Info about Horizon Zero Dawn™ Remastered:

Official game description:
Edition includes:
Horizon Zero Dawn™ Remastered
**EARTH IS OURS NO MORE**
-------------------------
Explore a vast, vibrant world filled with fearsome machines and the mysterious ruins of a long-lost civilization, remastered with stunning visuals and new features for PC.¹
Take up bow and spear as Aloy, a young machine hunter and outcast of her tribe, as she discovers her origins, the truth of this mysterious world, and her own destiny to save it from impending doom.
On her journey, Aloy will come across unique tribes, lively settlements, and compelling characters and companions.
But this open world is also teeming with wildlife and danger. Awe-inspiring yet deadly hostile machines patrol the majestic landscape, corrupted by an unknown force.
In combat, you will unleash devastating, tactical attacks utilizing an exciting arsenal of weapons against fearsome machines and nefarious rival factions.
Horizon Zero Dawn™ is a multi-award-winning action role-playing game and this Remastered Edition brings to life the beloved wilds of Aloy’s world in even higher fidelity with the power and potential of PC gaming.
It also includes The Frozen Wilds, a vast expansion featuring new lands, skills, weapons, and machines.
**PC FEATURES**
---------------
See every corner of this expansive world with Ultrawide 21:9 and Super Ultrawide 32:9 resolutions, as well as 48:9 triple monitor support.²
Experience vibrant detail with NVIDIA DLSS 3 upscaling and frame generation, image enhancing NVIDIA DLAA, and latency reducing NVIDIA Reflex. AMD FSR 3.1 and Intel XeSS are also supported.³
Customize graphics settings with the potential for unlocked frame rates.³
Feel every arrow fly with full support for the DualSense® controller, including adaptive trigger and haptic feedback functionality.⁴
¹Account for PlayStation Network required on PC.
²Compatible PC and 4K display device required.
³Compatible PC required.
⁴Wired connection required to experience the full range of in-game controller features.

Release date: 31 Oct, 2024

Categories: Action RPG, Open-World Exploration, Real-time Combat, Strategic Combat, Single-player Story, Resource Management, Character Progression, Inventory Management


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Significantly improved, modern visuals (weight 0.99): The remaster significantly enhances the game's visuals, bringing them closer to the level of *Forbidden West*. This includes improved textures, lighting, character models, and animations, resulting in a more immersive and visually stunning experience. The improvements are so significant that the game feels fresh and modern, even for those familiar with the original.
- Captivating story, immersive world (weight 0.49): The game features a captivating story, immersive world-building, and engaging gameplay mechanics. The world is vast and detailed, with diverse biomes and interesting lore. The combat system is fun and rewarding, and the characters are well-developed and memorable, creating a truly immersive and enjoyable experience.
- Enjoyable, addictive gameplay loop (weight 0.18): The game is enjoyable and addictive, with solid mechanics and a fun gameplay loop. Many reviewers noted that they replayed the game multiple times, indicating a high level of satisfaction with the core gameplay experience. The game is also praised for its accessibility and lack of overly political content.
- Fantastic story, great characters (weight 0.11): The game is a fantastic experience, with a rich and engaging story and well-developed characters. The remaster brings the game to the same audiovisual level as its successor, *Horizon Forbidden West*, noticeably improving the visual quality. Many reviewers expressed their love for the game and its protagonist, Aloy.
- Rewarding, strategic combat system (weight 0.11): The combat system is a blend of precision and strategy, offering a diverse range of tools and approaches for defeating enemies. The game emphasizes a hunter-like approach, requiring players to strategically plan and utilize their resources. The combat is rewarding and appropriately challenging, with a good amount of depth and variety.
- Worthwhile, fairly priced upgrade (weight 0.08): The upgrade is available for a fair price, especially for owners of the original game. The visual upgrade is worth the price, and the upgrade includes more settings and quality of life improvements. The reviewer considers the upgrade to be worthwhile, even though it may not have been highly anticipated.
- Unique machines, satisfying combat (weight 0.07): The game features unique and gripping enemy robot designs and environments. Utilizing Aloy's arsenal of weapons, traps, and stealth tactics against the awe-inspiring machines is incredibly satisfying. The game encourages targeting the weak points of machines instead of blindly attacking.
- Graphics surpass Forbidden West (weight 0.05): The game looks substantially better than *Horizon Forbidden West* at 4K DLSS Quality with the newest DLSS dll file and maxed settings. The graphics and gameplay are better than *Horizon Forbidden West*. The implemented technologies closely resemble those of *Horizon Forbidden West*, enhancing the visual experience.
- Improved character models, animations (weight 0.04): Character models no longer look like wax figures, with improved skin texture and more natural-looking hair. Facial animations are now much more realistic, and the character models have a much higher level of detail. The character models have been updated to a higher quality.
- Realistic, believable characters (weight 0.03): The characters act like real people. The characters are nuanced, with no one being purely good or evil. The characters are nice.
- Enhanced, vibrant landscapes (weight 0.03): The brighter colors and prettier landscapes enhance the experience. The setting is beautiful. The landscapes are sublime.

