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[Omnistalgic]

The reason it may seem difficult is because the learning curve in the game isn't really point/level based, it's skilled base. Even when you hit level 35 or 40, you can still get one-hit killed without the proper gear on or strategy. I've been playing on very hard, and while I was dispatching smaller enemies away with ease, I would die too often whenever I got surrounding by smarter robots. I thought it was just due to me not killing them quick enough, but the name of the game to never die in Horizon - Preparation.

You need to just go hunting sometimes and stock up on shards, ammo, and resources to craft. Always have some herbs available and potions. One of the most important skill trees IMO is Brave, but it also helps to get some of those resources bonuses as soon as possible.

Besides that, weapons buffs matter a lot of with the tougher enemies. You need to know which weapon to buff with Damage/Tear, and which to buff with Elemental damage, and what creatures are weak to each.

Playing on very hard may cause some frustration (Honestly, I haven't died nearly that much outside of hunting grounds when I'm trying to achieve something specific) but it teaches you to really learn the game. Some stuff I noticed only after hours and hours of play that might help folks who are just picking it up.

- Aloy's heavy knock down enemies, even some of the bigger ones when upgraded use it!
- Sliding and Jumping slows down time, and you can jump while aiming, abuse it
- Triple and Double shot are great great damage dealers if you target weak points
- Upgrade your roll, you can get out of trouble by rolling right after a big lunge attack
- Bows are your friend '-) Definitely the best weapons in the game

 

[rec0ded1]

Nerfs ahoy:

submitted 4 minutes ago by GUERRILLAGGJeroen
Hi all,
In addition to the recent patch we just released a hotfix that solves a couple outstanding balancing issues:
Reduced the Carja Storm Hunter outfit damage reduction to 5% (previously 90%)
Reduced total amount of discs from the Thunderjaw Disc Launcher to 8 (previously 12)
We want to make sure you have a fun and challenging experience. Be sure to keep an eye on our channels for future updates on patches and balancing fixes.

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/839166465798520832

 

[MegaSackman]

I think the way the game is designed and the focus of it is what makes it fun to explore for me. For example in a game like Skyrim I find much of the gameplay to be a chore and tend to complete those things more like a checklist than actually wandering about and searching for things. The fact that the moment to moment gameplay in Horizon is so well crafted and tightly designed means just running around and getting into fights is more rewarding to me than if that random trail into the mountains had a chest at the end with a War Bow +5. The game is far more conducive to meandering through the world than a lot of others just because of how good it feels to move and act in the game itself.

In 56hs of gameplay I've only seen this once just by exploring:

 

[Ruthless_Barbarian]

For stalkers I just rope cast them then critical melee, heavy melee knock down, critical, melee and a final heavy melee.

2 shock arrows + 5 hard point arrows in their weak spots when they are stunned = easy stalker kill

 

[bonchooski]

Nerfs Aloy:

fixed

 

[pixxxelz]

That's how I felt until one of the characters told me that they

Spoiler

won't find/attack you underground if you're standing still.

The first battle I had with a Rockbreaker after that was considerably easier than the one in

Spoiler

the quarry.

Damn, that's pretty cool, I'll try that the next time I find one.

 

[Trickster]

Well, there are a couple of quests you find by exploring that are not given by npcs.
There are several outpost the game don't make you to go and you find a lot of lore there (like the theory of every tribe regarding the fall of the old ones), one fort in particular have a different quest than all others.

I know that this is just a small example of why I don't really like exploration in Horizon. But as you mention, there are multiple villages/outposts you never have to go to. So the question is, how to you find those villages? Well...you look on your map where the game has highlighted every single village in the game because you climbed up a few tallnecks. To me that's a thing takes any notion of "exploration" within the world and just throws it right out the window. I'm not doing any exploration in order to find these villages. Even finding the tallnecks that unlocks the map for you isn't something that involves exploration, since the game highlight for you where they are.

 

[Wollan]

fixed

lol

Nice change to the Thunderjaw, it was a bit too easy once you got a hold of that part.

 

[RedlineRonin]

Nerfs ahoy:

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/839166465798520832

Interesting. I farmed TJ last night for a bit and I guess i snuck in under the wire.

Reducing the disc launcher capacity was definitely the right call. Good thing he comes equipped with two of em

=)

 

[Omnistalgic]

Nerfs ahoy:

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/839166465798520832

oh cool, I heard the DLC stuff was so good it was practically a win button. Dunno why they put Gear that absorbs that much damage lol...Now I can actually trade them in and not feel like I'm cheating.

