#hzd out of bounds

[robo-dino-puppy]

winter journeys

#horizon zero dawn #hzd #aloy #broadhead #some out-of-bounds shots i liked from around the maker's end/great salt lake area #hzd out of bounds #out of bounds exploration #hzd machines #hzd pc #(remove reload boundary mod)

[artekai]

lying + pancake + moon + spider + clover + megaphone (v curious abt voice claims if you have any 👀) + present + package + rainbow + red heart + green heart for kai!!!!!!!!!!

Hell yeah!!! Thank you so much my beloved!!!!!!! 😘

Under the cut because I got a bit carried away, haha! ^^

🤥 LYING - are they good liars? do they have tells to show they're lying?

He's not a great liar, but he's not Ann lol. Something he tends to do when he has to lie is that he anchors himself in a half truth as a base, if that makes sense? It's easier to pretend when not all of it is a lie. As for tells, hmm 🤔 I feel like his eyes dart around a lot more. As in, glancing at you to watch your reaction but only for a few seconds before you get suspicious, that kinda stuff.

(I feel like the difference between him lying and him being honestly vulnerable is that when he's opening up in earnest he'll mostly avoid looking at you out of embarrassment. He's more over the place when he's lying, you know?)

He probably also just does what he usually does when he's nervous, but that's easier to mistake for honest vulnerability, heh ^^

🥞 PANCAKE - what is their comfort breakfast?

Oh, I haven't really thought much about it... 🤔 I do know he's a fan of protein, and the only thing he knows how to cook in the P5R AU is eggs (because pet chickens...) so maybe that? Scrambled eggs? ^^

🌙 MOON - what is your oc's greatest wish? how far are they willing to go for it?

For Artekai, probably to die for a greater cause. I just think he hasn't found a moment significant enough. And he's already come this far, where isn't he willing to go? I definitely think that what he truly wants is a life purpose, he's just channeling it towards death (if that makes sense) because, even after learning he's not a bridge between humans and machines like he thought, he still idolizes Banukai and wants to die fighting for others just like her.

(I do think he would've died protecting Beta with Varl if Fross hadn't been there to stop him. But I digress)

And Kaito... he just wants to be able to protect his loved ones :') And all of the time and effort he's put into his training shows what he's willing to do to protect them. He doesn't want to lose anyone else ;-; (he'd also be willing to sacrifice himself to protect others though, it's just not his end goal)

🕷️ SPIDER - what is their biggest fear? do they have any irrational / mundane fears?

His biggest fears are both being abandoned and being forgotten. I think there's a pretty clear link between his trauma and his fears for both versions of him hehe ^^

I can't think of any irrational fears he has rn, hmm...

🍀 CLOVER - do they believe in luck? are they lucky?

Hmmmmmm I'm a bit torn on this one, but I'll say (tentatively) that I think Artekai believes in luck more than Kaito does 🤔

I've always had this idea that Artekai always carries an animal talisman on him for good luck (yeah it's because that's how I play HZD asdfghgfd sorry) but... huh. Now that I think about it, it might be for comfort more than for good luck. You know, because sometimes it's grounding to just touch a thing ^^ But hey, it's probably a mix of both.

As for Kaito, he's been getting ready for something bad to happen ever since the Rumi incident. I think it's inevitable to him. Not a matter of good or bad luck, but just... life is hard and something is bound to happen to everyone. You know? You win some, you lose some. Idk.

Both of them believe in skill more than luck, but I think the difference is that Artekai is playing with the odds way more than Kaito does 🤔Does that make sense?

Either way, he's not very lucky, but he's certainly luckier than those who didn't make it out with their lives at least :')

📣 MEGAPHONE - how loud are they? what do they speak like? got a voice claim?

He's loud! :D He's loud and youthful and cheerful and a great singer ^^

I haven't thought of a voice claim for him though 😔 He can't have the same voice as Takuto as he's not on HRT... But I haven't really gone looking as I feel like I'd be too picky with Kai specifically :/ sorry bestie 😔

🎁 PRESENT - what types of presents would they be most happy to receive? are they good at gift giving?

I think Kai really loves homemade gifts! And I think he holds himself up to that same standard, haha. He's not good at arts and crafts, but he'll try his best when he wants to show his appreciation for someone he loves ^^

📦 PACKAGE - what are some "most likely to..." that can apply to them?

Hmmmmmmmmm 🤔

I'm totally not looking up ideas lol

Most likely to run off and attempt to live off the grid? (I guess in this one he'd be tied with Aloy in the Horizon AU but hey)

Most likely to accidentally kill someone? (ok that got dark quick)

Most likely to do weird things in public?

Most likely to attempt to flirt with a stranger?

Most likely to punch a wall?

Most likely to run away to join the circus?

🌈 RAINBOW - what advice would they give to their younger self?

Hmm. It depends on what era Kai is currently in and how young is the younger self he's talking to. But, as a baseline, train hard, cherish the ones you love, and keep them close? 🤔 It's not too different to what his younger self was already doing, but I don't think he'd do much differently (with the information he had at the time, if that makes sense). He did his best with what he had and it was a learning experience and he's content with that ^^

Though I can picture him asking his younger self to try to be less petty and let go of grudges. Like, for P5R!Kai, he lost a lot of valuable time he could've had with his dad pushing him away and refusing any attempts to connect out of spite :(

❤️ RED HEART - their love language(s)?

Out of the classic ones, I feel like it's quality time (especially for receiving) and a close second is acts of service (but especially for giving)!!!

I think it's clear that words of affirmation alone don't do it for Kai, you need to show that you really do want him around, that you appreciate his presence and want to create memories with him. It's here where Takuto comes up short in the P5R AU, and also why Artekai's so obsessed with Fross, who just clings to him like a moth to a flame.

