'Horizon Zero Dawn' vantage points: Locations for all 12 and how to find them

Impact

Horizon Zero Dawn just wouldn't be an open-world game without collectibles, and there are a lot of them. Some, like the power cells, grant you access to uber-powerful, late-game armor. Others, like the Metal Flowers, are used to obtain mods and powerful augments for the game's protagonist, Aloy.

Vantage points fulfill another very important niche in post-BioShock game exposition. They're fancy audio logs, and they provide Horizon Zero Dawn players with a brief look into the world of the game before everything went down the technologically advanced super-toilet.

As with the other collectibles in the game, you can buy maps from vendors that show you the general location of the vantage points, but it's going to take a little more effort than just buying the maps if you want to find all 12.

Horizon Zero Dawn vantage points: Locations for all 12

The writers at iDigitalTimes have overlaid all the vantage points onto a single map, so it can be handy to have open while you're traversing the game's world. Read on for a detailed breakdown of how to find and obtain each vantage point.

iDigitalTimes

Vantage point #1: The first vantage point is the Air Combat Academy. You're going to want to look for a small group of ruins and find a large rock outcropping. Head up to the outcropping and check the eastern side to find this vantage point.

Vantage point #2: The second vantage point will show you the city of Colorado Springs. Approach Devil's Thirst from the south and climb up the tall building you find there. The vantage point will be on the west side of the ruined building you've been climbing.

Vantage point #3: The third vantage point, which shows the Explorer Museum, is to the north of the Devil's Thirst bandit camp. You should see a small pillar marking the vantage point, and you'll know you're there when you can look back at the encampment from the rocks.

Vantage point #4: A view of Bridal Veil Falls is next, and to get there you're going to have to head southeast from the Daytower near the Two-Teeth bandit camp. The path to the vantage point will be to the left of the Daytower as you exit the Forsaken Village from the east.

Vantage point #5: The fifth vantage point, which shows you the Sterling-Malkeet Amphitheater, is relatively easy to find. Just go across the river from the Devil's Grief and locate the Corrupted Zone. You'll find a set of natural stone steps leading you up to the point from there.

Vantage point #6: Halfway done, and number six will net you a view of the vaguely named Denver Stadium. To get there, find the remains of the skyscraper in Devil's Grief to the south of the Iron Ring camp. Once you're inside the building, climb up it to reach the vantage point and another holo-recording.

Vantage point #7: To get to the Monument Valley vantage point, maneuver your camera toward the face of the Sunstone and try to spot a large rock formation. From there you just follow the path and then zipline to the vantage point.

Vantage point #8: Eagle Canyon is the name of the eighth vantage point, and to get there, you'll have to take the path out of Meridian and toward the Cut Cliffs. Near the west side of the trail, there's a climbable path that you can take to the vantage point.

Vantage point #9: In order to find the ninth vantage point, which shows you what Lake Powell looked like just after the collapse, head to the river to the north of Brightmarket. Once you reach the shore, use the tightrope nearby to reach the rock formation, which you can climb up the side of to find the point.

Vantage point #10: Getting to the Bryce Orbital vantage point is a little involved, so bear with us. Take the path to the east of the Sunfall leading toward Maker's End, and climb up the rocks on the lefthand side. Then traverse the plateau that comes after it. Once you reach a wall at the end of the plateau, climb it. Take out the enemies you find there, and the vantage point should give you a view of the Sunfall.

Vantage point #11: The penultimate vantage point will show you Faro Automated Solutions, and to get there, just walk through the wooded area to the south of Maker's End. Once you hit snow-covered hills, look for a rock to the right, and the vantage point should be right there.

Vantage point #12: King's Peak, the final vantage point, is located in the area where you fight Stormbird. Once you're there, climb up on the rocks in order to find the vantage point, netting you an achievement in the process, assuming you saved this one for last.

Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point locations: Video guide

If you need a little more guidance on where some of these vantage points are, feel free to check out QP Games' video embedded below for a more visual depiction of where they're located.

More gaming news and updates

For more gaming news, check out the latest from Mic. Here's the most recent news on Middle-earth: Shadow of War, along with 15 photos that compare the Nintendo Switch to the Wii U, a beginner's guide to For Honor and our review of Horizon Zero Dawn.