REVIEW – When Horizon Zero Dawn burst onto the scene in 2017, guns blazing and riding into our hearts, it quickly claimed its place among Sony’s last-gen masterpieces as one of the most visually impressive titles on the console. Fast forward a few years to the November 2020 release of the PlayStation 5, and alongside it, a 60 fps patch for Guerrilla Games’ opus brought a new layer of buttery smoothness to an already stunning game. Even by today’s standards, Horizon Zero Dawn still delivers standout visuals – but it raises the question: what could Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered possibly offer to make it worth a return? Turns out, quite a lot.

First, let’s talk dollars and cents – what does it cost to jump back into Aloy’s world? Although Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is available as a standalone title for $59.99, those who already own the PlayStation 4 version can grab the upgrade for a more wallet-friendly $12.99. And, conveniently, all your saved data transfers over seamlessly. This move is no doubt part of Sony’s strategy to encourage existing players to jump on the new version. Additionally, it’s worth noting that beyond the visual and audio enhancements, this edition includes all the content from the previously released Complete Edition. So, alongside the base game, you also get the fantastic Frozen Wilds expansion.

More Than Just a Fresh Coat of Paint

Instead of outsourcing the development as was done with Until Dawn’s most recent remake by Ballistic Moon, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered was placed in the talented hands of Nixxes, a studio under Sony that was initially brought into the PlayStation Studios family to handle PC ports of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 titles. Nixxes’ masterful eye for detail in graphics, performance, and fine-tuning takes center stage here – and it’s safe to say the magic lies in these meticulous details. The remaster’s goal was clearly to bring the game up to the technical standards of Horizon Forbidden West, and in that regard, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered absolutely delivers.

While Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered doesn’t introduce fancy new ray tracing or similar modern visual features, the upgrades elsewhere in its presentation are well worth the attention. Like its 2022 sequel, Horizon Zero Dawn unfolds in a post-apocalyptic world where nature, rather than fire and ruin, has reclaimed control. Its vibrant greenery weaves its way through the remains of human structures, creating a setting that’s equal parts familiar and fantastic.

Nature in All Its Glory

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered takes this natural wonder to new heights. Foliage now reacts realistically as Aloy moves through it – plants bend, and grass ripples with a lifelike fluidity that owes much to the power of the PlayStation 5. This brings the environment up to the standard set by Horizon Forbidden West. Walking through the densely forested areas of Valleymeet, for instance, reveals an entirely new level of immersion: the upgrades breathe a new sense of life into the world, almost daring you to explore every nook and cranny. Even those who played the original version on PS4 will be struck by just how much richer the world now feels.

Water reflections have also received a major facelift. Lakes, rivers, and ponds sparkle and reflect their surroundings with a level of detail that simply wasn’t possible on PS4 hardware. The world of Horizon Zero Dawn, teeming with plant and animal life, has never looked better.

It’s not just the environment that’s benefited from the PS5’s power – the game’s characters, including NPCs and especially Aloy, have been taken to the next level with the expertise of Nixxes. Character models feature finer details like wrinkles, freckles, scars, and other small imperfections that make them feel all the more real. In addition, the number of NPCs has increased, and each comes with animations that adapt to their specific surroundings, resulting in a more convincing cast that deepens immersion in the world.

Detailed Characters and Lifelike Animations

A significant amount of work has gone into enhancing the animations as well. Aloy now reacts to the weather in a realistic way – for example, if you leave her standing in a snowy area, she’ll casually stretch out her hand to catch falling snowflakes. These subtle improvements stand out during Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered’s quieter moments, but Nixxes has also revamped areas elsewhere in the game, such as the larger towns like Meridian, which now boast redesigned ground textures, wall decals, and more, bringing a fresh sense of life to these familiar places.

Of all the characters, Aloy herself likely benefits the most from these enhancements, now bearing an even closer resemblance to her Forbidden West look. Somewhat surprisingly, Nixxes also reworked several motion-capture scenes, making interactions with NPCs and cutscene performances feel significantly more natural. NPCs no longer turn their heads in random directions during conversations but react in a much more lifelike manner, further drawing players into the world.

New Lighting, New Experience

The commitment to realism extends to lighting as well. Environmental and character lighting in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered brings it closer to the visual standard set by Horizon Forbidden West, making the game feel more in line with its more recent sequel than with the lighting tech of its 2017 launch.

When it comes to visual modes, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered gives players three settings to choose from, each emphasizing different technical aspects. Nixxes offers three options: Performance, Resolution, and Balanced modes, with the latter only accessible to those with a 120Hz-compatible TV. That said, the visual differences between the three modes are minimal, and given the Performance mode’s rock-solid 60fps, it’s easily the top choice – the slight reduction in resolution hardly impacts the experience.

There is, however, one minor drawback worth mentioning: the pre-rendered videos are capped at 30fps across all visual settings, creating a noticeable contrast with the in-game visuals. While this is a small annoyance, it’s all the more noticeable due to the otherwise stellar technical showcase from Nixxes.

Since this is a remaster, the core gameplay of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered remains unchanged. Our take on the original story, gameplay, and mechanics still holds seven years on. If you’ve gotten this far into the review, you’ve probably realized that Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is the sum of numerous smaller refinements that collectively make for a much more polished experience. Nixxes’ debut effort on the PlayStation 5 is clearly a labor of love, with every detail refined to ensure that this iconic game is as impressive as ever for the current generation.

A Classic Adventure Reimagined

If you’ve somehow missed Horizon Zero Dawn up until now, this remaster is without a doubt the best way to experience one of the finest open-world adventures out there. And perhaps most excitingly, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered proves that Nixxes is a force to be reckoned with in the console porting world, adding another success to the growing PlayStation Studios portfolio.

-Gergely Herpai (BadSector)-

Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Developer: Guerilla Games

Style: open-world action-adventure

Release: October 31, 2024.