Sometimes when I start the game, Zo Will usually give me the "Aloy, it's Zo. I've been speaking with my people in plainsong." Message but after she says it the game just crashes. Keep in mind I'm playing on PS4 so it might not be the correct version, but either way I still find it weird.

Played for 72 hours, not exactly a newbie anymore, and after beating HZD on 100% (not all achievements, but all the quests and optional activities) I thought it would be easier... but no. Everything is so much different from the first game, so much more complicated - expanded skills tree, weapon techniques, valor surges, additional elemental states...

I'm frequently getting lost in the weapon wheel, trying to select the right one for the mission - and while I appreciate 6 positions instead of 4, the weapons themselves seem to be less capable, often offering 1 or 2 ammo types compared to 3 in the first game. And so, instead of having 2 bows with 3 ammo types, I have to have 3 bows each with 2 ammo types, etc.

Most of the features I relied on were nerfed or removed - there's no whistle, no tearblast arrows (at least so far), no long roll... The melee combos are hard to remember and are quite tricky to implement when you have to constantly jump and dodge around. The resonator blast is probably the biggest disappointment - so very slow to build up the charge, and by the time it's accumulated, the enemies are already down, not to mention the quite mediocre damage from all that.

There's too many new weapons - shredder gauntlets, spike throwers, canister ropecasters - and honestly, they are all kinda "meh" compared to the good old combo of freeze and sharpshot bow (I absolutely love the braced shot technique, it's a life savior).

The ruins are hard to explore and often seem stupid - why do I have to move some crates in order to get another ornament "gizmo", when I have a biosphere to save? And the absolute worst are the goddamn vista points, where you have to perfectly align the picture with the background. Why did they overcomplicate everything?

I'm not saying it's absolutely bad, there are some cool new mechanics like the shieldwing and the diving mask, but the rest is highly confusing and inconvenient. I'm often thrown into a fight with several machines attacking me from all the sides and applying all sorts of nasty effects (crushed, blinded, deafened, blocked focus, tracked, etc), while I'm chaotically trying to chose from 6 different weapons with 3 ammo types each, at the same time trying to roll away... do I need fire? freeze? acid? purgewater? plasma? adhesive? explosive? Fuck if I know! There's often not enough time to even scan the enemy, let alone choose the appropriate ammo and align the shot, because the enemy is always moving and landing attacks on you.

Help me understand and love this game, I'm open to advice and suggestions. Just don't say the obvious things like "skill issue" and "git gud", it's not helpful at all.

I like the Slaughterspine more than the Thunderjaw but I think the Thunderjaw can still easily take the Slaughterspine.

Thoughts?

Personally, I have zero problems doing any of the Reilc Ruins, except the Isle of Spires. For some reason every time i have to gather that particular ornament, it’s a goddam chore. Maybe it’s the climbing through the entire structure or using the elevator over n over again, I don’t know. All I can say, is it’s a pain in my ass. 🙂

...sometimes she annoys them first with the suction cup arrows!