Horizon Zero Dawn was the result of Guerrilla being "done" with Killzone, and wanting to make something that was "by choice, the opposite"
Oct. 22, 2024Guerrilla needed a change from Killzone
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Horizon Zero Dawnand its successors areverydifferent games to Guerrilla Games' FPS series, Killzone, and according to the studio’s art director, it was purposely made to be “the opposite” in order to “refresh the palette.”
Speaking toThe Washington Post in a new interviewabout the upcoming blocky spin-off, Lego Horizon Adventures, art director and studio veteran Roy Postma, who’s been at Guerrilla Games for the entire lifespans of the Killzone and Horizon series so far, reveals that, simply, the devs needed a change from Killzone. “We were done with it as a team. As a studio, we needed to refresh the palette,” Postma says. “It was, by choice, the opposite of Killzone.
“I think the themes that this story and the characters represent are relatable for all ages and people, like having a found family of friends and finding your place in the world,” Postma adds.
That latter point ties into something mentioned in the same interview by Lego’s product lead for branded games, Kate Bryant. As a character, protagonist Aloy “can speak to that wide audience because she has that strength of character that can resonate with a younger audience.” Of course, that’s particularly relevant as the release of the family-friendly Lego Horizon Adventures draws closer, which is notably launching on Nintendo Switch as well as PC and PS5. It’s hard to imagine Killzone being transformed into something similarly inviting to younger children. With that said, speaking of the upcoming Lego game, Postma admits: “Making people laugh when they play the game, that was new for us.”
Does all this mean that there’s no hope of Killzone ever making a return? It’s worth pointing out that Postma says the devs “were done,” which doesn’t necessarily mean that they still are, even if it definitely sounds like Horizon was the studio’s favorite, at least for a while. Hey, at leastKillzone was referenced in one of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered’s cosmetics, right?Right?
Lego Horizon Adventures hands-on: Post-apocalyptic robo-whacking is a better fit for blockification than you’d think.
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I’m one of GamesRadar+’s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield’s student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming’s news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you’re sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.
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