 

[Fersis]

Went to buy the game... was sold out V_V

 

[X-Frame]

Damn that Carja Deluxe Armor had a 90% Damage Reduction?! Yikes, haha.

Also, great news about the nerf to the Thunderjaw Disc Launcher. Agreed that it could be a bit too powerful, but even 8 shots x2 launchers will still do serious damage.

 

[Jawbreaker]

Nerfs ahoy:

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/839166465798520832

Good, good.

 

[Omnistalgic]

Went to buy the game... was sold out V_V

Amazon has it...

er...

Nope

 

[MegaSackman]

I know that this is just a small example of why I don't really like exploration in Horizon. But as you mention, there are multiple villages/outposts you never have to go to. So the question is, how to you find those villages? Well...you look on your map where the game has highlighted every single village in the game because you climbed up a few tallnecks. To me that's a thing takes any notion of "exploration" within the world and just throws it right out the window. I'm not doing any exploration in order to find these villages. Even finding the tallnecks that unlocks the map for you isn't something that involves exploration, since the game highlight for you where they are.

Fair point, I'm not saying you're wrong, just wanted to tell you that you might be losing some good content out there.
I love to explore in Horizon tho, I guess the game clicked with me in that regard and not with you and you need to understand why so that's where your points come into place.

 

[RedlineRonin]

Damn that Carja Deluxe Armor had a 90% Damage Reduction?! Yikes, haha.

Also, great news about the nerf to the Thunderjaw Disc Launcher. Agreed that it could be a bit too powerful, but even 8 shots x2 launchers will still do serious damage.

oh cool, I heard the DLC stuff was so good it was practically a win button. Dunno why they put Gear that absorbs that much damage lol...Now I can actually trade them in and not feel like I'm cheating.

I don't think the intent was ever to have the DLC stuff be that high, it was just an error on their part.

 

[Capella]

You can attach multiple tripcaster cables to a detonating blast trap: when one tripwire is triggered, the D.B. trap goes off and triggers all the other tripwires attached to it.
You can also string a single tripwire between two detonating blast traps.
You can make over-elaborate, over-engineered traps with this. It creates a lot of boom.

https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/5xzq43/til_you_can_attach_tripcaster_cables_to/

Did not know this, I will definitely try this out when I get the game.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

So there is better armor and weapons than the purple carja stuff?

 

[Omnistalgic]

https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/5xzq43/til_you_can_attach_tripcaster_cables_to/

Did not know this, I will definitely try this out when I get the game.

holy smokes!

 

[cooldawn]

this is the only open world game where i just like to walk . i am 16 hours in and only fast traveled once and i think i have only Mounted the strider just for 2 or 3 min. max.

Same. I've never used Fast Travel and I've never used a mounted beast. I just like casually roaming to each objective myself.

 

[vypek]

Got some collectibles yesterday. I appreciate the unlimited fast travel. I was worried that I was going to have to craft or buy fast travel packs all the time

 

[Ken Adams]

Nerfs ahoy:

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/839166465798520832

Yes the fixed the dlc gear, Now i can use them.

 

[Wollan]

https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/5xzq43/til_you_can_attach_tripcaster_cables_to/

Did not know this, I will definitely try this out when I get the game.

That's an amazing lifehack.

 

[Kaako]

https://www.reddit.com/r/horizon/comments/5xzq43/til_you_can_attach_tripcaster_cables_to/

Did not know this, I will definitely try this out when I get the game.

Awesome! I must try this later tonight when I jump back in. I love this beautiful game.

 

[JimmyRustler]

Just finished the game. The end was an absolute technical wizardry. I don't understand how this is possible on the PS4.

GOTY so far for me, and I fucking loved RE7 to bits. Can't believe GG started a new IP with this quality level.

 

[Primethius]

Got Blazing Suns on all of the trials. Those were a lot of fun.

 

[psychotron]

Maybe I'm too early in, even though I've been playing for a long time, but I'm not sure how to do some things.

How do I equip shock arrows? They don't show on the weapon wheel. Also, I have a bunch of mods that I can't seem to use on any weapon. I have corruption and some tear mods that don't show up on the mod screens, only my inventory. I'm still trying different strategies, but usually just use my tripcaster with bomb blast for large enemies. I didn't even notice the tutorial missions, and they offer a good amount of XP. I guess I'll have to look for areas to complete them.

 

[LordofPwn]

so is there a way to clean up the map and hide some of the shit? if not they should add that feature in.

