I started it a few days before Zelda and 100% already. I was hooked enough that it delayed my starting of BotW.
The story really takes a deep tragic twist starting with the Makers End quest.
It still kinda haunts me days later but I'm a sucker for post apocalypse, religion, and origin of life stories in video games. I love this shit. Horizon managed to tickle that funny spot that usually only top notch JRPGs can. Corral the player into some cliche preconception about the backstory, then piecemeal morsels of doubt as you approachthe climax, them the stunning revelation that you didn't see coming hits you like a truck.
All presented with emotional voice acting, superb cinematography, heart breaking music, slow motion vista pans and lighting effects in perfect sync with background music crescendos. Some of the end scenes had a drifty heart aching yearning feel with a Dances with Wolves or Last of the Mohicans quality to them. It was amazing feelz and not even a JRPG. I left the title music on loop in the background for hours after completing it.
Definitely an unexpected and unconventional twist at the end, and shows the difference between taking your time and allowing studios the time, budget, and creativity to pursue new IP and vs cancelling everything to make more space Marine shooter HD remasters.
One of my favorite Sony IPS since Ni no Kuni and The Last of Us.
