Horizon Zero Dawn Developer Addresses Player Backlash Regarding Controversial Aloy Visual Remaster

Fans of the Horizon Zero Dawn franchise are expressing their dissatisfaction with Aloy’s appearance in the trailer for the upcoming remastered game, prompting a response from a director at Guerrilla Games.

On September 24, Sony hosted a PlayStation State of Play stream that showcased trailers for various games, including new content for Astro Bot and the reveal of Ghost of Yotei, a sequel to Ghost of Tsushima.

Viewers also caught a glimpse of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, set to launch on PS5 and PC on October 31. After more than seven years since the original release—alongside two years of rumors regarding the remaster—fans can look forward to experiencing Aloy’s journey again with enhanced graphics.

While some players reacted positively to the announcement online, numerous fans criticized Aloy’s updated character model for appearing excessively smooth. One user remarked that the original PS4 Aloy blended seamlessly into her world, while the PS5 version resembled “a (very good) cosplayer on an expensive photoshoot.”

Another user compared the remastered version to the “incel edit with makeup,” referencing a viral meme from the release of Horizon Forbidden West that portrayed Aloy with heavy edits to enhance her traditional attractiveness.

In light of these critiques, Jan-Bart van Beek, Studio Director and Art Director at Guerrilla Games, elaborated on the remastering process for Aloy.

We brought over Aloy’s model from Forbidden West. We also reworked the character lighting to match the look of HFW and improve skin tones. Hair shaders are also improved. The slight blurring you see between ps4 and ps5 is because the PS4 image here has motion blur turned off https://t.co/F0ijlydZBT

— Jan-Bart from AstroBeek (@janbartvanbeek) September 25, 2024

He clarified that they had “reworked the character lighting to match the look of HFW and enhance skin tones” after transferring Aloy’s updated model from the sequel. He also explained that Aloy’s smooth appearance was partially due to the PS4 image having the motion blur disabled.

While many replies to his post appreciated the clarifications and recognized the advancements, some players still preferred the original version of Aloy. One user commented, “But let’s be real. We can prefer the look of Aloy in the first game over her in the second.” Another echoed this sentiment, noting that the newer version felt less rugged.

This is not the sole controversy to arise following the September State of Play; Ghost of Yotei also triggered discontent among certain players who were upset with the game’s female lead.

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