(I guess the opposite would be his hate language too lol. When he gets pissed, he straight up just leaves lol)

As for acts of service, I'm putting "training hard and polishing his fighting skills so he can protect his loved ones" in this category. His first aid knowledge too. They might not be errands, but it's the very best thing Kai can do for you! ^^

I like to look at Frosskai's humble beginnings as an example of how Kai shows love ^^ Aside from patching Fross up after accidentally stabbing him, hehe, one of the first things he did was go hunting to get breakfast just for him. And to show him he could provide for him, hehe. Artekai will hunt for you! He'll get you furs to keep you warm during winter! He'll find shelter for you in the wilds! Maybe that blurs the lines a bit with gift giving, but it's mostly about the survival skills, you know? He didn't just learn those for himself but to be able to protect those around him ;-;

As for non-traditional ones!! Love love love the idea of his love language including doing other people's hair and face paint. Especially weak for the idea of P5R!Kai braiding Sumi's hair and Horizon!Kai helping Aloy with her face paint :3 And I also like thinking of P5R!Kai becoming a hairdresser when he grows up! (he would not only enjoy it but he could be the most trans-friendly hairdresser around. Just saying ^^)

But I guess those sit at the intersection between quality time and acts of service so it checks out! :D

💚 GREEN HEART - what things make your oc feel comforted? hugs, kisses, food?

Well, I headcanon that, when his hair is in a braid, he tends to grab it or play with it when he's nervous, so we could interpret that as him being comforted when people play with his hair ^^ It'd definitely align with his love languages :3

But he's also one for keeping his mind occupied. I feel like playing the drums and practicing archery genuinely help him unwind. It's the familiarity of it, you know?

There's also music. Since I first thought of the P5R AU, I had this idea that, when things get really, really bad, like bad enough to not be able to distract himself with anything else, what he does is he huddles up in a corner (it's safer if no one can sneak up from behind) and slips on his headphones to avoid the silence :')

#ask tag #akeshuharu #THANK YOU MY LOVE!!!! ❤️ these were all very fun to talk about!! :D #(sorry i took so long tho!) #i'm getting so soft for him now......... my precious boy ;;;-;;; #oc: artekai #kaito maruki #oc tag #horizon au #p5r au #phantom thief kai au #long post

[godseeker-yharim]

question: what media has influenced your ocs?

Excellent question, thank you! Kenny and Anita were originally named after and heavily based off of Kenny Chau and Anita Sandoval from Horizon Zero Dawn's Frozen Wilds DLC! I spent a few years deeply, deeply enamored with that game, and loved those two long-dead fuckers a whole lot, so the next time I felt the Terraria itch, of course I named my newest characters after them.

In HZD, Kenny and Anita appear as a series of text/audio datapoints and an old hologram centered around an artificial intelligence project they worked on together a thousand years before the events of the game. You can still kind of see them in bits and pieces in my characters, but over time they've grown into their own people outside of those little lingering influences. I didn't have the heart to change their names, and figured that since so much of Calamity draws heavily from other media, it fit with the spirit of things. Kenny Chau's dutiful leadership and good heart still live on in the Kenny I made out of him, and Anita Sandoval's brilliance and need to do what's right regardless of legality or ethics lives on in my lil swordswoman. And, of course, they are still bound together by their shared love of science!

[h0riz0nstuff]

…zzzoOOOM. … I tried to make a gif out of these and I failed like a failing failure who is bad at gifing (which I am xD) So here they are in their pure raw sequenced form :b

#hzd #hzd photomode #horizon zero dawn #ps4 #guerrilla games #ps4 games #video games #horizon zero dawn pc #hzd pc #aloy #hzdedit #beyond the horizon #the naming cliff #exploring out of bounds

[foibles-fables]

hey foibs, I was just wondering which convos in HFW made you feel socked in the head with potential het (ew lol) romance for Aloy? I know I was shook to my core when Avad was coming on to her as usual and she didn't completely shoot him down..:// but what else? i don't mind spoilers lmao I'd rather know and be emotionally ready.

On another note, with how much more prominent and uhhhh eligible male npcs seem to be, my biggest fear deadass is that there will only be straight romance in Horizon 3. one fear meme

Hey hey, yes of course! First off, I wanna go back and clarify that my "like being socked in the head" description in that last post was not about the characters making the comments, but about the obviousness of the comments themselves to the player. Same goes for much of the HFW writing in general, lmao. In any case, I could have worded that a lot better in the moment--I'd hate for anyone to think it was a negative evaluation by way of the former interpretation. I don't do that stuff around here (nor at all)!

You nailed it: first interaction there was the Avad one. Both the brain and heart selections contain a "maybe later, Player" that the dialogue doesn't even attempt to mask. Problematic in other ways, given that it's the only time we speak to him in-game and it kinda...reneges on his development in HZD, but alas, compelling evidence for a Horizon Zero Three choice mechanic nonetheless.

The second is Erend, predominantly by way of the little bonus scene you can share with him before the final mission. Another example of how the Player can choose to get closer to a certain ally. No real spoilers! It's really a nice little scene. I actually have a...whole tinfoil theory about the strangeness of Another Certain Questline's ending that hinges on the inclusion of "have a drink" at the Base. But maybe THAT'S a post for another time, hahaha.

If there is romance in HZ3, the above certainly implies that it would be a fully-optional player choice mechanic, and not a narrative-bound arc. The fact that it seems like they're trying to go all-out Bioware backs this idea as well. Also, I highly doubt the only options will be M/F. If nothing else, Tilda and Elisabet's relationship confirms that potential--and if that happens, and is addressed explicitly within HZ3 as a function of multiple choices both M/F and F/F and other identities, I will welcome optional BiLoy with enthusiastically open arms. The arcs of certain women [StrainingKid.jpg] do leave them very much open for romance. I still have major criticisms about how HFW treated its female side characters, both new and returning. But thinking optimistically, it's something that could still be corrected come HZ3.

#or maybe i am insane! #it could be both #in any case have a LOVELY day #horizon forbidden west #hfw #aloy can smooch a little as a treat

[gryphonablaze]

while it’s not in either of those earlier two larger aforementioned crosses, it would be interesting to see HZD/BL. Perhaps Aloy inherits lilith’s powers? And in search of vaults sanctuary makes a pitstop at earth and tannis has the Time Of Her Fucking Life with all the Machines and Aloy convinces her to try and resurrect Gaia’s consciousness because she wants to try to meet at least one of her moms face-to-face yknow?....

