Horizon Zero Dawn: Tips and Tricks

So I'm about 30 hrs into the game with at least a third of the map to do.  Here's an updated review from the first.

Gorilla Games indeed did pull what EA did with Dead Space and Dragon Age, going into a realm that they were not experienced with and hitting a home run.

My earlier rating stands, with only a fraction of a point taken off due to nitpicking things.

So if you're still catching up, here's a top ten list of things for you to be on the look for:

10. CRAFTING IS KEY - I spent about eight hours in the game before I realized that I could increase my bag space.  If you go to crafting, every quiver, every satchel, every pack that you have can be increased from anywhere from 3 to 4 times.

9. HUNTING/GATHERING - and by hunting I mean the little critters running around the world.  A critter crosses your path, kill it!  Their bits and pieces increase your crafting bags and help make potions and traps.  So keep hunting.  By that same token, gather what you can.  You are a hunter/gatherer... so hunt and gather.

8. FAST TRAVEL - there is a fast travel mechanism in the game, but... you need an expendable item to fast travel.  Unless you find the unlimited fast travel item

7.CAMP FIRES - when in doubt... SAVE!  Some may argue: "But Mr. Pen!  With game technology these days, shouldn't we be able to save anywhere?  Yes you can... but... I believe that in this case, the use of camp fires isn't a lack of technology to save and quick save wherever, but more along the lines as it is a submersion effect.

6. EQUIPMENT GRADES - there is a set number of equipment in the game.  Green, Blue, Purple.  If Orange exists, I haven't seen it yet.  Equipment tends to have similar names based upon their function.  Green items have one augmentation slot and one ammo type.  Blue two of each and purple three of each.

5. Every weapon you get has three training quests to it, one for each effect.  Obviously the green gives one quest, the blue two and the purple three.  Do them... they're free XP while you're killing machines.

4. UPGRADE - before you go to the Proving at about the 8-12 hr mark, do all the quests possible, and get all the equipment you can.  Your first set of armor is given to you when you enter Mother's Heart, but you can also buy a blue set of armor while you're there.  And when I say do all your quests, I mean do all your quests, which include the weapons quests.

3. FREE MODIFICATIONS! - This is in two parts.  One, EVERY possible merchant has a free sample box you can get.  In it are free stuff, usually shards and some other miscellaneous item.  Two, In the south eastern area, the starting area, on the distant trail far to the west in that section - this is where you save the boy after you get the focus but before you grow up - is a group of scavengers.  But also amidst those scavengers are two old world piles, each of which will have an augment.  I tested it.  You leave, and later it will respawn, so you can keep coming back for more and more augments, at least one of which is a purple.

2. SPECIAL ITEMS - some merchants sell special items.  Some of them show where collectibles are in the world.  Another is so that you can have an unlimited fast travel

1. POWER CELL - After the Prooving, after you wake up, there is an area where you wake up at, after collecting both sets of your stuff, where there is a locked door that cannot be opened.  Turn to your left.  There is a vent there that you can crawl through, and on the ground is a Power Cell.  There's another power cell in the ruins that you fall into as a girl and get your focus that's behind breakable stalagtites.  The important one to get is the one through the vent, because once you go past that point and follow Teersa YOU CANNOT RETURN.  and after thirty hours, I've yet to find a reason in the story to return (but then I'm doing a bunch of side quests right now).  You need a total of five (so far) power cells to unlock what appears to be the most bad ass set of armor in the game that has ever badded an ass, so make sure you get this.  Otherwise no telling when you can get it again.