Update: ESA responds.
Update : The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has now provided a statement in response to IGN’s story – saying it remains committed to E3. Here it is in full:
As you have likely seen, IGN published an article last night about E3. While we are not able to comment on the specific claims in the article, we wanted to share our commitment to moving forward with E3.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Putting safety first.
If you love Mario Kart as much as we do here at Nintendo Life, one of the first things you’re probably going want to do when you make a trip to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is try out the themed ride.
Well, a word of warning – you’re going to need to pass the theme park’s waistline requirements. According to The Wall Street Journal, Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge may turn away anyone who has a waistline of 40 inches or more.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Critically acclaimed games take the stage for PlayStation Store’s newest promotion. From Wednesday February 1 for a limited time* you can enjoy deep discounts on the likes of NBA 2K23, Need for Speed Unbound and Dying Light 2 Stay Human.
You can peruse the full list of PS4 and PS5 games included in this promotion below. When the promotion starts, head to PlayStation Store to find out your regional discount.
You can peruse the full list of PS4 and PS5 games included in this promotion below. When the promotion starts, head to PlayStation Store to find out your regional discount.
*Critics’ Choice promotion runs on PlayStation Store from 00.00am local time on Wednesday February 1 to 11.59pm local time on Wednesday February 15. Check PlayStation Store for regional discounts.
Octopath Traveler II, Kirby and more.
We’re already up to the second month of 2023, so what can we look forward to in the world of Nintendo Switch games? The one and only Felix has put together a list of 9…maybe 10… exciting new games coming to the hybrid platform this month.
In the first half of the month, be on the lookout for games like Life is Strange 2 and Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, and later in February we’ve got a remaster of Tales of Symphonia, the return of Digimon World: Next Order and then some exclusive offerings like Kirby and Octopath Traveler II. Here’s the full round-up:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
2023 promises to be a big year for Xbox and Windows PC games, with major new titles from Xbox Game Studios and our partners set to jostle for space on your hard drives and cloud devices. From ultra-anticipated RPGs like Starfield, to long-awaited blockbusters such as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, to indie hits-in-waiting, there’s something for everyone coming this year — and a huge portion of this list will be available from day one as part of your Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass membership.
With that in mind, the Xbox Wire team has come together to offer up our personal picks (in no particular order) for the year ahead. Below is just a snapshot of the big picture for 2023 — it’s clear it’s going to be a good year.
I’m far from alone in my anticipation for Starfield, and for good reason. Bethesda’s upcoming RPG introduces an entirely new frontier to explore — space. As a member of space exploring outfit Constellation, you’re tasked with adventuring across the Settled Systems in your own custom ship, seeking rare artifacts throughout the galaxy. Starfield is set to include over 1,000 planets to discover, and if my Skyrim playtime is anything to go by, you know I’m going to poke every single one. – Danielle Partis, Xbox Wire Editor
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
I own no fewer than five versions of Resident Evil 4 across my personal game collection, yet I’ve never actually finished the game. It’s one of my biggest “black marks” as a gamer, and one that I’m excited to finally rectify this year with its upcoming remake – it’s a big reason why I have this down as one of my Most Anticipated Games of 2023. Following on the heels of two great remakes (Resident Evil 2 (2019) and Resident Evil 3 (2020), RE4 remake has a high bar to hit. But from everything I’ve seen so far, this is shaping up to be a modern classic that I’m excited to add to my ever-growing game collection. – Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor
Minecraft has always been about allowing for creativity from its players — Minecraft Legends shows a similar level of unbridled creativity from its developers. This action-strategy game is being built to appeal simultaneously to both Minecraft fans and brand-new players — and does so through the ingenious take of familiar Minecraft ideas in new forms. Harnessing a procedurally-generated world, familiar items, focus on resources, and the frequently terrifying mobs that fans know and turning them into something wholly new (and wholly approachable for those who haven’t played the original) is a fascinating moment for this series — and one I cannot wait experience myself. – Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
