Why Horizon Zero Dawn's Bow feels good to use - Game Mechanics Explained
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Date: 2023-12-10
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Comments and reviews: 29
-fearless_cloud
It's also important to note that the relationship between the represented action is pretty similar to the action done to the controller. Holding L2 is your left hand holding the bow, drawing your finger back on R2 is your right hand drawing the string back, and loosing R2 is loosing an arrow.
In some other games, The Last of Us comes to mind, the controls are not so cleverly planned. I was never quite able to master the arrow controls in The Last of Us because to LET GO of the arrow, you PRESS R2. This makes absolutely no sense in comparison because the actions are so different. Pressing a button is in no way similar to loosing an arrow, so it feels very fake. Guerilla expertly avoids that uncanniness by making a small change that changes everything.
Also, I'd like to mention that Woldhek talked about how he wanted it to feel like there was effort and resistance involved, especially since that's where all the power comes from with a bow. He's absolutely right to think of that. In HZD, if you have your bow drawn for an extended period of time, Aloy's arm will begin to shake from the strain on her muscles. It's these details that make it feel intensely real and makes every shot feel important.
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It's also important to note that the relationship between the represented action is pretty similar to the action done to the controller. Holding L2 is your left hand holding the bow, drawing your finger back on R2 is your right hand drawing the string back, and loosing R2 is loosing an arrow.
In some other games, The Last of Us comes to mind, the controls are not so cleverly planned. I was never quite able to master the arrow controls in The Last of Us because to LET GO of the arrow, you PRESS R2. This makes absolutely no sense in comparison because the actions are so different. Pressing a button is in no way similar to loosing an arrow, so it feels very fake. Guerilla expertly avoids that uncanniness by making a small change that changes everything.
Also, I'd like to mention that Woldhek talked about how he wanted it to feel like there was effort and resistance involved, especially since that's where all the power comes from with a bow. He's absolutely right to think of that. In HZD, if you have your bow drawn for an extended period of time, Aloy's arm will begin to shake from the strain on her muscles. It's these details that make it feel intensely real and makes every shot feel important.
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-PowerL1N3
Best Video Games with well done game mechanics:
-Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019)
-Need for Speed (2015)
-DOOM Eternal
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X
-Tony Hawk's Project 8
-Rainbow Six Siege
-Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain
-Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes
-Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots
-Battlefield 4
-Mortal Kombat 11
-Street Fighter V
-Tekken 7
-Street Fighter III 3rd Strike
-DragonBall FighterZ
-Killer Instinct (2013)
-Dead or Alive 6
-Ghost Recon Breakpoint
-Assassin's Creed Unity
-Red Dead Redemption 2
-Marvel's Spider-man
-Far Cry 3
-Ninja Gaiden Black
-Ninja Gaiden II
-Devil May Cry 5
-Devil May Cry 3
-Devil May Cry
-Vanquish
-Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
-Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
-Sonic Mania Plus
-CupHead
-Streets of Rage 4
-Nioh
-Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations
-Jet Set Radio Future
-Lost Planet 2
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Best Video Games with well done game mechanics:
-Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019)
-Need for Speed (2015)
-DOOM Eternal
-Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X
-Tony Hawk's Project 8
-Rainbow Six Siege
-Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain
-Metal Gear Solid V Ground Zeroes
-Metal Gear Solid 4 Guns of the Patriots
-Battlefield 4
-Mortal Kombat 11
-Street Fighter V
-Tekken 7
-Street Fighter III 3rd Strike
-DragonBall FighterZ
-Killer Instinct (2013)
-Dead or Alive 6
-Ghost Recon Breakpoint
-Assassin's Creed Unity
-Red Dead Redemption 2
-Marvel's Spider-man
-Far Cry 3
-Ninja Gaiden Black
-Ninja Gaiden II
-Devil May Cry 5
-Devil May Cry 3
-Devil May Cry
-Vanquish
-Metal Gear Rising Revengeance
-Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
-Sonic Mania Plus
-CupHead
-Streets of Rage 4
-Nioh
-Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations
-Jet Set Radio Future
-Lost Planet 2
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-BadgerOff32
The bows do feel and sound fantastic in this game.
