Screenshot: Sony / Kotaku
Horizon Zero Dawn blew the world away with outrageously attractive graphics when it first launched on the PlayStation 4 back in 2017. In the time since, consoles and PCs alike have progressed even further, giving developers more power than ever to work with. As such, Sony has opted to revisit this hit game to bring its presentation more in line with its sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, with a killer remaster that packs in a whole lot of improvements. Here’s what you need to know about Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.
What’s new in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered?
Horizon Zero Dawn was already a stunning game on PlayStation 4, and the 60fps update it received a while back for PlayStation 5 left a lot of folks questioning if it even needed a remaster. Well, however you felt about that, a quick glance at the many improvements makes it easy to appreciate this lovingly-crafted upgrade.
So what’s new? Here’s a breakdown of the most notable changes:
The overall visuals have been drastically improved, with better textures, increased foliage density, and reworked lightingThere are more than 10 hours of re-recorded dialogue and motion capture that make characters appear considerably less stiff in cutscenes, looking far more fluid like those in Horizon Forbidden WestDualSense support is now available, offering haptic feedback and adaptive trigger functionalityYou can now fully remap your controlsA wide variety of new accessibility features can be toggled on and offRemixed audio that takes advantage of Dolby Atmos and PlayStation’s Tempest 3D AudioTech
Screenshot: Sony / Kotaku
Since Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is the same game as the original, returning players should have a pretty good idea of its length and content. If you’re new to the game, though, you may be curious how long it’ll take to complete.
An average playthrough of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered should take you around 20 to 25 hours. This includes casually dabbling in a few side activities but mostly focusing on the main story. Of course, the remaster also includes the game’s only DLC, The Frozen Wilds, which can take another 10 to 15 hours to experience.
However, those seeking to see and do everything the main game and DLC has to offer can spend up to 80 hours exploring its stunning landscapes, to clear all the bandit camps, climb all of the Longnecks, and finish a wide variety of other optional but rewarding tasks—doing that ultimately results in earning its coveted Platinum trophy.
Screenshot: Sony / Kotaku
Horizon Zero Dawn was originally developed by Guerrilla Games, the same team that brought to life PlayStation’s long-running Killzone franchise. They have since focused on releasing more games in the series, including Horizon Forbidden West, Horizon Call of the Mountain, and the upcoming Lego Horizon Adventures.
However, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered was remastered by Nixxes, who are best known for porting or remastering other popular PlayStation exclusives, like Marvel’s Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima, and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart. They’ve got a firm grip on this process, and it shows in this beautifully upgraded version of a game that was already gorgeous on PlayStation 4.
Screenshot: Sony / Kotaku
Horizon Zero Dawn is available on PlayStation 5 and PC.
Since the game is published by Sony, it’s almost guaranteed that it’ll never release on Xbox or Nintendo consoles. That being said, you might be surprised to hear the upcoming Lego Horizon Adventures is coming to Nintendo Switch, so stranger things have happened.
Can you upgrade to Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered?
If you don’t already own the original Horizon Zero Dawn, you can buy Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered for $50. However, those who have already purchased the game in the past can upgrade to the remaster for only $10.
Screenshot: Sony / Kotaku
You’ll need to be certain your PC will run Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered before you buy it, so let’s take a look at both the minimum and recommended specs.
Minimum specs:
Windows 10
Intel Core i3-8100 / AMD Ryzen 3 1300X
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 / AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT
16GB RAM
135GB Storage
Recommended specs:
Windows 10
Intel Core i5-8600 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700
16GB RAM
135GB Storage
As you can see, the spec requirements are relatively reasonable, so here’s hoping you don’t need any expensive upgrades to dive in.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is available now for PS5 and PC. And keep an eye out for a playful take on the series, Lego Horizon Adventures, on November 14 for PS5, Switch, and PC.
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