Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered has widely been criticized for being an unnecessary upgrade so the development team at Nixxes wants s to know exactly what it's improving. The Horizon franchise 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 official PlayStation Blog, Nixxes' Communications Manager Julian Huijbregts addressed some of the confusion surrounding Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, breaking down some of the more extensive changes. Perhaps the biggest is that the game is overhauling how NPCs work, using the added power of the PlayStation 5 to fill towns and villages with more people with 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 the Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered but Nixxes 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 in Forbidden 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.

Screen Rant's Take: Nice To Have, But It's Not Needed

Horizon Zero Dawn Doesn't Need A Remaster

I don't care for Horizon Zero Dawn and 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. When that need an overhaul more.

Source: PlayStation Blog