Oliver Mackenzie
@oliemack
Followers
5,290
Following
1,106
Media
45
Statuses
779
Video producer/writer, contributor @digitalfoundry . Past work @CommonCause @PplPolicyProj & various news companies.
Vancouver, British Columbia
Joined January 2014
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
#EndBadGovernanceInNigeria
• 427126 Tweets
無課金おじさん
• 213418 Tweets
Happy New Month
• 100180 Tweets
Kano
• 72878 Tweets
Caio Bonfim
• 53646 Tweets
アニメ化
• 44706 Tweets
#Number_1
• 31760 Tweets
甲子園100周年
• 30380 Tweets
Gabi
• 29805 Tweets
Olmo
• 29778 Tweets
HIKAKIN
• 28349 Tweets
NuNew with Summer Rain
• 25175 Tweets
片田舎のおっさん
• 23044 Tweets
Airtel
• 22138 Tweets
ヒカキン
• 20975 Tweets
BLOOMS DESERVE BETTER
• 20701 Tweets
Brasil x Japão
• 19544 Tweets
신유빈 선수
• 15404 Tweets
悪役令嬢転生おじさん
• 15277 Tweets
Rosamaria
• 14447 Tweets
María Pérez
• 12156 Tweets
VLOG 7 WITH BUILD
• 10712 Tweets
女子バスケ
• 10432 Tweets
Arkham Knight on Switch is unacceptable. Terrible performance, poor visual quality, and game-breaking glitches. I’ll have a video on it and the other Arkham ports next week.
126
181
1K
Burning Shores is a striking visual showcase for the PS5. It’s packed full of high quality content, has boundary-pushing graphical features, and runs with excellent performance.
Horizon Forbidden West's Burning Shores DLC reviewed: Guerrilla Games' focus on PlayStation 5 delivers beautiful results.
@oliemack
has the story:
25
158
1K
28
70
725
RoboCop is a graphically impressive effort, and a visual highlight of this console generation so far. For those who want a glimpse of future graphics tech, it’s a worthwhile experience.
Today on Digital Foundry,
@oliemack
takes a long overdue look at Teyon's exceptional RoboCop: Rogue City. Unreal Engine 5's high-end features are beautifully deployed to capture the original movie aesthetic - and it's excellent to play too.
45
117
984
29
30
569
Alan Wake 2 is a top-flight technical treat that delivers extraordinary visual results, even on consoles.
Remedy raises the bar once again with the spectacular Alan Wake 2. In our first video, we're focusing on PlayStation 5 with initial comparisons against the maxed PC experience, plus a look at the game's quality and performance modes:
60
286
2K
24
22
521
It feels crazy to shut down the studio that produced Hi-Fi Rush, probably the most creative and effortlessly fun game I've played this generation. Microsoft said it was a success by their standards as well. I just don't understand.
Microsoft Closes Redfall Developer Arkane Austin, HiFi Rush Developer Tango Gameworks, and More in Devastating Cuts at Bethesda
1K
3K
18K
14
45
470
I'm taking a look at Jedi Survivor on consoles for DF at the moment. The visuals are often stunning, but performance needs work - and the PC version is in a very poor state.
29
12
414
Helldivers 2 is a compelling multiplayer package, and it’s technically sound as well. Players seeking a fresh co-op experience would be well advised to check it out.
Helldivers 2 - the Digital Foundry tech review.
@oliemack
runs the rule over Arrowhead's excellent, entertaining multiplayer shooter, looking at both PlayStation 5 and PC versions:
24
83
822
8
23
377
Remastered is a top-quality graphical overhaul of the GameCube classic, and it's well worth your time.
Metroid Prime: Remastered is an essential purchase for Nintendo Switch owners. Here's
@oliemack
with the DF Tech Review:
38
237
2K
8
5
350
I have to score the Batman: Arkham Trilogy as a failure. None of the games here live up to expectations - and Arkham Knight is a disaster.
Batman: Arkham Trilogy - the Nintendo Switch DF Tech Review. There are unfortunate problems with Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, but Arkham Knight is one of the poorest ports we've seen on the platform.
@oliemack
reports:
27
53
492
11
17
343
@ryanlpainter
You do know that 143 UN member states recognize Palestine right. You are going to have to boycott the vast majority of countries in the world.
