Comparing Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War to determine which is the better game overall is a tough call. These two games, alongside other classics like Dark Souls or Resident Evil 4, have significantly influenced their respective genres. God of War, from its initial release, flawlessly blended hack-and-slash action with intense, violent scenarios. Conversely, Horizon Zero Dawn showcased a masterful execution of an open-world map, seamlessly integrating its elements.

However, to answer the question directly—Horizon Zero Dawn vs God of War—considering various aspects can provide a comprehensive view to determine which might be better suited for you.

• Release Date: February 28, 2017

• Developer: Guerrilla Games

• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4

• Metascore: 89

Horizon Zero Dawn is the game that many fans of adventure, action, and role-playing games were waiting for. In the zenith of open-world games, Horizon Zero Dawn came to show us one of the best world-building of recent times, one that probably has only been surpassed by Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

Honestly, Horizon Zero Dawn is virtually a perfect game with outstanding visuals evoking deep emotions, incredible characters, voice acting, and an excellent story. Not for nothing, this RPG has become a timeless classic despite having been released 7 years ago.

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• Release Date: April 20, 2018

• Developer: Santa Monica Studios

• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4

• Metascore: 94

God Is War is a franchise with twenty years of existence. The original game was released in 2005 for PlayStation 2 and was a satisfying beginning to this beloved franchise. In 2018, a new beginning for the saga was launched under the same name. In this opportunity, you manage an old Kratos, the Spartan warrior turned God of War, who must advance through the Antique North alongside its son, Atreus. God of War 2018 features an interesting story, satisfying combat, magnificent graphics, and more. If you haven’t played God of War yet, this is your opportunity to enter this magnificent franchise.

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Let’s go straight to the important: the seven relevant aspects you need to consider when playing both titles. Let’s start with graphics and visuals.

Both Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War were developed and released by Sony Interactive Entertainment, showcasing a high level of graphic quality. While Horizon Zero Dawn used the Decima Engine, an engine specifically crafted by Guerrilla Games, God of War was created using the Kinetica Engine. Despite different engines, both games boast stunning visuals, attesting to their exceptional graphical fidelity.

Since both games are set mainly in open environments, the graphics quality of biomes reaches a perfect level of illumination and sense of atmosphere. However, I consider the story of the Greek god to present better texture and a more immersive visual experience.

Regarding performance, both titles work perfectly without lagging or frame lows, which is great when playing and combating due to the frenzy of battles. Besides, since in many battles the screen will be full of enemies, an excellent performance is desired to pull off the best of your abilities.

Verdict. Although this is a topic where both games stand out, we have to lean for God of War due to its graphic quality and outstanding visuals.

This section is directly related to the previous one since environments, biomes, and world-building emanate from visual and graphic quality. However, there is a design component – which is more abstract – that defines the quality of surroundings, stages, and the general map.

Horizon Zero Dawn, being an open-world video game, excels remarkably in world-building. It makes all its zones genuinely related and builds an organic whole that really puts you in a believable terrain. Its vast open world even helps to build an exciting storyline that unfolds well and in concordance with the surroundings.

On the other hand, God of War features open scenarios, but still, it’s not an open-world game. Its level structure is great; different maps are connected in several ways, but there is not a sandbox spirit where you are dropped into a massive map with multiple objectives to complete. In this sense, God of War is more linear than Zero Dawn. Still, it does not mean that God of War has a worse world-building, though it can feel a bit inorganic in some points.

Verdict. Horizon Zero Dawn is a great game that features one of the best open-world maps in the recent story of video games.

Perhaps this section is unfair since Horizon Zero Dawn is a role-playing video game that integrates many ways of interacting with the surroundings, characters, and enemies. Decision-making is also important in Zero Dawn since you can obtain crucial information from NPCs to advance in the storyline or discover hidden secrets in the post-apocalyptic United States in which the game takes place. Besides, Horizon Zero Dawn has multiple quests, either main or side, that you can complete to gain experience and improve Aloy’s stats.

God of War is a more straightforward game where advancing and battling are the core of gameplay. This way, almost the only way of interacting with the surroundings is by throwing your axe to kill enemies and open your path through the dangers. Still, God of War has some RPG elements like upgradable weapons and skill trees.

