If someone told me last year that I could turn on my computer, click the Steam icon and play a PlayStation Studios exclusive game with my Xbox controller, I would probably go crazy.
Of course I would believe exactly the same if someone told me that we would be afraid to shake hands and meet people. So surely Sony's decision to bring one of the biggest PS4 exclusives to the PC is not the craziest thing we've seen in 2020.
It may also be something one could predict, as all the companies now seem to go well with the PC community. Microsoft had taken the big step in 2016 with Quantum Break, starting to bring all its games from day one to PC. Sony seems to be on the same track now, but with clearly more hesitant steps.
So, Horizon Zero Dawn comes about three years after its initial release on Steam and the Epic Games Store. This is a game, which started a new highly successful franchise, with Guerrilla Games leaving Killzone in its past. Both the people and the critics loved Aloy's adventure and I personally belong to this category.
In short, I think the story of the game is what elevates it as a whole, as it is a really imaginative and original sci-fi. We are talking about a world that has returned to ancient ways of life, but is overwhelmed by robot-dinosaurs. How humanity came to this state and the way this whole mystery unfolds is extraordinary. At the same time, the art direction, the graphics and the visual set in general are also excellent. The gameplay and combat are straightforward and fun, with a huge variety of enemies, but also a good arsenal to deal with them. The only complaint I can think of has to do with the structure of the open world, as it personally evokes bad memories from the old Ubisoft towers, since some side quests, as well as some side characters make you wonder.
It is therefore time to move on to the main subject of this text which is not the business strategy that Sony will now follow for its releases, but specifically the PC version of the title. So, starting with Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, which means that it includes the basic game, all the updates that have been released so far, as well as the expansion pack. The content is therefore enough to keep you busy for more than 50 hours.
When you open the game you are greeted with a few minutes of loading screen, as the graphics engine tests the capabilities of your system, adjusting completely automatically the graphics settings. Personally, I like to tweak the settings myself, however the inclusion of such a feature is definitely welcome for those who do not want to deal with this part.
Speaking of settings, I can not say that I was even impressed with the multitude of options that are available. However, the options are adequate and do not lack basic settings for a PC version, such as the FOV slider for example. But let's start with the basics. The framerate is unlocked and refresh rates above 60 HZ are also supported. In addition, there is support for ultra-wide resolutions. Although Guerilla has advertised the feature a lot, I am disappointed. The main menu, loading screens and cutscenes have black bars on the right and left, while I noticed that while some cutscenes occupied the entire screen, looked 'overflowing'. Fortunately, there are no issues with the 21: 9 aspect ratio and the HUD is properly positioned in the corners of the screen.
Turning now to performance, I am relatively satisfied. With a mix of settings the GTX 1060 6GB I have managed to respond at about 50-55 FPS most of the time in 1080p resolution. Unfortunately it was not all good, since I noticed a stuttering effect. In fact, this happens several times, especially when exploring the world at high speed. It did not disappear as much as I tweaked the settings, not even with the adaptive resolution option. This issue is not that intense to make the game unplayable, but I have to mention it.
Finally, the game's graphics have some upgrades, always compared to the PS4 version. Guerilla mentions the changes by name, which are improved reflections and Dynamic vegetation. In my personal opinion these are small improvements that do not dramatically change the visual result. The biggest change comes - for my eyes - from the superior anti-aliasing which helps tremendously with the dense vegetation that dominates in most frames of the game. What does this mean? That Horizon remains one of the most beautiful games you can play today, since the PS4 version was already throwing its jaws back in 2017.
Box Art
Tested on : PC
Developer : Guerrilla Games
Publisher : Sony Interactive Entertainment
Available for : PS4, PC
Release date : 07-08-2020
