[acesn8s]

Malankazooie, on 07 August 2017 - 01:31 PM, said:

What level are you at now? Sounds like you are spiraling towards the end of the story.

I found that as I headed towards the end of everything, my shards started becoming an issue. Maxing out health potions and ammo before heading into mission battles started to really to hit me hard in the shards (no, not nards, shards ). So I found myself (at times) heading out and looking for machines to farm so I could get my shard level back up.

I think I'm in the mid 30s. I can pretty much stand toe-to-toe with most of the robots, the really big ones are troublesome.

I'm planning on getting the last skill in Forager tree that give me extra resources when scavenging to make it easier to craft ammo and potions (the Hunting Ground trials ate up a lot of resources). Hell, I'm almost out of ridgewood! Since I only have 1 more piece of armor to buy, I guess I could sell most of my Hearts and Lenses for extra shards and then just load up on resources I need to craft ammo, potions, etc...

Did anyone find the hanging or boss kill skills useful? I never get that close to bandits and cultists, I prefer to use my Sharpshot bow to deal with them. I've also got the extra Override (perm override) and call mount skills left. I was planning on getting the resources skill and then the skill that lets you roll further away (to get away from the Thunderjaws and Behemoths).

[Malankazooie]

I used that hanging/boss kill skill only a few times. There were just not that many opportunities to use it to be honest. I developed that skill early on too, because I thought it was going to be quite useful at the bandit camps, but alas, it just didn't materialize like that.

[acesn8s]

Ahhhh this game! I walked through the

Spoiler

Deathbringer fight

and then decided to clear the corruption zone right next to the Faro building. 2 Corrupted Ravengers and a Fire Bellowback made short work of me. I'm going to revisit that site later. I want to hit some more Cauldrons.

I also found my 2nd power cell. Fat lot of good that did me.

[Malankazooie]

That's the thing about HZD (and one of the things that makes it an excellent game). It pumps up enough of your confidence that you feel you can start checking off upcoming battles with no problem, but then it smacks that confidence back down and you are sent scurrying with your tail between your legs with a conviction that you will build up your levels and equipment to return again and emerge victorious. It really is an excellently balanced game in that respect. You experience success enough times to keep you engaged without getting frustrated, but not so much that you can just march through the story missions to the end of the game.

The cauldrons are no cake walk, that's for sure. But so worth it to override some of the bigger baddies.

[WinterPhoenix]

Cauldrons were one of the only places I actually died in Horizon, the fight with two corrupted Rockbreakers was tough as well, had no healing when I found it either, took 2 tries. I remember being stomped by the Thunderjaw in that trial while I was walking around with it's massive disclauncher trying to kill the Ravagers in quick enough for the 3 suns. Stalkers could be a bitch as well, ran away from a few of those early on. Jumped to my death a good few times as well lol

EDIT: Excited for the dlc when it drops, just gotta decide whether to use my existing save, or try and go for those NG+ trophies they added. Might be good to play it through on the highest difficulty, see how much that affects strategies.

This post has been edited by WinterPhoenix: 10 August 2017 - 03:12 AM

[Malankazooie]

WinterPhoenix, on 10 August 2017 - 03:11 AM, said:

EDIT: Excited for the dlc when it drops, just gotta decide whether to use my existing save, or try and go for those NG+ trophies they added. Might be good to play it through on the highest difficulty, see how much that affects strategies.

You can do both. I'll probably just go with my existing save myself. I may "test the waters" of starting a new game on New Game + and Ultra Hard, but probably won't stay with it through to the end. The machines are supposed to be a lot more aggressive on the ultra hard setting.

[acesn8s]

Ugh, I can't even image...

I finished the Hunter's Lodge missions, no more Redmaw.

I need to visit the last 2 Hunting Grounds to wrap up the Weapons of the Lodge. I got all the Vessels and have 1 more Banuk Figure to collect. I'm thinking if the missions take me close to the vantage points and metal flowers, I'll get them. I've got some other games in the queue that are asking to be played...

[Malankazooie]

Ah Redmaw. Good times that. And the backstory of Redmaw is pretty badass too.

You've built up momentum. You have to see this thing to the end. No picking up any other games until you've finished this one, kay?

[Malankazooie]

Hey @acesn8s, you still playing HZD? As someone who has defeated the game myself, I was really enjoying your posts. It's nice to share with others strategies we've used to get to the end. Also, I don't think you've got to that mind blowing info dump that tells you what went down. IT'S SO WORTH IT!

[Traveller]

Malankazooie, on 17 August 2017 - 12:48 AM, said:

Hey @acesn8s, you still playing HZD? As someone who has defeated the game myself, I was really enjoying your posts. It's nice to share with others strategies we've used to get to the end. Also, I don't think you've got to that mind blowing info dump that tells you what went down. IT'S SO WORTH IT!