Verdict. Horizon Zero Dawn is a game with a wider range of possibilities compared to God of War.

No doubt that both games feature incredible combat systems with multiple possibilities of attacking, defending, and dodging enemies. In the case of Horizon Zero Dawn, Aloy is capable of destroying foes in a variety of ways, such as by shooting arrows, using explosives, positioning traps, and stabbing with a spear. Besides, weapons have several slots for modification and improve your combat style. This way, the combat feels very alive.

As God of War is a game designed to provide vertiginous combat and a sense of danger. Its combat system is meticulously designed, which, eventually, turns it into one of the best games in this regard. Kratos, the protagonist of God of War, uses an ax and a shield as primary weapons. He can throw his ax to damage enemies or freeze them while the shield protects him, being capable of counterattacking foes.

Verdict. In my opinion, God of War is a bit more limited than Zero Dawn, but its combat feels really alive and realistic.

This is a tough one since both titles boast great story and plot. In Horizon Zero Dawn, the setting unfolds in the 31st century following a cataclysmic event nearly eradicating human existence. The game occurs in the post-apocalyptic Western United States, where colossal robotic creatures dominate the Earth. With these robotic creatures turning hostile, you assume the role of Aloy, a skilled hunter and warrior, tasked with unraveling the mysteries surrounding the world's upheaval.

God of War, on the other hand, is not set in a Greek context like the first seven games. This time, the adventure unfolds in a Norse mythology context in Midgard, 150 years after the events of God of War III. You, as Kratos, must fulfill the request of your dead wife, who wanted her ashes to be spread at the highest mountain of the nine realms of Norse mythology. Together with your son, Atreus, you should cross dangerous environments and face all kinds of creatures and gods.

Verdict. Despite the personal nature of this decision, I must say that Horizon Zero Dawn has a richer plot.

While Horizon Zero Dawn and God of War offer distinct gameplay experiences, both titles stand out as exceptional games in their respective rights. For example, Horizon Zero Dawn development is built through main and side quests that you must complete to advance in the plot and gain experience points to increase your chances of success.

God of War, on the other hand, does not have “quests” like those you can find in Horizon Zero Dawn or most role-playing games set in vast open worlds. Instead, God of War features chapters to complete, each having a unique goal and providing you with experience points. In total, God of War has seventeen missions, although each is larger than the ones you find in Zero Dawn. In other words, missions are self-contained.

Verdict. Horizon Zero Dawn has a wider range of missions you can enjoy from the first time you play it. Although missions in God of War are larger and more solid, I personally prefer the versatile missions of Zero Dawn.

Many players believe that a good form of judging a game is considering its endgame content and replayability. This is true since every person wants to live a unique experience after finishing a game, especially when it provides more hours of secrets, exploration, and fun. 

In this sense, Horizon Zero Dawn still has multiple things to do, beginning with the New Game+, which offers a different experience from the beginning but with another level of difficulty. But once you complete the New Game Plus, you can unlock cosmetics, such as face paint and focus effects. You should complete all quests and errands to understand the entire plot of the game. You can also focus on getting all the collectibles, weapons, power cells, and the knowledge of all the machines.

But God of War still has a lot to offer. It also boasts a great New Game+, through which you can upgrade all your skills and armor and obtain unique things. But keep in mind that all the enemies will start at a higher power level and deliver new attacks, which is amazing if you look for a real challenge. 

Don't forget about taking on the Valkyries, who are powerful enemies you need to defeat to unlock an even more challenging event later in the game. Completing the Trials of Muspelheim is also a great challenge to get valuable resources. At the end of this path, you will find another corrupted Valkyrie that can even be more dangerous than the others.

Verdict. This final point is for God of War since the endgame content is more challenging and requires almost a completely new playthrough.

In my final verdict, I'd lean towards Zero Dawn as a more solid game, offering a fresh take on the role-playing genre. While God of War packs intense violence, Zero Dawn mesmerizes with its stunning landscapes and tactical battles. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, making them stand out in their own distinct ways within the gaming landscape.

We recommend you try Horizon Zero Dawn if you like RPGs, and then try God of War if you enjoy dizzy action and decapitating enemies. Remember that both titles are available on RoyalCDKeys at the lowest price on the market!