A closer look at the animation that moves Horizon Zero Dawn's robotic fauna

Developers from Guerrilla Games has previously talked in depth about the complexities of animating the diverse cast of robotic animals that inhabit the world of Horizon Zero Dawn, but a video shared by lead animator Richard Oud takes the conversation one step further. 

Oud has assembled an animation reel featuring some of the robots he worked on during the six-year-long development of Horizon Zero Dawn.

The three-minute long video can be found above and is packed with examples of how his team used movement to define the personality of each mechanized creature and the atmosphere of the game as a whole.

As lead animator, Oud says part of his duties involved making sure there was a clear and uniform style, look, and feel for the entire cast of “Machines” featured in the game. The selections featured in the reel, he says, are examples of the things he focused on during development and capture a wide variety of both motion and action. 

For more on how the animation team merged nature and robotics to create the creatures of Horizon Zero Dawn,  be sure to check out this conversation with Oud and several other Guerrilla Games developers.