12
4
285
13 years after Final Fantasy 13, real-time game graphics are approaching - and in a few areas, exceeding - the ultra high-end CGI that Square Enix once relied on.
Final Fantasy 16: can today's real-time visuals exceed the visual quality of Final Fantasy 13's CGI?
@oliemack
has this video for you:
29
99
722
8
26
282
Hogwarts Legacy on Nintendo Switch is one of the most comprehensively downgraded games I’ve seen in the modern era. For discerning players, the compromises will cut too deep.
Hogwarts Legacy comes to Switch - and the cutbacks required to make it happen are massive.
@oliemack
has the Digital Foundry Tech Review:
152
69
923
42
5
281
I am back at home and all is well! No damage as far as I can see. Thanks for all the supportive comments.
6
2
259
And one thing I noticed while making this video: RT reflections have been added to Series X in the latest patch, but the quality is a lot lower than PS5.
19
24
207
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a very successful, though not boundary-pushing, game remaster. This is simply the best way to play one of the most accomplished last-generation titles.
Here's
@oliemack
with the DF verdict on The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered for PlayStation 5. New modes and features explored, plus comparisons with the PS4 Pro version using its 60fps patch on PS5:
127
103
904
22
14
211
These specs look quite exciting. In raster it's not enormously faster than a PS5, but on a feature level it's offering a lot of what you'd expect from a next-gen console.
PS5 Pro Specs Leak are Real, Releasing Holiday 2024
88
197
1K
21
19
205
I hope Microsoft potentially going multiplatform gives them the freedom to do something interesting with their console hardware. It would be a shame if the 10th gen Xbox and PS were largely interchangeable AMD boxes, like we’ve seen for the past two generations.
32
12
207
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is one of the most visually exciting games of the year, and its latest outing doesn't disappoint. I took a look at the game's visual features for this video, plus a deep dive into image quality.
Today on Digital Foundry,
@oliemack
examines the exceptionally impressive visuals found in Hellblade 2, based on the new b-roll footage Microsoft shared for last week's round of previews.
38
76
617
12
14
202
Spider-Man 2 is yet another Insomniac technical triumph. It’s a beautiful game, and has excellent visual and performance credentials in every mode variation.
Today on Digital Foundry,
@oliemack
takes a closer look at the Fidelity and Performance modes in Marvel's Spider-Man 2, along with their various modifiers. Just how much do you miss by targeting 60 frames per second?
48
84
642
9
14
191
Starfield’s high frame-rate console debut is successful. A locked 60fps is understandably off the table, but we do get a good range of visual options to enable smoother experiences.
Starfield's Xbox Series X performance upgrades tested: a thoughtful and comprehensive range of options. 120Hz VRR works best, but there are good options for 60Hz displays too.
@oliemack
reports:
34
91
749
7
9
192
BG3 is a pretty good experience on PS5 - but Act 3 could use some performance improvement on all platforms.
Baldur's Gate 3 on PlayStation 5 is effectively the PC version running at ultra settings.
@oliemack
puts the game through its paces - and yes, we tested Act 3.
128
409
3K
11
11
183
Really unhappy with the Persona 3 Portable remaster, there's low quality AI upscaled artwork in basically every shot. I wasn't expecting much from this one but it’s shoddy work.
11
24
184
Alan Wake 2 is a truly impressive experience on console systems. There’s still room for improvement, however, and the PS5 sometimes struggles to hit a stable frame-rate.
Today,
@oliemack
takes a look at the Xbox Series X/S versions of Alan Wake 2. There are still bugs to address but Series X is a treat, ironing out most of PS5's performance dips. Series S is necessarily compromised, but still well worth playing:
106
192
2K
15
5
180
For those curious - the DF Dead Space console comparison piece that was scheduled for tomorrow will be withheld. I'll be producing a new video based on the current patch once it is available for all consoles.
10
1
179
Jedi Survivor offers top-flight visuals, driven by beautiful artwork and advanced lighting tech. At times, it's absolutely stunning. But that fidelity comes saddled with performance problems and bugs, which have dampened the launch experience.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor - the DF tech review. A look at Respawn's ambitious visuals, upgrades vs Fallen Order and the current state of play on all console platforms (but expect imminent patches).
