500°

Horizon Zero Dawn Looks Unnaturally Good Because Of 'Hyper-Realism'

Horizon Zero Dawn is a beautiful game. Sometimes, it seems too beautiful. Here’s how the developers achieved such an uncannily gorgeous look.

-Mezzo-2627d ago

I absolutely love this game and find it to be extremely beautiful and Detailed.

Though, I've been playing it on my PS4PRO and LG 65" 4K HDR TV and i fail to see any huge difference between 4K and the regular 1080P TV I've got in my Bedroom.

Cmv382626d ago

I don't have a 4k tv. But i think my 46 in Samsung looks way better than my 60 in Panasonic. So i have the worse ability to spot the difference. I say that to say, horizon looks damn good. And not just cut scene, every aspect of this game is gorgeous. And the varied environments... wow.

indysurfn2625d ago

Try doing what I did (by accident) turn HDR off (usually you can just change HDR ports because most HDMI ports are not HDR port's most HDR TV's only have one). I did see a big difference. But friends that only have 1080p say it is the best looking game ever. And a couple of them are NOW because of Horizon looking for HDR tv sets.

joab7772626d ago

I noticed a difference but only up close. Game is stunning!

Ceaser98573612626d ago (Edited 2626d ago )

Well i have noticed the difference... and please do look carefully you gonna notice few details on the HDR screenshot which were missing from without HDR screen..

HDR
http://imgur.com/Z3ES1Fz

Without HDR
http://imgur.com/zwp1tX9

Electric_Sheep2626d ago

This. I was amazed when I turned HDR off, the picture looked a little washed out. HDR makes it look even more beautiful.

REDGUM2626d ago

If these two images are identical and the only difference is 4k & HDR turned on in one and 1080p in the other then I can tell the difference. It makes the individual things, meaning everything, rocks, plants, horse, sky, foliage etc, etc pop! It/ they stand out that much more to give a greater depth of field. Kind'a like 3D does, sort of, actually that's a bad example but I think you know what I mean!

TheKingKratos2626d ago (Edited 2626d ago )

Like i said before this (chekerborading/upscaling to 4k or what ever it called) is no where near as good as HDR
that's the real deal this gen

and i'm glad that base ps4 support it
game look flipping amazing with HDR it's like a different game imo

indysurfn2625d ago

Unless they click that on a HDR tv they will see no HDR screen right?

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2625d ago
Maxor2626d ago (Edited 2626d ago )

You must not have HDR or your LG's HDR sucks. The resolution don't matter much because it's fake 4K but the HDR should immediately pop out at you if you set it up right. In general, I found that most console gamers are completely ignorant about tech so this doesn't surprise me one bit. For example, my neighbor invited me to show off new Pro which he boasted about how awesome the graphics and HDR looks. When I got there I found that he wasn't playing with game mode on and the "UHD color" option on his Samsung wasn't even enabled so HDR was never turned on.

-Mezzo-2626d ago

My HDR is 100% enabled, My TV is good as it gets in Tech right now.

Maybe it's just me.

nX2626d ago

^It doesn't matter what your TV is capable of if you can't set it up properly.

cd12626d ago

Many other console gamers know a great deal about tech and infact work in IT support - like me. The PCMR simpletons believe putting a PC together means they are experts, eemmm no - just enthuiastic amateurs that probably flip burgers for a living :)

Allsystemgamer2626d ago

How do you not notice?....do you need glasses?

kevnb2626d ago

Set your ps4 to 1080p using the 4k tv, comparing to another tv introduces other variables.

Cryptcuzz2626d ago

I got the PS4 pro first, while I waited for the TV I wanted next (Samsung KS8000) to be on sale during the Holidays last year. So I've been playing on the Pro with a pretty capable Sony 1080P TV (KDL-55W900A) during that time. Noticed the difference the Pro provided over the original PS4 (most notable is decreased in aliasing, sharper image, etc.) and appreciated that.

