Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel Horizon Forbidden West have had an uphill battle to become some of the most successful AAA open world games. The first entry released alongside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the follow-up came out just ahead of Elden Ring, two games that are not just direct competitors for the Horizon series, but also genre re-defining titles. Yet, much like the series’ protagonist, Aloy, the Horizon games have persisted. They have eventually found their audience and have delivered some of the best Open World gaming the current generation has seen as of 2025.

While the Horizon games on their face are a visual feast focused on hunting down robotic dinosaurs in a stunning post apocalypse, what lies beneath the surface is what kept Bryan and Clint coming back for more. A sweeping sci-fi story with ambitious and surprising writing drives Horizon’s cybernetic heart forward. That and a surprisingly deep combat system that forces you to use all parts of the robotic buffalo.

In this podcast Clint and Bryan discuss the sweeping story told across both Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West before focusing in on the finer points of the more recent entry. So grab your bow and spear and tune your focus in to Pixelated Playgrounds as we discuss the Horizon Series!

Three Word Reviews:

Bryan - Defying Human Nature

Clint - Giant Robot Dinosaurs!