Guerilla Games' Horizon Zero Dawn is well-known for its post-apocalyptic world swarming with dinosaur-like machines. Most of these machines are hostile to players and can be approached using stealth or by facing them head-on using Aloy's arsenal of weapons in Horizon Zero Dawn. As players advance in the game, however, they gain access to a different kind of weapon - Override, which gives players the ability to hack machines, turning them from foe to friend.
Overriding allows players to gain control over machines. In doing so, the machine is turned from its default hostile state toward the player into an ally that will fight by their side. After Overriding a machine, their glowing lights change color from orange to blue, indicating it as an ally. Once Overridden, not only will the machines aid players in combat, but a select few can also be used as mounts to help traverse the world quickly.
Players gain the ability to Override after progressing the main story quests and completing "Womb of the Mountain." This quest becomes available to players relatively early in the game and allows them to Override all PSI-tier machines, such as Striders, Watchers, and Broadheads. After this, players must continue to increase their level and upgrade their skills to complete Cauldrons, advance their Override ability, and hack higher tier machines. Cauldrons are underground bunkers where machines are created, and by completing each Cauldron, players unlock the ability to override machines of that tier level.
Overriding Machines In Horizon Zero Dawn
To Override a machine, a player must remain undetected and sneak up either behind or next to the machine. After doing so, they will be given the option for Silent Strike to kill the machine in a single shot or to Override, hacking the machine to gain control of it and make it friendly to the player. While most machines can be Overridden in the game, only a select few can be used as a mount. Here are all the machines available to be Overridden in Horizon Zero Dawn:
PSI Overrides
• Broadhead - Can mount
• Charger - Can mount
• Strider - Can mount
• Watcher
• Control Tower
• Redeye Watcher
• Tallneck
SIGMA Overrides
• Grazer
• Lancehorn
• Sawtooth
• Scrapper
RHO Overrides
• Longleg
• Ravager
• Shell-Walker
• Snapmaw
• Trampler
XI Overrides
• Behemoth
• Fire Bellowback
• Freeze Bellowback
• Glinthawk
• Stalker
ZETA Overrides
• Rockbreaker
• Stormbird
• Thunderjaw
EPSILON Overrides
• Fireclaw
• Frostclaw
• Scorcher
Having the Override ability is a handy tool that gives players a wide array of mechanical allies to help them progress through the game. Whether used to secure a mount to travel the HZD's vast open-world or aid the player in a difficult combat scenario, Override is a fun and unique mechanic that players can utilize while playing Horizon Zero Dawn.
Horizon Zero Dawn is available on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.