Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered Review – Here We Go Again

As a seasoned gamer with decades of open-world exploration under my belt, I must say that revisiting Horizon Zero Dawn through its remastered glory has been quite the journey. With my first playthrough dating back to the days of yore (2017), it’s fascinating to see how much this game has aged like a fine wine – or perhaps more accurately, a fine robot dinosaur.

Generally, games are remastered when their original versions reach a certain age. The exception to this rule was the PS4 version of The Last of Us, which was a remastered release only a year after its debut on the PS3. In contrast, Horizon Zero Dawn has been around for about 7 years now. A remaster would be logical to provide the game with contemporary visual quality, but interestingly, the original version can still be played smoothly not just on the PS5 due to its backward compatibility with PS4 games, but also on PCs since it was released in a Complete Edition in 2020.

The Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered doesn’t merely enhance its visuals as suggested by its name. Instead of minor adjustments and occasional high-resolution textures, it has been substantially upgraded to approach the visual quality of its successor, Horizon Forbidden West. This is also reflected in the system requirements for the PC release, which demand a more powerful system compared to the 2020 PC version’s demands.

Regardless of the significant graphical enhancement, Guerrilla Games and Nixxes have adhered to PlayStation’s PC release practices, delivering a splendid port of the game. I ran the game on a mid-high-tier PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a Sapphire Radeon 7800XT GPU. By default, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered ran on its High graphics setting, providing me with a steady 99 frames per second, albeit with occasional drops to 74. Boosting the visuals to Very High and utilizing AMD FSR3, however, resulted in a frame rate of 91 frames per second, with occasional dips to 79.

“The game has essentially been brought up to a similar level of visual fidelity as its sequel”

It appears that this game is heavily dependent on a powerful graphics card, so players who have high-end GPUs but less potent CPUs might experience smoother gameplay with superior graphics. However, it’s crucial to note that the game also necessitates a fairly recent CPU. The developers suggest that an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 11700 or AMD Ryzen 7 5700X from the Zen 3 series would be ideal for running the game at its best on a 4K display with a frame rate of 60 per second.

In the same vein as the initial 2020 version, controlling Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered via keyboard and mouse performs admirably, albeit with a slight quirk: it’s recommended to disable the double-tap directions for rolling feature since I discovered that, on steep terrain like mountains, it can inadvertently lead to my character meeting an untimely demise. However, it should be noted that overall, the game offers outstanding default settings for both control and graphical options. For those who enjoy customizing their gaming experience, there are numerous adjustments available to experiment with.

Regarding Horizon Zero Dawn, its initial launch was often overshadowed by other games released concurrently. However, over time, the game has garnered more recognition, even earning critical acclaim for its sequel, which was recently made available on PC as well.

“For players that like to tinker around with settings, there is plenty to play around with.”

In essence, “Horizon Zero Dawn” wasn’t about revolutionizing gaming; instead, it was consistently praised as an outstanding open-world game with distinctive concepts, all set against a fascinating backdrop that intensified the engaging narrative. However, upon revisiting it through its remastered edition, some of the original issues appear more pronounced than they actually were. For instance, the game’s introduction is unusually slow. The sluggish pace in the early stages leaves a disappointing first impression, which seems incongruous with how captivating the game becomes once you’re unleashed in its open world.

The game’s gearing and skill system sometimes seems unnecessary, especially since some basic skills you initially acquire appear excessive or absurd. For instance, abilities like performing stealth attacks or salvaging items for metal chips seem more like additional features rather than essential skills. However, the game compensates by providing a generous amount of skill points, which you earn largely from numerous side quests that shower you with experience points. Consequently, despite the initial oddity of the skill tree, you will eventually unlock every skill in the long run, making it less significant over time.

What sets Horizon Zero Dawn apart is the thrilling encounters it offers, where you engage in battles against its colossal robotic fauna. These battles, which can be the game’s most captivating moments, require you to track down specific machines for particular components, which can only be obtained by damaging specific parts. In combat, particularly against larger machines, the experience is reminiscent of Monster Hunter World, though the combat system in Horizon Zero Dawn is more streamlined and less complex.

“Horizon Zero Dawn has never been a game that tried to reinvent the wheel by any stretch”

It’s unfortunate that many battles in Horizon Zero Dawn involve fighting humans instead of machines, as these encounters lack the excitement and interaction that machine fights offer. In fact, it’s during human combat where the game’s flaws are most evident; the melee system feels ridiculously straightforward. Often, a single headshot is enough to take down a human, making the bow the go-to weapon for combat. Machines, on the other hand, require more strategic thinking as you switch between various weapons, set traps with the Tripcaster, and even use your staff in close quarters.

To change things up a bit, let me say this: Moving on, the narrative in this game is truly impressive, as it delves not just into Aloy’s story, but also paints a picture of the entire world. As you progress through the game, various questions arise, such as what led to the presence of robotic dinosaurs everywhere, what became of humanity, and the enigmas surrounding Aloy herself. The creators have done an outstanding job building this world, with many intriguing aspects about the lands of Horizon Zero Dawn waiting to be discovered by those willing to search for them among the collectibles scattered throughout the game.

In spite of certain flaws, Horizon Zero Dawn remains an exceptionally enjoyable game due to its captivating setting and narrative. Although the pacing could be improved at times, the conclusion is satisfying, and it leaves you eager for a superior sequel. This certainly strengthens the argument for playing Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, as it offers the best way to immerse yourself in the game, thanks to its enhanced graphics.

This game was reviewed on PC.

2024-11-01 15:41

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