Introduction to Hunting Grounds

Learn how to conquer Horizon Zero Dawn's Hunting Grounds! Understand trial grading, rewards, and strategies for earning Blazing Suns.

Alright, so you've heard about these things called Hunting Grounds in Horizon Zero Dawn, right? Think of them as special challenge areas scattered across the map. They're your chance to really put your combat skills and your gear to the test against all sorts of Machines. There are five of these grounds in total, and each one throws three unique trials at you.

When you tackle these trials, you'll be aiming for different tiers of success, kind of like earning medals. These are called Blazing Sun (the top tier), Full Sun, and Half Sun. Getting a Blazing Sun or Full Sun can be pretty tough, as the time limits are tight and demand near-perfect execution. The Half Sun, though, is always a generous 20 minutes.

It's important to know that if you don't finish a trial within that 20-minute window, or if you mess up by, say, killing all the required machines before actually completing the trial's objective, you'll fail and have to try again. Every time you complete a trial for the first time, you'll get some experience points and a loot box. These boxes usually contain Metal Shards and a crafting ingredient, which are always handy. But here's the real kicker: if you manage to get a Blazing Sun on *all* the trials within a single Hunting Ground, you'll be rewarded with a valuable Skill Point. So, keep at it, and you'll rack up those skills in no time!