You also touched upon Aloys movement in this video, and that is one of the many things i love about Horizon. The way Aloy moves is SO detailed and has so many subtle little animations it makes her movement feel really natural. If you're sneaking through a ruin and you're crouched while going up stairs she will kinda half-crawl up them on all fours. If you're running down stairs or a hill she'll stumble and slip/slide to regain balance. It can be kinda subtle if you're rushing through missions, but once you notice it, it adds so much immersion. It makes her feel like she has weight, every movement has a purpose.
So many brilliant game design choices in Horizon, and that's just one of them lol. Easily one of the best games I've played!
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The bows do feel and sound fantastic in this game.
You also touched upon Aloys movement in this video, and that is one of the many things i love about Horizon. The way Aloy moves is SO detailed and has so many subtle little animations it makes her movement feel really natural. If you're sneaking through a ruin and you're crouched while going up stairs she will kinda half-crawl up them on all fours. If you're running down stairs or a hill she'll stumble and slip/slide to regain balance. It can be kinda subtle if you're rushing through missions, but once you notice it, it adds so much immersion. It makes her feel like she has weight, every movement has a purpose.
So many brilliant game design choices in Horizon, and that's just one of them lol. Easily one of the best games I've played!
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-ormancadam6453
Why is this game so satisfying! i dont understand. Bought it, finished it and found it just ok. Nothing special. And best part was not its gameplay but its story. Because things like final boss battle can be heavily exploited by standing in one spot and sniping. Times like those really ruined the game for me. What works the best in that game is almost always the boring path.
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Why is this game so satisfying! i dont understand. Bought it, finished it and found it just ok. Nothing special. And best part was not its gameplay but its story. Because things like final boss battle can be heavily exploited by standing in one spot and sniping. Times like those really ruined the game for me. What works the best in that game is almost always the boring path.
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-samus323
Please do more videos like this, Simone + Polygon! Not enough thorough game design discussion out there.
One small note about the editing. When you were comparing the sound of the weak hits with the drawn back one, the clip you used for the drawn back shot sounded faint which made it kind of fall flat because you were talking about how meaty the fully drawn back shots are.
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Please do more videos like this, Simone + Polygon! Not enough thorough game design discussion out there.
One small note about the editing. When you were comparing the sound of the weak hits with the drawn back one, the clip you used for the drawn back shot sounded faint which made it kind of fall flat because you were talking about how meaty the fully drawn back shots are.
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-futavadumnezo
Sometimes game mechanics are not so easily conveyed to players even though devs spend a lot of time and effort on them but in Horizon it works very well, the sound of the combat is the first thing I've picked up about it and it guided me to do the right choices.
This is a TRUE triple-A video game. Wish they made them like this, but they rarely do.
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Sometimes game mechanics are not so easily conveyed to players even though devs spend a lot of time and effort on them but in Horizon it works very well, the sound of the combat is the first thing I've picked up about it and it guided me to do the right choices.
This is a TRUE triple-A video game. Wish they made them like this, but they rarely do.
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-adriennefundy6087
I love these video game design videos you-re doing. And thank you for talking to a sound designer! My dad is a sound designer for live theater, and it-s a tricky business because well designed sound blends in with the action and shouldn-t pull the player or audience out of the show. I-m glad sound designed got a well-deserves spotlight here!
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I love these video game design videos you-re doing. And thank you for talking to a sound designer! My dad is a sound designer for live theater, and it-s a tricky business because well designed sound blends in with the action and shouldn-t pull the player or audience out of the show. I-m glad sound designed got a well-deserves spotlight here!
