Horizon Zero Dawn leaked review?

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Apparently, before being taken down, a review for the game was briefly posted on the web a little earlier than the official release date, but just long enough for a screenshot to be nabbed off Engadget, the host site. It's a JPEG, so I'll spoiler it, and it's mostly spoiler free am almost certain;

Spoiler: The words in question

Original source of news;
http://www.gamepur.com/news/25859-first-horizon-zero-dawn-review-leaked-powerful-narrative-and-strong.html

Personally, it doesn't look much more than gushy marketing blurb, lacking any critical mindset for a useful review. So am not convinced on its' authenticity right now. Any thoughts on whether this may be of any use to anybody? If it is representative of the final game? Am unsure with this.

 

[Catfood220]

Its a bit gushy sure, but its nice to hear that someone has enjoyed it. Supposing this review is real. I won't lie, I am excited for this game and I read on Gamecentral on Metro that the reviews for it are coming sooner rather than later. So that fills me with a bit of confidence that it is probably good.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Its a sad day when reviewers worry that a 30hour campaign is too long. If anything, its too short!

Sounds like a fun game tbh, but I dunno...sounds...preachy? Like way too on the nose. Like it thinks its a lot more clever than it actually is.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

She's as clever as Hermione Granger, as tough as Lara Croft and better with a bow than Katniss Everdeen.

Oh for crying out loud.

 

[GrumbleGrump]

This review read less like a critique and more like "BUY THIS GAME YOU FUCKING SHITS", especially given that it's not even out yet. The story about a matriarchal society (and the oh so illuminated main character that doesn't fall for that kooky "religion" shit) in a fucking caveman setting is a little hamfisted, considering that caveman times were fucking cutthroat. Whatever, it's not like I'm buying a pisspoor for one fucking game.
Interesting setting though.

She's as clever as Hermione Granger, as tough as Lara Croft and better with a bow than Katniss Everdeen.

Oh for crying out loud.

I'm going to screenshot that and name it "pandering.jpeg".
Also, daily reminder that this game does not deserve hype (like if any game does):
Yeaaah. That cringeworthy acting and writing, you love it.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

She's as clever as Hermione Granger, as tough as Lara Croft and better with a bow than Katniss Everdeen.

Oh for crying out loud.

Almost like the writer wants to be a self-insert romance character for her.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Perhaps not the most bias-free first opinion (Gushy review by a female for a game with a strong new female lead), but it is encouraging. The embargo lifts tomorrow, so that's another good sign.

I don't know why everyone rags on the setting. Everyone cries for something original, but when it happens it's met with armchair cynicism. I know...maybe the dinosaurs should've had a touch of familiarity to segue the concept, like zombisaurs! Instead of being able to scavenge parts from them to craft weapons, or hack them to to serve any number of useful functions, you just headshot them with explosive arrowheads and watch the guts fly!

I can understand the cringe-worthy unpolished looking voice acting/animations, but if that's the low point of this otherwise technically exceptional sounding game, then I'll be a happy gamer.

 

[CritialGaming]

While I am hopeful that this is a real review, and it is getting praise, my problem with this review (and others like it) is that there is no actual detail here. They gush about the crafting system, but provide no information on how it works. They use a completely incoherent metaphor for the main character, Hermione/Croft WTF?, but give no examples of how. There are no real details on how the questing works, the combat.

This reads like a marketing blurb in review form.

Let's just sit tight and wait for the real stuff yeah?

 

[Dansen]

This review read less like a critique and more like "BUY THIS GAME YOU FUCKING SHITS", especially given that it's not even out yet. The story about a matriarchal society (and the oh so illuminated main character that doesn't fall for that kooky "religion" shit) in a fucking caveman setting is a little hamfisted, considering that caveman times were fucking cutthroat. Whatever, it's not like I'm buying a pisspoor for one fucking game.
Interesting setting though.

She's as clever as Hermione Granger, as tough as Lara Croft and better with a bow than Katniss Everdeen.

Oh for crying out loud.

I'm going to screenshot that and name it "pandering.jpeg".
Also, daily reminder that this game does not deserve hype (like if any game does):


Yeaaah. That cringeworthy acting and writing, you love it.

"Oh, Haaaiiii Mark." should be the caption for the video, god that was abysmal.