 After Tannis brings Gaia back, She can see/talk through Aloy’s focus, so Aloy makes a visit back to the beginning of things and introduces her to Rost.

and yes I know forbidden west, I don’t have it so I don’t know the plot, but. with the Derangement under control and Hades defeated*... Rost taught her that even if Aloy did not need the tribe, they needed her. Well, she’s helped them. They don’t need her anymore. And now that she knew where she came from, what she was... in this whole world, just like Rost’s home... there was nothing for her here. Not anymore. Not without Rost. Not without Elisabet. They had been here, but they were gone now. It’s best that she move on. 

Before she left on Sanctuary, she took Elisabet’s helmet, and a stone from Rost’s grave. 

Aloy had always preferred being alone. Sure, she had friends. But that wasn’t what ‘alone’ was. Not belonging to anyone, not being bound to something somewhere. But she would have stayed for Gaia. In all the world, She was the only thing Aloy would have endured obligations for. But, because of something the weird lady from space did to her Focus, even though Aloy was far beyond Earth, she could still talk to Gaia.  

Besides, she had new questions now, and their answers weren’t here. 

Also, since she suddenly gained the ability to set things on fire, and summon blazing wings, the Carja started worshipping her. It was bad enough to be one tribe’s anointed, much less two. 

‘Everyone, please welcome the newest member of the Crimson Raiders!’ The small blue girl wiggled her hands at Aloy. 

Aloy’s brow creased. ‘Nobody said anything about joining any tribes.’

‘Ya don’t have to be a Raider if ya don’t want to,’ The large woman added. ‘Technically.’ 

‘Alright.’ Aloy shifted her posture. ‘So, who is everybody?’

Everyone introduced themselves in turn. 

‘Nice to meet you all. I’m Aloy.’ 

‘Would you like a tour of the ship, dear? I can show you all around,’ Moxxie offered. 

‘Yes, please.’ Aloy did not acknowledge the woman’s suggestive tone. ‘Lead the way.’ 

Immediately after Moxxie was done helping Aloy navigate the ship, she immediately went to the lab. The woman to whom it belonged was the only member of the Crimson Raiders Tribe that hadn’t been on the Bridge. Moxxie instead had told Aloy her name.

‘Tannis?’ 

One half of the room was a mess. Squares of torn-up not-quite-parchment and thread were thrown on the floor. Tannis herself was facing the wall with her forehead against it and arms hanging limply by her sides. 

Just as Aloy had seen before, on the woman’s left arm there were markings. 

‘Is this a bad time?’

‘It absolutely is.’

‘I’ll come back later, then.’

‘No, there is no time in the near future that will be any less dreadful than this. What do you want?’

‘This thing on my arm. You have it too, and so do Ava and Amara. What is it?’ 

Tannis sighed wearily. ‘It is the mark of a Siren. Nobody knows where we came from or how we were made. Only six--or perhaps seven, the number is up for debate--can exist in the universe at the same time. Again, it is not known why. Each of us have different fantastical magical powers. These powers can be passed down to other specific people or inherited at random whenever a Siren dies. The powers are often the same, if not similar when they are passed from Siren to Siren. You inherited the abilities Phasewalk, and Phaseblast, and the related. Your powers came from a Siren called Lilith. She was my friend. She was lost her recently, in uncertain circumstances, and I was holding out hope that she was still alive somewhere.’

‘The fact that I have these markings is proof that she actually died...’ 

‘Yes.’

Aloy paused for a long moment. ‘Thank you for explaining... this.’ She held up her hand. ‘And I’m sorry that you lost your friend. Someone I cared about died recently, too.’ It had been maybe a month since Rost had saved her at the proving. So much had happened since then. ‘Is there anything I can do to help you?’ 

‘No, there is not.’ 

‘Alright.’ Aloy left. 

.

.

.

*Fuck you, Sylens. 

#gryphons crackshit crossover corner #yee haw bitches #horizon zero dawn #aloy #borderlands #borderlands 3 #patricia tannis #tannis #borderlands sirens #I'm also strongly considering instead of sanctuary stopping by #that aloy is still on her own in searching for answers. somehow she knows that these weird powers are from beyond the stars #so (and idk how) she gets out there and starts searching for siren history herself. #so take this with a grain of 'may-or-may-not-make-this-'canon'-in-my-adhdaydreams'

[celesticidal]

hzd cornyx au snippet

One night, some few weeks ago, deep in the throes of sleeplessness and also the hzd replay I never want to end, a plot bunny came to me and whispered thus: imagine a story in which Nyx is a Nora outcast, fresh to the Sundom and entirely out of his depth.  And then the unrepentant thirsty in all ways part of my brain was like aw fuck yeah, and also Cor is a Carja Hawk with a history of losing his Thrushes who does his hunting alone these days and then it just rolled downhill from there, really. I’ve got a half-running start to it with only a vague idea of where it’s going, but I figured I’d throw the beginning out there!  Trying to write Cor’s character outside of that super-regimented canon position of his, without sacrificing the qualities that I feel make Cor Cor, has been the most challenging part of it, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Anyway, here’s wonderwall the first several paragraphs:

Cor can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he's seen a Nora in the wild, often little more than flickers of lighter color at the edge of the treeline, figures just a little too large to be animal in the tall grasses.  As a boy, out at Hunter's Gathering, he'd spoken to one of their braves as they'd huddled near one another in the fragile warmth of a blazing campfire to wait out a terrible snowstorm -- at least he'd tried to, though he'd quickly learned his curiosity was no match for the hulking warrior's reticence.  Once, Cor had imagined all Nora in just this way.

The Nora curled around himself on the red rocks, here in the early morning shadow of the Daytower isn't particularly hulking.  A man -- maybe Cor's age, maybe younger, beneath the purple swell of bruises and scrapes marring what Cor can see of his face.  A crust of blood tracking from nose and mouth, pooled and dried on the sandstone.  More scuffing along the length of a bare arm, fingers spread, reaching out towards nothing at all.  A quiver half-full of arrows, fletched with blue-tipped feathers and bound with some sort of sinew strapped to the Nora's back, but no bow.

A short distance away, the campfire has long burned out.

Dead as the brave on the ground, Cor thinks morbidly, and wonders why it is a Nora might seek out this miserable death so far from his sacred lands.

