Horizon Zero Dawn presents a distant future in which pockets of humanity survive in primitive tribes, while strange machines hold dominion over the Earth. Only the bravest of tribespeople dare hunt these machines – and only the finest hunters live to tell the tale. In the following vignettes, four of Horizon Zero Dawn’s larger and deadlier machines are explored in detail:

Thunderjaw

The combat-class Thunderjaw is one of the deadliest machines encountered in Horizon Zero Dawn. A formidable beast equipped with cannons, disc launchers and a mouth laser, its powerful ranged attacks will quickly cut down any hunter foolish enough to alert it. Space permitting, it can also unleash with a devastating range of melee attacks such as charges and tail swipes.

Snapmaw

An acquisition-class machine, the Snapmaw is frequently found basking in or near bodies of water, where it gathers valuable minerals from the sediment. It can move with surprising ferocity when alerted, lashing out with an array of melee attacks that include powerful lunge bites and tail swipes. For ranged attacks, it fires off cryo mortars that freeze the target on impact.

Stormbird

Soaring through the sky at high altitude, the fearsome Stormbird is a combat-class machine that can swoop down and attack its prey with tremendous force. It is just as dangerous on land as it is in the air, with a variety of swift and powerful attacks that range from wing blasts to claw slashes. Its enormous metal wings are capable of collecting and discharging the electricity in the air.

Behemoth

The Behemoth is a huge, rugged transport-class machine that uses anti-gravity technology to transfer precious cargo from smaller acquisition-class machines into its stomach container. When provoked, it may charge at the enemy or use its anti-gravity unit to hurl heavy objects. It is also equipped with a set of grinding drills that allow it to grind and propel rock projectiles.

Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a machine hunter? Find out when Horizon Zero Dawn launches on February 28, and stay tuned to the official PlayStation Blog and Guerrilla’s own Facebook and Twitter pages for all the latest news on Horizon Zero Dawn!