Horizon Zero Dawn™: The Board Game is a semi co-operative tactical action game for 1-4 players designed in the rich and unique Horizon Zero Dawn™ universe.
Assigned a dangerous quarry by the Hunter’s Lodge, players choose a tribe and class for their hunter and embark on an adventure through the wilds. A variety of machines and unexpected events lurk along the way, and awaiting them at the end of the trail is a lethal boss fight.
Combining innovative and dynamic game mechanics with strategic deck building, Horizon Zero Dawn™: The Board Game offers players a unique experience on each playthrough. Hunters can develop along several skill paths and purchase a wide variety of ammunition and equipment from merchants, as well as facing entirely different encounters each time.
The Seeker Pledge includes:
- Horizon Zero Dawn™: The Board Game
- The Lawless Badlands Expansion
- The Scared Land Expansion
- Kickstarter Exclusive Aloy model
- All Unlocked Stretch Goals
Each hunter has a distinct playstyle with a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. The Nora Exile is a highly skilled and resourceful archer; the Banuk Survivor lives on a knife edge, pushing themselves to the absolute limit. The Carja Warrior is a flashy but lethal duellist, and the Oseram Forgesmith smashes their enemies around with powerful sledgehammer blows.
Remember, if one hunter dies, then it's game over for everyone, so pay careful attention and work with your allies. Don’t leave an errant Watcher to run out and alert the other machines! Each session presents players with a host of variables and challenges to change their game experience and will keep them entertained for hours on end.
Choosing a path to follow from the Tracking Deck offers players a difficult choice. They can choose to take the easy path, progressing with little resistance but earning few resources to spend with the merchants or to boost their attacks; or they can take a more challenging trail, encountering more formidable adversaries. Overcoming these foes will not be easy, but can earn precious materials to empower the hunters for their next encounter. The choice is yours…
Combat is deeply tactical, offering players meaningful choices at every turn. Hunters can sneak through tall grass and remain hidden until the time to strike is right, but every second which passes means the machines are one step further along their patrol routes. Wait too long, and your prey will leave the playing area and you’ll fail the encounter – attack too soon, and you’ll make enough noise to attract the attention of every enemy in earshot.
As the game goes on, players will soon learn to adapt their strategy to each type of enemy, all of whom react differently to the hunters. Some have vulnerable components for the players to tear off, providing extra resources or disabling powerful attacks. Others are lethal foes who will need to be finished quickly, before they pin a hunter down and tear them to pieces.
Although the players are working together to bring down their prey, they must still be aware of their allies. Hunters earn glory points during each encounter for performing particularly heroic or devastating attacks, attracting the attention of the ever-vigilant Hunter’s Lodge. After each battle, the Lodge awards Sun tokens for the players with the most glory – and at the end of the game when their quarry is at last overcome, the player with the most Suns is declared the victorious winner!
After each successful encounter, the players will be able to visit merchants to upgrade their decks with improved ammunition, new weapons, or stock up on potions. They’ll also be able to level up, each progressing a skill path unique to their hunter and which allows further customisation. The more difficult the encounter, the higher tier of merchant they will be able to visit, and the further they’ll be able to progress their skill tree.
Designed to be deep enough to satisfy experienced tabletop gamers whilst also remaining accessible to newer players, Horizon Zero Dawn™: The Board Game is quick to learn but difficult to master. Fans will encounter the enemies and machines they fell in love with when playing the original videogame, and newcomers will find themselves drawn into this incredible world.