When I finally got the TV I wanted and set up the TV properly for 4K HDR, with help from Neogaf and AVS forums, the picture difference is huge!

Picture clarity difference is immense. A whole new layer of depth to the whole image and brought the immersion to another level.

Even non-HDR games on the Pro, with a 4K TV is a big difference too. Having played Tomb Raider prior to and after purchasing a 4K TV, switching the in-game settings in favoring resolution or frame rate is night and day for me.

cd12626d ago (Edited 2626d ago )

BF1 looks so much better on Pro too, no HDR there either.

Cryptcuzz2626d ago

@ cd1

I do not have that game, but from what I've read and seen on YT, that game looks insanely good on the Pro with 4K. It even has faster more stable FPS in multiplayer too.

cd12625d ago

Yep it holds its frames better on Pro (not that i found it particularly choppy on original PS4 anyway) but yes the difference in rez is immediately noticeable. I guess somebody has taken offence to my findings, they really should try to have some experience with the subject matter before negging.

medman2626d ago (Edited 2626d ago )

+mezzo
It's likely that the distance you sit from your screen means you're not going to see a big difference as to see any difference you would need a 1. larger screen size or 2. sit about 6-7 feet from a 65 inch screen. Also, with my screens, the difference I notice most is HDR and lighting, not so much the resolution, and I sit close to screens 65 inches and up to considerably larger projection screens.

Horizon Zero Dawn for me is a beautiful game on either ps4 or ps4 pro...the differences between the checkerboard pro and the ps4 are minor, but they are noticeable and they are there, it's just if you're not looking at the two images side by side, you're missing a lot of that detail because it isn't as if the ps4 version is a slouch, it's just the pro version is more refined and offers more detail in the environment, and better lighting effects and brightness with HDR.

-Mezzo-2626d ago

That could really be it. I'm gonna try using you suggestion and hopefully find that to be the problem.

Finally someone with a helpful comment rather just attacks. Thank you.

Cryptcuzz2626d ago

Double check if your settings are optimal to take advantage of the extra hardware.

1) Make sure resolution when connected to your 4K HDR TV is 2160p-RGB.
It will result to YUV-422 when playing an HDR game. That will provide the best quality picture.

2) Make sure RGB range is correct on both PS4 pro and 4K HDR TV (Correct matches are Full/Normal or Limited/Low)
So if PS4 is set to RGB Range Full, set the TV equivalent to Normal. PS4 Pro Limited, TV to low, etc.

3) Make sure HDMI UHD Color is enable for the HDMI port PS4 Pro is connected to.
Some 4K HDR TV may have the name slightly different, but find the equivalent settings and make sure it is on.

Note: All naming I have used is coming from experience with the KS8000. Other TV's/brands may be slightly different.

4) Some 4K HDR TV's can only support HDMI UHD Color for proper HDR and to be able to support 2160P with HDCP 2.2 on a specific HDMI port.

So double check whether that is the case with your TV and make sure the Pro is connected to that port with the setting enabled accordingly.

5) Despite what others may say and down to personal preference, but I strongly suggest trying out Dynamic Contrast to at least medium on HDR games. Some simply have Dynamic Contrast on off, due to over saturation mainly for movies, etc. I think for video games is different and should have it turned on for HDR games IMHO.

I personally have it on for HDR games on high Dynamic Contrast and then lowering down Contrast to 90-95 so details are not lost on super bright scenes. Without it, the KS8000 with HDR games has a "gray filter" of sorts over the image and I can see why it would not be a big enough difference. May be the same for your TV?

6) Ensure backlight settings are set to max on TV. Smart LED equivalent is also set to High.
If your TV is anything like the KS8000, if backlight settings are not already on maxed, you'll have to manually do so on HDR content (minor set-back that has not been fixed by Samsung yet) as it does not save that setting for HDR content when using Game Mode.

