Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster: Enhanced Graphics and Performance Tensions Revealed

It’s only been four years since Horizon Zero Dawn appeared on PC, but now the game has received a new version with updated graphics.

Developer Nixxes has incorporated the best elements from Horizon Forbidden West into its predecessor, and since the original is a complete overhaul on many different levels.

It comes with both advantages and disadvantages.

If you already have the first game, you can upgrade to the new edition for NOK 100.

What have they changed?

The remaster version is a clear update to the game.

So the graphic technology innovations from Forbidden West are included, which provides a menu of options richer with content.

The figures have a new texture. Their faces and clothing are more detailed, and an overhaul of the animation system makes gestures and simulation more lifelike than before.

Here and there the figures get plastic faces, but overall it’s better than before. The updates are more visible in the game scenes.

The two biggest differences come through light and level of detail. The whole game is lit again, which gives the scenes more life than before.

The contrast level is higher and the colors are more saturated, to varying degrees of success. Sometimes it looks better, other times it gives the game a more cartoonish feel.

The terrain, plants and monsters have also been given new textures with more detail. That’s a big plus.

The weather system has become more voluminous, and the volumetric effects, which provide shutters and clouds, have been greatly improved. The texture for water and the reflection techniques have also gotten miles better.

The sounds have also been changed to enhance surround sound and 3D sound.

Severe depression

So far so good.

Men.

When we compare games on PC and console, higher frame rate, resolution and viewing angle are usually among the main strengths of PC.

That’s where you’ll notice the biggest difference.

All these factors are weakened compared to the previous PC edition. Unsurprisingly, it requires more to drive, so lower the frame rate.

It’s ok. But what really suits me is the length of the viewing angle in the new edition.

I feel something of the same claustrophobic feeling that Forbidden West gave me because of the narrow view, and here the difference is night and day from the old version to the new version – in a negative sense.

The much larger viewing angle makes the original more attractive to play with in the open landscape.

Strong reduction

Our tests also show that the Remaster edition is much more demanding for processors.

Then I don’t always think that the visual changes are going in the right direction.

The frame rate in lower resolutions is about half. For me, who usually plays on a 1440p screen with a refresh rate of 360 hertz, I prefer the first version.

In the table above, we have compared how the RTX 4090 video card combines with the Intel Core i9-13900k processor in the game benchmark.

This is without the support of AI upscaling. DLSS and “frame generation” increase the frame rate significantly, where it is strongly recommended to use DLSS and the other AMD FSR.

The film sequences in the new edition are better lit, and are a clear upgrade.

AI helps

If I turn on DLSS Quality, the frame rate increases from 112 on average to 129 in 4K. With DLSS and frame generation combined, the game ends up averaging 149 frames per second.

The video card produces 263 images per second on average, but the processor stops at 149.

In 1440p, the frame rate jumps on average from 139 to 149 with DLSS Quality, and up to 198 with frame generation.

The original also has support for DLSS and FSR, but no frame generation.

If you want to get a little more out of the video card in the Remastered edition, I recommend turning the level of detail, shadow quality and volume effects down a notch or two.

You won’t see a huge difference in speed, but the frame rate will increase a bit.

Decision

Nixxes has brought Horizon Zero Dawn to 2024. The original version is still a fantastic game, but the remaster edition brings a lot of graphics technology from Forbidden West into the first game.

NOK 100 more for the upgrade is not everything. It’s good that it’s there, even if many people think that a new version is unnecessary. But no one is forcing you to buy the new one.

The level of detail is higher, the lighting is completely revised and the figures are mostly more realistic.

Nixxes has closed with a lot.

At the same time, the new version is much more challenging to drive, and personally I don’t think the visual updates are big enough to justify the loss of flow in the game.

The update has a lot more to offer on the consoles.

Weaker hardware will do well thanks to the boost, but the original is much more processor friendly. It is also a shame that Nixxes have drawn the idea as much as they have. It puts a damper on the exploration in the game for me.

Buy the game if you really want to play through it again, but it’s unlikely you’ll miss anything special with this version on PC.

Honestly, I’d rather play the old edition.