So, Horizon Zero Dawn! This has been a game that I've intended to play ever since I saw the trailers for it all the way back in... 2017? So a healthy almost-a-decade ago. Thanks, video games, for making me realize my age! I played a bit of it, didn't quite manage to get attached to it to finish the game but I've always had a soft spot for the monster designs.
The story for Horizon Zero Dawn isn't the most groundbreaking -- it's a post-apocalyptic future after some machine-related huge incident where cities have fallen into ruin, and everything's been reclaimed by nature and humanity has regressed back into a tribalistic society. Our culture is remembered as the 'Old Ones', the machines now stalk the Earth, looking and behaving like animals and are content to just hang around liek animals... but bigge and more aggrssive machines have started to appear. Enter our heroine, Aloy, who is an outcast child from the Nora tribe who comes into contact with an Old One device that gives her special abilities... and she heads off to investigate not just the tribes, but also the ancient artificial intelligence facilities like GAIA and HADES that lay slumbering in different parts of the world, and discover how and why the world has been transformed into what it is right now.
But I'm not going to say much about any of Aloy's story, because... well, I frankly don't want to spoil myself in case I ever get the itch or time to complete the game properly, but as usual this is a monster review and I'm going to talk about the aforementioned machine monsters that attracted me to the game in the first place!
I'm just going one by one based on how the fan-Wikis describe them, and this is by no means an exhaustive description of their roles in the games and stuff. Again, if I ever get to completing Horizon Zero Dawn, I would do an updated re-release of this article just as I did for Devil May Cry V.
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ACQUISITION CLASS:
Strider
Our first Machine is the Strider, which is a nice little standard for the general aesthetic sense of the game. These monsters are primarily white with some additional colours, all futuristic-looking and looking as if they've just been assembled in a factory. The Strider is part of the 'acquisition class' machines, which are the most common types of machines that go around digging for biomass to harvest as fuel (which are the canisters you can see in some of the designs of these robots called 'Blaze'). In essence, it's basically an excuse for the robots based on herbivorous creatures to behave like herbivores by going around grazing for food.
The Strider's head looks like a chunky, squarish one that doesn't exactly match one-to-one with the animal it's based on, which is a horse. But the rest of its body is definitely intended to evoke one, and particularly its behaviour. Not much to really say about it, it's a robot horse with lamps in place of a face. Not the most spectacular creature to start off this review with, but one that sets the tone quite well.
Charger
Next up is the Charger, which resembles a bighorn sheep. It is perhaps a bit hard to tell with these slightly shadowed images, but the Charger and the Strider actually share almost the same 'chassis', with only the heads swapped out. It's a nice little way to both make it easier for the game programmers to save effort, but it also makes sense in-universe that this would be the way that the machines mass-produce these units.
The Chargers are a fair bit more threatening-looking than the Striders due to the whoel horn thing. Their curved horns end in chainsaws, which real-life bighorn sheeps very definitely don't have. They also travel in huge herds, which means that spooking one will cause a whole-ass stampede of chainsaw robot goats.
Broadhead
Another one with the same 'chassis' as the Strider is the Broadhead. They're based on longhorn cattle, with a pretty neat set of horns that does make it look quite threatening. It's got a lone singular glowing eye, which is always one of the creepiest yet coolest way you can make a robot out to be.
This one also has a pair of whirling drums on the bases of the horns, which is apparently where they churn grass and turn it into Blaze. Okay, then! Mostly, I just really like the glowing eyes.
I think this is a nice place to say a bit about the origins of these creatures -- one of the supercomputers, GAIA, was programmed to terraform the Earth in case of a cataclysm (which happened), and these robotic creatures were all created as part of GAIA's master plan. Why do they look like animals? Is it because they're far more able to adapt to the wild terrain? No, GAIA just finds them aesthetically pleasing. Rock on, GAIA.
Glinthawk
There are a bunch more ungulate-based 'Acquisition Class' enemies, but I figure I'd break things up a bit. Obviously, any self-respecting game needs airborne enemies, and the vulture-based Glinthawk are essentially robot birds. I really do love that unlike the other three machines, the only real resemblance that Glinthawks have to a bird is the general silhouette, and even then its head kind of explodes into this mass of chainsaws, robot claws and saws.