With nothing better to do in the moment, Cor studies the scene.  No tracks around the body; Cor judges, then, by the scrapes on skin and scuffing on rock, that the Nora had been thrown.   A glance further down the slope, toward the sluggish river reveals the scattered carcass of a snapmaw, and Cor glances at the body once more before heading in that direction.  Not the killer -- no, he's seen plenty of Carja caught between the jaws and claws of those machines, and the Nora is far too … complete for that.

The road bears the old tracks of a machine convoy, and, over that, the distinct footprints of a patrol, but Cor pays little attention to either as he vaults the raised stone wall edging the sandswept, worn down cobble, dodging clumps of cactus as well as hand-sized shards of armor plating and shorn components littering the ground.  A pair of watchers lie in the sand only paces from one another, shot down by Nora arrows.  The snapmaw carcass is likewise studded, and while Cor initially takes their number as a sign of panic shots or simple inaccuracy, he realizes quickly enough that there is strategy in the placement.

The Nora, he recalls, hunt machines for their components above all else and, true to form, not a single canister is damaged.  The lens of the machine, along with a series of various cables and cores and braiding and machine viscera Cor couldn't begin to name, are arrayed near the imprint of hands and knees, next to a simple but well-crafted lance.  The machine's chest cavity has been prised open, and its heart dangles from a few frayed wires -- obviously, this had been the Nora's real prize when he'd met his end.

A few moments later, Cor comes across the deep gouges in the sandy earth -- tracks to mark the passage of a trampler's hooves, spread wide enough to suggest the thing had been at a full charge.  The remains of a primitive bow, shattered in the massive, uneven bowl of one of those gouges, seems to tell the Nora's story plain enough.

Alas.

Curiosity sated, Cor leaves the carcass and its assorted trophies behind, returning to the dead warrior.  He crouches down, pushing at a shoulder to turn the body on its back --

-- the Nora groans pitifully, breath rasping wet in his chest and whistling out through a shattered nose.

Ah.  Not so dead as he'd first thought.  In this, Cor considers himself grateful to be wrong.

#ffxv #cornyx #cor leonis #nyx ulric #hzd au

[eri-223]

yooo, the ultimate rare-pair Aloy/Sylens for the ask thing!!

002 | Send me a ship and I will tell you: 

When I started shipping them: Right around “mutual self interest” and/or “new science of understanding,” because egad am I here for ships who are bound together by inconvenient pacts and/or being the only people in the world who experienced a certain thing. I suppose that description could apply to many combinations of characters, but HZD emphasized it with the main plot being about secrets only Aloy and Sylens ever saw. They just check a lot of boxes that work for me. 

My thoughts: This is not about the ship per se, but … I keep thinking about what a good look it would be for Aloy to cut her hair. I know, it’s part of her deal, but it’s a quick way to switch her look from “appropriation / using braids and beads as shorthand” and “how is your hair that pretty in the wilderness” to “Mad Max.” 

What makes me happy about them: They are (were?) a pairing I needed at the time, a sort of emotional IV of resilience and the idea that sometimes the world isn’t over when it seems like the world is over. It’s no coincidence that HZD resonates with people in a world where the news seems to uncover one world-ending scenario after another. It’s nice to see a story where a person can find a life and a romance despite having lived through their own sort of end of the world. 

I also think video games have a particular ability to do that; in the YA novel prologue portion of the game I was attached to Aloy, but it was only after her near-death that attachment was solidified because the emotional height really pinned me to her perspective. 

To me, Sylens is the person who understands her the best. And despite his best efforts, she also quickly understands him: she’s also a loner, she’s also separate from her own family, she also grabs ideas hard and won’t let go. I don’t think he’s a mystery to her. He’s a challenge, not in that he doesn’t love her but in that his love fights with many other aspects of his nature, and that keeps the ship interesting. 

(One thing I’ve always thought but never really said, for the record: I generally picture my protagonists in fic as closer to my own age than what they’re presented at in the game. I’m older than Aloy, so I don’t really find it interesting to dig into her mindset as a late teen, even though I think it’s a sign of a good voice that she was written as young in parts of the game. That’s not an aspect I choose to emphasize.)  

What makes me sad about them: A lot of the things that could potentially make one sad about them are things that actually reassure me: they’re probably never going to stay together in one place for long, and they’re probably not going to end up on the same side of the ultimate battle. That’s fine. In fact, it’s a nice guarantee that the dynamic I liked in the game in the first place will continue. (Psychoanalyze away!)  If the game managed to convince me that he would choose Aloy (or her connection to GAIA) over his aspirations of restoring APOLLO or whatever it is he and HADES are up to, I’d probably be happy. But I do think …

The scene where he leaves her in the mountain is just so weighty; she clearly had a lot of emotion riding on the idea of meeting him in person. (Whether or not it was romantic or not – I clearly can’t fully get on board with but also find it very convincing and moving that she might see him as a parental figure at this point, one more person leaving her to fulfill some grand destiny they won’t explain. Even Rost was a bit cryptic at their last real conversation.)  

“Where will you go?” she asks, as if she thinks he would tell her, as if she’s reaching out to find one more point on the map that might just maybe be a home to replace the precarious one she lost for good when Rost died.  

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Most of these apply to my ships in general; it’s just particularly notable how they reliably crop up in a ship with so few fics. I don’t like “woobifying” villains, and Sylens’ redemption is not in any way relevant to the ship for me. On the other hand, I don’t want Aloy to be portrayed as emotionless or manipulative; she isn’t savvy about relationships and I don’t like to think of her as insincere. She is savvy about trust, but … it’s hard to describe the difference. Basically, I want them to be unique, not sanded down to a template of a love/hate couple. 

Things I look for in fanfic: There are definitely not enough fics for me to be picky. I have literally read everything on AO3. It doesn’t take long. 

My wishlist: Let them meet in person in game 2, in some other dramatic fashion like in the Sun-Ring. Let them have to grab one another’s hands at one point,  trust expressed in the simplest and most dire of ways. 

I’m also still really hopefully waiting for a really good college AU. Or a daemon AU. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Aloy/Varl is really nice, and he’s my realistic pick for who I’d like to see Aloy with if they ever give her a canon relationship. I suppose Sylens might have had other relationships at some point in his life, and imagine if they ever brought his personal life (such as it is) into the game it would be that way? But I also don’t think it’s likely we’ll see him portrayed that way at all in canon. A good perk of a rarepair is that I probably don’t have to consider this. 