All that is worth checking out at least, as it only take a moment to do so. I would be mad if I spent serious dough on hardware like a 4K HDR TV and not be able to notice a big difference from much higher resolution with an exponential increase in color/contrast and HDR, compared to a 1080P TV.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 2625d ago
Nyxus2627d ago

"But it was not a matter of turning the beauty to 11. It was a matter of removing anything less than a 9.5 on the epic nature scale."

And it shows. 30+ hours into the game and I'm still amazed by the visuals. Especially for an open world game it looks unbelievable. And I'm not even playing on a PS4 Pro.

SCW19822627d ago

How they got this to look as stunning as Uncharted 4 and also be open world is mind blowing. Granted there are little areas where Uncharted trumps it but overall this is the most gorgeous and varied looking open world game I have had the pleasure of experiencing. This is coming from someone who has Witcher 3 maxed out on PC at 60fps in 1440P.

Nyxus2627d ago

Yes and the amazing thing is that it's still running smoother than any other open world game I've played (on console).

Bathyj2626d ago

The framerate is one of the most impressive and least talked about things in the game. It never misses a beat. I dont think Ive seen it noticeably dip, even when I was in the middle of a 3 way fight between me and my overridden Trampler, 6 other tramplers and a Thunderjaw. As you can imagine there a $h*t ton going on in a fight like that. Shards and disks flying everywhere. It still stays rock solid. Maybe on PS4 Vanilla it dips I dont know but I couldnt be happier with how this game looks, runs, and plays.

Now give us an arena mode where we can drop whatever combination of animals we like in it so we can really test our skills and really stress the engine.

DarXyde2626d ago

Bathyj,

At a point near the endgame, the frame rate takes a slight hit. Far from game breaking in any sense of the term, but it happened and did catch my attention, if only to say, "hm, first time for everything, I guess ".

Beyond that, if it ever drops below 30fps, I never noticed.

mogwaii2626d ago

Ah it doesnt look as stunning as uncharted 4 in an open world, in spots it looks amazing but there is a hell of alot of effects left out and a lot of fog covering draw distance.
It is impossible for a game to look as good as uncharted 4 in an open world at this stage.

UltraNova2626d ago

Decima engine is perhaps the best in the industry right now. Only Frostbite can rival it but only at DICE's hands.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 2626d ago
UCForce2626d ago

The Story is very interesting to be honest. I won't spoil you, but it does make scenes now.

Inzo2626d ago

Yip, this game is gorgeous, 36 hours in to it and I am still awe of it, evident by the amount of time I spend in photo mode.

indysurfn2625d ago (Edited 2625d ago )

@Nyxus 30+ hours into the game and I'm still amazed by the visuals...... 47 Hours here and I second that!

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2625d ago
UCForce2627d ago

The best and most beautiful game ever on PS4 console.

rezzah2626d ago

I got some games to complete before starting it, but are you saying it even surpasses Uncharted 4 graphically?

BrettAwesome2626d ago

It might not surpass uncharted, but it is absolutely on par! It's simply incredibly good looking! It really does set a new standard for, not only console games, but games in general

Dragonscale2626d ago

Subjective. The graphics are amazing but personally Bloodborne is still the best game. Horizon is really great but Bloodborne wins it for me.

HollowKnight2626d ago

Zelda looks like a pixel art game compared to Horizon Zero Dawn.

Adexus2627d ago

Was never off photo mode when I played through on the Pro, got 100% and the Platinum trophy which I very rarely go far!

Bathyj2627d ago (Edited 2627d ago )

Sony should implement a native definition gif capture, and then let us make animated wallpapers with them.

Id love to see them unhook the camera from the player in the photomode. It should be totally free roam. You would get some amazing pics.

Id also like to toggle the whether the way you do time of day. Id love to see a few less clouds at night and really see those stars. Maybe a Moon that wasnt always full. I know, Im just nit picking, but they could do all this, they just need to think of it.

ClayRules20122626d ago

All good ideas. I'd love to see Guerrilla patch that stuff on. I like the freedom of the camera in this game, compared to U4. I want total control, which might be asking for too much. Idk lol.