I was unfairly cynical about Cal Kestis’ debut at first – of all those cool alien races available, you’ve given us a human? However, Fallen Order quickly became one of my all-time favourite Star Wars adventures – in game or film. The first game (which is available as part of an EA Play or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership if you need to catch up) set us up against the rising threat of the Empire and took us to some incredible worlds, and I’m confident that Jedi: Survivor will expand on those gorgeous destinations and deliver an epic new story – one that Cal deserves to be the epicentre of. – Danielle Partis, Xbox Wire Editor
Arkane is that rare thing, a studio that commands attention for its name as much as for its game concepts. If I see ‘Arkane Austin’ pop up before a trailer plays, I already want to play that game, and Redfall does not mark an exception. The studio’s rich history with immersive sims has led to some of the most fascinating worlds, mechanical tricks and level designs of recent years – Redfall’s setting across the length and breadth of a whole fictional town and its wildly unusual character classes (with the promise of more to come after launch) only point to more classic moments yet to come. But it’s the differences that really hold my attention, this close to release. A focus on co-op play (only increasing the opportunities for that now-expected Arkane mechanical magic), a strengthened interest in gunplay, and its open world setting have me snarling to end a vampire incursion with my friends. – Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
Yes, this just came out – but I haven’t had a chance to play it just yet, so I’m technically still anticipating it. I’m normally not a fan of the horror genre, but I love science fiction, which is a bit ironic since space is in and of itself a terrifying place. The original version of Dead Space wonderfully captures that fear and couples it with an unassuming but likable protagonist struggling to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of his beloved partner and the crew of the USG Ishimura. Whether it’s my unfulfilled dreams of being an astronaut or the thought of facing unimaginable odds for the ones I love, Dead Space isn’t just one of my favorite games of all time, it’s arguably one of the greatest sci-fi horror games in the universe. It’s no surprise, then, that I’m ready to revisit this modern classic rebuilt from the ground up for next-gen hardware when it launches later this month – and the additions Motive Studios has made to weapons, loot, and exploration, I might even feel more ready to tackle the horrors of deep space head-on. – Rich Dickinson, Xbox Wire Editor
I love video games as much as I love cars. Or maybe it’s cars as much as video games. Whichever, I’m a huge fan of Forza and tend to favor the simulation of Forza Motorsport over the open-world freedom of Forza Horizon, so I’m particularly excited for the upcoming next instalment of the classic racing series. Previous versions have treated us to photorealistic looking cars, beautifully rendered tracks, and breath-taking effects, yet the developers at Turn 10 Studios are already calling the next Forza Motorsport the most technically advanced and authentic racing game they’ve ever made. I have no idea how they can make the game any better but can’t wait to find out. – Rich Dickinson, Xbox Wire Editor
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
Since dropping onto Xbox Game Pass and into my life in 2020, the Yakuza series (now re-titled Like a Dragon for all future installments) has taken me on a sweeping tour of Japan, from snowy Sapporo to tropical Okinawa. Like a Dragon: Ishin!, RGG Studio’s remake of a 2014 only-in-Japan spinoff, isn’t merely content to shift locations; it transports players back in time to 1860s Kyoto, where things couldn’t be more different. Or are they? While Ishin’s story follows real life samurai Sakamoto Ryoma, your adventure is populated by familiar faces and voices from across the Yakuza universe. Ryoma may not realize he’s a dead ringer for Kazuma Kiryu, but recurring feelings of déjà vu ensure players will feel at home, even if they’ve never been further from it. And fear not, even if you don’t have experience with this game, or even the series as a whole, Like a Dragon: Ishin! has been designed to be self-contained – even if you don’t get the references, you’re still getting a brand-new samurai tale to play through. Check out our first preview here on Xbox Wire to learn more about the upcoming Like a Dragon: Ishin! – Jeff Rubenstein – Xbox Podcast
At the end of the workday, I rarely want to sit at my PC for more hours, no matter how good a game is. Me and my back pain don’t have to worry about that, now that Age of Empires IV is heading to consoles this year! Age of Empires IV feels like a truly modernised, slick rediscovery of the classic RTS, whether you’re storming through the single campaign or jousting with friends online. Following in the footsteps of Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, which has seamlessly made its transition to Xbox consoles, I can’t wait to conquer from the comfort of my couch, and with the support of Xbox Play Anywhere, I can switch back over to the PC (or even my mobile through Xbox Cloud Gaming) if things get too serious… which they often do. – Danielle Partis, Xbox Wire Editor
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass.
