Horizon: Forbidden West is only about a month away at this point (Barring any delays, knock on wood) and that means that I have been immersing myself in Horizon Zero Dawn in preparation for the release. I don’t always replay a game when the next installment is coming out since the last thing that I want is to get burned out on the game play and not end up wanting to play the sequel once it is in my hands. However, Horizon Zero Dawn is one of my favorite games of all time and Aloy one of my favorite characters, so I felt the need to come back to it once more before release, aiming for 100% completion this time around.
However, as I immersed myself in the world of the game, I started remembering how much I really did love the machine hunting aspects of it. So many of the main quests pit you against humans that you can sometimes forget that the machines are even there for decent stretches of the game. I found myself spending time just crouching in the grass that would hide me and watching the behavior of the machines. Then, I saw this recent trailer showing off the new machines (check out the trailer here) and audibly squeaked at that huge Cobra they’ve added. It got me realizing that for there to be new machines, we’re going to have to leave some behind, so I thought I would rank the top ten machines from Horizon: Zero Dawn, just in case some of them don’t make it over.
10. Scorcher
If you don’t recognize the Scorcher, you likely didn’t play the Frozen Wilds DLC for the game. (Which, if you haven’t yet, you totally should! It’s wonderful!) The first Scorcher makes quite the impression for you when you wander into the Banuk territory for the first time and it is waiting there to greet you. They close long distances quickly, blast a heck of a lot of fire, and serve as a stark warning if you try and run up there before you get a proper handle on the game.
Frozen Wilds didn’t add a terribly large amount of new machines to test your might against, but they made sure from the very start to let you know the ones that had been added were not to be trifled with.
9. Sawtooth
The Sawtooth isn’t a machine that you’re going to struggle with for very long. As one of the ones available in the early areas at the start of the game, you’re likely to figure out just what you need to do to take one down before you move further out into the Nora homelands and beyond. However, that doesn’t stop them from being a formidable threat when you’re brand new to the mechanics. If you go into this game without knowing what lies ahead for you, this might be one of the first ones that you consider “big”, as they’re one of the most aggressive ones found in the tutorial. If only you knew then exactly what was coming…
8. Behemoth
The rhino of the Horizon world, Behemoths not only have one of the coolest names, but can be one of the more satisfying enemies to face down. They’re not the biggest ones in the game, but they are a serious stepping stone to taking those ones down as you need to learn how to handle their level of aggression and power. They’re made all the more memorable by the battle in the Sunring that puts one of them into sharp focus in a moment where you are at your most vulnerable.
7. Rockbreaker
This one might not be the first one that comes to your mind when it comes to the more venerable enemies of Horizon, but it really should. At a glance, sure they’re big, but what else is there? Let me tell you, you never forget the first time that you’re running along a road and one of these pops out of the ground with little to no warning. It’s a moment that’s burned into your experience of the game. They’re a bit humbler as the story never gives them any direct focus, but as an element of the world, that moment of surprise is enough to earn the Rockbreaker a spot on this list. Also, just look at those big old jaws… terrifying!
6. Longleg
Am I the only one who simply finds the Longleg to be majestic and beautiful? There’s something about this design that appeals to me in a way that I can’t really put my finger on. What I do know is that it has me craving more grounded birds in future games as the way the Longleg moves is just a joy to see. Make no mistake, though, this one is just as deadly as it is beautiful. Their ability to rush the player is not to be messed with at all. However, most dangerously, if they suspect that Aloy is out there, their ability to seek her out via sensors and render the coverage of the grass meaningless can throw a wrench in your whole plan if you’re not careful.
5. Fireclaw / Frostclaw
Okay, this might be cheating a little, but I am going to let the Fireclaw and the Frostclaw share a spot on this list. While not identical, these two are very similar even if one is significantly more dangerous than the other. The brown bear and polar bear of Horizon were a pair that served as additions in The Frozen Wilds, and not only fit the areas that they are found in astoundingly well, but also upped the challenge and danger even more. Don’t get me started on that one quest that comes with a swarm of them to defeat. I still have nightmares about it.
4. Watcher
The Watcher is a more humble machine, one of the easiest to kill either by bow or by pure stealth. While they might be a risk at the very start of the game, by the time you’re getting into the swing of things, these little guys are going to be some of your easiest kills. However, that doesn’t mean that their design isn’t iconic. These raptor-like little fellas are able to be found literally everywhere in the game world, from early on to endgame content. They’re easy to kill, yes, but only because they’re the backbone of so many encounters that you’re going to become a master against them.
3. Stormbird
It’s pretty universal that people think fighting the flying enemies in Horizon Zero Dawn is kind of a pain. They’ve got a high degree of maneuverability and the ability to chase you down easily while always dancing just out of your reach. Still, the Thunderbird is satisfying to actually take down when you can and even to just tie down with the ropecaster. They’re not the only flying enemy out there, but their design is much more elegant than the saw faces of the Glinthawk. Armed to the teeth, it’s a challenge to get rid of all their components to cripple them, but it’s either that or take the long way around.
2. Tallneck
Of course the one machine that never tries to kill you would be on this list. Tallnecks were the Horizon approach to towers that you climb to unlock the map, but they revitalized that in the best of ways, by giving them movement and life. Is it annoying to have to do it all again after your first playthrough? Yeah, but the first time you climb one, it’s a majestic feeling that makes it all the worth it. They’re a gentle beast, which makes it a little sad whenever we see one that has been downed or ripped apart.
It was a wise choice on Guerilla’s part to not let us hunt these ones, not only would it pose problems if we killed them before collecting their data, but it also gives us one machine out in the wilds that is something of a friend, even if we’re too small for them to really notice.
1. Thunderjaw
What do I need to say besides “Robot T-Rex” for you to understand what makes the Thunderjaw such a purely iconic machine. A full year was spent getting it just right and that shows. Everything about it is polished to a sheen while making it the largest and most deadly of the base game machines. There’s a reason that this is the machine that was shown off and used as a selling point in everything from the game’s box art to the very first E3 trailer back in 2015. They’re powerful and majestic, a triumph of design, and just plain cool!