In 2017, Guerrilla Games and PlayStation introduced the world Horizon Zero Dawnan open-world action-adventure game set on a post-apocalyptic Earth populated by dangerous dinosaur-like machines. Horizon Zero Dawn it was a huge commercial success and spawned a brand new franchise for the PlayStation. Since then, fans have been in for a treat West Horizon forbidden and Horizon Call of the Mountainwith protagonist Aloy appearing as a guest character in various other games. Now skyline fans have a chance to return to where it all began Horizon Zero Dawn remastered. Released seven years after the original game hit store shelves, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered brings with it a number of notable improvements.
While the original Horizon Zero Dawn was a PS4 exclusive, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered is launching on both PC and PlayStation 5. As a native PS5 release, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered it has improved visuals over its predecessor, with graphics closer to the PS5 version The Forbidden West. However, Horizon Zero Dawn it was already gorgeous, so the improved visuals might not be exactly a selling point for fans who have already played their fair share of the original game.
To be direct, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered not really trying to argue that fans should double down. Instead, it polishes off the original and serves as a fantastic entry point for those who haven't tried it yet skyline series. This way, curious newcomers can play a superior version of the Horizon Zero Dawnone with graphics that take full advantage of the PS5's hardware. Horizon Zero Dawn remastered makes an already fantastic looking game shine even more with improved textures and lighting across the board. The game successfully uses the power of the PS5 to look better than ever, in a world that feels more alive.
There are times when, comparing Horizon Zero Dawnhis graphics at RemasteredIn side-by-side photos, one may be hard-pressed to find much of a difference. In motion, however, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered looks consistently better than the original. It's an incredible-looking game, and one that can stand up to most other PlayStation 5 titles. We've noticed occasional clipping issues, and there are some odd animations here and there, such as Aloy's hair whipping back and forth in a unnatural when aiming with the bow. But otherwise, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered looks nothing short of amazing.
Another piece of Horizon Zero Dawn remasteredHis graphic review can be found in the conversations between the characters. Aloy is able to chat with various characters during her adventure, although the facial animations for these conversations were criticized in the original version. Motion capture enhancements do Horizon Zero Dawn remastered conversations look much better and less robotic. Personally, I've never been bothered by the wooden animation so much, but more by the lack of interesting things for the characters to say. I always found the secondary dialogue in skyline games are missing and this is not addressed in the upgrade.
Is Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered worth paying $10 to upgrade?
Horizon Zero Dawn remastered manages to deliver a better-looking version of the game from 2017, but doesn't seem to really shake up the gameplay or address any of the other criticisms that have been leveled at the game in the years since its release. It's a remaster, not a remake, and so that's to be expected, but then there's the question of whether it's worth the price of admission. Horizon Zero Dawn remastered it costs $9.99 for anyone who wants to upgrade from the PS4 version (total newcomers will have to pay $49.99), and while that's not a significant amount of money, some may still be on the fence.
Someone who has already played Horizon Zero Dawn you don't have to buy the upgrade at all. Horizon Zero Dawn remastered it features better graphics, and things like DualSense's haptic feedback certainly improve the experience, but it's not that big of a leap before it becomes a must-buy for everyone. Now, someone who is halfway up their game Horizon Zero Dawn or haven't played the game at all should feel confident paying for the upgrade. Players can transfer their save data to the new game so they can easily pick up where they left off, but in a world that looks much better than what they experienced on PS4.
Not only is it Horizon Zero Dawn remastered the best way to play Horizon Zero Dawnbut it also gives players the full experience. Horizon Zero Dawn remastered include The Frozen Wilds expansion, a useful DLC that expands on the franchise's lore and gameplay features. The Frozen Wilds it adds another 10-15 hours of gameplay for those who want to see absolutely everything it has to offer, making an already rich open world experience even greater. Of course, The Frozen Wilds the content also benefits from the significant upgrades applied to the base game.
An unfortunate price increase
The main disappointment when it comes to Horizon Zero Dawn remastered is that it caused a significant price increase for the PS4 version of the original game. Now anyone wants Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4 has to pay $39.99, up from the $19.99 it cost previously. Not only that, but Horizon Zero Dawn it was pulled from PlayStation Plus Extra earlier this year. This may disappoint some fans, as does the fact that no one really asked for a remaster of Horizon Zero Dawn for starters.
Horizon Zero Dawn it was already playing on PS5 through backwards compatibility and it already looked great. It's understandable that some PlayStation fans are frustrated with the choice to remaster the game instead of focusing on titles that have been more requested by the community. Even so, that doesn't mean Horizon Zero Dawn remastered it is a bad product. In fact, it is far from it. Evaluated in vacuum, Horizon Zero Dawn remastered it's an undeniable improvement over the original game, with better graphics and makes great use of the PS5's unique features. It doesn't do enough new for those who have already played Horizon Zero Dawn to make a return trip, but it's a perfect starting point for newcomers and a useful upgrade for those who haven't finished the game yet.
Reviewed on PlayStation 5
- ISSUED
- October 31, 2024
- Publisher(s)
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Stunning graphics that bring Zero Dawn in line with Forbidden West
- Take advantage of unique PS5 features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers
- Improved character animations make conversations less robotic
- Lots of content between the base game and the Frozen Wilds expansion
- Easy to transfer PS4 save file to PS5
- Occasional clipping and other visual quirks
- It doesn't do enough to justify the upgrade for those who have already played through the original game
Horizon Zero Dawn remastered launches for PC and PS5 on October 31st. Game Rant received a PS5 code for this review.