During the first 5 or so hours of Horizon Zero Dawn , I was drawn in but not necessarily captivated. The game felt solid as an iron forged spear, but the magic wasn't there that would cement this title into the upper echelon of games I hold dear. However, time has a habit of proving people wrong.

Incredible storyline and narrative | Huge open world | Jaw-dropping visuals and art design | Strong protagonist and supporting cast | Great voice work | Combat is frantic; varied and engaging | Environmental storytelling is fantastic

UI can be overbearing | Open-world has a lot of "traditional" activities that are sometimes a bore | Soundtrack is a bit lacking in certain places

Trembling, I hid away in the tall grass as a Thunderjaw stomped past me. The sound of cracking trees thundered through the air as it sought its nest. It was like I was a child again, watching Jurassic Park for the first time, and the T-Rex was breathing steam onto the glass window on the roof of the...

Horizon Zero Dawn takes place on Earth millions of years in the future where, as you guessed it, some or other cataclysmic event has wiped out most of humanity. Out of the ashes, new civilisations and tribes sprung up, each with their own unique culture.

Horizon Zero Dawn is an action role-playing game where you, as main protagonist Aloy, a skilled hunter, explore a vibrant and lush world inhabited by mysterious mechanized creatures.

There is something hugely satisfying in booting up an all-new intellectual property in gaming , not least one that has been subject to a fierce hype machine for the last couple of years. Even more satisfying to find out it's good. Scrub that. It's great; truly, splendidly great.

Truly magnificent graphical splendour; 4K HDR on PS4 Pro / HDR on PS4; superb combat system; great new land and story to explore; clever premise with fantasy and sci-fi themes

Takes a long while before the main story and gameplay gets underway

Horizon: Zero Dawn is a stellar open world game. Guerrilla has crafted a magnificent and utterly gorgeous adventure game with surprising depth that rewards player skill and will more than likely prove to be PS4's next major action franchise.

Horizon Zero Dawn is another top-tier exclusive for the PS4. As long as you have some patience in combat, and 30-40 hours to drop to fully explore the world and take in the plot, you'll leave the game with an immensely satisfying experience.

A society with a foggy past and an uncertain future is truly lost; such is the reality for the denizens of the world of Horizon Zero Dawn. Roughly 1,000 years from today, tribal communities lead primitive lives, surrounded by mysterious high-tech fossils of the Old Ones--the fractured legacy of our...

Complex and thrilling combat; Imaginative enemy designs; Expertly blends natural and technological elements; Impactful character development

Inefficient user interface; Barebones melee mechanics

Joe brings us his impressions on Horizon Zero Dawn, out now for PlayStation 4.

Horizon Zero Dawn is epic on almost every level that is not only well crafted in terms of mechanics but beautifully designed.