Primitive tribal culture meets futuristic robotic beasts. That sounds like something people only read about in books or see in movies. A unique concept that would go straight down the drain if done poorly. But no. Guerrilla Games did it with Horizon Zero Dawn and executed it with little left to complain about. Reddit consensus actually suggests the game’s writing is one of its biggest strengths. And it’s not just player opinions. Winning the Outstanding Achievement in Videogame Writing award surely helps make the case. As such, players have worlds to explore and characters to listen to. There’s attitude, riddles, wisdom, and all sorts of details that give Horizon Zero Dawn a remarkably layered script.
With an epic narrative and compelling lines, this action RPG has no shortage of quotes that linger long after you’re done playing.
The Story of Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn is set in a future where colossal machines rule the planet. The game centers on young outcast Aloy’s quest for the truth about her origins. But her journey takes a turn, raising more questions about Earth’s state and the secrets buried beneath it all. Aloy discovers she has a task: stop the second wiping of humanity from the planet.
On the surface, the game may come off as a straightforward adventure. One built around hunting machines and exploring a world reclaimed by nature. That blend of elements pulls players in for the first several hours, showcasing its mastery of the principles of game design. But if you observe closely, it carries a larger-than-life premise from the get-go. Aloy’s search reveals that the world is more twisted than the life she has known. So, what starts as a question about her identity becomes a fight to protect a world she never knew existed.
By the end, the game becomes the unraveling of the enduring value of truth and humanity’s responsibility to protect what lies ahead. The question is, will history repeat itself?
And you can see those ideas all over Horizon Zero Dawn’s dialogue. About knowledge. About identity. About survival. About human choices.
Quotes from Horizon Zero Dawn
With such a big cast, many characters have lines worth remembering. And here are some of the standouts:
Aloy
Aloy is the heart of Horizon Zero Dawn. Being an outcast and a hunter gave her a personality that is hard to miss. Independent, curious, determined, blunt, and sarcastic. She’s also very skeptical of tribal lore and beliefs. Aloy says what she wants to say. That gives her dialogue its edge.
- “Who was my mother?”
- “Confidence is quiet. You’re not.”
- “If it wasn’t for that “sentimentality,” life would have ended. You and I would never have existed.”
- “I will not be worshiped!”
- “What made her great was that she was willing to sacrifice herself. For others. For everyone who would come later.”
- “So many people here, all talking at once. How does anyone think?”
- “You’re an idiot. A dangerous idiot — but an idiot.”
- “Oh, is it? Try it out for eighteen years, Teersa, and then let me know what you think.”
- “I’ll always have a minute for you. Maybe even two.”
Sylens
Sylens appears in Horizon Zero Dawn as almost Aloy’s opposite. He’s a researcher and a wandering traveler. Obsessed with knowledge, he’s eager to help Aloy uncover the mysteries surrounding the world. Sylens is well-spoken, intellectual, and coldly logical.
- “Your argument is sound.”
- “I may have been foolish enough to serve HADES, but I was never so foolish that I trusted it.”
- “She was better than them. You shouldn’t be afraid to admit it.”
- “I’ve done all I can. From here on out, the rest is up to you.”
- “Elsewhere — and everywhere. There’s so much more to discover before the world ends.”
- “People die all the time. Now keep going, and find something interesting.”
Erend
Erend brings some much-needed humor to Aloy’s journey. But don’t get me wrong, he’s more than just comic relief. He’s a member of the Oseram and a warrior in the Vanguard.
- “I guess growing up means putting what you should do in front of what you want to do, right?”
- “Don’t give me too much credit.”
- “Less chit-chat, more drinking.”
- “Try not to forget about me while you’re out there changing the world.”
- “Why is it, every time something terrible happens, everyone tells you the worst thing that ever happened to them, as though that makes it easier?“
The Rest of the Characters in Horizon Zero Dawn
- “The strength to stand alone, Aloy, is the strength to make a stand. To serve a purpose greater than yourself. That is the lesson you must learn.” – Rost
- “It may be hard for you to accept, Aloy, but the practice of shunning is, relatively speaking, humane.” – Teersa
- “When we teach the young to walk on shifting ice we say: the secret is taking one step, then the next.” – Tikuk
- “Change will not come in a single sunrise.” – Avad
- “Being smart will count for nothing if you don’t make the world better.” – Elisabet Sobeck
- “And it’s not too late… if we’re willing to sacrifice.” – Faro
Lighter moments in Horizon Zero Dawn
- “Daddy sure does love his little big man…”
- “Two? Ha. She likes me.”
- “Should have brought a cart.”
- “I don’t. I just drink.”
- “You make it so hard to like you.”
- “Try asking something less trivial.”
For a game with enormous stakes, Horizon Zero Dawn matches them with quotes that let characters show their own attitudes, frustrations, and ways of dealing with them.
