Horizon Zero Dawn was a smash hit upon release. Not only did it receive a warm critical reception, it has quickly become one of the best-selling games this generation. Even though it takes upwards of 30 hours to get through its campaign, Guerrilla Games has been working hard on The Frozen Wilds, a brand new expansion that will be upon us on November 7th. Without further ado, here are the reasons why we’re excited for The Frozen Wilds.
Fifteen Hours of New Content
Think this was just gonna be a quick bit of DLC with a few new pieces of armor and a couple new features slapped on? Think again. The Frozen Wilds includes new storylines, characters, and experiences beyond the world’s northern mountains. In the DLC, you’ll be challenged by the ruthless Banuk tribe. This will open up a side story of sorts that runs parallel to Aloy’s original adventure. She’ll also get a new set of skills, weapon upgrades, and base weapons added to her already considerable arsenal. A new skill tree, called Traveler, is centered around quality of life improvements. It will feature skills like being able to pick up items while mounted, and will expand your inventory.
It’s Not Standalone DLC
Standalone DLC, like Infamous: First Light, often starts the player off from scratch without any upgrades or equipment they obtained during the course of the main game. However, The Frozen Wilds is absolutely connected to your progress in Horizon Zero Dawn. Though the player won’t be able to access the area until they’re around level 30, it’s designed to be played by those who got at least most of the way through the original. It even raises the previous level cap from 50 to 60. If you’ve beaten the main game and are itching to jump back in, it’s a great time to do so. And if you got about halfway through and got distracted by Breath of the Wild‘s release, it’s a perfect opportunity to return and finish the story at the same time.
Brand New Enemies to Fight
You didn’t think Guerrilla Games would add all this new stuff and make you fight the same robots all over again, did you? In addition to some returning enemies, The Frozen Wilds introduces brand new threats like the Scorcher. It’s capable of shooting hovering mines in Aloy’s path and can wreck havoc in close combat as well. There will also be new bison-like creatures to mount. Or you could just heartlessly rip them to shreds for parts – your call! Bigger enemies that act as boss encounters will appear as well. However, those details are being kept under wraps until the DLC’s release.
Snow Angels
Horizon Zero Dawn‘s photo mode was one of its most entertaining features. The Frozen Wilds is adding numerous features, filters, and animations to this already robust photo mode. Including, and I’m absolutely serious about being psyched over this: snow angels. We’ll be able to have Aloy fling herself into the snow and act like no one’s watching. It’s a timely addition, considering the northern hemisphere is bound to get hit with inches of the white stuff in the coming few weeks. ‘Tis the season, right?
It Comes Out This Week
Perhaps best of all – we don’t have to wait long to start playing it. Thankfully, The Frozen Wilds will be available for download on November 7th – less than a week away. It’ll run $20 for many gamers, but will be just $15 for PlayStation Plus members. So, if you’re itching to dive back into Aloy’s world, and want some serious bang for your buck, it doesn’t get much better than this.
And that’s that! Do you agree with our list? Disagree? Well, then leave a comment down below! For all your news, reviews, and more, keep an eye on The Game Fanatics.