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-shiusa3202
Adding another comment to say that the fluidity and realness of Aloy-s movement is so on point that one time my grandfather with Alzheimer-s was watching me play and kept thinking it was a real movie and was shocked at how resilient -that actress- was. I told him a couple times it wasn-t but he kept forgetting so I just let him have fun haha
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Adding another comment to say that the fluidity and realness of Aloy-s movement is so on point that one time my grandfather with Alzheimer-s was watching me play and kept thinking it was a real movie and was shocked at how resilient -that actress- was. I told him a couple times it wasn-t but he kept forgetting so I just let him have fun haha
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-Fmakegeo6
I think I'm the only one that felt the game had the most boring and generic side quests. Bad dialogue and voice acting. Even more surprised why the bow didn't have some slight gyro implementation from the controller especially in the slow Mo skills. half polished executed game they everyone loves. I simply do not understand.
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I think I'm the only one that felt the game had the most boring and generic side quests. Bad dialogue and voice acting. Even more surprised why the bow didn't have some slight gyro implementation from the controller especially in the slow Mo skills. half polished executed game they everyone loves. I simply do not understand.
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-Gharon
You know what would make it feel even better? If i could already experience it in a sequel. I love the first and it's DLC soooo much. I was hoping for an announcement at E3 or Gamescom, neither happened. I don't care how long it takes to come out, just knowing for sure it's being worked on would put my mind at ease.
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You know what would make it feel even better? If i could already experience it in a sequel. I love the first and it's DLC soooo much. I was hoping for an announcement at E3 or Gamescom, neither happened. I don't care how long it takes to come out, just knowing for sure it's being worked on would put my mind at ease.
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-EmilyEverclear
From reading the comments, it seems like there's kind of a divide: some people don't like the bow because there aren't actual physics to it, others love the bow because of how powerful and fluid it is. Personally, I don't understand the complaints about simulator-level realism in a video game but w/e.
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From reading the comments, it seems like there's kind of a divide: some people don't like the bow because there aren't actual physics to it, others love the bow because of how powerful and fluid it is. Personally, I don't understand the complaints about simulator-level realism in a video game but w/e.
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-mr. shneeblie5330
In my top 10 games of all time, and my favorite story of all time. Probably one of the best 60 dollars I have spent EVER. I literally cried when it ended, both because the ending was emotional but also because the experience had finally ended.
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In my top 10 games of all time, and my favorite story of all time. Probably one of the best 60 dollars I have spent EVER. I literally cried when it ended, both because the ending was emotional but also because the experience had finally ended.
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-eno2870
I cannot stress enough how important those animation tags are. They're the difference between an amazing game like Horizon Zero Dawn, which is a joy to play, and Monster Hunter World. which is a clunky mess that could otherwise be a really great game.
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I cannot stress enough how important those animation tags are. They're the difference between an amazing game like Horizon Zero Dawn, which is a joy to play, and Monster Hunter World. which is a clunky mess that could otherwise be a really great game.
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-Garr3tth
Yet PC players (ie those who do not own a PS4) will never know this amazing game. :( Maybe on the next game, the devs will also think about pc players, after all, we do have money you know. Oh, and if you don't believe me, go ask Gabe Newell.
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Yet PC players (ie those who do not own a PS4) will never know this amazing game. :( Maybe on the next game, the devs will also think about pc players, after all, we do have money you know. Oh, and if you don't believe me, go ask Gabe Newell.
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-planetfrank1994
I really love how the sound designer describes the sfx as -stories- instead of just sounds. It goes to show just how much of an art form everything is and how amazing the team is in putting so much love and care into an epic game!
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I really love how the sound designer describes the sfx as -stories- instead of just sounds. It goes to show just how much of an art form everything is and how amazing the team is in putting so much love and care into an epic game!
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-GBNE-kh1fs
I-ve got a sub and buttkicker dialled in when I play this game and the low frequency action is absolutely joyous. The sofa rumble when the Striders walk past is one of the most immersive things I-ve ever encountered in a video game.
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I-ve got a sub and buttkicker dialled in when I play this game and the low frequency action is absolutely joyous. The sofa rumble when the Striders walk past is one of the most immersive things I-ve ever encountered in a video game.