It’s been a minute since a new, mainline Street Fighter entry debuted on Xbox, when the seminal Street Fighter IV launched back in 2009. If you’ve lost track of the series, Street Fighter 6 is likely to blow you away when it arrives in June. SF6 has already confirmed its technical chops in a closed beta featuring older and wiser versions of Ryu, Chun Li, and Guile, and inspired new characters like Luke and soon-to-be fan-favorite Kimberly. The presentation is a stunning visual treat, including the veritable monster factory that is the game’s avatar creator. But it’s my anticipation of the single-player story mode World Tour that already has me prepping combos in excitement. – Jeff Rubenstein – Xbox Podcast
Bloodborne and Ninja Gaiden are some of my favorite games, even though I’m not that great at playing them. Their haunting visuals and slick combat are what I fondly remember, not all the times I was brutally and repeatedly defeated. So, when I heard that the creative talent behind those games were working on Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, I was immediately intrigued and was fortunate enough to chat with Team Ninja’s Fumihiko Yasuda and Masaaki Yamagiwa to learn more. Will I be crushed into a pulp when I start playing? Likely. But this blend of dark fantasy, Chinese martial arts swordplay, and creative gaming talent has me incredibly excited to see how it all unfolds starting on March 3. – Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
Task Force X (aka the Suicide Squad) contains many of the most layered and iconic anti-heroes in DC Comics, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League lets you play as four of the most notorious of them – Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark. The Squad must take on an impossible mission to save Earth and kill the world’s greatest DC Super Heroes – the Justice League. Combined with the gaming pedigree of Rocksteady, the studio behind the amazing Batman: Arkham games, and this has all the ingredients to be something truly special — even though we don’t know that much about it (yet). For now, we’re left largely to our imaginations and a few awesome trailers, which is why it’s one of my Most Anticipated Games of 2023 because… well… I want to know more about it! Hopefully all will be revealed soon and we can dive into another one of Rocksteady’s masterpieces later this year. – Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor
Sometimes, looking back is just as important as looking forward – a lesson Diablo IV is demonstrating months before release. Blizzard’s latest action-RPG returns to some of the series’ most fundamental ideas – a laser focus on full-bore, high-gore action-RPG combat, perilously deep customization, and a grimdark fantasy tale. But in embracing those old ideas, what I particularly love about Diablo 4 so far (not least when I played hours of the game ahead of launch), is in how it’s allowing itself to try new, complementary ideas. A truly open world allows for more loot, more combat, and more fulfilling co-op. A more cinematic approach to storytelling lets that pitch-black story at its core sing. A sharpened, high-gloss look allows for better legibility of spells, even in the thick of battle. Diablo IV is simultaneously old and new, and I’m delighted by both of those aspects. – Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief
When I think about all the zombie games I’ve played over the years, the ones that stand out have a few elements in common: great characters, exciting locations, and entertaining gameplay. The original Dead Island followed this formula over a decade ago, and the long-awaited sequel is demonstrating it will too. Dead Island 2 has a cast of unlikely heroes and takes place in a zombie-infested Los Angeles, (dubbed HELL-A). Add in some dark humor and over the top zombie-slaying, who could ask for more? Looks like I’m moving to Beverly Hills. Swimming Pools. Movie stars. Survival against all odds. – Rich Dickinson, Xbox Wire Editor
To me, a sequel to Hollow Knight almost feels like an unnecessary pleasure – in 2017, developer Team Cherry managed to come out of the gates with a debut that felt unnaturally complete, from its art, to its moment-to-moment interactions, to its cloaked depths of story. And yet, Silksong already feels vital. By switching focus to bit-part character Hornet, we’re promised an entire new skillset and perspective, but built on the near-peerless foundations of the first game. My excitement is that we’re getting is less of a sequel and more of a companion piece. I cannot wait to find out what that feels like. – Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
If I told you that Lies of P, a Souls-like action RPG starring fairy tale Pinocchio wasn’t the biggest surprise of Gamescom 2022, my nose might start growing. It’s not just the shock factor; Just typing “Pinocchio” and “Soulslike” in the same sentence is enough to furrow the brow of anyone hearing about Lies of P for the first time, it’s how well Korean developer Neowiz is turning this concept into an awesome looking game. As you might expect, choosing whether or not Pinocchio tells the truth will have an impact in the story. However, the Pinocchio I’m familiar with wasn’t equipped with a ‘Legion Arm’, allowing players to journey through Lies of P in the way of their choosing as they seek out Geppetto. Definitely an improvement. – Jeff Rubenstein – Xbox Podcast
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass.