Alright who is publishing this..? SONY? And its being developed by the guys who did Killzone? The voice acting, animations and writing are on par with indie devs, not seasoned vets of the AAA gaming industry. I Don't have a PS4 so Im not really invested but I hope the gameplay is good because I know a lot of people were looking forward to this and that cutscene doesn't leave a good first impression.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

The machines and world design look to be technical wizardry, but the sad thing is that most people will judge a game on its worst example; in this case being the voice acting/animation.

 

[Rangaman]

That...that was just cringeworthy to read. I wonder how many checks she's cashing?

 

[bartholen_v1legacy]

She's as clever as Hermione Granger, as tough as Lara Croft and better with a bow than Katniss Everdeen.

Oh for crying out loud.

It reads like something you'd get out of a text generator. Or a pre-written review where you just add in the name of the game and characters.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

The machines and world design look to be technical wizardry, but the sad thing is that most people will judge a game on its worst example; in this case being the voice acting/animation.

Still, the contrast between the janky animation in dialogue is rather jarring with the otherwise excellent production values, including the quality animation on the machines.

I suppose it is somewhat of a trait inherent to large open world rpgs. An understandable one, since the sheer amount of characters and dialogue no doubt makes mocapping or meticulously hand-animating everything prohibitively time-consuming/expensive. They don't have the advantage of more linear, smaller scope games to devote as many resources into tightly scripted character interaction and cutscenes like, say, Naughty Dog.

 

[bluegate]

Well, the IGN video review is up on YouTube, so you can view that and see if the general tone about the game is the same or not.

IGN is at least pretty positive about the game.

 

[Zhukov]

It's a bit gushy, but having played the game for a few hours I can see where they're coming from. It's an open-world game that made me stop despising open-world games, at least for a little while.

It basically feels like someone looked at an Ubisoft game, specifically Far Cry Primal, and said, "Hey, that's actually a cool premise. We should do that, but good." There's also a generous splash of Shadow of Mordor in there as well.

A lot of the systems work together in small but neat ways. For example, the manner in which you kill an enemy seems to affect what kind of loot you can get from them. Set them on fire and you won't be salvaging any flammable components, shoot them in the head and you won't get their sensory components etc.

I don't really get the love for Aloy though. She's not bad, but she mostly feels like a female Adam Jensen or Geralt. Just... kinda there, doing video game protagonist stuff.

Oh, and the dialogue options bring with them a bad case of Bioware face.

 

[distortedreality]

Just read Jim Sterlings' review, and it is similarly gushy without much substance. Shouldn't be surprised I guess.

 

[B-Cell_v1legacy]

of course its going to be rated high. its sony first party game. its far cry primal mix with uncharted starting female protagnist.

it looks nothing special and if it was not first party sony game. no one would care enough.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

Just read Jim Sterlings' review, and it is similarly gushy without much substance. Shouldn't be surprised I guess.

Well I would believe that more than most reviews, say what you will about him but he's probably one of the more trustworthy reviews out there even if I don't agree with him a lot.

btw the review
http://www.thejimquisition.com/horizon-zero-dawn-review/

 

[Casual Shinji]

of course its going to be rated high. its sony first party game. its far cry primal mix with uncharted starting female protagnist.

it looks nothing special and if it was not first party sony game. no one would care enough.

Yes, because The Order 1886 was praised by all, wasn't it? And then there's Knack -- Oh boy critics couldn't stop gushing about that game!

...

Oh wait...

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Was going to post that review link, ninja'd by nat's first pubic hair. I don't see why people such as Batman, Bond and Geralt can get by as strong, unchallenged unflawed protagonists, but females are instead some conspiracy infiltration to taint the medium of everything for everyone. Curious double standard seems to pop up every time.

It's a bit gushy, but having played the game for a few hours I can see where they're coming from. It's an open-world game that made me stop despising open-world games, at least for a little while.

It basically feels like someone looked at an Ubisoft game, specifically Far Cry Primal, and said, "Hey, that's actually a cool premise. We should do that, but good." There's also a generous splash of Shadow of Mordor in there as well.

A lot of the systems work together in small but neat ways. For example, the manner in which you kill an enemy seems to affect what kind of loot you can get from them. Set them on fire and you won't be salvaging any flammable components, shoot them in the head and you won't get their sensory components etc.

I don't really get the love for Aloy though. She's not bad, but she mostly feels like a female Adam Jensen or Geralt. Just... kinda there, doing video game protagonist stuff.

Oh, and the dialogue options bring with them a bad case of Bioware face.

You have access to review copy? Reveal me all your secrets!! The game doesn't come out till the 28th I thought.