Video game tech experts Digital Foundry have analysed the PS4 vs PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West and the results are impressive.
Horizon Forbidden West, the sequel to 2017s Horizon Zero Dawn releases this Friday for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. To little surprise, developers Guerrilla Games have pushed the boat out with the sequel, and then some.
If you follow Digital Foundry on YouTube, then you would know that there are few channels that analyse video game performance quite like these guys. From resolution and framerate performance, visual comparisons and much more. Digital Foundry is the go-to channel for technical analysis of the most recent video games releases.
Analysed by John Linneman, he recommends that PlayStation 5 owners play Horizon Forbidden West in Resolution mode, which is a little surprising. In many cases, Performance modes are often the common recommendation. However, due to the enhanced graphical fidelity of the PS5, Linneman recommends visuals over performance.
“Double the framerate is nice, but you’re missing out on a decently-sized chunk of the next-gen (current-gen?) experience,” said Linneman. “Whichever way you choose to play, however, we highly recommend that you buy this game.”
In terms of the biggest differences between the PS4 and PS5 versions of Horizon Forbidden West, Linneman states that the geometric density is what stands out the most on the new-gen console.
It’s all about the density
“Horizon Forbidden West on PS5 is remarkably dense to an extent where YouTube video compression actually sells the game short,” explains Linneman. “The PS4 consoles reduce this density significantly, with many objects reduced or removed (an impressive moss layer completely vanishes, for example). Foliage rendering is also reduced in quality, with the PS4 consoles using software-based variable-rate shading up against full resolution on PS5.”
That being said, Linneman revealed that the framerate of Horizon Forbidden West is superior to that of Horizon Zero Dawn on last-gen consoles. Linneman says that the sequel performs at a steady lock of 30FPS on PS4.
Below is an overview of Digital Foundry’s findings:
- Base PS4: Dynamic resolution of 1080p at 30FPS
- PS4 Pro: Dynamic checkerboard resolution of 1080p at 30FPS
- PS5 Resolution Mode: Native 4K resolution at 30FPS
- PS5 Performance Mode: Checkerboard 1800p resolution at 60FPS.
CHECK OUT OUR OWN FINDINGS
We’ve also done a little comparison of our own over on FragHero. Be sure to check out our comparison video below which compares the graphics on Horizon Forbidden West PS4 versus PS5.
In our review, we said Horizon Forbidden West: “is a triumph for Guerrilla Games. It takes the shining promise of Zero Dawn and elevates it in almost every way possible. This truly feels like the RPG the studio has always wanted to make, and I’m so glad that it finally gets to breathe without being overshadowed.”
What mode will you be choosing when playing Horizon Forbidden West? Let us know across our social media channels.
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Featured Image Credit: Guerrilla Games