I’ve been on an Assassin’s Creed cooldown for about five years now, and I’m just about ready for my next historical roof-hopping adventure. Mirage promises to take us back to basics, with a more focused scope and more straightforward story beat. It’s also set in ancient Baghdad, a culture and world I’m looking forward to exploring, and a lovely throwback to the environments I grew to love in the very first game in the series. I’m super excited about this reprisal of a more manageable Assassin’s Creed game, and am looking forward to a gorgeous new world that feels like an old favourite. – Danielle Partis, Xbox Wire Editor
The original Space Marine, for me, was a gateway into the massive Warhammer universe. At the time, it had been a while since something supplied such an amazing premise to such a rich and detailed world. It also helped that the game kicked ass, coupled with some truly amazing voice acting performances. Since then, I’ve explored a myriad of other Warhammer games, from Vermintide to Dawn of War to Total War: Warhammer. So, when the reveal trailer for Space Marine 2 dropped at the Game Awards 2021, my jaw hit the floor. It has been over a decade since the original game and from everything we’ve seen so far, it’s shaping up to be well worth the wait. I’m ready to heed the call of battle once again! – Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor
Full transparency, Replaced wasn’t a game on my radar until fairly recently. But after watching the trailers and doing a little reading, it’s definitely a title I’m now hugely looking forward to playing this year, especially since it’s launching into Game Pass as an Xbox console exclusive. This action-platformer has a Shadow Complex and Deadlight vibe (both games I thoroughly enjoyed) but is set in an alternative 1980s dystopian world. The art style is beautifully crafted with a blend of pixel art and realistic looking backdrops, and the atmosphere conveys the dark and foreboding setting you’d expect from a world on the verge of collapse. Plus, there’s a dog, and it looks like you may be able to pet it. – Rich Dickinson, Xbox Wire Editor
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
It’s difficult to look forward to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 without recognizing the challenges its Ukrainian developers have endured the past year, but they have continued working on the game, and fans like me are excited to get our hands on it, and to celebrate something made against such a backdrop. In purely gaming terms, the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone is a fascinating location to set your game, and with a gritty tale, immersive sim elements, and beautiful technical execution, you have me hooked. – Rich Dickinson, Xbox Wire Editor
Available day one with Xbox Game Pass.