MagicBeanz2626d ago

How could it ever be "too beautiful"?

Show all comments (58)
340°

Sony Has Added More Titles To The List of Games Leaving PS Plus In May 2024

Sony Interactive Entertainment has added a few more titles to the list of games that will be leaving PS Plus in May, 2024.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
darthv7226d ago

curious... if a game leaves PS+, does it make it unplayable if you have already claimed it before it leaves? I know on the XB side, games leaving Gamepass are no longer playable. You need to pay for them to be able to continue playing after you installed them from GP.

CrimsonWing6926d ago

The 3 monthly “free” games you keep as long as you have PS+ subscription. The PS+ library is like Netflix. They rotate stuff out and replace them with other titles.

MrNinosan26d ago

Yes, PS+ Extra/Premium games are unplayable after the leave the service, just like GamePass and Netflix.
PS+ Essentials games are available as long as you have an active PS+ account.

Profchaos25d ago

Monthly games, special promos like the free games during COVID or PS plus bundle on ps5 are forever yours. Premium and above are time limited

If you claim a game on the premium tier (not yours to keep) and it comes out as a monthly games later e.g. fallout 76 it appears you do not retain ownership on that one.

Notsofast25d ago

The 3-4 monthly games that are free that are part of every service are yours forever I canceled my service over a year and you never lose access. I dont know what these other comments are talking about maybe they are in a different country but in the USA I could play any game I claimed of the free monthly games

MrNinosan25d ago

Then one of the accounts on your PS5 probably has a PS+ Essential subscription.
Because the 3-4 PS+ games you get every month, is not available to be played if you don't have an active sunscription.
It's the same in US, Europe, Japan and everywhere else.

Petebloodyonion25d ago

Essential stays in your library
Extra and premium become locked when titles leave the service.

It's actually one of my gripes with Extra, you can't remove the title from your own library, so basically it countss as one your title but it's locked so you own library become a cluster F... unless you filter your titles.

MrNinosan25d ago

Well you can just chose to hide them.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 25d ago
-Foxtrot26d ago

Wonder if Horizon ZD leaving gives credit to those remake rumours

Sigh. If true…another remake that’s not Bloodborne.

SimpleDad26d ago

Probably yes cause of a remake.

Skuletor26d ago

I still remember them giving that one away for free, regardless of if you were subscribed to Plus or not

ApocalypseShadow26d ago (Edited 26d ago )

They did. It was during the pandemic and the "play at home" initiative.

Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition. Sony gave away a lot of games just to push gamers to stay home and not get infected by COVID.

Eonjay26d ago

I think you're right.
There is a separate Bloodborne rumor by the remake is allegedly scheduled for next gen.

Kingrizzy9025d ago

Yes cause of the remake good thing I got the plat
And is bloodborn really that good? I never played it due to being Incarcerated 8½ years but I read the comics. It's pretty dark

Profchaos25d ago (Edited 25d ago )

Highly likely I also bet the remaster will be over priced and under whelming.

I'd also bet most people will simply stick with the PS4 pro and ps5 60fps patch over paying to upgrade when it offers the bare minimum.

I hope Sony has learnt from the last of us 2 and stop remastering games that just came out they have nearly 30 years of content to work with but always remaster games that are like 5 years old and don't need it. I assume this was In development alongside tlou2 so fingers crossed this is the last time we get this because what's next god of war on PS4 to ps5 for 70 dollars probably anything outside of bloodborne

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 25d ago
Friendlygamer26d ago

Glad I played sundered and the messenger, both great 2d games

gold_drake25d ago

ahh the messenger is such a good game.

u should play sea of starts. same people, its a sort of prequel to the messenger tok

Friendlygamer25d ago

Oh I will definitely play it eventually, chained echoes too

Jingsing25d ago

Can N4G adopt a policy of games leaving subscription services as not being a new story, it is just spam at this point.

