Horizon Zero Dawn - PlayStation 4 Collectors Edition

Wow. This game is beyond breathtaking. Let me just pause there for a second... Whew, ok. So this Horizon: Zero Dawn is set to be a defining experience of this generation of consoles. From the moment you meet Aloy, the game is keen on showing rather than telling. Beginning with the "tutorial", everything is baked into a narrative that really envelops you in the world and makes it easy and enjoyable to empathize with the protagonist. Gameplay follows a well paced curve that gradually introduces new levels of complexity without needing to interrupt the experience, all the while encouraging exploration and discovery. The encounters reward smart, but dynamic play, allowing for brute force aggression or stealthy tactical strikes. The game frequently hat-tips players who are paying attention, rewarding players with clever narrative, hidden strategies, and a dash of spectacle. The gameplay borrows heavily from Tomb Raider and Assassins Creed, but mixes the styles well and adds a healthy dose of originality and refinement. And I can't write this review without explicitly calling out the Art Direction. The creature and world building is amazing. Just staring up at the sky in this game and watching time pass can be beautiful. Creatures are varied and interesting and the environments are both dramatic and logical to navigate. I can't stress enough how enjoyable this game has been and really find myself struggling to find anything to be critical about. If you like great games, especially action RPGs, don't hesitate to pick this up. Now on to the Collectors Edition specifically. This version adds a nice figurine, a small art book, and some digital content. The figurine is excellent and reminiscent of some of the Halo and Gears of War CE pack-ins. The art book is ok, but somewhat small; don't expect something on the scale of what Blizzard does with their CE art books. The digital content is a nice starting bonus, but nothing game breaking and will not dramatically enhance your experience. The nicest piece of digital content is the Dynamic Theme. Note, this is NOT the same theme available for purchase on the PlayStation Store: it includes different visuals (based in the CE box art) and has background music. The game also comes packed in a steel book case. Overall, if you like collecting figurines, the Collectors Edition is a nice purchase, but nothing else in the package really stands out. For most people, the standard edition is an excellent choice. Read more

I followed this game for quite some time and did some extensive research in it and when I saw that there was a collector's bundle I knew I had to have it. The game itself is very open-world the graphics are stunning and it is possible to have hours of game time in this specific game. With the collectors bundle of there is of course the two outfits and the weapons that come with it and those are very valuable in early game. Not to mention how good they look on the character while you're running around completing an immersive story. The statue that comes with it is high quality and shows Nora, the main character, standing atop one of her defeated kills. It is well worth the money made of high-quality material not to mention the quality of the case that the actual game comes in made of metal. There is a booklet full of concept art and other artwork that inspired the game and the creatures in it. Read more

This review, isn't just for the game, it's also for the Collectors Edition. The game itself is fantastic. It's beautiful, and a fairly interesting world, with plenty of dangers to keep you constantly on your toes. Hours into it and I just want to play it more. The world itself is interesting, the story intriguing however slightly predictable. What keeps you drawn in is Aloy herself. They did a wonderful job with the main character, and her depth is interesting as well. I love playing as her. There just is not alot wrong with this game. gameplay is smooth, the ai varies from slightly dangerous to being some of the most clever ai I have seen used in a game for enemies. The collectors edition in my opinion was well worth the price. The statue was bigger and more detailed than I thought it would be. It is made of a softer but sturdy plastic molding. The small artbook was a nice touch, though not necessary. It's tiny. As much as I love the art, I would purchase a different artbook to fully appreciate the art, if you are into that sort of thing. Then lastly you have a gorgeously printed steel case as well as the dlc which can be unlocked fairly early in game. While the outfits and weapons are awesome, the bonus is slight. But it is enough to get you to a decent set of equipment to start the game with. Overall I love this set, this game and Aloy. I can't wait to put more time into this game! Read more