It so is. The game is the closest thing to a 'playable book' experience I've had.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 17 August 2017 - 06:10 AM

[acesn8s]

I am! I finished all the Cauldrons and Tallnecks. I also seemed to have finished the Carja Main plot. I'll be working my up North for the Grave Hoard quest.

I managed to get all the 1/2 Suns in the Hunting Ground Challenge. I think I'm 2-3 away from all the Full Suns and maybe 5 from the Blazing Sun weapon.

I have to say, being able to Override a Ravenger or Longleg makes the game a lot easier.

I have to most of the skills unlocked. I only need the Hanging & Boss kills, the extra spear damage when injured, and Call Mount skills.

I'm at the point in the game where I fast travel most places, but still get shiny item syndrome when a quest takes me close to a metal flower, Banuk figure (1 left!), or Vantage point.

[Malankazooie]

I'm glad your still in the hunt.

[acesn8s]

I have to say, I was hoping to be able to ride an Overrided Thunderjaw. I'm holding out hope for a cut scene.

[acesn8s]

The Grave Hoard mission gave me a lot of details on the world that was. I'm working my way SW for the "Network" missions now, but got sidetracked by some Metal Flowers and a small Osserom village that needed me to get some power cells from a bandit tribe and some weapon parts from a bunch of scrappers. My reward was using an Osserom cannon to blow up the bandits. I then helped 2 of the villagers realize their love for each other all while hunting behemoths. . . good times.

I also got to do a hanging kill on a bandit, which made me laugh.

I think I have 4 flowers left and one Banuk figure. Can't remember the number of vantage points. There may also be 2 or 3 corruption zones left. I'm clocking in around 78% complete.

[Malankazooie]

Isn't the story one of the best ever put forth by a video game?

Ahhh the Banuk figures. I really enjoyed seeing the cliff paintings as I neared the location of each.

Have you come across that one corruption zone? You know the one with the ?. Well I don't want to spoil it, you'll know it when you see it because your initial attempt at it will be frustrating as hell, but then you'll see the way to success.

[WinterPhoenix]

God the last 4-5 big main missions of this game are so incredible, I envy people the experience on enjoying that for the first time round, I really do. There are massive info dumps, but calling them that seems unceremonious and unfair, because it genuinely is so wonderfully crafted. Rarely in video games have I actually felt for characters quite as much, and many of these are not even characters that are present in time so to speak - Travis Tate my fellow death metal buddy, how I still mourn ye. As Trav said above somewhere, it really is the closest a game has come to book format for me. The only thing I'd say is that it did make it harder for me to want to play the game again after I was done, upon reflection it felt like most of the joy was in the discovery and I'm still not sure the mechanics and looks of game (brilliant, beautiful and smooth as they are) are enough to make up for that loss.

Which is why I'm so happy for the upcoming dlc, I want more engaging story, I really hope it's as incredible as the main game was.

[Malankazooie]

^^^ This. Gods 100% THIS!

If you are sitting on the fence on whether to finish this game you are doing yourself a disservice. You have to play this game to completion! It is amazing!

[acesn8s]

I haven't run into that Corruption Zone yet. Will let you know when I find it. Updates may be slow coming, I think I'll be splitting time between HZD and The Defenders...

[Malankazooie]

Okay, so I fired up my system and Patch 1.32 was downloaded and installed.

I looked at the Update History description, and along with some issues that were fixed, it says: "New easy difficulty added that lets players focus on the story"

Sheesh, so the easiest option that was shipped with the game isn't easy enough for some people?! That's kind of pathetic, tbh. I never play on the easiest mode. I always choose the second hardest difficulty level for every game I buy. I figure if I'm going to get my money's worth from a video game and pay upwards of $60 USD for it, I owe it to myself to choose that level. I figure the very hardest level is for those who like to do a replay and have familiarized themselves with the game enough to be comfortable to have a go at the hardest setting. Besides, with choosing the harder difficulty settings, you usually have a better chance at getting the rarer items that are dropped in the game.

Anyway, if you've quit this game because the easiest level was too difficult, you should get back in and select this even easier level and play through to completion, because the story is amazing (and I'm guessing that is why they did this, to allow those who gave up to experience the epicness that is the story).

[acesn8s]

Now that I finished watching the Defenders I'm back to HZD. Finished the Eclipse Tallneck mission. Hoping for a f2f with Sylens at this point.

Took a couple tries but I clear the Behemoth corruption zone and picked up the metal flower and Banuk figure in western side of the map. All done with the Banuk figures. I think there are 2 corruption zones, 5 Vantages, and 3 or 4 Metal flowers left. If any of the missions take me close to the collectibles I'll grab them, but I think I'll be pushing to finish the story at this point.

I've also gotten to the point where I'm selling upgrades like crazy. Unless it is a multi-purple, I don't even need to look at it.