Horizon Zero Dawn presents what is perhaps one of the most gripping game worlds I have seen in my adult life. Post Apocalypse is nothing new to video games, with dead worlds often giving rise to new societies. However very few approached Horizon Zero Dawn’s ambition in giving rise to such a well orchestrated new dawn of man, with several religions only vaguely similar to what we have here on Earth, rather than the usual tongue in cheek ‘isn’t it unusual they’re worshiping say, old TV shows or a bomb?’ Brand new warrior societies and meshes of culture, from the vaguely viking and Native tribal nation themed Nora to the Monotheistic sun worship of a vaguely Roman Catholic kingdom of the Carja. Horizon presented entire new technologically based biomes, with a unique hierarchy of machines that moved organically and represented familiar fauna, yet was also alien. Though Horizon Zero Dawn didn’t present a ton of new ideas in its gameplay loop, I can say I was truly in love with the world and I managed to get lost in this open world title in a similar way RPGs and novels gripped me with their unique worlds when I was young.
My mini review of Horizon Zero Dawn over, the Art book associated with the title gives a truly dense and insightful look into this magnificent world crafted by Guerrilla Games. It’s really one of the most thorough art books I have ever picked up. From the expected, such as character concepts and paintings of the game’s various locales, to the minute details of art, culture, architecture and the metallurgy of the world. Things you might expect to find in a coffee table book on archaeology, giving an insiders glance as to just how much tender loving care went into creating this world.
I myself am in love with character design, I sketch characters in my spare time, and am maybe just a little too invested in casting and costume design as a director. So something I particularly adored about this book was just how much character art it had. Where a concept sheet for a single character in another game or movie might result in two pages, max, of thrown away and finalized concepts, The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn dedicates roughly a dozen pages of character art for their heroine Aloy alone. They really detail each and every single phase of crafting this individual who was visually striking and would carry this adventure on her shoulders. From casual poses, to hairstyle, to motion shots, it’s one of the few art books I can name that gives a great glance into the process of character and how vital it is to place a lot of work visually and emotionally into the protagonist that will carry your narrative.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t speak to the main draw of Horizon Zero Dawn, the Machines. The creatures that have claimed much of the living planet, roaming vast territories and inviting Aloy to hunt them down for oh so delicious crafting parts and skill points. While I would say tons of energy went into designing each aspect of Horizon Zero Dawn’s unique biology, ecology and culture, machines are the whole driving nature of the narrative and gameplay. Yes The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn provides some of the most basic machine concepts, simple art pieces and renders to make it easy for the art team to sculpt in game, several of the concepts also capture that sense of how visually immense and imposing these electronic beasties are, with full paintings dedicated to how a hunt should feel, how the careful use of stealth around machines is vital to survival, and the danger some of these more fearsome machines pose. There are some truly awe inspiring pieces in here.
This is easily one of the most top rate art books in my vast collection. All too often I’ll grab one of these, flip through the pages, then store it on the shelves to collect dust, but The Art of Horizon Zero Dawn is really an inspiring piece. It’s great for people looking to get into any kind of design for entertainment, as it gives you a true sense of scope, overview and the amount of insight required to build any truly striking world. It’s great for hobbyists and collectors. I’d even leave this one out for company to peruse, and naturally if you’re already a fan Horizon Zero Dawn and eyeing this book then I would say it’s a definite must have. Seriously, it’s just that damn good.