If you were looking for a series to thank for keeping the RTS genre alive, Company of Heroes 1 & 2 would be near the top of that list in my opinion, right up there with StarCraft II. These games have done a tremendous job of mixing a compelling and dramatic World War II narrative with stellar real-time strategy gameplay. Plus, the amazing destruction engine brought it all together to make these battles feel truly lived in. Now with this series returning for the first time in 10 years, on both PC and console, I’m incredibly excited to see how Company of Heroes 3 translates to the power of Xbox Series X|S. Be sure to check out this recent preview on Xbox Wire to get a sense of the hard work being put into this version of the game. – Mike Nelson, Xbox Wire Editor
After spending a full decade atop my pile of shame, I finally took advantage of Xbox backward compatibility to enjoy the original Alan Wake in summer of 2020. I was immediately drawn into Remedy’s intentionally disorienting storytelling – something they’ve since taken even further with the truly excellent Control. Despite being nearly two generations behind technologically, Alan Wake’s light-wary enemies freaked me out enough that I exclusively played during daylight hours. For the long-awaited Alan Wake 2, Remedy says they’re crafting a survival horror game – the original AW was merely a “psychological thriller” (which you can catch up on too, with the even more accomplished Alan Wake Remastered) I can’t wait… to sleep with the lights on. – Jeff Rubenstein – Xbox Podcast
It took until Elden Ring for me to fully get to grips with FromSoftware’s action-RPG Souls masterworks, but I’ve been an Armored Core player since day one. This grand old mech-battling series has had its gunmetal claws in the pleasure centers of my brain since I was a child, its measured tactical action and gloriously in-depth machine tinkering combining to make for something functionally unique. That Armored Core VI is seemingly a return to that formula, rather than the futuristic Soulslike many expected, is all I could have asked for. There’s no doubt we’ll see more Souls games come along, so this is a more-than welcome diversion. I’ll be knee-deep in leg units and shoulder-mounted missile launchers come launch day. – Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief
Related:
Hi-Fi Rush: How the Films of Edgar Wright Inspired Tango Gameworks’ New Game
How Like a Dragon: Ishin! Departs from the Yakuza You Know (and What Remains the Same)
Bond is Back! GoldenEye 007 Arrives on Xbox Game Pass
The Sims 4 didn’t have toddlers until they were added in 2017, and sims’ early years will continue to telescope when March comes around. That’s when infants will finally be added to the game, turning babies into full sims.The latest update also offered news on Project Rene, the eventual successor to The Sims 4. The key takeaways: it’s not an MMO but it will have multiplayer as well as singleplayer, and it’s years away from release.
Capcom has shared new details on the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 4. This includes confirmation that it will remove quick-time events, add sidequests, and introduce breakable knives.
Capcom provided a better idea of what fans can expect from the highly anticipated remake in a new cover story for Game Informer. The most significant change from the remake is that there will be no quick-time events.
Game Informer’s story mentions that sidequests are also being added to the remake, stating that blue flyers located in-game are used to collect sidequests for you to complete, with examples including solving a puzzle, tracking down and eliminating a specific enemy. The blue medallion collectible that was featured in the original will also be returning in the remake..
One of the more interesting gameplay changes is that knives will have limited durability and will break after a certain amount of use. However, you can store multiple knives in your inventory. Additionally, you will have the option to trade jewels with the merchant in exchange for items such as yellow herbs, treasure maps, and weapon attachments.
Resident Evil 4 Remake also changes Ashley Graham, who no longer has a health bar, but if she takes too much damage, she will be in a “downed state” and need to be revived. If she is hit when in a “downed state,” she will die. A Capcom representative said that the developers want to make Ashley “feel more like a natural companion and less like a second health bar to babysit,” confirming that she can perform things such as sending her through a crawlspace to open a door that’s locked on the other side.
First announced in 2022, Resident Evil 4 is the latest in Capcom’s series of remakes. We played it back in October, noting that Capcom seems to be making smart choices with in what it iterates on for the remake, and that we’re excited to see more.
Resident Evil 4 Remake launches on March 24 on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S.
Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has been delayed by six weeks. In a statement released on Twitter, developers Respawn Entertainment said that the action-adventure sequel would no longer meet its March 17th release date and will instead draw laser swords on April 28th.What constitutes a remake or a remaster or even a reboot? Regardless of what you call it, today we’re looking at Dead Space, the new recreation of the classic survival horror game. The original is beloved by many – will history repeat itself here?
Motive studios have some space experience, but this war is of a much bloodier kind, and remaking such a cherished sci-fi tale is surely a daunting task. The weapon of choice is DICE’s long serving Frostbite engine which has been used for everything from Battlefield to FIFA. Here they have to turn down the lights for a gory, tension-soaked rebirth of Isaac aboard the doomed Ishimura. The upgrades and rebuilt assets and models transform the entire game, and Isaac himself is now front and center with many of Dead Space 2’s improvements merged into the first game.
