Horizon Zero Dawn’s expansion titled Frozen Wilds releases on November 7th, 2017 and if you own the game, then do yourself a favor and spend the $20 to buy the expansion. The expansion takes you to the far north into the Cut where the Banuks call home. Once you make it to the Cut you are challenged to defeat new machines that were not in the main game. You are put into a storyline that takes you as far north as you can go to help the Banuks stop the corruption that is destroying their land. Alongside new allies and new machines, you will traverse the north trying to help and figure out what the corruption is.
This DLC is an expansion of the base story and can be played alongside the main campaign. You must be at least level 30 and have completed the mission “A Seeker at the Gates”. After meeting these requirements, you can go to several locations around the map and look for a blue exclamation mark above certain characters heads. Once you talk to one, the expansion quest will be in your quest section in the main menu. I would advise being a higher level than 30 to play through the expansion. The new machines and challenges are a lot harder than the main story mode so make sure you are well prepared for the coming battle.
Guerilla Games has put several new things in this expansion. You can now level up past 50 (60 is now the level cap), buy new weapons, new music and sounds, new animals, side quests, skill tree, and last but not least new trophies (21 to be exact). The team at Guerilla Games have pride and love for their fans and clearly demonstrate that by giving you a brand new experience to their already exhilarating game. This expansion, like I said earlier, is $20 but I would have easily paid $40 for the story and new experiences.
The story was extremely well written and gives you a love and respect for the new characters that join you along your journey. Without getting into too much spoilery discussion, the new story takes you on a journey that shows you a different culture and new lands that you must fight and persevere to stay in the tribe. The Banuks are no strangers to what has been happening in the world but they do not have much to do with it. They primarily stick to their frozen wilds and focus on the blue light (their religion and spirit). You will traverse their frozen lands trying to destroy machines that are corrupted much like the ones in the main story.
This game was so well written that you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice in not playing it. The new expansion had a lot to do with the main campaign that it was so interwoven together that it felt like a side mission within the original game. The new weapons and machines truly fuel the experience that it doesn’t feel like you are doing just the same things you did in the base game. There are dozens of side quests you can do outside of the story that gains you experience, weapon modes, and new outfits. The side quests are all new missions that feel like mini stories they are all fun and bring you new experiences as well. For those already familiar with the game, this expansion gives you more knowledge to the culture and people that are the Banuks.
Review Summary
Horizon Zero Dawn’s first and only expansion titled Frozen Wilds is an extremely well-written story. With the new weapons and story and brings the already fantastic game to another level. If you have the base game do yourself a favor and buy this expansion.
