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Horizon Zero Dawn |OT| The Land After Time

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Man that feeling when you
control some of the robodinos
and they help you in fights really is amazing. Even hunting the wildlife to expand the crafting is great.
 

Crossing Eden

Hello, my name is Yves Guillemot, Vivendi S.A.'s Employee of the Month!
It's weird in 2017 to have a AAA game that lacks seamless camera transitions from cutscenes to gameplay. :/ Game feels great to play tho.
 

BumRush

Member
Game is excellent so far but the font size is way too small on pretty much everything. More incentive to go minimal hud I guess.
 

The Lamp

Member
Reading everyone share the same thoughts as I did playing the game a couple of weeks ago is really rewarding and that alone is worth me buying the game early. I can't wait to read pages of the same "HOLY SHIT" I was at about 20-30 hours in...
 

tayls129

Member
So I'm just about to do the Proving, finished the side quests available in the area. I know there will be more depth and I think the story will really have me chomping at the bit to collect lore and figure out the world, but I have to ask: How is this game any better than a new FarCry? And I love FarCry 3 & 4, don't get me wrong. But I'm surprised by the glowing reviews that don't seem to be saying, "Yep, it's FarCry with a little bit of Tomb Raider but the story is really good." Instead, reviews seem to state that this is doing everything right, and I'm struggling to see what sets it apart beyond the presentation.
 
For PS4 Pro owners on a 1080p TV:

I did some testing with the IQ. Tried to upload as uncompressed images as I could fairly quickly so people can do the comparison and decide which mode is better for them.

Resolution mode:
BdDaHS1.png

Performance mode:

Generally, very similar levels of IQ with the main difference being the clarity on things such as branches. What's harder to show in images that you can notice in game is that the game is slightly sharper looking in performance mode (1080p) as opposed to resolution mode (supersampled). Which is odd but I'm not sure what that is a result of.

Bonus, here is how the game looks in unpatched v. 1.00 mode:

While it very may well just be placebo, I do feel that the AA coverage isn't as good in the unpatched game. The branches stand out in the images but Rost in particular during movement stood out as well.

Not sure which one I'll opt for as the differences are just so negligible most of the time.
 

The Lamp

Member
So I'm just about to do the Proving, finished the side quests available in the area. I know there will be more depth and I think the story will really have me chomping at the bit to collect lore and figure out the world, but I have to ask: How is this game any better than a new FarCry? And I love FarCry 3 & 4, don't get me wrong. But I'm surprised by the glowing reviews that don't seem to be saying, "Yep, it's FarCry with a little bit of Tomb Raider but the story is really good." Instead, reviews seem to state that this is doing everything right, and I'm struggling to see what sets it apart beyond the presentation.

Idk just play more and see what you think I guess. you're in the tutorial section lol
 
My copy should arrive tonight but here's the dilemma:

I leave out of town on Friday after work so do I start the game and only get two play sessions in before I have to stop for a couple days? Or just hold off until Sunday night/Monday to begin this? hmmmmm
 

Krakin

Member
So during the 'training' I am taught pressing R1 highlights tracks, yet starting the game for real I'm pressing R1 and no tracks are being highlighted yet it's then giving me the option to 'deselect highlight'!?

Is it because some watchers don't have set tracks?

Believe there's a range you must be in before the track appears.


That and stationary/grazing bots won't have a track.
 

benny_a

extra source of jiggaflops
So I'm just about to do the Proving, finished the side quests available in the area. I know there will be more depth and I think the story will really have me chomping at the bit to collect lore and figure out the world, but I have to ask: How is this game any better than a new FarCry? And I love FarCry 3 & 4, don't get me wrong. But I'm surprised by the glowing reviews that don't seem to be saying, "Yep, it's FarCry with a little bit of Tomb Raider but the story is really good." Instead, reviews seem to state that this is doing everything right, and I'm struggling to see what sets it apart beyond the presentation.
Haven't played Far Cry 4 nor have I read any reviews, but reviews are usually written after having finished game, not after 70% of the tutorial.
 

Steroyd

Member
"This game isn't so difficult on very hard, I just need to not get hit"

*Meets a Sawtooth for the first time*

Oooooooooh... Shit!
 