Let’s start with the changes from the 2008 original, which was an impressive game for the time and still holds up well due to its focused technology and strong art direction. As dark and grimy as the original was, the new game manages to make the original look bright in comparison. Far more light sources emphasize the dark and highlight focal points, which is used to build tension in the new game. Improved occlusion comes from screen space ambient occlusion and even ray traced ambient occlusion on PC, PS5, and Series X. Shadows are not only far more abundant, mixing shadow maps with screen spaced shadows, but also more accurate from multiple torches and electric strips. Although the original was very forward-looking with its reliance on light and shadows, the team ensured that flickering lights cause dancing shadows and looming shapes in many old and new areas.
These updates and changes are often subtle, diverting your expectations even for long time fans. Significantly improved models, facial animation, eye movement and materials all leap out over the original’s flat, single-shaded surfaces. Gore is a core pillar of the game, and improved dismemberment allows for skin to be chopped away revealing bone and sinew before the limb is finally cleaved off. The visual upgrades continue with screen space reflections, significantly increased geometry and detail, and improved and fully re-made textures with impressive physically-based materials. It is safe to say the results on a technical and artistic front are a rousing success and, dare I say it, even improve in some areas over the original. This is a tall order in anyone’s book, but when the source material is this strong the expectations are equally high.
The use of Frostbite means that 60fps, or even greater on PC, is an upgrade from the old 30fps of the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions. The visual fidelity mode (which I will call the Ray Tracing mode for ease in this review) and Performance mode on Series X and PS5 rely on DRS and FSR2 for their intended outputs. However, both target 60fps.
The Performance mode runs the lowest resolution level, 2560×1440, to maintain 60fps, along with lower effects, no ray tracing, and reduced fog volumes, screen space reflection (SSR) quality, and even texture detail. Some of this though is that the FSR2 implementation does not appear to be well implemented. A combination of mip-map bias, variable rate shading (VRS), as well as the sharpening pass in Performance mode not being updated to compensate for the lower resolution. The PC can also utilise both FSR2 or DLSS2 (Nvidia RTX only) to reduce the cuts in that pixel-to-performance recipe, but again there’s no option in the menu to adjust sharpening, which may be a nice addition from the team later.
The game is often dark enough that the resolution gap is quite small when comparing between Performance and Ray Tracing modes. Aiding performance further appears to be a VRS implementation, which can be noticed on all three consoles and PC. The solution is often ok to middling, and can improve performance at texture and pixel-shading precision. But pixel blocking can be visible in close-view surfaces, such as Isaac himself in lifts, causing almost a macro-blocking look. These appear worse on PC than consoles and can be more pronounced with motion vectors in FSR and DLSS on PC. The Xbox Series S is affected the most due to its very low texture filtering, causing floors and surfaces to fade into a muddy soup at times at close range, alongside some blocky textures – which again may be related to the FSR2/DLSS2 engine implementation pipeline alongside VRS. In addition, the resolution levels here are very low, which leads to a noisy and soft image at times, effectively VRS works best with higher resolutions.
The Series S only has one mode, which sits between the Ray Tracing and Performance mode on Series X and PS5, but does not appear to run the ray traced AO setting and instead uses the screen space solution that the Performance mode runs, albeit slightly reduced compared to the Series X, PS5 and PC settings, though this may be resolution related. The cost is relatively low though, with approximately 5-10% impact dependant on scene, using my RX 6800 at 4K TAA going from SSAO to RTAO, which is one of the cheaper effects in the game. A ceiling of 1920×1080 is hit but is often around or at 1280×720 with FSR2 helping as best it can. The main issue is at these low resolutions the reconstruction has less data to work with, so it affects the image quality versus the other consoles.