Common complaints:
- Unnecessary remaster, minimal improvements (weight 0.28): Many reviewers question the necessity and value of the remaster, citing minimal improvements, a lack of substantial changes, and the persistence of original issues.  The requirement for a PSN account is also a major point of contention, especially for a single-player game, with some reviewers suspecting the remaster is primarily for profit.
- Uninspired, repetitive, and generic gameplay (weight 0.28): The game suffers from a multitude of issues that detract from the overall experience. These include a slow start, a predictable and uninspired story, repetitive gameplay, uninteresting characters, and a formulaic open-world design.  The combat system is simplistic and lacks depth, and the game feels like a generic, mass-produced product.
- Frequent crashes and technical issues (weight 0.25): Numerous reviewers reported experiencing various technical issues, including minor bugs, frequent crashes, freezing, and instability. These problems can occur randomly and in various situations, sometimes rendering the game unplayable.  The prevalence of these issues significantly impacts the player experience.
- Broken controller support, unresponsiveness (weight 0.12): Many reviewers reported significant issues with controller support, particularly with PS5 and Xbox controllers.  These issues include unresponsive buttons, the inability to use weapons (especially the bow), and general unreliability, making the game difficult or impossible to play with a controller.
- Significant audio issues, missing sounds (weight 0.11): Reviewers have reported significant audio issues, including missing sound effects, dialogue, and music, as well as poor audio quality and mixing.  These problems occur during both gameplay and cutscenes, breaking immersion and detracting from the overall experience.
- Aloy's character and animation issues (weight 0.07): Reviewers noted issues with the main character Aloy, including inconsistent writing, unappealing facial animations, and clipping issues. Some reviewers also disliked changes to her appearance in the remaster, finding them unnatural or unflattering.
- Remaster worsens existing issues (weight 0.06): The remastered version introduces new issues and fails to address existing problems from the original game.  These include worse controls, ineffective aim assist, and disappointing graphical issues, leading reviewers to feel the remaster is unnecessary and poorly executed.
- Steam integration and stability issues (weight 0.05): The game exhibits various issues related to Steam integration and system stability. These include the game not closing properly, requiring manual termination via Steam, and potential conflicts with Steam Input causing control issues and crashes.
- Minor graphical glitches and issues (weight 0.04): The game has minor graphical glitches, lighting issues, and texture loading problems.  While not game-breaking, these issues detract from the overall visual quality and can be distracting.
- Missing features and improvements (weight 0.04): The game lacks certain features and improvements, such as the transfer of achievements from previous versions and Ukrainian language support.  These omissions detract from the overall experience and may frustrate completionists or players in specific regions.
- Restricted and uninspired open-world (weight 0.04): The open-world design is criticized for its limitations, including restricted climbing, invisible walls, and a lack of organic discovery.  These issues hinder exploration and make the world feel less immersive and engaging.

