“It’s part of playing tactically, so it’s okay to run out of sight and hide.

“In Horizon, ‘retreat’ does not indicate failure,” says Lead Quest Designer, David Ford.

Don't be afraid to run. If you accidentally alert powerful Machines to your presence or feel like you’ve bitten off more than you can chew in a fight, turn tail.

Her head will often move in the direction of something of interest (usually a resource you can collect), while her dialogue will sometimes let you know when an enemy has spotted you or called off its pursuit.

Let Aloy be your guide. Pay particular attention to Aloy’s head movements and dialogue, as they’ll help you when exploring.

Her dodge roll is particularly vital for evading Machine attacks, so always remain ready to use it, before springing a counter-attack. Agility and mobility are Aloy’s greatest assets, and there’s no stamina bar to limit you from sprinting or dodging as much as you like. If you don’t want to get too close, firing Corruption Arrows can cause enough chaos for you to sit back and watch the battle, before moving in to pick off the survivors. If you’re struggling against too many Machines, overriding a few to fight on your behalf can ramp up your chances of survival. “But if you blow off its disc launcher, stealth around its attacks and turn its own weapon against it, then that can be a massive help.” “You’re never going to one-shot a Thunderjaw,” warns Lead Narrative Designer John Gonzales.

Broaden your weapons range. Most Machines are equipped with special weapon components that can be torn off with a few well-placed Tearblast arrows – which means you can turn the tide of a battle.

“Crafting potions, especially ones that can give you elemental resistances, can be a huge help, as it can cut down the amount of damage you’ll take in those conflicts,” says Lead Narrative Designer John Gonzales. It’s also worth making sure you’re aware of the elements those particular Machines can dish out in their attacks, too – this can make a potentially tricky battle become easier.

Harness the elements. Taking advantage of a Machine’s elemental vulnerabilities could be the difference between life and death, so use your Focus to find out what works and equip yourself appropriately to deal maximum damage.

“You can come back to them after you deal with other enemies – or even have the Machine tear off its own parts as it tries to get free.”

“Tying a big enemy down for a long period of time using something like the Rope Caster is really useful,” explains Combat Designer Troy Mashburn. So it’s vital to exploit traps to hinder an enemy’s movement or reduce its health, especially when you’re tracking a Machine’s path. Be crafty with your traps. It’s rare you’ll survive an out and out battle during the early stages of the game, where even a couple of Watchers can quickly overwhelm you.“Then hit specific components you’ve marked on targeted Machines to deal a lot of damage, especially when tackling the more dangerous ones.” “Because Aloy’s movements and actions are limited while using Focus, the tall grass is useful to stay out of sight,” says Director Mathijs de Jonge. Focus is useful to identify Machines, inspect their components and keep track of their patrol paths, but be wary of the disadvantages.

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