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-shiusa3202
I loved this! The thing that really made me love this game was how it feels to play and fight. The way I can move as Aloy is just Real Nice, but hearing actual descriptions from the actual devs is more descriptive than that
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I loved this! The thing that really made me love this game was how it feels to play and fight. The way I can move as Aloy is just Real Nice, but hearing actual descriptions from the actual devs is more descriptive than that
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-Doppleganger1016
I had never liked bow mechanics in games, I always avoided bows like the plague. then I played this and I still don't like bows in games. because nothing else can compare to how great this game makes bow combat.
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I had never liked bow mechanics in games, I always avoided bows like the plague. then I played this and I still don't like bows in games. because nothing else can compare to how great this game makes bow combat.
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-weedlebacaws8613
Great video!
Another suggestion for this -gamefeel- series: Vanquish, a PS3 third person shooter that got a PC release in 2017. It's got rocket boots, knee sliding, slo-mo mayhem, the works.
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Great video!
Another suggestion for this -gamefeel- series: Vanquish, a PS3 third person shooter that got a PC release in 2017. It's got rocket boots, knee sliding, slo-mo mayhem, the works.
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-michelcabral
It is amazing how smooth the animations are even when they're interrupt.
Sorry GoW (which is also great, but I consider Horizon and Bloodborne the best PS4 exclusives so far.
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It is amazing how smooth the animations are even when they're interrupt.
Sorry GoW (which is also great, but I consider Horizon and Bloodborne the best PS4 exclusives so far.
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-clairecohen3178
I am really enjoying this series. It's so interesting to see how the mechanics in these games actually work, and the amount of thought that goes into making them satisfying.
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I am really enjoying this series. It's so interesting to see how the mechanics in these games actually work, and the amount of thought that goes into making them satisfying.
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-Ghareonn
I don't know but I didn't like this game at all. Maybe I was expecting an experience as amazing as the one got when finishing nier automata, which was the game I played before HZD
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I don't know but I didn't like this game at all. Maybe I was expecting an experience as amazing as the one got when finishing nier automata, which was the game I played before HZD
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-kyburton
Great video. I'm so glad you spoke with the sound designer. That -khu-KHU- feedback sound at 2: 05 is one of my favorite sounds in video games ever. What an incredible game!
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Great video. I'm so glad you spoke with the sound designer. That -khu-KHU- feedback sound at 2: 05 is one of my favorite sounds in video games ever. What an incredible game!
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polygon
When you manage to set a machine on fire, cover it in acid etc. and you can see the machine being eaten away at by the elemental effects. Really encouraging.
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When you manage to set a machine on fire, cover it in acid etc. and you can see the machine being eaten away at by the elemental effects. Really encouraging.
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-alex_de_tampa
The game is perfect other than the voice actors of NPCs, they don-t sound like post apocalyptic people living tough, everything else is perfect tho.
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The game is perfect other than the voice actors of NPCs, they don-t sound like post apocalyptic people living tough, everything else is perfect tho.
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-xrodr2
This is cool and all but i think the real reason the bow feels good is because there is a pretty and powerful girl who can shoot me ANYDAY and I-d let her.
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This is cool and all but i think the real reason the bow feels good is because there is a pretty and powerful girl who can shoot me ANYDAY and I-d let her.
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-eliasfigarzon9813
Top 3 best open world games of this generation
1 - the Witcher 3 wild hunt
2- horizon zero dawn
3- zelda breath of the wild for the
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Top 3 best open world games of this generation
1 - the Witcher 3 wild hunt
2- horizon zero dawn
3- zelda breath of the wild for the
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-skylerarroniz5686
I wish they did more with the spear in game it look soo cool when she was sparring with Ras. But none of those spear techniques where in game
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I wish they did more with the spear in game it look soo cool when she was sparring with Ras. But none of those spear techniques where in game
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-MahoganyBlack
Love these videos! It always did feel good to get those critical hits on enemies in this game. This video really gave that feeling some context
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Love these videos! It always did feel good to get those critical hits on enemies in this game. This video really gave that feeling some context
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