You’re standing on a rusted metal ridge. Below you, a Thunderjaw scans the valley with a blue light that feels a little too personal. You’ve got a bow, some wire, and a burning need to see that little platinum icon pop up in the corner of your screen. Honestly, the horizon zero dawn trophies ps4 list is one of the more "fair" grinds in modern gaming. It doesn’t ask you to beat the game on a difficulty that makes you want to throw your controller out a window, and it doesn't have those annoying multiplayer trophies that die when servers go dark. It’s just you, Aloy, and a lot of mechanical carnage.
But here’s the thing. Most people trip up on the same three or four trophies because they’re either hidden or just plain tedious. If you’re looking to 100% this thing, you need to know which parts of the map are actually worth your time and which are just distractions. It’s not about doing everything; it’s about doing the right things in the right order.
The Hunting Grounds are the Real Gatekeepers
If you ask any veteran player which trophy caused the most stress, they won’t say the final boss. They’ll say the Blazing Suns. To get the "All Blazing Suns at all Grounds" trophy, you have to earn the top rank in every single trial at all five Hunting Grounds. It’s timed. It’s frantic. It’s occasionally buggy if a machine decides to path weirdly.
Take the Greatrun Hunting Ground, for example. The Parts Wrangling Trial is basically an exercise in frustration if you don't use the Ropecaster. You have to tie down Tramplers and then shoot off their underside plates. If you try to do this with just arrows, you’re going to fail. Period. The game is testing your knowledge of the mechanics, not just your aim. You’ve got to be fast. Two minutes feels like ten seconds when a giant mechanical bull is trying to flatten your ribcage.
The trick is usually to ignore the "stealth" aspect of these trials unless the trial specifically demands it. Just run. Aggro everything. Use the specific weapon the trial is trying to teach you about. If it’s the Ravager vs. Machines trial at the Sun Furrows, don't bother shooting the Ravager with your own stuff. Tear off its cannon immediately. That cannon is your ticket to a Blazing Sun. People overthink it. They try to be tactical. Don't be tactical; be efficient.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore the Grappling Dummies
There’s a bronze trophy called "Downed 23 Grazer Dummies" that acts as a completionist’s nightmare. Why? Because they aren't marked on the map. Not one of them. You can spend eighty hours exploring every nook and cranny of the Nora lands and still miss two of these wooden deer-looking things.
They are all located in Nora settlements. Places like Mother’s Heart, Mother’s Watch, and Karst’s House. You’ve basically got to go on a domestic tour of the Sacred Lands and melee every single one you see. If you’ve finished the game and realize you’re missing this, you have to fast-travel back to the start and do a scavenger hunt. It’s arguably the most "boring" part of the horizon zero dawn trophies ps4 journey, but it’s a mandatory stop on the way to Platinum.
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Most players miss the ones at the Rost’s house or the ones tucked behind buildings in Mother's Cradle. Honestly, just look for the training areas. If you see a wooden post with some straw that looks vaguely like a machine, smack it. If it falls over, you’re one step closer.
The "All Allies Joined" Trophy is Missable (Sort Of)
There’s a lot of debate online about whether Horizon has "missable" trophies. Technically, no. You can go back and do almost everything after the credits roll. But "All Allies Joined" is the one that makes people nervous. It requires you to complete a specific set of side quests so that certain characters show up to help you in the final battle at Meridian.
You need characters like Talanah, Varl, Namman, and Uthid by your side. If you rush the main story, they won't be there. The good news is that even if you reach the final mission "The Looming Shadow" and realize you haven't done the side quests, you can just... go do them. The game resets you to just before the final battle after you finish it anyway.
The essential side quests involve:
- The Sunstone Rock questline (for Janeva).
- The Hunter’s Lodge quests (for Talanah).
- Helping out in Sunfall (for Uthid and Vanasha).
- Dealing with the corruption in Mother’s Crown (for Sona).
It’s basically the game's way of rewarding you for actually caring about the world-building. If you treat Aloy’s journey like a solo sprint, you’ll miss out on the emotional payoff and the shiny trophy.