The comparison to PS5 and Series X is unsurprisingly short: for all intents and purposes they are identical in both modes, with DRS and fps being the only potential difference. There are some subtle changes in lighting and gamma, but both look to match each other in the Performance and Ray Tracing mode. From multiple counts the Ray Tracing mode can hit a full 3840×2160, but the FSR2 pass is always reconstructing this, so that may not always be a native range. In quieter sections it is certainly at that level on both, but in action it can drop to an approximate low of 2240×1260, though this can and will change depending on the on-screen action. The range appears to be between Quality and Balanced within the FSR2 settings. Again the target is 60fps, but is most of the time below that on both.
Performance mode drops this to a 1440p high and an approximate 1536×864 low, and again in heavy action it can shift between Quality and Balanced to that 1440p high. This leaves a softer image than the other mode but I would say that even in side-by-side this does not really stand out, other than the texture clarity and filtering I mentioned. In addition, this mode turns off RTAO and enables the game’s SSAO. Screen Space Reflections are reduced as are the fog volumes and even lighting in the game, but some of these are tied to resolution so that may be the reason. Matching to PC settings is not fully possible, as even across a selection of tests the RTAO and lighting on PC does not exactly match the consoles. As a rough guide, the consoles appear to be between Medium and High on some settings. Certainly shadow maps appear to be closest to medium with most others being High and maybe Ultra on SSR. In Performance mode they appear to drift closer to medium, and using the PC as a rough proxy, going from Ultra to High nets you approximately 21% improvement, and from High to Medium provides a further 35% gain. This is likely what the Series S is running at with lights possibly even being closer to Low.
The Xbox Series S is often below 60fps in heavy combat and real-time cinematics – the opening one being the most stressful section I found across all platforms. Here we can get down to 30fps. Some of these are simply context, memory stutters, and general code issues that can cause some minor 60-80 ms stutters. Aside from this all other dips stay within 16 and 33ms frame-times. The net result is that in this section we are often around and even below the VRR range to solve the issues on all formats. That said, in many of the corridor sections, which the game is largely comprised of, it can be a steady 60fps, with only single dips being almost invisible.
The original testing for this article was conducted using pre-launch review code, however a day-one patch added a 30fps lock to the Xbox Series S as well as the Ray Tracing mode on Series X and PS5. The testing you’ll see in the following section shows the headroom available for all consoles above that cap, just know that the Ray Tracing mode (and Series S) are all now at a locked 30fps instead of the 45-50fps range from the review code.
Moving to the PS5 and Series X in Performance mode, they are close to perfect, and I applaud the team for ensuring that players can choose how to play. What we see is a locked 60fps on PS5 and Series X in like for like heavy sections against the Ray Tracing mode. And with the same cinematic section here we can see some small dips into the mid 50s briefly, before returning to a smooth 60fps output. If smooth and consistent performance is your focus, this mode has you covered, and the visual sacrifices are minor enough to not make it much of a decision.
With that said, the Ray Tracing mode does give us a better test of the two consoles. The Series X takes a small lead on performance in the like for like section, but these are single digit levels at best, and would be identical without the fps graph. The bigger view though is this mode is never at a locked 60fps and is often around 45-50 fps even in normal corridor exploration and battles. I believe this is due to the game using very high quality assets, alpha, and particles, and as such it can become pixel-limited on console and PC. This mode is certainly not bad but you will notice these dips throughout your play, and compared to the smooth performance mode it can be a much bigger gap than the loss in resolution and effects from the other mode. Either way, the choice is yours, which is the way we like it to be.
As mentioned, the consoles do not appear to use the engine’s own TAA – which is the option for older cards or Intel GPUs – but this is more demanding that both FSR and DLSS solutions with no reconstruction can lose over 45-50% performance in like for like settings moving from TAA to FSR2, so use it if you can for performance. DLSS2 is better implemented here as sharpening and details are preserved closer to 4K when enabled, with FSR being softer overall. All three can be aligned with DRS but neither are as good as 4K TAA high and overall Image quality is impacted further due to the VRS solution, which cannot be disabled on PC and it looks like the Checkerboard option within the engine has been laid to rest, not the only thing in this game.
