Fire Arrows

Lore & Background

The world of Horizon Zero Dawn features large robotic machines that coexist with primitive human tribes, though a phenomenon known as the "Derangement" has caused them to become aggressive. To survive this hostile environment, humans have developed combat techniques that exploit machine weaknesses. The game's setting draws inspiration from non-fiction books by Jared Diamond and futuristic fiction like Princess Mononoke, resulting in a world where ancient technology and tribal life intersect. For instance, some arrows are designed to burn enemies, while others can stun them or help dismantle offensive capabilities by targeting specific components. This versatility is crucial as machines are categorized into classes like Acquisition, Combat, Recon, and Transport, each with unique behaviors and susceptibilities.

In Their Own Story

Aloy, a young huntress raised by the outcast Rost after being cast out from the Nora tribe, uses her Focus to scan machines and identify their susceptibilities. In her journey to uncover her past and defeat the Eclipse cult, she faces various mechanical creatures. The narrative highlights that Aloy can use different ammunition types to achieve tactical advantages. For example, she might employ arrows that burn enemies or those designed to disable weapons by tearing off components. These actions are part of her broader combat strategy which includes stealth, dodging, and using traps. Her victory in the Proving tournament and subsequent encounters with the cult leader Helis demonstrate her skill in utilizing these tools against formidable foes like the machines controlled by HADES.

Reader's Guide

Players controlling Aloy can craft ammunition using natural resources and machine parts collected during exploration. The game rewards skilled play, such as utilizing specific arrow types to exploit machine weaknesses for bonus experience points. The Focus device is essential here, scanning targets to reveal their level and nature of loot, which helps determine if burning damage will be effective. Players should manage their resources carefully, as different ammunition types require specific materials like resin (implied by general crafting mechanics though not explicitly named for fire arrows in the source). When facing larger machines, tearing off components with specialized arrows can disable weapons before delivering a finishing blow.

Did You Know?

• Horizon Zero Dawn was Guerrilla Games' first new intellectual property since Killzone in 2004.
• The game uses the Decima engine, which was originally developed for Killzone: Shadow Fall and modified for this title.
• Anthropologists were consulted to inform the world's decay while robotics experts helped design realistic machine models.
• Aloy wears a Focus, an earpiece that scans machines to identify their location, susceptibilities, and level.
• The game was released on PlayStation 4 in February 2017 before being ported to Windows in 2020.