Horizon Zero Dawn, while not a recent release, continues to captivate players, especially with its accessibility on Steam. Many who struggled with controller aiming on the original PlayStation 4 release can now fully immerse themselves in this visually stunning world. If you’re diving into Aloy’s adventure for the first time or returning for a new playthrough, this a new dawn game guide will equip you with essential knowledge to thrive in the face of robotic threats.
I, like many, initially found the game challenging. But through perseverance (and many, many deaths!), I’ve compiled these 10 tips and tricks to help you avoid my early mistakes and conquer the dangers of Horizon Zero Dawn.
#1 – Prioritize Inventory Upgrades Immediately
Alt: Aloy examining her resource inventory, highlighting the importance of early upgrades in Horizon Zero Dawn.
This is a crucial early-game strategy. Early in my playthrough, I overlooked the inventory upgrade system. I was constantly forced to discard resources, unsure of their purpose because I hadn’t fully explored the crafting menu. Don’t make my mistake!
Delve into the crafting system as soon as possible and upgrade your resource pouches. This allows you to carry more of everything, eliminating the need to discard potentially valuable items. Learn from my past mistakes and weep no more for the lost boar skins!
#2 – Embrace the Hunt
Alt: Aloy preparing to hunt a rabbit, emphasizing the need to gather resources from wildlife early in the game for crafting and upgrades.
This tip primarily applies to the early stages of the game, directly related to the crafting system. Make it a habit to hunt every boar, fox, raccoon, and rabbit you encounter. Their hides and meat are essential for crafting upgrades and resource pouches.
I initially avoided hunting boars due to my inability to kill them in a single hit. This led to a tedious later genocide when boar skins became necessary. Learn from my experience: hunt diligently from the start to avoid a resource shortage later on. Continuously upgrade your inventory bags to carry more of the resources you gather.
#3 – Acquire a Sharpshot Bow Early On
Alt: Aloy with a Carja Sharpshot Bow, emphasizing its precision and value for targeting components and dealing high damage.
One solution to my early struggles was acquiring a Sharpshot Bow, allowing me to one-shot those pesky boars. While that might not be the best reason to get one, the Sharpshot Bow is incredibly valuable.
This bow serves as a heavier, more powerful version of your standard hunting bow. Although it has a slower draw time, its precision arrows inflict significantly more damage. Use it to initiate combat, often allowing you to target and detach components from machines right from the start.
Bonus: Always target machine components. Detaching components inflicts substantial damage and often yields valuable resources. This allows you to efficiently farm specific materials from machines.
#4 – Unlock Double and Triple Shot Perks Early
Alt: Aloy notching three arrows on her bow, illustrating the advantage of multi-shot skills for increased damage output.
The Double and Triple Shot perks are game-changers. The ability to nock two or three arrows simultaneously significantly increases your damage output.
Combined with the Sharpshot Bow, these perks allow you to unleash multiple precision arrows at once. Even on Normal difficulty, a well-placed triple-notch precision shot can one-shot many machines, especially during stealth playthroughs. At the very least, you’ll begin every fight with a significant damage advantage.
Bonus: Carefully review all available abilities and plan your build accordingly. Stealth-focused players should prioritize stealth attack perks, while those favoring prolonged engagements should consider foraging perks for increased resistance. Strategically choosing perks will significantly enhance your gameplay.
#5 – Scout the Battlefield, Count the Machines
Alt: Aloy using her Focus to analyze enemy positions and patrol patterns, highlighting the importance of pre-battle reconnaissance.
It’s tempting to immediately engage with machines, but a smarter approach is to first observe the battlefield. Combat in Horizon Zero Dawn is fun, but rushing in blindly is often a recipe for disaster.
Before initiating a fight, take the time to scout the area. Passive machines like Striders are often accompanied by Watchers, usually in groups of two or three. Larger machines may also have companions nearby.
Bonus: Use your Focus frequently. It allows you to see through walls and identify machine locations. Additionally, pay attention to the unique characteristics of each machine type, like the Sawtooth’s theme music.
#6 – Fight Smart, Not Hard: Exploit Weaknesses
Alt: A Fire Bellowback, showcasing its vulnerable components, highlighting the importance of targeting weak points in combat.
Horizon Zero Dawn‘s enemies can feel like damage sponges if you’re not exploiting their weaknesses. Avoid mindlessly machine-gunning enemies with arrows until they finally fall.
Remember that every enemy has components and weak spots. Just like Rost explains regarding the Strider in the tutorial, understanding and exploiting these weaknesses is crucial for efficient combat. This includes targeting components, utilizing traps that machines are vulnerable to, and engaging in melee combat when the opportunity arises. Never underestimate the potential of your spear for a free heavy hit on a machine that makes a mistake.
#7 – Replay Blazing Sun Trials for Shards
Alt: Aloy competing in a Hunting Grounds trial, illustrating the opportunity to earn Shards by replaying successful challenges.
Early in the game, after leaving the Embrace, you’ll encounter a Nora outcast who introduces you to the Hunters Lodge and Hunting Grounds.
The Hunting Grounds offer various trials with different time requirements for earning medals: Half Sun, Full Sun, and Blazing Sun. Each tier awards different loot boxes with progressively better rewards. Once you’ve earned a Blazing Sun in a trial, you can repeat it to continuously earn reward boxes, which often contain a significant number of Shards (the in-game currency). If you need a quick injection of Shards early on, this is an excellent method.
#8 – Claim Your Free Loot Box at Every Vendor
Alt: Aloy interacting with a merchant, reminding players to collect the "Free Sample Box" available at each vendor's stock.
Speaking of loot boxes, every vendor offers a “Free Sample Box” containing a variety of useful items to aid you early in your journey. At the unbeatable price of free, it’s absolutely worth claiming.
#9 – Remember to Open Your Loot Boxes!
Alt: Aloy checking her inventory of loot boxes, highlighting the potential resource gains from these often-overlooked rewards.
I tend to favor heavy-hitting attacks. Consequently, I developed a habit of overusing precision arrows, quickly depleting my wire supply.
Desperate, I realized I had overlooked a valuable resource: loot boxes. Lots of them! Don’t forget to check your loot box tab in your inventory when you need supplies. Chances are, you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Bonus: The Scavenger perk grants Aloy a 10% chance to acquire a “Machine Scavenger Box” containing items that the creature it was harvested from could have dropped. Acquiring this perk early maximizes its benefits.
#10 – Save Frequently and Manually
Alt: Aloy saving the game at a campfire, emphasizing the critical need for manual saves due to the infrequent autosave system.
Early in the game, shortly after reaching the Hunting Grounds, I neglected to save, assuming the game would autosave frequently. After an overzealous rampage, I was set back almost 30 minutes of gameplay. That’s when I learned the harsh truth: Horizon Zero Dawn does not have a reliable autosave system.
While this might be a drawback for an open-world game, you must save manually whenever possible. Failing to do so can result in significant progress loss.
These a new dawn game guide tips and tricks will help you navigate the challenges of Horizon Zero Dawn. Share your own tips and experiences in the comments below! The more knowledge we share, the better equipped we are to conquer the robotic threats that roam this beautiful, dangerous world. Stay awesome!