My happily ever after for them: this , and/or living in Brightmarket with kids. Don’t get me wrong, they’d need about seven years of reconciliation and therapy before that could happen happily. 

(fandom ask meme)

#Horizon Zero Dawn #Aloy/Sylens #Aloy #Sylens #colcmacgrath-archive #thank u for asking about the terrible otp

[tirednecromancer]

I just had a terrible amazing idea for an HZD fic:

Sylens find a cradle facility somehow open and still operational. Somehow he gets Aloy’s/Elizabeth’s DNA, and makes himself a small Elizabeth to act as his own key into the best parts of the knowledge he wants.

It all comes down to Sylens only realizing too late that making himself a small baby key, means that now he has a baby to take care of. A baby that looks exactly like Aloy, so wherever he goes with his tiny red head baby strapped to his chest, people think it’s his baby with Aloy. So Aloy is bound to hear about this, and will only take a minute for her to figure out what he did, and go out on a hunt to find Sylens and beat him up real bad.

Conclusion: Sylens gets a black eye, but baby is completely attached to him, and refuses to go with Aloy without starting to scream and cry. So Aloy will simply have to take Sylens with them.

#bela plays hzd #welcome to my personal brand of fanfic ideas hell #where each fandom has a baby au #why? because I love the idea of tall grumpy men with babies strapped to their chest

[wazafam]

One of the most popular gaming franchises on the planet, the Uncharted series has been thought to be suitable for a movie adaptation for quite a long time, almost for as long as it has been around. Saying the film has had a troubled production stage would be an understatement, and it has passed through the hands of numerous directors and writers over the years. But the film has finally made it to the finish line (at least the filming has wrapped), directed by Venom and Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer.

RELATED: 10 Awesome Upcoming 2021 Movies That Would Make Great Video Games

With MCU star Tom Holland in the lead as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as his mentor Victor Sullivan, there are definitely going to be many hopeful eyes on this film. And, people familiar with the series can jump on the hype train by playing the following awesome action-adventure games.

10 Horizon Zero Dawn (2017)

The vast open-world of Horizon Zero Dawn is one of beautiful natural landscapes populated by robot animals, which is as unique and fresh a combination as it comes. Players step into the shoes of Alloy, an outcast who embarks on a journey to discover her origins and that of the world around her that was ruined by an unknown apocalyptic event long ago.

With numerous locations to explore, puzzles to solve, and secrets to uncover, few games out there will make the player feel like a true adventurist in the way HZD does.

9 Max Payne 3 (2012)

Although the movie adaptation was hardly something to brag about, the games sport a much more respectable reputation as one of the best story-driven shooters out there. The first two games would seem outdated to many by modern standards, but the third installment and the most action-fueled one is definitely still worth a recommendation even now.

Not to mention, it comes from none other than Rockstar Studios, the same developers who have brought the world hits like Red Dead Redemption and  Grand Theft Auto, so their track record with awesome single players is a solid one.

8 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction (2010)

Based on the works of author Tom Clancy, Ubisoft has created one of the most successful action shooter franchises out there, spanning multiple installments under numerous titles like Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell, and Ghost Recon. Like the other entries in the series, 2010's Conviction follows secret agent Sam Fisher on missions, this time investigating his daughter's death and the organization he used to work for, the Third Echelon.

RELATED: Tom Clancy Movies: 10 Big Ways The Movies Differ From His Books

In order to make the games more accessible for a wider audience, developers put more emphasis on the action rather than the hardcore stealth of the previous games.

7 Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)

While making a film adaptation of a successful video game is difficult in its own way, making a video game based on one of the most revered literary franchises in the world was no easy business either.

Thankfully Monolith Productions were up to the challenge, and the result was a sprawling open world filled with orcs, goblins, stories about rings of power, and everything else that is bound to satisfy both existing and newer fans of the LOTR universe. With a one-of-a-kind Nemesis system and set in the titular world of J.R.R Tolkien's creation, the games follow a ranger and his path to redemption against the forces that killed his family.

6 Just Cause 3 (2015)

People love blowing up things and doing crazy stunts in video games, and no other developer is more aware of this than Avalanche Studios. Armed with a grappling hook that is capable of ridiculous and yet infinitely entertaining feats, the player is set loose in the open world free to wreak havoc (the game encourages it through the use of a chaos points system).

RELATED: Uncharted: 10 Unpopular Opinions (According To Reddit)

Similar to Uncharted, a movie adaptation of Just Cause is reportedly in the works, being written and produced by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad.

5 Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)

Although Star Wars games have met a fair amount of success in recent years when it comes to online co-op shooters, a single-player narrative was something that hadn't been done in a long time. 

Jedi: Fallen Order features platformer puzzles similar to the Uncharted series, coupled with a combat system that takes inspiration from Dark Souls and attempts to pose as much of a challenge for the player as possible. It's not the best Star Wars game, but it tries its best. Not to mention, chopping up things with a lightsaber is something everyone should try for once in their life, even if virtually.

4 The Last Of Us (2013)

Some of the best games on the PlayStation platform are cinematic adventures that balance story and gameplay just right, and no other game excels at that more than The Last of Us, from the same studio that created Uncharted. 

The second entry remains a far too polarizing one, with some labeling it disappointing while others sing praises, but the first game is universally loved. The story of Joel and Ellie and their journey of survival in a world in ruins is one for the ages.

3 Far Cry 4 (2014)

In spite of the fact that the series suffers from the classic Ubisoft problem of repetitive gameplay, the games are still a must-play for fans of the action-adventure genre. Iconic antagonists are a staple of Far Cry, and although who is the better one between Pagan Min and Vas is a discussion for a different time, they're both bound to give the player some unforgettable experiences.

RELATED: 10 Awesome Tattoos Inspired By Far Cry 3

The absolutely beautiful world of the Himalayas still holds up today thanks to the graphical prowess of the Dunia engine too.

2 The Rebooted Tomb Raider Series (2013-2018)

Lara Croft and Nathan Drake walk similar lines as two of the most famous adventurists in video game history, although the former is years older than the latter and consequently has a richer saga.