So I'm just about to do the Proving, finished the side quests available in the area. I know there will be more depth and I think the story will really have me chomping at the bit to collect lore and figure out the world, but I have to ask: How is this game any better than a new FarCry? And I love FarCry 3 & 4, don't get me wrong. But I'm surprised by the glowing reviews that don't seem to be saying, "Yep, it's FarCry with a little bit of Tomb Raider but the story is really good." Instead, reviews seem to state that this is doing everything right, and I'm struggling to see what sets it apart beyond the presentation.

A more interesting world, better storytelling and lore, quests and collectibles that actually reward you by fleshing out the world, and the machine combat is way more compelling than any combat in FC.
 

Ken Adams

Member
Does anyone know how to turn off the quest marker thats appears on the screen all the time. Not the one on the compass.
 

JayB1920

Member
Im not sure what exactly about this game is different but I really enjoy the "towers" and climbing to find vantages in this game. Awe inspiring stuff.
 
For PS4 Pro owners with a 1080p TV:

If you just left the game at resolution mode, I'd honestly go give performance mode a shot. I've been toggling it back and forth between resolution and performance and given the comparisons and talks with a couple other gaffers, I think it's a good idea to try out performance mode and see how it looks for you.

On my end, the performance mode just straight up looks sharper most of the time and there doesn't seem to be much of a perceptible difference in actual image quality most of the time.

I think you are possibly confusing sharpness with aliasing. The resolution mode has superior AA from the downsampling which maybe you are perceiving as being softer. The performance mode may look sharper to you because aliasing is more evident, especially on foliage and distant objects.

They are both fairly close, and I'm still not convinced the performance mode doesn't also have slightly better shadow res and rock tesselation or something, but right now for me the resolution modes downsampling takes the cake. It looks phenomenal.
 

Kaiken

Banned
So glad there isn't a long animation when collecting resources and it takes only a second.

R* please take note of this for RDR2.

My only complaint is having to be right over the resource to push/hold triangle to collect it. Many times I preemptively hold triangle before I walk over the resource only to release the button and hold it again. A bit of an annoyance.
 

Metroidvania

People called Romanes they go the house?
The diversity is pretty cool. In this one area I just hunted boar, goose, raccoon, turkey, rat, salmon, and fox.

Hunting is all well and good, until you start needing skins to drop for crafting pouch upgrades.

I think I've only ever seen them drop outside of a 'collect' quest like once or twice.
 
Im not sure what exactly about this game is different but I really enjoy the "towers" and climbing to find vantages in this game. Awe inspiring stuff.
Because it's an actual challenge and each one has different enemies and environments surrounding them. You have to get close enough, which means dealing with the machines and other dangers around it. Then you have to obseve its path to figure out where you need to climb to get high enough and then when you need to jump.

Plus just reaching a Tallneck and seeing it in motion is rewarding and cool, so you're compelled to seek them out
 
Yo, lamp!!! How is Zelda gonna be better than this? This game just keeps getting better! I'm getting a lot of satisfaction from just exploring but the back story is just surprising me more and more the deeper I go, I checking all my dialog wheels now, I NEED to know everything. Just spend like 30 minutes in a conversation with someone...

Not starting a war here, they are just easily comparable, chill guys, games are doing different things all that jazz, they are both just very very standout exclusives that are achievements in the industry.
 

Skeletron

Member
Does anyone know how to turn of the quest marker thats appears on the screen all the time. Not the one on the compass.
The only way I've found to turn off the on screen quest marker is to go into your quests screen, find which quest is currently active, and "deactivate quest". However, it will appear again everytime you get a new quest since new quests automatically become "active" and you have to repeat the proccess. That's my one big complaint.

I've tried turning off Quest Pathfinding, and changing all HUD item to Always Off, but the quest marker is always there when you have an active quest.
 
I think you are possibly confusing sharpness with aliasing. The resolution mode has superior AA from the downsampling which maybe you are perceiving as being softer. The performance mode may look sharper to you because aliasing is more evident, especially on foliage and distant objects.

They are both fairly close, and I'm still not convinced the performance mode doesn't also have slightly better shadow res and rock tesselation or something, but right now for me the resolution modes downsampling takes the cake. It looks phenomenal.