 

[SlimySnake]

Maybe I'm too early in, even though I've been playing for a long time, but I'm not sure how to do some things.

How do I equip shock arrows? They don't show on the weapon wheel. Also, I have a bunch of mods that I can't seem to use on any weapon. I have corruption and some tear mods that don't show up on the mod screens, only my inventory. I'm still trying different strategies, but usually just use my tripcaster with bomb blast for large enemies. I didn't even notice the tutorial missions, and they offer a good amount of XP. I guess I'll have to look for areas to complete them.

You need a war bow. War bow allows you to use different elemental arrows such as Shock, Freeze and Corruption arrows. I never bought a war bow until i got to meridian and picked up a purple War bow which had all three arrow types. I am not sure if the Green or Blue War bows have all three elemental types, but you should be able to equip at least one or two mods on those bows.

Dont go out of your way to do tutorials. Just go to the hunting grounds and earn up to 35k XP in minutes. Along with a skill point. Tutorials offer 3k XP which you can earn just by attacking enemies you encounter in your travels.

 

[Allonym]

Maybe I'm too early in, even though I've been playing for a long time, but I'm not sure how to do some things.

How do I equip shock arrows? They don't show on the weapon wheel. Also, I have a bunch of mods that I can't seem to use on any weapon. I have corruption and some tear mods that don't show up on the mod screens, only my inventory. I'm still trying different strategies, but usually just use my tripcaster with bomb blast for large enemies. I didn't even notice the tutorial missions, and they offer a good amount of XP. I guess I'll have to look for areas to complete them.

You have to buy a war bow that fires frost arrows. Also not every mod. works with everything, when you attempt to modify a weapon or outfit, you'll see what can be used. On purple items you can equip 3 mods if I am not mistaken.

 

[Primethius]

Maybe I'm too early in, even though I've been playing for a long time, but I'm not sure how to do some things.

How do I equip shock arrows? They don't show on the weapon wheel. Also, I have a bunch of mods that I can't seem to use on any weapon. I have corruption and some tear mods that don't show up on the mod screens, only my inventory. I'm still trying different strategies, but usually just use my tripcaster with bomb blast for large enemies. I didn't even notice the tutorial missions, and they offer a good amount of XP. I guess I'll have to look for areas to complete them.

Shock arrows are found on the warbow, make sure you have that equipped. And you can only use mods if that weapon supports it. E.g. you need a bow with corruption arrows to be able to slot it with corruption mods.

 

[wapplew]

I can't remember last time I want to fight soemthing not for the loot or to beat stages, just because the encounter is fun.
Cleaning up collectibles, see a stormbird, can't help myself and shoot arrow at it, 10 minutes of cool fight.

 

[hydruxo]

This what I was saying earlier though...Corrupters,scanning says Body weak to fire,I hit it with a fire arrow from a purple bow and I do 4 damage...? sometimes it just doesnt work...another example,I do the tutorial for my new purple bow,knock off 10 plates from mechanics...I hit a Strider on his canister plate and it works,it counts as a knocked off plate but on the Corruptors,I hit the plates during all the fight with the same bow and it never took them down...what am I missing here...?

Corruptors have a unique overheat debuff (you can see the symbol over their heads), and when you put them on fire enough they'll expose their cores and you can shoot those for massive damage.

 

[psychotron]

You need a war bow. War bow allows you to use different elemental arrows such as Shock, Freeze and Corruption arrows. I never bought a war bow until i got to meridian and picked up a purple War bow which had all three arrow types. I am not sure if the Green or Blue War bows have all three elemental types, but you should be able to equip at least one or two mods on those bows.

Dont go out of your way to do tutorials. Just go to the hunting grounds and earn up to 35k XP in minutes. Along with a skill point. Tutorials offer 3k XP which you can earn just by attacking enemies you encounter in your travels.

You have to buy a war bow that fires frost arrows. Also not every mod. works with everything, when you attempt to modify a weapon or outfit, you'll see what can be used. On purple items you can equip 3 mods if I am not mistaken.

Shock arrows are found on the warbow, make sure you have that equipped. And you can only use mods if that weapon supports it. E.g. you need a bow with corruption arrows to be able to slot it with corruption mods.

Thank you all. Off to the merchant I go! Thanks.

 

[Ace Harding]

I've been playing this really slowly over the last week or so and only just made it "past the gate." I wasn't really digging it until things opened up and the story took an interesting turn.