While the previous games in the series will always be classics, the reboot series has undeniably helped the franchise maintain its prominence in modern times. The name of Lara Croft is no stranger in the world of cinema either, as a handful of successful movies have already been made starring the character.

1 The Uncharted Series (2007-2016)

Obviously, the best games to play in anticipation of the Uncharted movie are the ones that the film is based upon. Developer Naughty Dog's action-adventure series has established itself as not only one of the landmark titles on the PlayStation console, but one of the most popular action-adventure games in the world.

Exactly what parts of the video game world that people have come to love over the years will be carried over to the film remains to be seen, but hopefully it will be a worthy experience for both long-time fans and first-timers alike.

NEXT: 10 Action/Adventure Movies To Watch If You Love The Uncharted Games

10 Action Adventure Games To Play To Get Excited For Tom Holland’s Uncharted Movie from https://ift.tt/3bZ8vHm

#Blogger

[robo-dino-puppy]

visiting the naming cliff

#horizon zero dawn #hzd #aloy #hzd the naming cliff #hzd the sacred lands #i forgot how fun being able to pull the camera back reallllll far is lol #(not just zoom out) #thank u pc modders #still wish we could get here on console :( :( :( #hzd out of bounds #out of bounds exploration #hzd pc #(remove reload boundary mod)

[oliverarditi]

Solitary movement through a hauntological palimpsest

Aloy moves alone through her world. Geralt in the Witcher series is constantly bounded and motivated by his social relations and obligations, despite his fundamentally ronin status; in contrast, although the protagonist of Horizon Zero Dawn is provided by her back-story with a social context that explains who she is and why, the earliest stages of the narrative excise her of all social obligations and close relationships. It is to the credit of the writers that they take the time to show how this is socially possible, within the customs of her tribe, but this liberty accorded to Aloy is clearly a pretext for the player’s freedom within the game’s beautifully realised open world. Also in contrast to the Witcher games, side quests lack narrative complexity, and almost every secondary character is lacking in depth. Even the Witcher’s over-sexualised female companions, placed at the erotic convenience of both character and (implicitly male) player, are much more convincingly drawn characters, with the semblance of their own lives and motivations, but in Horizon Zero Dawn the only character that really gets to sing her song is Aloy.

Lucky then, that it is a song worth singing. Her courage, compassion and intelligence will capture the hearts of most players before they’ve known her for an hour, even if, unlike me, they do not have a daughter of roughly Aloy’s age. Although the writers must clearly be given their due for the way in which Aloy responds to her experiences and environment, there is little development in her character from beginning to end of the tale, and the majority of the credit for her striking charisma belongs to the voice acting of Ashly Burch. Burch is known as a specialist in voice acting for games, although I’m only familiar with one of her other roles; in Horizon Zero Dawn she speaks with the same kind of quiet precision deployed by Mark Rylance in his portrayal of Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall (and memorably satirised by Ben Miller in S3:E3 of Upstart Crow). This proves a very apt match for Aloy’s character traits, which include an unshakeable ability to focus, relentless determination, icy unflappability, and razor-sharp mental and physical capacities. Despite her seeming perfection, or perhaps because of it, the player still feels her vulnerability in the face of circumstances that are both global and apocalyptic in scope, and it is her mourning for the destructive loss of the world that was (our world, that is to say) that gives the game its narrative heart.

Horizon Zero Dawn is set roughly a thousand years in the future, in a world populated by tribal peoples who know nothing of our times. They have some technical capacities, based around the scavenging of ancient or discarded technology, but live for the most part somewhere between the neolithic and the medieval, in terms of both material and social culture. They share the world with a curiously reduced palette of land vertebrates, and a large number of advanced robots of mysterious origin, which fill the ecological niches that, in our age, belong to the larger animals. These robots are routinely hunted for the parts and materials which can be scavenged from them, although some are so large and so well equipped with military equipment that hunting them is rarely practical for those less remarkably skilled than Aloy. Finding out how this state of affairs came about, and preventing it from becoming precipitately worse, becomes Aloy’s goal, by way of investigating her own mysterious origins.

It is this hunting of the machines that gives the game its heart as a game, and which makes it as compelling as the Witcher, which is far more engaging on a narrative level, but which can be played with little more than ham-fisted button-mashing (on the difficulty levels I tend to choose in my dotage, at any rate). Each machine must be hunted in the correct way, with the correct weapons, although it should also be said that there are usually several correct ways to complete any gameplay objective. I have to admit that I usually play for the story, in this kind of visually accomplished AAA game, but with HZD the gameplay grabbed me and didn’t release me until long after I had completed the narrative. That this nuanced and multi-levelled hunting and combat takes place against the backdrop of a beautifully rendered version of what our material culture might look like after a millennium of total neglect gives HZD its peculiar and engaging affective character, a kind of kinetic melancholy.

As the big secrets of the backstory are revealed we are drawn deeper into the narrative, whose most compelling elements turn out to be the fragmentary lives preserved from earlier times in the media snippets that are scattered throughout the world. Aloy has a mission, in terms of responding urgently to events that are emergent in her own time, but her progress through the world is as driven by curiosity as much as anything else, and by a need to recover lost lives from their documentary traces. The past exists liminally in HZD, poised between presence and absence, as in Jacques Derrida’s concept of ‘hauntology’. In fact, it sometimes feels as though W.G. Sebald had written a Tomb Raider game, its protagonist pursuing not treasure or power, but an ineffable palimpsest of forgotten lives. Although HZD does not really stand up to its competition in terms of characterisation and interpersonal drama, this combination of uniquely compelling gameplay, and a pensive, hauntological fascination with the frailty of memory, both crystallised through the person of its precisely delineated protagonist, makes the game, for me, one of the AAA genre’s most complex and moving works of art.

[taurusversant]

TV Reacts to Sony E3 2k17

Last year I made a compilation of my reactions to the sony conference and posted it to my tumblr, skipped tweeting live reactions to just script them all out. This year I'm going to do the same. These reactions are live, and prone to miss details, so that's just how we go.

Anyway speaking of last year, Sony's been doing good! The last few years for them have been solid shows, and I hope and pray that from those successes they've learned how to be consistant in delivering well. Here's hoping.