That might very well be the case. It's just not something I've noticed with other games where the beenfits of downsampling are more readily apparent (e.g. Deus Ex, For Honor).

The downsampling softens the image a bit but doesn't add much of a perceptible difference most of the time for me due the base game already having a fairly excellent AA solution which then combined with its lack of softness, presents a slighly sharper picture.
 

The Lamp

Member
Yo, lamp!!! How is Zelda gonna be better than this? This game just keeps getting better!

Not starting a war here, they are just easily comparable, chill guys, games are doing different things all that jazz, they are both just very very standout exclusives that are achievements in the industry.

With the mixed impressions of disappointing framerate and performance and unsure feelings about the overworld and voice acting, I'm not sure what to expect now, because for me, Horizon NAILED those aspects of open world gaming. I was honestly looking forward to Horizon less than Zelda 1 month ago, but now I can't stop thinking about Horizon. It's at least making the wait for Friday more bearable to me :) I can't wait to have both in my collection, either way.

Because it's an actual challenge and each one has different enemies and environments surrounding them. You have to get close enough, which means dealing with the machines and other dangers around it. Then you have to obseve its path to figure out where you need to climb to get high enough and then when you need to jump.

What are your thoughts after reading so many impressions and now finally getting the game? XD

is it what you expected?
 
Reading everyone share the same thoughts as I did playing the game a couple of weeks ago is really rewarding and that alone is worth me buying the game early. I can't wait to read pages of the same "HOLY SHIT" I was at about 20-30 hours in...

I'm driving into the story heavily tonight when I get home from work since I'm off tomorrow so you'll probably get a lot of that from me lol
 

MaKTaiL

Member
Question was that one side quest super early on about the outcast brother who hadn't returned yet, the one that was making people worried about the game pre-release?

Cause I didn't notice anything wrong with it.
Me neither. I played it and thought it was fine. Knowing he had mental issues made it fine for me.
 

Ferr986

Member
I think you are possibly confusing sharpness with aliasing. The resolution mode has superior AA from the downsampling which maybe you are perceiving as being softer. The performance mode may look sharper to you because aliasing is more evident, especially on foliage and distant objects.

They are both fairly close, and I'm still not convinced the performance mode doesn't also have slightly better shadow res and rock tesselation or something, but right now for me the resolution modes downsampling takes the cake. It looks phenomenal.

That might very well be the case. It's just not something I've noticed with other games where the beenfits of downsampling are more readily apparent (e.g. Deus Ex, For Honor).

The downsampling softens the image a bit but doesn't add much of a perceptible difference most of the time for me due the base game already having a fairly excellent AA solution which then combined with its lack of softness, presents a slighly sharper picture.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it the AA usage (especially depending on what kind of AA you use) what makes the IQ softer, not downsampling?
Downsampling should make the image cleaner and with less jaggies without the softness of AA, but I wonder if the checkerboard is what makes it look softer than usual.
 
With the mixed impressions of disappointing framerate and performance and unsure feelings about the overworld and voice acting, I'm not sure what to expect now, because for me, Horizon NAILED those aspects of open world gaming. I was honestly looking forward to Horizon less than Zelda 1 month ago, but now I can't stop thinking about Horizon. It's at least making the wait for Friday more bearable to me :) I can't wait to have both in my collection, either way.
Well Zelda will be at my house on Friday but my Switch is "who knows" territory, have to wait on Amazon to get stock. Lemme know, I'm hearing the climbing anything mechanic and discovery is pretty amazing as well as the combat. But yeah, story and presentation and certainly acting I think Horizon is going to not be contested until maybe RDR? You'll probably get it before me though so I'll look out for your impressions.

Feel like I'm gonna platinum Horizon by the weekend I keep doing these long sessions, lol. It's just so cool when your expectations are not only met but exceeded. Hopefully we get another one next week with Zelda bro!
 

The Lamp

Member
Me neither. I played it and thought it was fine. Knowing he had mental issues made it fine for me.

This is what I meant when I said a couple of weeks ago that Brom's scene makes more sense in context and that's why it's an anomaly among an otherwise impressive collection of voice-acting in this game.

It's a pity that that scene nearly made me ignore this game when I saw it in previews. I thought GG was phoning in the narrative of a hammy story. Boy was I wrong!
 
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