Petebloodyonion25d ago

Is it me or have there been a lot of great games leaving the extra tier but barely anything in terms of wow factor joining the service in return?
When was the last time that Sony added a PlayStation studio game?
Now I don't expect Sony to have day 1 like Gamepass but I would expect to at least care to make the offering interesting especially when they raised the price by 30% last year.

MrNinosan25d ago

PS Studio Games:
May - Destiny 2: Lightfall
April - MediEvil, Jak&Daxter: The Lost Frontier,
March - CoolBoarders

What Playstation Studio games is it you're missing?

Petebloodyonion25d ago

Sight...
let me check my comment again
" Is it me or have there been a lot of great games leaving the extra tier but barely anything in terms of wow factor joining the service in return? "
Yeah pretty sure I mentioned the EXTRA tier and not the PREMIUM tier
but glad that you consider a DLC to a free-to-play game a great offering

MrNinosan25d ago

I repeat my question, what PS Studio games is it you're missing?

And regarding the first part of your comment, lots of great games leaving and nothing added?

What great games iyo has left the service?
For me, "wow-factor games added would be".
Dave the Diver, Tales of Kenzera, Raji, Miasma, The Outer Worlds, Resident Evil 3, Ace Attorney, Rainbow Six Siege, AC: Valhalla, Far Cry 6, Watch Dogs Legion, Both Southpark jrpgs, Fenyx Rising, Tales of Arise, Session, Lego Worlds, Vampire the Masquerade Swansong, Legends of Mana....

And many more.

Compared to what has been removed, the adds are better than the 'offs'.

280°

DF Weekly: Do we actually need The Last of Us Part 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn remasters?

With the details we now have in terms of features and pricing, I don't think there are any significant concerns remaining - just that perhaps that the term 'remastered' in the title is a little misplaced. Essentially, what we're dealing with here is broadly equivalent to a release along the lines of Death Stranding: Director's Cut. It's the original game with a dash of extra content and additional visual modes that tap into the power of PlayStation 5.

Read Full Story >>
eurogamer.net
-Foxtrot184d ago

Bloodborne, Infamous, Killzone, Resistance, Puppeteer, Jak and Daxter etc are all better choices

Even a full on remake of Drakes Fortune I’d take

PrinceOfAnger184d ago

killzone 2/3 definitely a better choice, i have recently finished the games on pc and thought about that, a full remake like demon souls is even better

darthv72184d ago

2&3 are still fine... I'd take the first one as a full remake before the others. They could flesh out more of the backstory that the sequels touch on. Even go deeper into the lore of Helgan.

specialguest183d ago

KZ 2/3 would be amazing. KZ 2 was a graphical masterpiece back then. With today's modern tech, all of those tricks Guerilla Games did to create the effects like the lighting, storm effects, etc, they could now be done in real-time and more realistic

Cacabunga183d ago

Killzone 2-3
Golden Abyss remake
Infamous 2

RaidenBlack184d ago

Uncharted 1 still got a decent remaster for 8th gen ... a remake is not that much of a requirement ...
instead remake candidates should be from 5th or 6th gen
and as for proper remasters (not just lazy res upscale): Killzone 2 & 3 obviously and also Resistance/inFamous (as well as MGS4 :P)

-Foxtrot184d ago

My point with the list is that I’d rather see those titles than what we are getting…titles which are only 3-5 years old and still hold up today

CrashMania184d ago

Sony own the Demons Souls and Bloodborne IP, I wish they'd do something with Bloodborne at the very least.

vfl523184d ago

The way you worded that makes me think you don't realize they already remade demon souls

184d ago
GamingSinceForever184d ago

Not one of those will sell more copies than TLOU2 Remaster. The sooner we realize that these gaming sites and their followers are less than 1% of the buying public the better off we’ll be.

Sure we prefer newer titles but this is business and a business is what Sony is running.

JackBNimble183d ago

Don't you think they could be doing something better with their time and money, like maybe making something new? Or have they become lazy and just reliving the past with the same old games over and over.

