One of the many side activities in Horizon Zero Dawn are the Corrupted Zones – unique areas that feature challenging enemies. This Horizon Zero Dawn Corrupted Zone Quests Guide provides information for the location of each Corrupted Zone we’ve discovered so far as well as any potential challenges or level requirements that may be in place.
Corrupted Zone’s are available once you are able to leave the Mother’s Embrace area and explore the wider open world. They are scattered across the game world but most can be attempted at any point, assuming you can reach the desired location and have the ability to take down the enemies in the area.
If you leave these until later in the game, it’s a good idea to get the unlimited fast travel to safe you wasting materials.
Couple of tips for fighting in Corrupted Zones. Firstly, all of the enemies within a Corrupted Zone are typically restricted to that area. This means they rarely travel outside a specific location, you can use this to your advantage and damage them from outside the area as they sit their helpless. All Corrupted versions of machines are also weak to fire damage, on top of their typical weaknesses so be sure to attack with fire arrows.
Horizon Zero Dawn Corrupted Zone Locations Quests Guide
The first Corrupted Zone can be found North East of the Southern Embrace Gate. The suggested level is level 15. It is easy to complete as there are only 4 corrupted machines here. I was able to do it at level 9 without any trouble at all. There is an Ancient Ring and Ancient Sculpture in a loot box inside.
This one is very simple. It’s a Corrupted Zone just South East of Valleymeet Hunting Grounds. There’s a small group of Corrupted Grazers. Fire arrows to the canisters on their backs makes short work of these.
This is quite a simple Corrupted Zone. It’s mostly just Corrupted Watchers, although there’s a lack of stealth cover. Enter from the South East entrance to the camp to find some longrass, from there you can whistle/distract the enemies and take them down one at a time. You get 5,000 Experience Points as a reward.
Another easy one. Couple of Corrupted Longlegs and that’s about it. You get 6,000 Experience Points for clearing the Corruption. Check the ruins at the back of the area form some loot and a Datapad.
This one can be really difficult, even at level 18+. There are a large number of Corrupted enemies here. There’s a Corrupted Bellowback, Corrupted Chargers and Corrupted Sawtooths. There is plenty of cover so you can take down the stragglers in smaller groups. I would suggest fighting at the top of the hill as the others often get lost at the bottom. You get 5,000 Experience Points for clearing the Corrupted area.
This is a relatively simple one. There are three Stalkers here. Use a Tearblast arrow to disable the stealth unit on their backs and then take them down. They do have a scanner that can detect you in long grass so the stealth approach is only viable for one, maybe two, takedowns.
You get 6000 Experience Points for clearing this Corruption Zone.
This Corrupted Zone features two Tramplers and Three Longlegs. Approach the camp from the North East and you can sit atop a ridge. Use Shock Arrows or something similar on the canisters of the Longlegs, this sends out an AoE Shock that damages everything close. Easy enough to take down nearly all of them without dropping from the ledge.
There are three Corrupted Scrappers and three Corrupted Glinthawks here. You can take down the Scrappers luring them into the bush for a Silent Attack then just ground the Glinthawks and take them down. Easy one.
This Corrupted Zone features two Corrupted Ravagers and a Corrupted Fire Bellowback. Use a Tearblast Arrow to take the gun off the back of one of the Corrupted Ravagers and then used that to kill everything.
This one can be really tough as it’s likely you’ve not encountered Rockbreakers very often. There are two Corrupted Rockbreakers here and there is no stealth cover in the long grass.
This Corrupted Zone features two Behemoth’s and three Broadhead’s. You can take out the two Broadhead’s using fire arrows on the canisters that sit atop their back. The Behemoth’s have a similar weak spot but you’ll need to use frost arrows on those.
You get 10000 Experience Points.
That’s all of the Corrupted Zones in Horizon Zero Dawn. If you have any troubles post a comment below and we’ll help if we can.
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