Gameplay feedback:
- Varied weapons, limited guidance (weight 0.03): The game offers a variety of weapons and ammo types, encouraging diverse combat approaches. However, some reviewers note a lack of guidance on weapon usage and that some weapons are not particularly impactful. The bow is the primary weapon.
- Large, somewhat generic open-world (weight 0.03): The game features a large open world for exploration. Some reviewers find the open-world structure generic, while others appreciate the scenery and freedom of exploration. The game world allows players to ride machines across diverse landscapes.
- Numerous, sometimes tedious sidequests (weight 0.03): The game features numerous side quests that offer XP, items, and background story. However, some reviewers find many of these quests to be fetch quests that feel like a chore, indicating inconsistent quality.
- Gameplay unchanged from original (weight 0.02): Many reviewers note that the core gameplay remains largely unchanged from the original Horizon Zero Dawn. This point is particularly relevant for those considering the remaster, as it highlights the lack of significant gameplay enhancements.
- Interesting lore, tedious dialogues (weight 0.01): The game features an interesting intertwining of past and present story elements, with collectibles providing additional lore. However, some reviewers find many dialogues boring and tedious, leading to skipping them.
- Extensive arsenal, late-DLC weapons (weight 0.01): The game offers an extensive arsenal of weapons and tools, with the Frozen Wilds DLC adding even more options. However, some reviewers feel that the DLC weapons become available too late to be truly useful, diminishing their impact on the overall gameplay experience.
- Tedious inventory management (weight 0.01): Inventory management is a common complaint, especially for players who tend to hoard items. This can be a source of frustration and disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- Significant amount of grinding (weight 0.01): The game involves a significant amount of grinding, requiring players to collect items and complete side quests. This may be a drawback for players who dislike repetitive tasks.
- Lacks target lock system (weight 0.01): The game lacks a target lock system, offering only free aim. This may be a drawback for some players who prefer a more assisted aiming experience.

Performance notes:
- Smooth performance on modern PCs (weight 0.22): Many reviewers report smooth performance on modern hardware, often exceeding 60 FPS at high settings and resolutions.  FSR and DLSS technologies further enhance performance, allowing for high visual fidelity without significant frame rate drops.
- Inconsistent performance, crashes reported (weight 0.15): Some users are experiencing performance issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, even on systems that meet or exceed the recommended specifications.  These issues appear to be inconsistent, with some users reporting flawless performance while others struggle to maintain a stable frame rate.
- Audio and location-specific issues (weight 0.1): Some players have reported audio issues, such as stuttering, delays, and distortion. Additionally, some users have noted significant frame rate drops in specific areas like Meridian, even with DLSS and frame generation enabled.
- Good Steam Deck performance (weight 0.03): The remastered version runs well on Steam Deck, generally averaging around 30 FPS.  The game is stable and visually acceptable on the platform, making it a viable option for portable play.
- Fantastic and improved performance (weight 0.02): The game's performance is generally considered fantastic and has improved significantly compared to the original. Reviewers have reported achieving high frame rates at various resolutions and settings with different graphics cards.
- High-end GPU for 4K/60FPS (weight 0.02): Achieving high frame rates and resolutions, such as 4K at 60 FPS, requires a high-end graphics card like an RTX 4080 or better.  Mid-range cards can achieve playable frame rates at lower resolutions or with DLSS enabled.
- Lighting changes, subjective opinions (weight 0.01): Some reviewers noted differences in world lighting compared to the original game. Some found the changes to be a matter of preference, while others experienced issues like overly bright conditions in certain areas.
- Frame generation boosts performance (weight 0.01): The game supports Nvidia's Frame Generation technology for RTX 40 series cards, which significantly boosts performance. Upscaling technologies like DLSS provide further performance gains.
- Faster loading times with SSD (weight 0.01): Reviewers consistently report that loading times are significantly reduced in the remastered version, especially when using an NVMe SSD. This improvement contributes to a smoother and more enjoyable gameplay experience.

