Horizon Burning Shores Is a Technical Masterclass on PS5, Says New Analysis

Well, it's a shame forbidden west wasn't exclusively made for PS5 then.

What does Digital Foundry even know? Random internet people told me that the DLC isn't that impressive and could have easily been released on ps4.

@naruball "the DLC could have easily been released on ps4"

It can absolutely be done on PS4, that's not even debatable. They might have to put a little bit more man power on it, they would also have to use the regular clouds from the base game instead of the new ones but it could still be on PS4 (obviously downgraded but still playable).

Obviously not played the DLC but for people who have, are the clouds as impressive as they sound?

@naruball I have no doubt it could easily run on the Switch as well. I mean it doesn't look that much better than Animal Crossing imo.

@nessisonett I completed the DLC's main story and side quests on Tuesday and TBH didn't even notice the clouds haha

I didn't see anything very different from the base game, which was already a looker.

@nessisonett while I'm sure everything going on behind the scenes is technically impressive, I probably would not have really noticed them without the prior hub bub. But I think the way the whole environment works in concert to provide an immersive world is the seller.

I wonder whether the decima engine will get or has vr support. Since call of the mountain used unreal. I suppose it does not have vr support yet.

I am a fan of cloud gaming so I will play this next...

@zupertramp I'd say it looks almost as good as Animal Crossing. Better luck next time, I guess.

It’s indeed beautifully done, gorgeous in parts, but some funky water effects

GG, SSM, Insomniac and ND are the benchmark or standard for what teams should be able to do or strive to do.

@Juanalf since it's not even debatable, I'll just ask Guerilla Games to try a little harder next time (can't promise they'll listen, though).

@Nyne11Tyme

Can't wait for other studios to reach that. Sucker Punch, Bluepoint, Firesprite and Housemarque could be one of them.

I don't think the technical showcase that Horizon is, has ever really been in question. It is the design and gameplay loops that could use some refinement is all.
Especially when it has such a strong foundation, it makes no sense to double down on the short list of things that would truly break this game of its plagued 'good but overlooked quickly release loop,' it's had. I'm not even suggesting new or innovation here. I'm merely suggesting listening to constructive criticisms and addressing already present shortcomings.

I think the worst decision Sony and Guerilla could do is a Horizon ZD remaster. If that truly is in the pipeline, its just sad, and it may confirm a trajectory that Sony is pushing through its studios that has already grown stale with just Naughty Dog's recycling of old content.

I really hope for Sony's sake, that this isn't the model going forward.

There are alternatives to this profiteering that could come in the form of focused, smaller projects to keep revenue stream incoming whilst planning the larger ones. Lord knows Sony needs that anyways at this point. As they have narrowed their focus and output so much that it's just now starting to become clear that it will and is having consequences.

Oh my. Those clouds are the best clouds I've ever had the pleasure to behold. What's most impressive is the cloudiness and the pixel to cloud ratio is of the chart. I wish I was a cloud in the Burning shores so everyone could bathe in my cloud emitting cloudpower and end all the misery in the world.

They really are on another level.

"You know nothing, Digital Foundry!"
Metacritic's final score influenced by "0" reviews is the one we should trust, it's always considered the best official indicator of a games worth.

I don't think I've ever seen a game more beautiful.

In some restaurants they don’t let you take your meal away, because it will be just ruined this way. The same is here with this DLC and I totally understand and support that.

@nessisonett "are the clouds as impressive as they sound"

I chased a bird around inside a cloud once and the cloud was a thing but I've played games in fog before so I'm not exactly sure what the big deal is. Maybe the PS4 couldn't handle it pixel per pixel, what do I know, but I'd have to think they could have gotten something similar enough if they wanted too. And my wife keeps complaining there isn't enough lava on the "burning shores". And she's right, there really isn't, so even if it did look better than it would have on PS4 there's not enough to matter.

I'm not saying it's bad or anything like that, it's beautiful, my favorite looking game and I'd say game engine as well, something weird about Unreal to me, too wet and plastic, but based on what I've played so far, nearing the final boss battle about 20 hours into the DLC, I'll never believe it couldn't run in some effective form on PS4. PS4 doesn't even have to push 4k, it's a 1080p console, that's a lot of savings right there.

But I said the same thing about R&C so what do I know. 🤷‍♂️

Playing and enjoying Burning Shores. Did a quick web search but didn't find anything, so asking here. Does the BS graphical upgrade also upgrade the core FW graphics after installed, when traveling back to the FW map?

If any more PS exclusive comes out for PS4 too I will rage. It's obvious they have to scale things back if they want the game to play on PS4...just let it die, it's been 10 years

@naruball I see what you did there.

@GodofCapcom oh for sure. They are all great Devs as well. What SP did with GoT was amazing. Bluepoint killed the DS remake and I looooooved Returnal. I also loved everything else Housemarque did...all the way back to the amazing Resogun.

@Nyne11Tyme

Might add Sony Bend but I feel like they are pretty far from them

I wish nintendo to use this engine for a zelda game...

I played video games for my whole life, and Horizon Forbidden West is the best gaming graphics I ever seen in front of me.

I love the Horizon games. I hope for the 3rd they upgrade the combat a little. Imagine how good it could be with TLOU2 style melee system etc

I want a new Killzone game…PLEASE! Take a break from Aloy and switch gears. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! It would make a return to Horizon that much better!