diversion into the genre... in fact, you'll probably love it. In isolation, its actually quite good. However, if you have played such a game before, you've also already played HZD. You'll be gathering the same crafting materials, to unlock the same upgrades and skill trees, to perform the same stealth kills and combos, and slide down the same ziplines. I like Aloy much better than I like the superhero rejects and other throwaway characters that populate this genre, I just wish she was in a more inventive game.
+ Great visuals and sound
+ Fun, fast combat mixed with stealth elements
+ Executes the open world action formula well
+ Sci-fi world and creatures are very detailed, inventive, imaginative
- The game is a carbon copy of other games in the genre
- Same old crafting/skill-tree/quest-marker game gets tiresome before the game is over
- Sidequests spread the good parts of the game too thin