Apparently, the Glinthawks are actually scavengers, but instead of consuming corpses for food, the Glinthawks use the mass of buzzsaws and chainsaws in its head-mouth to scavenge other destroyed machines. It doesn't really explain why it seems to have half a dozen gatling guns in that mouth, but they need to have some way to fight back against Aloy, I suppose. Interestingly, they shoot ice bullets due to the type of energy they run on. Neat.
Grazer
Another ungulate, the Grazer is based on deers -- though its chassis isn't the same as the previous three. The Grazer hsa one of those very cool-looking single-optic face, and its deer-like horns are actually whirling saws that allows it to scavenge for resources -- buzzing around and cutting a whole lot of grass in order to turn them into the 'Blaze' biofuel. Again, one aspect of Horizon Zero Dawn's monster design I really do appreciate is that so many of its monster designs actually do revolve around how these robots -- being made by some kind of a central intelligence -- are actually going around with some purpose instead of being death-machines for the hell of it.
Interestingly, the Grazer is apparently far more intended to gather resources than the other three Machines we've covered, with multiple tanks of Blaze on its back and traveling in huge herds that go around stripping grassfields of their biofuel. Just like real-life herbivores, they are also very skittish and will get their entire herd to stampede away from a predator (i.e. Aloy)... but unlike real-life herbivores, they actually are likely to have a couple of 'carnivore' Machines in their pack.
Lancehorn
Using the same chassis as the Grazer, the Lancehorn is based on an antelope, and instead of two grass-shredding spinning saws, the Lancehorn just has a bunch of industrial drills kind of almost haphazardly slapped onto its head. I dunno, the asymmetry of the Lancehorn's drills does make me feel like it's a bit 'off' compared to the much more sterile designs of the Charger or the Grazer.
The Lancehorn's drills help it to go around drilling for materials and process stuff in the soil, and basically have the same 'escape unless the enemy is right next to you, then fight' mentality as the Grazer.
Rockbreaker
Oh yeah, this guy's cool, and honestly probably a much more practical 'mining' machine than an antelope with drill-horns. The Rockbreaker is actually a bit of a secret, elite enemy only found in certain spots in the world, and is quite big. Based on a mole, the Rockbreaker's entire front end is just a whole mass of murder-drill machines, and it 'swims' through the soil and bursts in and out of the soil as it fights Aloy. I love the multi-jawed mouth made up of drill bits, and the fact that its little mole hands end in funky cyberpunk excavator shovels.
There's definitely a fair amount of Sandworm or Sandworm-inspired elements that went into the Rockbreaker, too, with a much longer tail than its biological inspiration. I do like that part of its attack animatinos is shooting out rocks -- which it probably stores in its body as part of its digging routines throughout the ground. Very cool-looking enemy, and while I haven't played the game all that much, I do like the idea that the Machines have some super-specific machine models that are only deployed in very specific locations.
Scrapper
Another quadrupedal one, I actually do like this one. The Scrapper is allegedly based on a 'hyena', but you could honestly make an argument for any canine or feline animal and it would stick. One thing that makes people think of hyenas is that the Scrapper's function is to scavenge for metallic parts from its fallen Machine brethren, fitting with the 'scavenger' reputation that hyenas are saddled with. It's one of the types of machines that are always aggressive towards Aloy.
Just like the Rockbreaker, the Scrapper's mouth is formed out of grinding drill-bits, which it uses to destroy and break down the raw materials of the corpses of its brethren. It's also got an adorable radar scanner on its back that it uses to look for destroyed machines to recycle.
Snapmaw
Of course, we need aquatic enemies, and what better aquatic enemy to fight other than a robo-crocodile? Almost all of the machine enemies will actually go out of their way to avoid the water, but the Snapmaws are obviously able to operate in and out of the water. I really do like just how... messy the Snapmaw's face looks like, with two giant chainsaws and a bunch of machinery that the Machines seemed to have stapled together just to resemble a crocodile of sorts.
