An incredible weapon arsenal awaits you in 'Horizon Zero Dawn'

At a time when it feels like open-world RPGs are a dime a dozen, Horizon Zero Dawn comes charging into the genre with something unique. The game’s core idea – that machines have become the planet’s dominant species – turned heads when the game was announced last year in Sony’s E3 press conference. A year later at the same conference, the game has proven that it will offer players more than just a captivating premise.

Woman versus machine

The game’s combat were the star of the playable demo at E3. Aloy, the protagonist, mostly relies on fighting with bow. But she has several different arrow types that can match a given situation. For instance, the shell-walkers (those robotic turtles of the latest demo) are far above her level and very challenging to defeat in direct combat. The ideal solution is to use an arrow suited for knocking components off the machines rather than doing direct damage. That way, Aloy can grab the components and run away to safety without getting locked in a battle she is unlikely to win.

But, as in any RPG worth its salt, there are other options. Aloy also has two launcher tools. One shoots out ropes that bind to the ground, which can hold an enemy so she can land some direct hits or to put her hacking device into action. The other discharges an electrified trip wire, which will do damage and temporarily stun a machine that walks into it. Finally there are traps that can freeze, burn, or shock an enemy. These weapons, which can be crafted if Aloy gathers the right materials, grant the player more options in how they choose to tackle a situation. The best thing is that all of the options are fun. Trying out different weapons against the machines makes you feel powerful, like you could have an edge over the technological marvels if you just try hard enough.

The game’s theater presentation also showed the scope of how personalized the weapons and other gear can be in Horizon. Each of Aloy’s weapons can handle multiple ammo types and have modification sockets to further specialize combat style. Even her outfits can be swapped out or modded to get better stats for the type of enemy she’s expecting to face. For instance, one outfit might help protect her against the corrupted machines.

And if it seemed like taking down that big, bad machine in the trailer took a lot of effort, that’s not a fluke. The machines are intended to pose a challenge to the players, which fits with the premise that humans are far less advanced and less knowledgeable than their metal enemies. However, the different machine types each have weaknesses the player can learn to exploit over time for more efficient fights.

It really is that cool

Although the snippet available for press at E3 centered on exploring the combat options, it would be a disservice to ignore just how amazing this game world is. Some game reveals pull a bait and switch, where the trailer sports flawless graphics, but the final game has a decidedly less crisp and polished look. Not so for Horizon. The setting is beautiful, all towering mountains and soft sunlight peeping through fall foliage. If you’ve watched the videos put out so far, then you’re getting an honest presentation. The game world really is that cool.

The fast and easy immersion into this distant future is thanks to the talented artists at Guerrilla Games. The blending of primitive, tribal tools with snippets of advanced technology could feel disjointed and incongruous in less skilled hands. But the creators have put enough painstaking detail into creating this universe that there’s nothing strange about how the final product comes together. Fans of the studio’s Killzone games won’t be surprised by that. That franchise proved that Guerrilla’s team has some of the most original ideas for how a science fiction world might look. Horizon provides a different size and scope of stage for them to fill.

Worth the wait

The recently debuted story trailer finally set a release date for the game. It’s not until Feb. 28, 2017, but from what has been shared so far, it’s likely to be worth the wait. Horizon Zero Dawn is making its case as the next big thing for this gaming style. So far, the evidence in its favor is looking strong.

Catch all of our E3 coverage, including more news and game previews, on our Mashable's E3 hub.