LEGO Horizon Adventures Has Its Own Way of Fixing a Longtime Zero Dawn Flaw

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LEGO Horizon Adventures Has Its Own Way of Fixing a Longtime Zero Dawn Flaw

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades under my belt, I can confidently say that Guerrilla Games has truly outdone themselves with their latest spinoff, LEGO Horizon Adventures. While the original Horizon Zero Dawn was a marvel of modern gaming, its facial animations were a sore spot for many fans, myself included. However, in this charming LEGO adaptation, they’ve cleverly embraced those stiff animations, turning them into an endearing part of the game’s aesthetic, much like how Lego bricks themselves have their own unique charm.

Upon its debut in February 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn received widespread acclaim from critics. Key aspects that garnered praise included the game’s world-building, performances, aesthetics, narrative, and tactical gameplay, which featured combat that required players to focus on specific weak spots when hunting robotic dinosaurs. The solid foundation established by Horizon Zero Dawn led to an expansion not long after, followed by a sequel, additional expansions, and now even a spinoff titled LEGO Horizon Adventures.

Announced way back in June, the highly-anticipated game titled “LEGO Horizon Adventures” is slated for release on November 14 for PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Based on its pre-launch promotions and sneak peeks, it appears that “LEGO Horizon Adventures” will reenact the storyline of “Horizon Zero Dawn“, but with a generous dose of classic LEGO humor and warmth. Interestingly, there’s one unique feature in “LEGO Horizon Adventures” that addresses a long-standing complaint about “Zero Dawn“.

How LEGO Horizon Adventures Avoids a Common Zero Dawn Criticism

Horizon Zero Dawn’s Facial Animations Were a Major Point of Criticism

In 2017, I dived into the visually stunning world of Horizon Zero Dawn, but there was one aspect that left me scratching my head – the facial animations. As a gamer, I noticed right away that many characters appeared stiff during conversations, and the lip-syncing often felt off, making certain cutscenes feel awkwardly unnatural.

In an ironic twist, the already noticeable facial animation issues in Horizon Zero Dawn were exacerbated by the game’s otherwise exceptional visual presentation. The environments boasted astonishing detail and vivid colors, the advanced lighting techniques lent the game a lifelike quality, and the character models showcased both complexity and diversity. However, compared to these outstanding features, Horizon Zero Dawn’s facial animations seemed notably inferior.

It’s fortunate that Guerrilla Games listened to the feedback and made adjustments. The Frozen Wilds expansion for Horizon Zero Dawn showcased enhanced character facial expressions, and this improvement continued in Horizon Forbidden West, taking full advantage of the PS5’s capabilities. Now, with the launch of Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, the original 2017 game’s animation problems have been rectified, offering a host of technical upgrades.

LEGO Horizon Adventures Will Avoid This Criticism By Embracing It

The forthcoming title, “LEGO Horizon Adventures “, creatively deals with the facial animation challenges present in “Horizon Zero Dawn” by opting for a unique approach. Instead of striving for lifelike facial expressions, “LEGO Horizon Adventures” adopts intentionally rigid animations reminiscent of the stop-motion style seen in “The LEGO Movie“. This choice allows the game to humorously bypass the original game’s animation issues, making its deliberate stiffness a distinctive aspect of its art style.

In truth, the facial animations in LEGO Horizon Adventures not only help it steer clear of the criticisms leveled against Horizon Zero Dawn, but they also enhance the appeal of this LEGO game. These animations bring to mind the atmosphere of The LEGO Movie and yet, they effectively express a range of emotions without compromising the authenticity of the construction toy or its physical constraints. It’s fascinating to observe how LEGO Horizon Adventures successfully addresses one of Horizon Zero Dawn’s most frequently criticized aspects.

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2024-11-06 22:03