I don't really have a whole ton to say here beyond really liking it. My favourite Horizon enemies tend to be the ones that look weird enough that they seem to be mimicking an animal when their features aren't really similar (like the Scrapper or the Broadhead); and I tend to not be the biggest fans of the designs that are just 'make this animal, but robot' but the Snapmaw's very cobbled-together look really does make it feel like it's got the best of both worlds in terms of aesthetics.
Trampler
The Trampler here is based on a big angry bison, and is apparently the most durable and physically powerful of the 'herbivore'-based acquisition machines. The Trampler's two big bison horns are actually hinged like a construction vehicle, which it uses to dig up the ground. I don't quite like the eyes on the Trampler, which I felt was trying a bit too hard to look scary and I wonder if it would've looked a lot more menacing with a glowing single lens like the Lancehorn or the Broadhead.
The Tramplers also all bizarrely have a giant pulsating Blaze unit in their abdomen (or their 'udder', as some people have pointed out), which is their glaring weakness. Not a whole ton to say here, they sure are a bigger, bulkier version of the other herbivore machines.
Fireclaw
We're finishing up with a duo of DLC enemies from the 'Frozen Wilds' DLC. Originally introduced as Combat-class Machines, the Fireclaw and his twin Frostclaw are later on reclassified by the development team as Acquisition-type Machines... and this article's just going to cover the Acquisition machines.
The Fireclaw is a big robot bear... to some definition of a 'bear', that is. The head looks threateningly monstrous (apparently the two bear robots are specifically based on the extinct short-faced bear), and its foreclaws are just filled with so many spinning gears and buzzsaws. It definitely looks pretty powerful-looking. Fireclaws obviously fight in fire. While far more powerful and aggressive than other Acquisition-types, they actually also go around scavenging destroyed machines and mining for soil. Okay.
Frostclaw
The Frostclaw is basically the same thing, except it's got ice-generating units within its body instead of fire ones. Not a whole lot to say, they do really look impressive and I'm sure it's definitely a huge change of pace battling them after fighting robo-deers throughout the game, but I'm not the biggest fan of the Fireclaw or the Frostclaw on account on them just being robo-bears.
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RECON-CLASS
Watcher
As my constant mention of 'Acquisition-Class' might've clued you in, there are other classes of Machines in created by the greater supercomputers with different priorities. One of the first Machines that Aloy would actually meet is the Watcher, which resembles some kind of giant flightless bird -- or more likely, a small theropod dinosaur. It's a simple design, with a head that's entirely taken up by a gigantic optical sensor.
Whereas all Acquisition-Class Machines have some way or function to gather resources, be it grass or minerals or scrap metal, the Watchers just run around the herd and lets out a huge noise to get the herd to start fleeing... or, if the Watcher's paired with a Combat-class Machine, get the combat units to fight. They can also fight you, swarming you like a bunch of crazy metal dinosaur chickens. Being the starter enemies with a clear giant flashlight eyeball-head, though, the Watchers die very easily to headshots.
Longleg
A more powerful Recon-Class unit is the Longleg, which seems to be based on a larger prehistoric theropod or bird. This guy has a more pronounced 'beak' and a plume made out of machinery pieces, and I also do like that unlike the Watcher, the Longleg's got a pair of 'wings' made up of mechanical engines that eject a bunch of flames. I'm not sure what practical usage having these on wings are instead of attaching them to the main torso/abdomen, but I guess it would allow the Longleg to maybe jump and hover a bit?
The 'bird plumes' are actually antennae to summon reinforcements, and interestingly, the huge puffy parts of the Longleg's chest (which reminds me of a frigate bird) are apparently 'Concussion Sacs' that it uses to power its echolocation and sonic-scream attacks. This one isn't really my favourite design if we're being honest, there seems to be a bit too much going on here... but I respect the fire-breathing robot death chicken.
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Some of the later reviews seem a bit down, but that's not to say that I don't like Horizon Zero Dawn's monsters, though. Far from it! I really do like every single design I talked about in this page, and we're just in the 'acquisition' stage, plus a bunch of errant weirdos! Honestly, the monsters are the reason that I'll even play this game at all! Next up we're going to talk about the other classes, which are fairly a bit more different-looking!
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