So I'm gonna start typing as the conference goes and we'll see where we go. Let's begin!

Just before it starts, I want to give a special shoutout to the Undertale for PS4 trailer. Cause wow.

HERE WE GO IT BEGINS

Bound? Why show Bound in the opening compilation? That game didn't do as well as I'd hoped it would. Hmm.

Repping that Abzu though, I love Abzu. Y'all play Abzu.

Last time sony had a big live orchestra. Same deal this time? Wow, okay, not an orchestra this time. Still classy as hell tho. Sony gotta rep that Class.

Good lord the waterfall y'all. Sony come on goddamn the light patterns? The Class. THE CLASS.

This has nothing whatsoever to do with games but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it.

OKAY HERE COMES A VIDEOGAME. What's it gonna be? Uncharted? I'm seeing Uncharted maybe? Yeah that's the next Uncharted, the one with Chloe and the girl from UC4 I don't remember the name of. Volume's not working right unfortunately.

The volume not coming through to the screen properly is annoying but is anyone else hype for the girls' roadtrip of adventure? I sure am.

Probably gonna have to watch this trailer again with the actual game volume. I hope to god Sony fixes this issue quick so I can hear the other trailers.

Right into a second trailer, no time for anyone on stage it's GUERILLA GAMES WHATCHA GOT? HORIZON OR KILLZONE?

HORIZON HORIZON HORIZON TWO I WAS WRONG IT'S ALREADY ANNOUNCED

Volume's still busted but FUCK YEAH I SEE A TALLNECK. Horizon 2 set in the Banuk lands, how here am I for this? Very. Aloy has the Ultraweave armour, I was literally thinking this morning about how they'd do progress from the previous game to this one. Keep it all.

HORIZON ZERO DAWN THE FROZEN WILDS COMING TWENTY SEVENTEEN WHAT WHAT WHAT? IS IT DLC? WHAT?

Bend Studio, I don't recall what their deal is. Really wish this lack of trailer audio coming through to the stream would be fixed. Anyway this looks like that zombie game so I'ma check out for a few minutes. Don't care about zombie games.

Maaaan, I just finished Horizon yesterday (They just fixed the audio issue) and now the next (Game? Expansion?) is announced. I can't believe this. This rules. Horizon is one of my favourite games from this year, y'all gotta play that too.

Games can be s o violent. It's a surprise they show this so readily in these sorts of conferences but I guess it's fine. Gotta cover all angles, from saccharine to gritty, even if by including brutal stuff it filters out a younger audience. Guess the youngers don't have enough buying power to really justify marketing to them in a conference designed to generate buying hype.

l m f a o at the hanging bodies above the stage that flail as they do in the game goddamn Sony wants the Showmanship Award fo sho.

Hiding in grass and throwing rocks, basically stealing all of Horizon's stuff right now.

For as good as this game looks it's not really putting anything innovative out there, just next level of quality. I really can't find any interest in Days Gone (I remembered what the title was).

I recall the zombie horde in this being described as liquid and I really do see that. They just washed away all opposition.

Zombie Bear. That's a problem.

This dude doing the fucking praising bow what is that. Anyway after three trailers, Shawn is on stage. Sony really evoking how well last year went.

"I had to walk under zombies to get out on stage right now" This guy's basically saying "This is gonna be all about games" and that's what we need to hear.

He's not wrong about the past few months being amazing for games. HZD, Nioh, Res7, P5, I heard one other game but I couldn't tell what it was. Hope it was Nier Automata. Maybe not since it's not exclusive. Was Res7 exclusive?

Thanks Shawn, let's get back to the games.

Rabid cult following title? It is... MONSTER HUNTER. HELL YEAH I HEARD ABOUT THIS. Monster Hunter World, right? Tell me how this is gonna be.

Hiding in grass to avoid monsters, that's completely new to start with. Then again this isn't going to be like a normal MonHun, it's going to be something different. How different? Something we still care for? I hope so.

Immediate mount, thrown free, grappling hook, a million things are happening here.

The FIRE JETS ARE YOU SERIOUS? SONY

Anyway what's most important is this game still plays like a MonHun. The music wasn't playing when that guy was cooking the meat and already that's a strike against.

Next game is... why does that look like the sotc building oh my god. You wouldn't. You OH MY GOD THIS IS SOTC

A HD REMAKE? WOW. Goddamn.

New Marvel game, neat.

Wait why was Megaman there? Why is Chun Li here? This is happening. Is that a Jhen Moran? Is this Capcom World? Capcom x Marvel? Marvel vs Capcom Infinite, my goodness.

Being distracted by other things, next game is a war thingy again, not my taste, I can chill at least. Ah it's a CoD. Yeah none of my business.

Next is VR Skyrim. That's cool. My twitch stream is buffering a lot though. Makes me sad.

Next up, from playful, is... It's still a VR game. The VR block started unannounced this year compared to last year, but then again last year was the announcement of the VR headset so that makes sense. That does mean this block of games isn't hugely interesting to me, I don't have a drive to get into VR yet. It'd need to take something earthshaking to do it.

The game is Star Child. Looks nice, I'm not doing VR at this point in my life.

Next from Supermassive games is... hmm, supermassive, what did they do? I should remember this. I don't. It's still PSVR. Is this the Batman VR? Arkham VR? No, just a VR experience.

Another FFXV thing. VR Fishing Games inside FFXV? Amazing. They really love putting games inside this videogame. Monster of the Deep, fantastic. The longer I put off playing XV the more content it gains.

Another Supermassive title... they are the VR people it seems. Shooty shooty gun gun has never been my style so I'm cool here. What's next?

Polyarc bringing us... a cute little rodent guy on an adventure. That's adorable. Looks like players control an orb that oversees this little'un, rather than the hero itself. Moss. Fascinating.

The sounds of water gave way to someone rowing a boat. This isn't a VR title, this is something OH YEAH there's God of War. I was waiting for it to arrive. Let's get another look into what this game is going to be.

Dad Simulator continues. Kratos trying to raise a kid. What a life. Oh... Fenrir? Is Kratos bringing Ragnarok?