Starting with the Steam Deck, we need to run at 1280x720p with FSR2 performance. The Steam Deck can become CPU-bound due to the excellent multi-threading within the engine. 60fps is never really an option even at Low settings. As such my recommended choice is to set the game at medium or high settings, and cap to 30fps using the Steam OS, as the game does not offer a 30fps cap in the menu. By lowering the effects you can boost the FSR2 settings to quality, but lights, SSAO and shadows should be at medium if possible for the best balance of image quality and fidelity.
Due to the split pools of RAM, CPU demand, and overall PC architecture and API changes, the PC version does suffer from stutters and pauses during play not present on consoles. Some may still be a few shader compilation on occasion – the game does pre-build these up front before you can start the game, and by and large they cover almost the entire game, but you will get some stutters from time to time. The bigger stutters come from streaming data from the drive and these can be worse at times, with the Steam Deck being most affected due to its relatively weak CPU and slower bandwidth. The game is designed around an SSD, so load times are quick continuing from boot on console and PC alike, but depending on your drive you may also see some bigger stutters with loading and data streaming. Aside from these admittedly quite impactful performance woes, the Steam Deck does a super job of offering this modern remake quality in your hand at a largely locked 30fps. As stated the majority of these stutters are not DX12 shader-related, but in your first play be prepared for the annoyance of stutters when entering new areas, spawning shader effects, and even during cutscenes. And then you can get smaller stutters when walking through hub areas or entering an area, even if you have been through it before.
This carries over to the PC where using my RTX 2070 close to the console Ray Tracing settings with DLSS2 Balanced engaged at an 1800p output, we can see the first run versus the second can double our performance with the main issue here appearing to be memory related, with data moving from the SSD into System RAM and then over to VRAM, which causes the GPU and CPU to stall and thus frame-times to hang low until this issues clears up and then performance and utilization returns to maximum. Using the second run, it is very close to the Series X and PS5 in these sections.
This data stuttering again happens as you continue through the game as new areas and sections load, which can be annoying and means that above 60fps – which is fully possible on PC with my RX 6800 – the dips can feel more prominent as the frame time gaps are bigger with 100+ ms stutters. This happens across all my PC machines from Nvidia to AMD. (Note that both PCs are running the game on an SSD with 1.5GB/s bandwidth as a minimum.) The faster your PC’s CPU and memory, the less these problems will be visible as the data being shifted between SSD, system RAM, and VRAM through PCIe can be frequent. These can improve the second or more times you play the section as the data is likely already present in System RAM or VRAM, thus reducing the delay on keeping the hardware busy. I hope the team can patch this at or close to launch to clean up the issues I encountered in this review code, as while it doesn’t ruin the game, it can leave the PC suffering more in performance than all three consoles.
Dead Space remains a classic and the team have reimagined the game from a visual and story perspective. Although the engine and game scales right down to handheld mode on the Steam Deck, the PC version still feels and performs a little rougher around the edges compared to the console version, and the weaker your machine the worse those problems will be. As such, the game is best experienced in its current form on a new gen console or a very high end PC which can push 120fps and maybe even native 4K. The day-one patch added a 30fps cap to the Series S and Ray Tracing mode on Series X and PS5, which adds stability but I would have preferred to see it as a toggle, leaving the choice to the player. Either way, the pre-launch testing shows there’s plenty of headroom above that cap, so 30fps should be quite stable in that mode. Meanwhile, the Performance mode is close enough to the 60fps range, and with VRR it is the smoothest and most consistent version at launch. Hopefully patches drop soon on PC to resolve the issues noted, as this is one of the best remakes I have played and manages to achieve that rare balance of sympathetically improving and altering the original, delivering the best version of Dead Space you can play.
Marvel Snap is several rare things at once: a licensed superhero game that’s fun; a card game that’s graspable and allows for casual play; and a free-to-play game that doesn’t feel warped by microtransations.As of today, it now has a PvP battle mode to enable friends to pit their decks against one another. It’s either making a good thing better, or it’s the beginning of the end of all the things I mentioned above.