Collecting the Power Cells for the Shield-Weaver
Look, playing the game without the Shield-Weaver armor is fine. Playing with it makes you feel like a god. The trophy "Got the Shield-Weaver outfit" is tied to the Ancient Armory quest. You need five Power Cells.
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The problem is that these cells are tucked away in main mission areas that are sometimes hard to navigate once the mission is over. The one in All-Mother Mountain is notorious. If you don't grab it during the "Womb of the Mountain" quest, the doors might be locked for a significant portion of the mid-game. You have to wait until the story circles back around to get in there.
There's another one at the very top of Maker’s End. It’s a long climb. A really long climb. If you get to the office at the top and don't look behind the elevator shaft, you’re going to have to make that trek all over again. Don't do that to yourself. Check every corner when you’re in a "One-Way" story ruin.
The Grind for Metal Flowers and Vantages
Collectibles in games usually suck. In Horizon, they’re actually kind of interesting because of the lore, but the horizon zero dawn trophies ps4 list requires you to find all of them. Metal Flowers, Banuk Figures, and Ancient Vessels.
Buy the maps. Seriously. There are merchants in Meridian who sell maps that show the general area of every collectible. They don't give you the exact spot—usually a large white circle on the map—but it beats wandering aimlessly.
The Vantages are the best of the bunch. They tell the story of a man named Bashar Mati during the "Old Ones" era. They’re usually high up on cliffs. If you’re trying to find one and can’t see it, look for the supply crates nearby or a specific climbing path marked with yellow handholds. The trophy pops when you’ve collected all 12, but the real reward is the tragic story they tell. It’s one of the few times I’ve actually enjoyed hunting for icons on a map.
Dealing with the Corrupted Zones
The "All Corrupted Zones Cleared" trophy is where the combat difficulty spikes. These machines are faster, hit harder, and leave a trail of "corruption" that drains your health.
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The level 34 zones are no joke. You’ll face two Fire Bellowbacks or multiple Rockbreakers. For the Rockbreakers, stay on the rocks. They can’t "swim" through solid stone. If you stay on the dirt, they’ll erupt under you and take half your health bar in one go. Tearblast arrows are your best friend here. Strip their digging claws, and they become much more manageable.
Fire is also your primary weapon against anything corrupted. They are all weak to it. Even if the base machine isn't particularly flammable, the corruption makes them burn like dry kindling. Keep a Shadow Hunter Bow with high fire coils specifically for these zones.
The Frozen Wilds and New Game+
If you’re a real masochist, you’ll go for the 100% including the DLC and the New Game+ trophies. These are separate from the Platinum, so you don't need them for the big trophy, but they look good on the profile.
New Game+ on Ultra Hard is a different beast. Prices for gear skyrocket. Enemies lose their health bars. Their detection range is basically "if you're on the same continent, they see you." The best way to handle this is to get the Shield-Weaver armor and the best weapons from your first playthrough before starting NG+. Don't try to start Ultra Hard from scratch unless you really love seeing the "Game Over" screen.
The Frozen Wilds adds trophies for finding Animal Figurines and Pigments. The Fireclaws you have to hunt at the end are significantly tougher than anything in the base game. It’s a nice victory lap once you’ve mastered the core mechanics.
Actionable Steps for Your Platinum Run
To get this done efficiently, follow this loose roadmap:
- Prioritize the "All Allies Joined" side quests as soon as they become available. It saves you from having to backtrack right before the final boss.
- Buy the Collectible Maps in Meridian the moment you reach the city. It turns the hunt into a series of quick stops while you’re doing other missions.
- Grab Power Cells during story missions. Set a reminder or check a quick reference guide before entering "The Grave-Hoard" or "Maker's End."
- Knock out the Grazer Dummies early. Just do a lap around the Nora starting area. It takes ten minutes and saves you a headache later.
- Save the Hunting Grounds for last. By the time you’ve finished the story, you’ll have the best weapons (like the Lodge War Bow) and high-tier coils, making the time trials much easier.
Getting the horizon zero dawn trophies ps4 isn't about being a perfect gamer. It’s about being an observant one. Take your time, enjoy the scenery, and remember to use your Focus. That little device isn't just for lore; it's the key to finding every hidden item and weak point in the game. Happy hunting.