Kratos climbing a cliff with the kid on his back was incredible. This game is going to be an experience.

WORLD SERPENT. Excellent. can't wait to fight that.

Early 2018, good lord, next year isn't going to be any more merciful than this one was.

I recognise that circle on the side of the head, but don't know from where. Looks to be Detroit Become Human though which is another game that I really don't find myself caring for. We'll let it be.

I can't tell if this glitching is because of the game itself or the video. Hmmm. Also this gosh dang buffering is not stopping, I'm definitely going to be watching past this stream's ending time for normal people.

Next is from Bungie. Destiny 2? Yeah definitely Destiny 2. Looks to be Cabal focused. I like the Cabal, so that's good stuff. Probably still won't go into it though. I had my fun time wtih the first Destiny but that was enough for me.

Looks like Sony got the exclusivity (for a period of time) deal again. Sucks to want to play this on xbox.

Shawn's back to talk to us some more. What's up, Shawn? You got any bombshells for us? Cause while there's been a lot of games there's certainly been nothing that intensive.

Apparently a big name is coming, it's... oh right, Spiderman. Insomniac Spiderman. Excellent.

Oh the video glitching is still here, maybe it's my stream catching up? Or video problems. W/e, doesn't stop me from understanding it. Spiderman's silent takedowns are pretty effective. Impressively so.

These moves are really something. Spiderman fighting like a boss. It's cool to see.

I wonder if spiderman automatically saves people from death? I can't see him actually killing humans, even bad guys.

DAMN SPIDEY YOU STRONG.

This swingign and city navigation looks really good. Very excited for this spiderman game.

Those webs are truly impressive. Very good showing.

Okay looks like that's it for the conference. It was... kinda quiet, ultimately. There's no real bombshells, nothing earthshaking, just solid quality and variety. I can't complain, definitely not. It just means Sony's gonna keep kicking goals as they are right now.

Games of note from this conference then? The Uncharted 4 Expansion/Next game/whatever it is, Horizion Zero Dawn Expansion/Next Game/Whatever, Monster Hunter Worlds, Shadow of the Colossus Remake, God of War and Spiderman. 6 things in this conference I'm very here for. Not too shabby, not at all. Thanks Sony!

#tvtalks #e3 #a nice quiet boatload of games

[h0riz0nstuff]

Running around the frozen edges of the world

(edit : this is me exploring out of bounds, it’s not the Frozen Wilds. A good part of the terrain is like that close to the edge of the map, or high in the mountains beyond the reload boundaries. The last pict is taken from out of bound looking toward the inside of the map.)

#hzd #hzd photomode #horizon zero dawn #ps4 #guerrilla games #ps4 games #video games #horizon zero dawn pc #hzd pc #aloy #the frozen wilds #beyond the horizon #exploring out of bounds

[foibles-fables]

I see your blogging abt Aloy breaking down and raise you Talanah breaking down (I mean, I really would just like to see it. how they cope. how they support each other. idk. I'm a simple gal, I just want to see them be there for each other)

a HEY BUDDY, I’m gonna answer both of these in one post if that’s cool!

HAHAHA you know exactly how to get to me! Short answer: yes.

Long answer: YEEEEEES.

Okay, real answer:

I'm in full agreement re: both Hawk and Thrush struggling with vulnerability. It's probably a little bit of self-indulgent headcanon/fun (and possible projection, oh no) on my part, but I could envision Talanah having some...anxiety and control issues? if that was a potential direction of development. I mean, she's taken a position of power under a very interesting and difficult circumstance--coming off of three years of a performative tough exterior in an organization in which at least a small majority Very Clearly Does Not Want her. That, of course coupled with all of the knowns and unknowns during Jiran's reign of terror through the Liberation, very likely modulated the way she kept herself (and her trauma response) in check with single-minded pursuit of a specific goal. And as far as coping goes, that's not always for the best.

While her HZD questline wrapped up with an air of satisfying finality...we already know from the comic that the satisfaction wore off. Where that takes us, I can certainly speculate. But I don't want to project any hopes onto HFW, given that we really don't know the extent of her role just yet. LISTEN I hope it's large, she's on the official art, oh god here I go Closer-to or with more info, maybe I'll let myself break my chains and ruin all of your lives and/or embarrass myself with my hollering. For now, I'll leave it at this: I'm not convinced that any potential HFW narrative would dive into her struggles, specifically, as a focal point--as you noted, maybe as more of a foil for Aloy. I do think that Talanah and/or any other returning friends and/or new friends will have a part to play in yanking Aloy out of the despair she's bound for, and back into integrity.

HFW speculation aside, though, this idea you've posed is a pretty constant thought in my own mind (re: shades of the Sunhawk breakdown). It's the hyperfixation It's definitely the reason why I'm indulging in writing this silly thing, as a during-game evaluation of a question posed much later in the comic (with 100% less broody dudes, sorry Amadis you're cool): what do you do when you lay the past to rest? Our girl's got some trauma (the checklist of the dead family, years spent in exile from her home, a dead mentor, sexism that leads to associates wanting her dead, too, both in word and in action), and when she becomes Sunhawk? The entirety of her sublimation endgame is met and...then what's left standing between her and any of the response that she's maybe stamped down? The idea of true- or false-closure and being jolted out of control has me by the throat with this one, and integrating her into a few late-game plot lines is a REALLY fun way to frame it. [also more is coming soon, promise, oops, some Real Life angst has left me less capable of writing fictional angst as of late but APPARENTLY we back, babeeyyy]

ANYWAY, cool beans, I've spoken A Lot here about a side character with ~25 total minutes of plot relevance thus far. And spoken way too much about my own pursuits surrounding it, please don't perceive me ha ha ha i'm going to go walk into the woods for a little while

#talanah khane padish #horizon zero dawn #horizon forbidden west #talanah my beloved #DEFINITELY setting myself up for a big L here #i will KICK my OWN ASS #so satisfying bro #girl help i'm hyperfixating #foibles is writing hzd stuff

[steph-squatch]

That Cheiftain trial????? God help me

#steph derps #steph plays hzd #it took me 4 minutes just to kill the fuckin scorchers and like half a bellowback #and then i failed the challenge on the frost claws cause i backed up too far #and went out of bounds