All Locations: Horizon Zero Dawn Guide

Locations in Horizon Zero Dawn Tm Complete Edition represent essential points of interest that define your journey through the post-apocalyptic world. These markers encompass everything from trading posts and settlements to ancient ruins and critical story locations that shape Aloy’s adventure. The Horizon Zero Dawn Tm Complete Edition Interactive Map filters these location types to help you plan efficient routes between merchants, campfires, and key story areas. Understanding where each location type appears saves time and ensures you never miss important resources or narrative elements during exploration.

What Locations Are Used For

Locations serve as the backbone of progression and resource management in Horizon Zero Dawn Tm Complete Edition, providing essential services and story advancement opportunities.

  • Access merchants for purchasing weapons, armor, and crafting materials
  • Rest at campfires to save progress and fast-travel between discovered points
  • Interact with NPCs to receive quests, lore, and character development
  • Explore ancient ruins and settlements for unique resources and story context
  • Pass through gates and checkpoints to access new regions

Locations Types

The map categorizes locations into nine distinct types, each serving specific gameplay functions and offering different rewards or services throughout your adventure.

Ancient Ruins

Ancient Ruins contain remnants of the old world, often hiding valuable resources and lore datapoints. These locations frequently require puzzle-solving or combat encounters to fully explore, rewarding players with rare crafting materials and insights into the world’s history.

Bluegleam Merch

Bluegleam Merchants specialize in trading the rare Bluegleam currency found primarily in The Frozen Wilds expansion area. These traders offer exclusive weapons, armor modifications, and crafting materials unavailable from standard merchants.

Campfire

Campfires serve as save points and fast-travel destinations throughout the world. Creating campfires at strategic locations becomes essential for efficient exploration, allowing quick movement between distant areas and providing safe rest stops during dangerous missions.

Gate

Gates mark transition points between different regions or restricted areas in the game world. Some gates require specific story progression or items to unlock, while others simply serve as geographic boundaries between distinct biomes and territories.

Merchant

Merchants provide essential trading services, selling weapons, armor, ammunition, and crafting materials in exchange for metal shards. Different merchants often specialize in particular item types or carry region-specific inventory that changes based on your story progression.

NPC

NPCs offer quests, dialogue, and world-building information that enriches the story experience. Many NPCs provide side quests that unlock additional content, while others serve purely narrative functions that deepen understanding of the game’s lore and characters.

Ruins

Ruins represent damaged or abandoned structures from either the old world or current civilization. These locations often contain collectibles, crafting resources, or serve as atmospheric storytelling elements that enhance immersion in the post-apocalyptic setting.

Settlement

Settlements are populated areas where multiple NPCs, merchants, and services cluster together. These locations typically serve as quest hubs, story focal points, and resource centers that provide comprehensive services for players exploring surrounding regions.

Specialty Merch

Specialty Merchants offer unique items, rare modifications, or specific services not available through standard traders. These merchants often require particular currencies, completed quests, or story milestones to access their full inventory selection.

How to Use the Map Efficiently

Planning routes between locations maximizes exploration efficiency and ensures you never miss critical services or story elements during your journey.

  • Prioritize campfire locations when entering new regions to establish fast-travel networks
  • Visit merchants in settlements before exploring surrounding areas to stock up on supplies
  • Check NPC locations near main story areas to avoid missing time-sensitive side quests
  • Plan routes that connect ancient ruins with nearby merchants to sell discovered treasures immediately
  • Mark specialty merchant locations early to track when you acquire required currencies or quest completions
  • Use gate locations to understand region transitions and plan logical exploration sequences

Locations Locations Table

Each location type offers distinct benefits and requires different approaches to maximize their value during exploration.

TypeWhat You GetNotable Detail
Ancient RuinsRare resources, lore datapointsOften require puzzle-solving
Bluegleam MerchExclusive DLC equipmentUses Bluegleam currency only
CampfireSave point, fast-travelCan be created by player
GateRegion accessMay require story progression
MerchantWeapons, armor, suppliesInventory varies by region
NPCQuests, dialogue, loreSome offer time-sensitive content
RuinsCollectibles, atmosphereMix of old and current world
SettlementMultiple services, quest hubsConcentrated NPC populations
Specialty MerchUnique items, modificationsRequires specific currencies

Tips for Locations Hunting

  • Establish campfire networks systematically to reduce backtracking during exploration
  • Visit settlements completely before leaving to collect all available quests and services
  • Check merchant inventories regularly as stock often changes with story progression
  • Explore ancient ruins thoroughly using Focus mode to locate hidden datapoints and resources
  • Mark specialty merchants early even if you cannot afford their items yet
  • Use NPC dialogue options exhaustively to unlock additional quest opportunities

FAQs

Do all merchants sell the same items?

No, merchants have different specializations and inventories that vary by region and story progression. Some focus on weapons, others on modifications or crafting materials.

Can I create campfires anywhere?

You can create campfires at designated campfire sites found throughout the world, but not at completely arbitrary locations. Look for the campfire icon when exploring.

What makes Bluegleam merchants special?

Bluegleam merchants only accept Bluegleam currency and sell exclusive equipment from The Frozen Wilds expansion, including powerful weapons and modifications unavailable elsewhere.

Are any NPCs missable?

Some NPCs offer time-sensitive quests that become unavailable after certain story milestones, so it’s best to explore thoroughly and talk to everyone when first visiting new areas.

Credit: Horizon Zero Dawn Tm Complete Edition by Wand