Recommendations:
- $10 upgrade worth it (weight 0.51): The $10 upgrade is considered worthwhile for owners of the original game, especially for visual enhancements and replayability. Some reviewers suggest waiting for a sale if purchasing the game for the first time or if not owning the original.
- Highly recommended masterpiece (weight 0.3): The game is highly recommended as a masterpiece with a captivating story, engaging gameplay, and stunning visuals. Reviewers suggest it's a must-play for both newcomers and fans of open-world adventure games, often recommending it as a starting point before playing the sequel, Forbidden West.
- Unplayable due to technical issues (weight 0.13): Many reviewers cannot recommend the game in its current state due to technical issues such as audio glitches, performance problems, and game-breaking bugs. They advise waiting for patches and fixes before purchasing, as the issues significantly detract from the experience.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.03): Reviewers suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing the game, especially for new players. The game is recommended at full price for first-time players, but only at a discount for those who like open worlds with lots of activities and fun combat.
- Play the sequel, Forbidden West (weight 0.02): Reviewers recommend playing Forbidden West, the sequel, for a more comfortable and improved experience. Some suggest upgrading to experience Zero Dawn with the visual style of Forbidden West, while others recommend sticking with the original if their PC can't handle the sequel.
- Hardware impacts upgrade value (weight 0.02): The upgrade's value depends on PC hardware. It is recommended for those with powerful PCs (30-series video card or better) and ultrawide monitors, but not for those with weaker systems or those unable to use Frame Generation due to potential performance issues.
- Good for RPG, open-world fans (weight 0.02): The game is recommended for players who enjoy RPGs with scenic environments, crafting, open-world exploration, and hunting. Some reviewers compare the gameplay to titles like Witcher, Assassin's Creed, and BOTW/TOTK.
- Only for HZD fans (weight 0.01): The upgrade is only appealing to those who already played and liked HZD. If you don't like the original HZD, this remaster is not going to change your mind.
- Expect Nixxes to fix issues (weight 0.01): Reviewers expect timely patches from Nixxes to address the remaining issues. Some suggest that Nvidia users may want to wait for patches due to reported issues.

Other player notes:
- PSN account requirement is controversial (weight 0.07): The game requires a PSN account, which may be a point of contention for some players, especially those in unsupported countries. Some reviewers believe complaints about the PSN link are unwarranted, as it's common for formerly PS exclusive games. PSN doesn't add any value for PC players since there are already Steam achievements and no multiplayer.
- Praised as an excellent game (weight 0.05): Many reviewers found Horizon Zero Dawn to be an excellent game with a well-crafted universe, great graphics, and good characters. Some reviewers were initially reluctant but were drawn in by the animal robots and the interestingly told story. Some consider it among their top games of all time.
- Remaster quality is debated (weight 0.05): Reactions to the Remastered version are mixed. Some appreciate the graphical and technical improvements, while others question the need for a remaster, suggesting the original version was sufficient. The install size is basically doubled despite there not being that much of a visual difference.
- Includes expansion, cheap upgrade (weight 0.02): The game includes the additional expansion. The upgrade is only $10 if you own the previous version. Achievements are identical to the Complete Edition but do not carry over, requiring players to unlock them again.
- Average game time, vast content (weight 0.01): Reviewers report that the game has an average game time and a vast amount of content to collect and complete.
- Hoped for QOL tweaks (weight 0.01): The reviewer was hoping for QOL tweaks more than visual tweaks.
- Targeted towards teens/adults (weight 0.01): The game is targeted towards teens and adults.
- Focus on hunting machines (weight 0.01): The game focuses on hunting machines and progressing through the story. The reviewer mentions an appreciation for the part designs of the mechanical creatures.
- Innovative, detailed world-building (weight 0.01): Reviewers appreciate the innovative world-building and the attention to detail in the game's world, including the sociology of different tribes and the construction of mechanical creatures.
- Large game size (weight 0.01): The game size will take up 10% of a 1TB hard drive.
- Variable difficulty settings (weight 0.01): The game has different difficulty settings to accommodate various player preferences. Ultra Hard difficulty is very challenging.
- "F**k Ted Faro" (weight 0): This point shows signs of review bombing. The reviewer expresses strong negative emotions towards a character named Ted Faro without providing specific details about the game's mechanics or features.

Emotions:
No emotions}