While I really liked Horizon Zero Dawn when it originally launched back in 2017, I was cynical when Sony announced plans to remaster the game for PS5.
A ridiculously good looking game to begin with, Horizon Zero Dawn was far less deserving and needing of a PS5 remaster, especially compared to the likes of Bloodborne.
While I still feel that way, there’s no doubt that development studio Nixxes Software has put a lot of effort into the re-release, and made surprisingly big changes to the way the game looks.
Best summed up in the tweet below, the remastered version of the game at times makes the original look ordinary.
There’s a freshness and vibrancy to the remaster that I didn’t realise was missing from the original, with a far brighter colour scheme that really makes certain areas pop.
There’s far more foliage and lots more detail compared to before, something which makes the world feel more alive. DualSense controller vibrations, trigger tension and audio cues further add to the sense of immersion.
The character models (particularly facial animations) have also been upgraded to bring them in line with the impressive NPCs found in the sequel.
I’m intrigued to see how it looks and runs on the PS5 Pro, which will further boost the visuals without sacrificing the frame-rate.
As it stands, PS5 users have the standard choice between Performance, Resolution and Balanced visuals, each with their own advantages and drawbacks. I play with Performance mode enabled, which still looks impressive, while also providing a consistent frame rate.
As for the game itself, Horizon Zero Dawn is a largely enjoyable experience that stitches together bits and pieces from other popular action-adventure games.
The way Aloy moves through the environment, hunts with a bow, careens down zip-lines and collects crafting materials is very reminiscent of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider games from 2013 onwards. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
However, the functional platforming and serviceable stealth system ultimately pales in comparison to the game’s combat, which is where Horizon Zero Dawn really shines.
Whether battling against hulking mechanical foes or groups of murderous machines, battles feel epic and victories hard earned. It’s mildly reminiscent of Monster Hunter. Outmatched and underpowered, Aloy must use the environment to her advantage, crafting traps and utilising tools to take beasts down.
At its best, the combat system makes you work hard and is all the more satisfying for it. The same can’t be said for battles against fellow humans, which tend towards the tedious.
Tedious can also be used to describe elements of the storytelling. Indeed, in a game with such impressive character models, it’s a shame everybody is so incredibly dull. It’s all a bit po-faced and overly serious, something the upcoming LEGO spinoff should have fun with.
Fortunately, however, the concept itself is intriguing enough to make you want to know what happens to Aloy, or more accurately, what happened to civilisation and where these dinobots came from.
Likewise, the core gameplay elements are strong enough that you can put up with a few boring cutscenes, most of which can be skipped, anyhow.
In addition to the main campaign, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered also comes with the equally stunning Frozen Wilds expansion, which adds another ten hours of content or more.
If you’ve played and still own the original game but not the expansion, then the £10 upgrade fee is most definitely worth it, not only to see how Nixxes has improved the visuals, but also to play The Frozen Wilds.
Likewise, if you’ve never played Horizon Zero Dawn, then this is undoubtedly the definitive version of a very enjoyable game that looks and runs great on your PS5.
While I was as cynical as everybody else when Sony announced plans to remaster Horizon Zero Dawn, the resulting release provides a surprisingly significant upgrade.
VERDICT – 4/5