By Dylan Bradley/campus editor
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is an expansion that proves it isn’t an average bit of downloadable content. It’s worth every penny.
The expansion, released Nov. 7 by Guerrilla Games, continues the adventure of Aloy in a post-apocalyptic world filled with dangerous machines and primitive tribes. The Frozen Wilds gives players a significant expansion to the base game.
Players continue their adventure as Aloy, a Nora Outcast turned Seeker, by heading north and picking up a new quest that requires they venture into the mysterious land of the Banuk tribes.
An imminent, unknown threat is invading the Banuk lands, which players will quickly meet face to face in the form of a machine. A total of three new machines are included in the expansion, and they are significantly more difficult to defeat than the machines to the south.
Fans of the environment will enjoy the expanded effect of snow and Aloy’s little quips about it. Horizon is a game that nails the details, and it’s the little things like the realistic look and interaction with the snow that makes the new terrain sing. The snow is almost a new character in the game. Aloy, machines and animals leave tracks, and it slows Aloy’s running in deeper banks. Her outfits can accumulate snow. And she has new animations for being cold.
Swimming is still the worst part of the game, but the cold environment adds a few new elements. Still water can ice over solid, some areas have a thin layer of ice that Aloy can break through and some water accumulates snow but doesn’t freeze.
Players can expect new weapons and armor sets that provide more modification slots and unique attributes.
They can be purchased from one of the merchants sprinkled through the new map area. Two new skill trees are introduced with a new level cap: one improving inventory manipulation, the second improving mount manipulation.
For example, one of the skills allows players to harvest plants and loot machines without dismounting.
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is available for purchase through the PlayStation Store for $19.99. And it’s worth every penny.