The arena-like battle at the gate was a lot of fun. It feels a little silly crafting ammo and gathering resources in the middle of a fight but figuring out weaknesses and strategies was a lot of fun. I only imagine combat gets bigger and more intense from here.

As others have mentioned dialog is not this game's strength, the voice acting is inconsistent and the lip syncing issues are distracting. I tend to just read subtitles and skip listening to the full audio, which I never normally do in games. Aloy's VA is excellent however.

One thing I'm not super impressed by yet are the graphics. I was expecting to be blown away because of all the gushing I've seen here and elsewhere but I haven't been yet. The environments look nice for sure but not some huge leap over stuff Naughty Dog has done on the PS4. And for an open world game the environments feel very closed off - no big vistas or large landmarks you can see from far away and then travel to. I feel like you never see more than a few hundred meters away because of mountains or trees that conveniently wall off your view, or just fog.

The dinos look great though. The designs and animations are top-notch.

Anyway I'm harping on the negatives but the gameplay is awesome and I am very curious to see where this story goes.

 

[Falchion]

I can't remember last time I want to fight soemthing not for the loot or to beat stages, just because the encounter is fun.
Cleaning up collectibles, see a stormbird, can't help myself and shoot arrow at it, 10 minutes of cool fight.

There's so many times I'm headed to an area or about to leave one and I see a pack of Sawtooths' (Sawteeth?) or something else and I immediately abandon whatever I was doing to go fight them for no reason other than how good it feels.

 

[TsuWave]

just got a new very rare weapon "tearblaster" i think from an errand or side mission from hunter's lodge. apparently does a lot of tear damage, has anyone used it?

 

[CMojicaAce]

Jesus. Didn't realize how much damage machines take after being frozen. Guess I'm using freeze arrows more often now!

 

[Zakalwe]

Power cell reward spoilers.

I mean I knew it, but it still let me down when Aloy puts on

Spoiler

the power armour and it's just another similar style costume

.


Would have loved it if it had

Spoiler

remained the actual power armour design

, would have made the reward feel bit more unique.

 

[Quonny]

Nerfs ahoy:

https://twitter.com/Guerrilla/status/839166465798520832

Fire arrows still OP, all is well with the world.

 

[black070]

All cauldrons, bandit camps and corruption zones cleared along with every collectible and vantage point found and all carrying capacities upgraded to their max - I guess it's time to go to Meridian.

 

[KINGofCRA5H]

just got a new very rare weapon "tearblaster" i think from an errand or side mission from hunter's lodge. apparently does a lot of tear damage, has anyone used it?

one of my favorite things to use. it'll rip off components from machines like butter.

 

[silva1991]

All cauldrons, bandit camps and corruption zones cleared along with every collectible and vantage point found and all carrying capacities upgraded to their max - I guess it's time to go to Meridian.

You did all of that without before going to Meridian for the first time? Oo

 

[Darklor01]

You did all of that without before going to Meridian for the first time? Oo

I could see that happening if you just keep exploring and exploring.

 

[Dreez]

Went to buy the game... was sold out V_V

I've been checking everyday on Amazon... looks like I'll just get a different game, maybe Hitman D;

 

[Darklor01]

Went to buy the game... was sold out V_V

Can still get at Best Buy.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/horizon-zero-dawn-playstation-4/9082293.p?skuId=9082293

 

[Kaako]

All cauldrons, bandit camps and corruption zones cleared along with every collectible and vantage point found and all carrying capacities upgraded to their max - I guess it's time to go to Meridian.

Haha might as well since you did everything else. xp

 

[MegaSackman]

You did all of that without before going to Meridian for the first time? Oo

I thought that too but I think he meant

Spoiler

the end of the game and not your first journey to Meridia.

 

[black070]

You did all of that without before going to Meridian for the first time? Oo

I could see that happening if you just keep exploring and exploring.

Haha might as well since you did everything else. xp

I loved traversing the world so much that by simply doing whatever was closest to me ended up leading me to doing everything except main and side missions ! This game man, this game.

I thought that too but I think he meant

Spoiler

the end of the game and not your first journey to Meridia.

Haha..

 

[Falchion]

All cauldrons, bandit camps and corruption zones cleared along with every collectible and vantage point found and all carrying capacities upgraded to their max - I guess it's time to go to Meridian.

Damn! I'm level 24 and haven't gone there yet but I've also not gone west of the Nora's lands. Probably going to start exploring out west of Daytower tonight since I don't have anything left to do that I can see to the east.