Horizon Zero Dawn Remasteredhas widely been criticized for being an unnecessary upgrade sothe development team at Nixxes wants users to know exactly what it’s improving. TheHorizonfranchise sports a decent fanbase of players who have fallen in love with Aloy and Guerilla Games' vision of a future overrun by robot dinosaurs, but many players were puzzled by the announcement that the 2017 game was being remastered. Most agree that it still looks great seven years after its release, leading to questions regarding the purpose of the project.
Per a post on the officialPlayStation Blog, Nixxes' Communications Manager Julian Huijbregts addressed some of the confusion surroundingHorizon Zero Dawn Remastered, breaking down some of the more extensive changes. Perhaps the biggest is thatthe game is overhauling how NPCs work, using the added power of the PlayStation 5 to fill towns and villages with more peoplewith complicated schedules to make the world feel immersive and realistic. On a similar note, the remaster also features over 10 hours of extra motion-capture data to make conversations look less robotic and stilted.
What Else Has Been Upgraded In The HZD Remastered?
Looking Better Than Ever
Additional NPCs and improved conversations are undoubtedly thebiggest draws forHorizon Zero Dawn RemasteredbutNixxes is also doing plenty of work to make the game look better than ever. “Next-gen materials” have been used to improve the assets used to create terrain and landscapes, ensuring that every locale looks more organic and lifelike than before. The foliage has also been upgraded to appear more realistic; Fans of the franchise will recognize that it bears a closer resemblance to the flora seen inForbidden West.
Major upgrades have also been made to the character models as Aloy and every NPC now look better in every kind of light.These improvements include everything from skin tones, hair quality, minor aesthetic details, and even fabric physics. As can be expected, the lighting engine has also been enhanced to ensure the new textures can be viewed in all their glory.
Horizon Forbidden West: 10 Ways Its Better Than Horizon Zero Dawn
Just as all sequels should do, Horizon Forbidden West massively improves upon its predecessor, Zero Dawn, in some big and much-needed ways.
Screen Rant’s Take: Nice To Have, But It’s Not Needed
Horizon Zero Dawn Doesn’t Need A Remaster
I don’t care forHorizon Zero Dawnand while I can appreciate the extensive work done to remaster it for PlayStation 5,I don’t believe it’s a game that needs a visual upgrade. WhenSony has franchises likeBloodborneandInfamouslanguishing for attention despite their massive fanbases, I can’t help but feel disappointed thatHorizonkeeps getting all the attention. The Remaster is great for fans but I think resources should be better spent on seriesthat need an overhaul more.