@oliemack
pushed hard over the weekend to get this done:
24
53
405
10
4
177
The iPhone 15 Pro is substantially more powerful than the Switch - but Nintendo's hybrid is still the better game platform.
Today on Digital Foundry,
@oliemack
looks at multi-platform mobile releases on Nintendo Switch and... iPhone 15 Pro! How does today's cutting-edge mobile SoC stack up against vintage 2015 Nvidia silicon in actual games? The results are intriguing:
9
35
327
12
10
178
Ghostwire Tokyo on Xbox Series is a big disappointment. The key issues facing the PS5 release haven't been fixed, and in several respects the game performs substantially worse.
Yes, Ghostwire: Tokyo on Series X doesn't match PS5 performance and has lower res RT - but the key criticism is that problems with last year's PS5 game haven't been addressed, and they're all present on Xbox version. Here's
@oliemack
's report:
124
106
789
10
7
174
Rebirth is a very good looking game, but it does suffer from occasional visual issues that dampen the experience. Plus, Square-Enix’s unconventional performance mode image quality fix needs a rethink.
Here's our first look at Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on PlayStation 5 via
@oliemack
, examining rendering features plus a look at the quality and performance modes. Plus: how image quality has changed in perf mode after yesterday's patch:
41
94
786
12
13
171
That was the best games presentation I've seen in a very long time. The rapid-fire format wasn't the best, but the breadth and quality of game previews was super impressive. Particularly excited for Doom and Gears of War!
4
5
171
Here's my exploration of Spider-Man 2's debug menu patch! I go through some of the game's hidden content and take a deep dive into its performance analysis tools.
For a very short time,
@insomniacgames
' debug menu in Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was available to gamers. If you missed it before the hotfix, here's what it offered in terms of performance monitoring, content and other features:
17
41
466
2
11
168
I came away very impressed with Game Porting Toolkit. With Apple continuing to ship advanced graphics technologies and bridging the gap between Mac and PC game development, the future looks bright for gaming on Macs.
Today's vid, a Mac gaming special: the Game Porting Toolkit tested with Cyberpunk, Hogwarts, Dead Space and many more. Plus: a look at the native No Man's Sky port, opening the door to MetalFX upscaling vs DLSS vs FSR2 image quality comparisons.
6
38
245
7
5
164
Had some fun examining this! GTA 6 looks extremely impressive in its first outing.
And here we go: a 37-minute DF Direct Special with
@dark1x
,
@oliemack
and
@Dachsjaeger
breaking down Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 1:
38
115
912
6
7
163
Starfield is a great day one experience, with solid performance and excellent visuals across both of its console platforms.
Ahead of our full tech review, here's
@oliemack
's take on Starfield's day one performance on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, along with how the two versions compare:
80
310
2K
11
11
163
Forza Motorsport is a visually excellent racer, packing advanced tech and smooth console performance. It's not without issues, but the overall experience is very solid.
Forza Motorsport tested on Xbox Series consoles - image quality, performance, gen-on-gen technological improvements, ray tracing, graphics modes... and much more.
@oliemack
has this for you:
42
97
823
7
3
162
Resident Evil Village is an extremely impressive showcase for mobile tech - but it suffers from performance issues, bugs, and configuration oddities that dampen the experience.
Triple-A gaming on a smartphone?
@oliemack
finds that Resident Evil Village on iPhone 15 Pro is a compelling tech demo, but hard to recommend in terms of the actual gameplay experience:
32
76
523
9
10
161
Persona 3 Reload is a truly excellent remake. It does have some visual flaws, but it’s otherwise a very polished re-interpretation of the PS2 original.
Persona 3 Reload modernises a 2006 classic - and it runs at 4K 60 with ray tracing on PS5, Series X and PC.
@oliemack
has the complete breakdown:
30
129
885
11
8
159
Forspoken has seen dramatic visual and performance boosts since launch, though its gameplay issues unfortunately remain.
Today on Digital Foundry,
@oliemack
revisits Forspoken on PlayStation 5, finding a game transformed: improved lighting, big frame-rate boosts and seemingly even resolution upgrades:
73
112
799
4
7
152
Wow, this looks outstanding. Just small snippets, but the lighting and level of detail is super impressive. If this is representative of what we can expect in real-time I'm very excited.
