Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered review: More than a remaster

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is not a game I had on my 2024 playlist, but it's definitely one I had a lot of fun "replaying." Like many others, I rolled my eyes when PlayStation announced its plans to "remaster" Horizon Zero Dawn for the PS5. I also felt betrayed and frustrated by this inability to read the room.

Instead of giving the "remaster" treatment to games that actually need it, a la Gravity Rush, The Last Guardian, Siphon Filter, Infamous, and well, Bloodborne, PlayStation decided to remaster Horizon Zero Dawn, a game that already looks and runs great on the PS5.

However, after having spent no less than 50 hours with the remaster, I think I have a change of heart. I don't think it was the right call to remaster a game like Horizon Zero Dawn, while vehemently ignoring what fans have been asking for. However, I won't deny that Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is a lot of fun to play, perhaps way more than I anticipated.

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What's new in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered?

First things first, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered isn't a "remake," and as such, it plays and feels pretty much the same as the 2017 original. The remaster bundles the base game as well as the Frozen Wilds expansion, essentially like the Complete Edition. Furthermore, it comes with some early unlock outfits and weapons for Aloy.

The lighting and overall fidelity in the remastered version are massively improved compared to the original (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

As for new additions, those are limited to the upgraded visuals, as well as several quality-of-life changes. However, I don't want to downplay the new additions, especially the ones made to the game's visuals. Nixxes Software has done an impeccable job at porting Horizon Zero Dawn over to the newest iteration of the Decima engine.

Although the remaster doesn't necessarily look as good as Horizon Forbidden West, it comes really close. Nixxes has also remodeled some of the characters and cutscenes in the game. While I adored Horizon Zero Dawn when I first played it on my PS4, I didn't really like its story and cutscene presentation.

That complaint of mine has been addressed in the remaster, as the new cutscenes here are a stark improvement over the original, and are way more immersive. I also like the updates made to character rendering, especially for Aloy. On the PS5, the game also runs incredibly well in quality and performance modes, while looking sharp on a 4k display.

Improved character rendering is a highlight in the remaster (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

In terms of quality-of-life updates, the remaster essentially brings all the accessibility and gameplay-related options from Horizon Forbidden West to Horizon Zero Dawn. The accessibility options are easily the best aspect of the remaster. The auto-loot option alone made me really appreciate the remaster.

What is Horizon Zero Dawn?

For the uninitiated, Horizon Zero Dawn is an open-world action RPG. The game follows the story of Aloy, an outcast of a nomadic tribe, who is key to stopping an impending world-ending cataclysm. The most intriguing aspect of Horizon Zero Dawn is easily its setting, which is a mix of sci-fi and history, wrapped in a bubble of character-driven storytelling.

Hunting mechanical beasts in the remaster is as fun as it was in the original (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

While the game's characters act and live like a prehistoric tribal civilization, the threats they have to face are ultra-futuristic. Essentially, the enemies in this game are mechanical beasts inspired by real-life animals. As Aloy, your choice of weapon is to face down these mechanical monsters using a bow and similar tools.

The gameplay here is a mix between Monster Hunter and Far Cry (with a hint of Assassin's Creed). There's a linear level-based progression system, complete with skill trees, crafting, weapon upgrades, perks, and more. If you've played and enjoyed any modern action RPG, you'll feel right at home with Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.

While the game is quite easy to pick up and play, there's also plenty of depth for players looking to sink in the time to master its combat system. I'm a fan of Horizon's combat system, which isn't mechanically as complex as something like Monster Hunter, but it sure is fun to play, especially on higher difficulties.

The improved cutscenes add a lot to the game's overall immersion factor (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

I should mention that Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered also comes with support for DualSense haptics, which adds a lot to the game's immersion factor. Furthermore, the game now natively supports 3D Audio, which is a boon for audiophiles like me. And thanks to PS5's SSD, the load times in the remaster are practically non-existent, akin to the sequel.

Few shortcomings

While the overall quality of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is on par with some of Nixxes' best PC ports, it's not immune to its fair share of technical issues. I should mention that, for the most part, the remaster is a flawless experience on the PS5, save for the Frozen Wilds DLC. Also, the issues I faced in the expansion can easily be fixed with a few updates.

Apart from the occasional crashes, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is a flawless experience on PS5 (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

The biggest (and most annoying) issue I faced with Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered was the crashes. I'm quite tolerant when it comes to technical issues, especially on consoles. However, in the case of Horizon Zero Dawn, the number of crashes I faced somewhat soured my enjoyment of the game.

I played through the entirety of the base game without any issues. I even completed most of the side quests, without any major issues. However, as soon as I started the Frozen Wilds DLC, the game started crashing. In the DLC, I also experienced a few quest-related bugs, which I had to resolve by reloading a checkpoint.

Apart from the crashes, the game ran flawlessly on my PS5. And after completing a few of the starting quests in the Frozen Wilds expansion, I didn't face any more crashes either. It was just the opening few quests and cutscenes that somehow forced the game to freeze and crash.

Is Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered worth buying?

Yes, I do think Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is worth buying, but with some caveats. I don't think it's worth buying at full price, given it's not bringing anything new to the table, and is a graphical uplift. However, if you already own the PS4 version of the game, I recommend getting the $10 upgrade for the PS5 remaster.

For $10, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is totally worth picking up (Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment)

I would've liked something along the lines of a new mode, like in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, but for the huge graphical and quality-of-life upgrade, I think $10 is a fair asking price. Furthermore, your saves from the original PS4 version of Horizon Zero Dawn are compatible with the remaster.

As such, if you've yet to get the Platinum trophy for the game, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is a perfect excuse to do so. The remaster doesn't offer much in terms of gameplay improvements. However, the changes made to the game's accessibility features as well as the massive graphical overhaul, make revisiting Horizon Zero Dawn a blast.

In conclusion

While I still don't think a remaster for Horizon Zero Dawn was all that necessary, it's still something I really enjoyed playing. The updated visuals as well as the new accessibility options alone make it feel above the usual remasters that we get nowadays. The remaster feels like something that was made with an actual effort, instead of being a "cash grab."

To me, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is more than just a "remaster" but less than a "remake." Also, it's not hit with any censorship or cuts, akin to the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, which was released a few months back. Few technical issues aside, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered on the PS5, is an excellent game.