Gez ... do something fresh and new already .

notachance184d ago

I'd rather for them to go Square Enix route and remake/remaster their PS1 libraries instead of these unnecessary remaster

come on, legend of dragoon..

Gamingsince1981183d ago

What's with the "need" anyway ? This is video games, no one needs them at all, we need water , we need air, we don't need games.

Barlos183d ago

I would love a remake/remaster of KZ1. For its time it really pushed the PS2 hard and because of that it had a few issues. This is begging to be given the Bluepoint touch and brought up to date. I'd love to see an updated Killzone trilogy collection for sure.

Yi-Long183d ago

Sony killed the game and the studio behind it, but a Remaster of the excellent Driveclub would absolutely be my favorite release if it happened. Just a delicious racing game.

FinalFantasyFanatic183d ago (Edited 183d ago )

So many better choices, I can't fathom why reasonably recent games are getting picked over Classics that are more deserving.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 183d ago
Battlestar23184d ago

Well I want a Horizon Zero Dawn remaster especially if it's an upgrade to Forbidden West Graphics and Animation.

184d ago Replies(2)
Duke19184d ago

Nope. But HD remasters are an easy cash grab that the masses shovel cash for because while they complain about remakes, they still buy them

PRIMORDUS183d ago

Not if they release on a platform that never received the original in the first place like PC.

46player183d ago

No complaint here, I want the updated graphics.

Ra3030184d ago

My thoughts on this is do we need Richard Leadbetter's or Digital Foundry's opinion on anything........ever? I know I don't they do nothing for me and never have.

specialguest184d ago

You may not, but tons of people do since the video has 4,700 Likes to 112 Dislikes

Chocoburger184d ago

That guy is a buffoon, DF Direct is the best gaming podcast around. I look forward to it every week.

BehindTheRows183d ago

By that same token, some may not NEED remasters, while others may/do.

Amplitude183d ago (Edited 183d ago )

DF videos are typically absolutely amazing game reviews first and foremost. They have great intros, explain the mechanics well, tell you if they enjoyed it or not (I usually vibe well with John's games personally), and then they have the best tech breakdowns of a game's performance which is very very important to me. I want to know what settings to run at on PC, and on PS5 I wanna know if the 60fps mode runs well or not because if it doesn't... well I'll just get it on PC (If it isn't completely broken there too). DF Retro is also always unbelievably interesting and super well edited and inspired my YouTube channel which just crossed 1200 subs (wooo!). They helped me a lot with understanding game development and got me interested in goofing around with game engines and PC building in general back in the day.

I don't mean any offence by this but you sound like somebody who skims their analysis videos, selectively scrolls to the stats, says "who cares?", and then closes it. Or possibly somebody who watches (stolen) cut clips on TikTok? Even if you are somehow unaffected by blurry images and fluctuating frame rates (some people are and I envy you) I recommend watching a full DF episode one day. They're extremely interesting and I watch literally all of them even if I have no interest in the game.

VonAlbrecht183d ago

"I personally don't enjoy this extremely well-presented and highly informative content so it shouldn't exist."

-Ra3030, Nobel Peace Prize Nominee

Show all comments (66)
80°

Joris de Man on composing music for the Horizon series

In the video game industry, where visual design and game mechanics typically grab the limelight, the significance of music in enhancing the overall gaming experience is often underestimated. Music can be a key component in the player’s emotional connection with a game. It amplifies emotional impact, heightens tension, and can be a powerful driver of narrative. We’ve had the chance to speak to Joris de Man, a renowned Dutch composer best known for his work on the Killzone series, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and its sequel Horizon: Forbidden West. During the Game Access conference in Brno, we talked about the process of composing music for video games and how he created the harmonies that have shaped some of our most beloved gaming experiences.

Sonic1881349d ago (Edited 349d ago )

To keep using him as the music composer in their games.

ChronoJoe349d ago

Joris seems like a great guy. I spoke to him briefly once about how much I loved his music and he was really friendly/humble.