7
4
149
Join me for my top 5 of 2023! This was a great year for high-quality games, and I think that's reflected in my favourites here.
Digital Foundry's Games of 2023 continues - and today it's
@oliemack
with his essential selection.
2
18
259
8
2
146
Scorn has beautiful art and excellent visual design. It also features advanced image reconstruction, with intriguing implications for the next generation of console software.
A little late to the party with this one but here's
@oliemack
's review of Scorn on Xbox Series hardware - which includes our first look at AMD's FSR 2 running on consoles:
25
53
424
8
11
144
Rebirth is without a doubt worth a playthrough for Final Fantasy fans, but its visual output is more inconsistent than I’d like. It’s a good-looking title, just one that arrives with certain key caveats.
We were somewhat restricted in what we could show of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for last week's review embargo, but now
@oliemack
is weapons-free with the full DF tech review of this tentpole PS5 release:
24
49
302
11
10
147
Thanks for all the positive comments and well wishes. I am in a safe location at a ski cabin, after evacuating Thursday night, and I’m doing well. (1/6)
5
2
143
I have seen a lot of things in Canadian politics that disgust me, but giving a standing ovation to a member of the Waffen SS in parliament is an unbelievable low. Canada has a shameful history of importing former Nazi collaborators and needs to be taken to account.
6
5
141
Had a lot of fun recapping this outstanding showcase! I love Microsoft’s openness about upcoming projects, and virtually everything they showed looked interesting and high quality.
Microsoft's Xbox Showcase 2024 was one of the best gaming shows in years.
@dark1x
,
@oliemack
and
@Dachsjaeger
discuss the games, the hardware and the strategy in a brand new DF Direct Special:
23
74
679
4
5
140
The Xbox versions of Baldur's Gate 3 are generally solid ports of Larian's epic RPG. But some quirks remain, and players may want to hold off until the game's save deletion issues have been addressed.
Baldur's Gate 3! Here's
@oliemack
with the Digital Foundry tech review on the Xbox Series X and Series S versions of the game, along with a detailed update on the many improvements made to the PS5 version since launch.
94
96
945
14
1
138
Unreal Engine 5 actually seems like a decent match for the Steam Deck. Some upcoming titles may prove a challenging fit, but for now the Deck runs UE5 content quite effectively.
Is Unreal Engine 5 'too big' for Steam Deck?
@oliemack
puts five first-gen UE5 titles to the test - and comes away impressed with the performance on most of the games.
14
26
324
10
5
138
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is probably the largest technical leap the series has taken in many years. The game looks excellent, but lighting could use additional improvement.
The Assassin's Creed Shadows gameplay reveal offered us our first look at the series' new current-gen only tech upgrades.
@oliemack
reports:
9
24
216
7
5
138
I feel really bad for Microsoft, the new FTC leak has sensitive financials in it, so many internal emails, details about their gaming and console strategies going into the far future. Deeply unfortunate and I genuinely have a lot of sympathy.
9
5
135
I wonder when we'll finally see technically sound non-Fortnite UE5 games. Lords of the Fallen and Immortals of Aveum are just too messy. I think Remnant 2 is pretty close, but performance is still a bit shaky and it isn't using Lumen.
Review in progress:
🎮
#LordsoftheFallen
#XboxShare
: This encapsulates how bad the performance of the game can get on the series X. 😕
151
38
543
17
8
134
Dead Space is a great-looking, smartly-expanded remake of the 2008 classic. And now that the game’s troublesome variable rate shading has been dumped, the console versions are in excellent shape.
After game-changing day one patches and VRS-removal title updates, we're finally able to deliver our Dead Space Remake current-gen console breakdown. Here's
@oliemack
with the story:
24
37
460
10
5
131
Spider-Man 2 is an excellent-looking game, even in this limited state. But the upgrades over prior Spider-Man titles do seem fairly iterative, at least judging from the available footage.
Insomniac's gameplay trailer for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 was the highlight of last week's PlayStation Showcase. Here's
@oliemack
's breakdown of what we saw and how the tech has evolved:
29
76
653
17
10
128
Gran Turismo 7 finally supports the PS5’s advanced display features, and the support is very good indeed, if slightly confusing at first glance.
