Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered review

In 2017, Guerrilla Games and PlayStation presented 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 was a huge commercial success and spawned a brand new franchise for PlayStation. Fans have been spoiled ever since Horizon Forbidden West And Horizon, call of the mountainwith protagonist Aloy appearing as a guest character in various other games. Now horizon Fans have the chance to return to where it all began Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. It comes out seven years after the original game hit stores Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered brings with it a number of notable improvements.

While the original Horizon Zero Dawn was exclusively available for PS4, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered appears on both PC and PlayStation 5. As a native PS5 version Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered features improved graphics than its predecessor, with graphics closer to the PS5 version of Forbidden West. However, Horizon Zero Dawn was already stunningly beautiful, and so the improved graphics might not exactly be a selling point for fans who have already played their fair share of the original game.

To be honest, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered doesn't really try to make the case that fans should double-dip. Instead, it polishes up the original and serves as a fantastic entry point for those who haven't tried it yet horizon Series. This allows curious newbies to play a superior version of Horizon Zero Dawnone with graphics that make heavy use of the PS5 hardware. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered makes an already fantastic looking game shine that much brighter, with overall improved textures and lighting. The game successfully harnesses the power of the PS5 to look better than ever with a world that feels more alive.

There are times when you compare Horizon Zero Dawn's graphics too RemasteredWhen photos are side by side, it can be difficult to see much of a difference. On the move, however Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered looks consistently better than the original. It's an incredible looking game that stands out from most other PlayStation 5 titles. I occasionally noticed clipping issues, and there are some strange animations here and there, such as Aloy's hair whipping back and forth in an unnatural way when aiming the bow. But otherwise, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered looks nothing short of amazing.

Another piece Horizon Zero Dawn RemasteredThe graphical makeover of “s” is reflected in the conversations between characters. Aloy can chat with various characters throughout her adventure, although the facial animations for these conversations were criticized in the original release. Improvements in motion capture make this possible Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Conversations look much better and less robotic. Personally, I've never been bothered so much by the wood animation as it was the lack of interesting things for the characters to say. I always found the secondary dialogue in the horizon Games are missing and this won't be fixed in the upgrade.

Is it worth paying $10 to upgrade Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered?

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered manages to deliver a better-looking version of the 2017 game, but it doesn't seem to really shake up the gameplay or address the other criticisms that have been leveled at the game in the years since its release. It's a remaster, not a remake, and that's to be expected, but then the question remains whether it's worth the price of admission. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered costs $9.99 for anyone who wants to upgrade from the PS4 version (newcomers will have to pay a total of $49.99), and while that's not a significant amount, some may still be unsure.

Someone who has already played through Horizon Zero Dawn There is absolutely no need to purchase the upgrade. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered It has better graphics and things like DualSense haptic feedback certainly improve the experience, but it's not such a big leap forward that it becomes a must-have for everyone. Well, someone just about to play through it Horizon Zero Dawn or hasn't played the game at all should be sure to pay for the upgrade. Players can transfer their save data to the new game and easily pick up where they left off – albeit in a world that looks much better than what they experienced on PS4.

Not only Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered the best way to play Horizon Zero Dawnbut also offers players the full experience. Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered contains The frozen wilderness Expansion, a worthwhile DLC that expands the story and gameplay features of the franchise. The frozen wilderness For those who want to see absolutely everything it has to offer, it adds another 10 to 15 hours of gameplay, making the already rich open-world experience even greater. Naturally, The frozen wilderness The content also benefits from significant improvements to the base game.

An unfortunate price increase

The biggest disappointment when it comes to this Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is the fact that it led to a significant price increase for the PS4 version of the original game. Now everyone wants it Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4 you have to pay $39.99, up from $19.99 before. Not only that, but Horizon Zero Dawn was removed from PlayStation Plus Extra earlier this year. This might put some fans off, as could the fact that no one has really asked for a remaster Horizon Zero Dawn first of all.

Horizon Zero Dawn was already playable on PS5 through backwards compatibility and already looked great. It's understandable that some PlayStation fans are frustrated with the decision to remaster the game instead of focusing on titles that have greater demand from the community. Still, that doesn't mean it Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is a bad product. In fact, it is far from it. Judged in a vacuum, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is an undeniable improvement over the original game with better graphics and makes excellent use of the PS5's unique features. It doesn't offer enough new stuff for those who have already played through it Horizon Zero Dawn for the return trip, but it's the perfect starting point for newcomers and a worthwhile upgrade for those who haven't yet completed their playthroughs.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered will be released on October 31st for PC and PS5. A PS5 code was provided to Game Rant for the purposes of this review.