'Horizon Zero Dawn' news: Day one patch offers minor improvements; RPG to become Sony's next big franchise?

"Horizon Zero Dawn" has officially hit the shelves, along with a day one patch that brings minor tweaks to the game. However, Digital Foundry claims that the update doesn't bring many benefits for players because the game's performance was already impressive, to begin with.

According to reports, the game's "favor performance" mode puts the frame-rate near the 30fps at 1080p instead of offering an unlocked frame-rate. While it mostly succeeds in that part, it's worth noting that the game is already around 28fpsz–30fps in 4K. This led Digital Foundry to conclude that the update is "fundamentally not that much of a game-changer."

A day before the game's release, Sony unveiled a new video showcasing the different abilities and skills a player can have. It also features interviews with the developers while explaining how they balance the action and RPG elements in the game. In the clip, it is revealed that players see video previews of various skills and abilities before choosing them. The developers also clarified that no predefined classes are set in the game, assuring players that nothing could lock them into playing in only one certain way.

"Horizon Zero Dawn" was released yesterday, but reviews from the PlayStation 4 exclusive already started to show up since last week. The RPG is receiving a lot of praise for its stunning visual quality and overall gameplay. Back in February, Sony suggested that the game could be the company's next big franchise.

"Nothing has been announced to date but I think there's a lot of potential for this to be an exciting new franchise for us," Sony UK product manager Jon Edwards told MCV. "We'll just have to wait and see," he added

Released on Feb. 28, the game stars Aloy, a character inspired by the "Game of Thrones" character Ygritte.

Developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, "Horizon Zero Dawn" is available for PlayStation 4.