Update 11/4/21: We spent the last few days testing the Crysis Remastered update for PlayStation 5 and we can confirm that, in general, we are seeing the same results for the Sony platform as for the Xbox Series X, with some changes caused by the fact that PS5 keeps the resolution settings for each mode, as found on PlayStation 4 Pro – a common situation in so-called ‘backwards compatible’ titles.
We can confirm that the resolution and performance objectives mentioned in our original piece remain true: the performance and ray tracing modes aim at 60fps at 1080p, while the quality mode aims at a maximum of 1800p with the same aspirations at 60fps. However, the dynamic resolution scale is in full effect in this title and the results in the real game are quite variable. As you’ll see in the embedded video below, you can make the differences between the various modes somewhat challenging. All told, for those interested in Series X comparisons, PlayStation 5 generally works more smoothly than Series X, probably because of its lower resolution goals. This is especially evident in ray tracing mode. However, the Series X has an advantage in terms of resolution.
However, the delivery of an experience really blocked at 60 frames per second seems to be beyond both versions and the reasons behind this are intriguing. In the table below, we share some theories about this – I recommend checking it out.
Crysis Remastered: Alex Battaglia and John Linneman meet again to discuss updates for PlayStation 5.
Original: Crysis Remastered is being patched with support for the new wave of consoles and Digital Foundry was able to gain access to Xbox Series X and Series S updates prior to launch. Due to the way the backwards compatible titles are distributed, we cannot check the PlayStation 5 version until its release, but fortunately, the wait should not be too long: we were informed today that the patch has already been released – and we will update this article with the impressions from PS5 as soon as possible.
Similar to recently released update 2.1 of the PC version, there are many additions, tweaks and improvements to the game in addition to support for the new consoles. The inclusion of the Ascension level, a phase so taxing that it was previously completely removed from all console versions, is one of the most important aspects of the update list. Also welcome is the inclusion of the Nanosuit swap mode more in line with the original PC (this may have come in a previous update, but it was certainly not present at launch – regardless, it is a nice feature and works well).
However, there is a feeling that we still lack some features found in the 2007 game, removed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions and that have not yet been restored to Crysis Remastered. The granularity of the destruction found in the original has not yet been corrected, the volumetry is not yet at the level of the original for PC and this effect is completely absent in the Ascension phase that was resurrected, even though it is present in the PC version of Crysis Remastered. Other features of OG Crysis are also remastered or absent: the animation of the vegetation still runs at a lower update speed than the rest of the game, while the explosions still have no impact on the foliage.
Crysis Remastered on Xbox Series consoles receives full DF treatment, courtesy of John Linneman and Alex Battaglia.
Still, the main feature of the update is support for the new generation of console hardware with both Xbox Series consoles benefiting from some potentially interesting updates. The performance mode reaches 1080p at 60 frames per second on both Xbox machines, while the quality mode reaches 2160p at 60fps on the Series X and a limit of 30fps on the Series S. However, ray tracing mode works at a maximum of 1440p60 on the Series X with a limit of 1080p30 on the junior console. The question is really how far these performance goals are achieved during the game, even with the inclusion of dynamic resolution scales to smooth out difficult-to-render content.
Let’s address quality mode first. When I first played on the Series X, my perception was of a very smooth experience, as I was playing on an LG CX OLED screen with VRR enabled. In my opinion, this provides the best Crysis Remastered experience on Xbox consoles – it’s fantastic! However, VRR seems to be doing a good amount of weight lifting here: without the active functionality, we are looking for something more in line with a 50-60fps experience. I would prefer to see the DRS window enlarged to bring us closer to a fixed 60fps. And the Xbox Series S? I feel that 2160p is too high a target, even with a 30fps limit – there are too many drops and at this low frame rate, VRR cannot help the experience.
Alex revisits Crysis Remastered on the PC through his 2.1 update, which introduced DLSS and a lot of other interesting features.
The performance mode is smoother on the Series X, it is closer to 60 fixed frames per second, as you would imagine with its much lower target resolution. However, occupied areas still have some performance drops – which is surprising, given the exorbitant level of CPU and GPU power being thrown into the game. The S Series? It is a disappointment, running between 40-50fps. This is generally better than Xbox One X running in the same mode, but there was always the feeling that we were limited in the CPU, a bottleneck that shouldn’t apply to Series S. It’s a little disconcerting, to be honest. Ray tracing mode does not hit the target well for Series X owners: it is the lowest performing mode of all, with the highest drops of the target 60 frames per second, to the point that not even a VRR screen can smooth out the experience. Interestingly, for the Series S with its 1080p30 target, this actually works quite well – it is certainly the most consistent Crysis experience on the low-end Xbox console.
So, ultimately, we couldn’t make the 60fps dream come true on Xbox Series consoles with this new update – and given the performance levels achieved on Xbox One X, that’s a little disappointing. However, the experience can still impress: the quality mode on the Series X when paired with a VRR capable screen certainly works. As for PlayStation 5 – we will analyze it as soon as the game is updated but still in pre-release, Crytek told us to expect 1080p60 in performance modes and RT and 1800p60 in quality mode – all with dynamic resolution scale, of course. These resolution limits link to the PS4 Pro’s equivalent outputs, if you’re wondering why they are lower than the Series X. It looks like this is a limitation of the PS5’s backwards compatibility feature – but we’ll check this out more than once for inform you of global performance as soon as we can.
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