Gran Turismo 7 is under the spotlight today - its recent patch adds a total of four new modes: 120Hz performance and frame-rate options, which deliver different experiences depending on whether you're using a VRR screen or not.
@oliemack
has the details:
22
63
470
3
6
125
In 2022, the Series S and One X were evenly matched in cross-gen software. But as we approach the end of cross-gen in 2024, the Series S has pulled ahead - in some cases quite radically.
Today on DF,
@oliemack
looks at the latest cross-gen titles on Xbox Series S and Xbox One X, finding clear and sometimes surprising advantages for the S. The latest games run faster, play better and load more quickly on the junior Xbox.
32
30
356
5
9
127
Death Stranding works very well on Apple Silicon Macs, but the iPhone version, while technically impressive, arrives with significant issues. We’ll see how future high-end Apple ports turn out, but until then this is a slightly mixed outcome.
Today on Digital Foundry,
@oliemack
checks out Death Stranding's ports to iOS and MacOS devices. The Kojima classic is tested on an iPhone 15 Pro, stacked up against PlayStation 4 - plus a 4K 60 experience examined on Mac:
17
40
381
7
4
124
The latest crop of current-gen software proves very tough for the Steam Deck. With steep CPU and memory demands, Valve's handheld is going to struggle with a lot of big-budget PC ports.
'Too Big For Steam Deck?' returns!
@oliemack
is putting the likes of TLOU Part 1, Dead Space Remake, Resident Evil 4, Redfall and Hogwart's Legacy through their paces on the Valve handheld:
8
36
462
17
6
117
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a noticeably improved experience as of patch 7. That assessment isn’t without caveats, but I’m pleased by the progress that’s been made so far.
Dragon's Dogma 2 moves onto its seventh (!) patch, bringing with it new graphics features, 120Hz support, CPU optimisations and bug fixes... so is it now 'fixed'...?
@oliemack
tests all consoles for you:
23
34
351
7
2
120
I'm seeing a lot of controversy online about Remnant 2's internal resolutions on console. It's worth keeping in mind that in typical play, its ~792p internal res resolves very similarly to 1440p.
19
1
117
Join us for another dissection of Rockstar’s 90-second epic, this time focused on listener questions.
In a new DF Direct Special, the team convene to address a range of Grand Theft Auto 6 questions posed by our community and the internet at large:
6
15
183
1
4
111
Legacy of Thieves’ new modes impress. These options manage to push much higher framerates than the original modes, with zero visual compromises - if you have the right display tech.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves' recent 120Hz VRR upgrade for PlayStation 5 delivers a decent 40fps fidelity mode and unlocked performance modes that push the PS5 GPU hard.
@oliemack
takes a look:
22
59
450
4
6
109
@autrewolf
Not every game needs to have 100 hours of content. Since the early PS4/Xbox One era content expectations have ballooned to ridiculous proportions.
21
0
105
Resident Evil 4 is a solid and excellent-looking game. It’s just a shame that there are so many technical issues that dampen the overall experience.
Every console version of the Resident Evil 4 Remake and every visual mode are put through their paces in
@oliemack
's exhaustive platform comparison based on day one code.
25
61
527
13
3
106
Not the biggest fan of phone gaming, but MetalFX Upscaling + big budget games and now hardware RT make me actually want to game on an iPhone. Super impressive stuff.
16
7
104
The Series S is a modest little console, but it packs key CPU and storage technologies that are proving their worth in advanced cross-gen games.
The big four teraflop face-off - Xbox Series S vs PlayStation 4 Pro. Similar GPU power but a generation apart... so how do they compare?
@oliemack
has this for you:
73
92
910
4
4
105
Hellblade 2 is definitely a heavy game, but given its exceptional visual quality, performance on lower-end hardware seems perfectly acceptable.
Hellblade 2 looks beautiful on Xbox Series X - but how about Series S?
@oliemack
pits Ninja Theory's showcase against lower power hardware such as the junior Xbox, Steam Deck and ROG Ally with intriguing results:
9
38
346
7
6
103
I really like everything Valve has done with the Steam Deck OLED, but I do wish they offered a SKU with a glossy display and 1TB of storage. I'm sure the etched glass helps a lot in the sun, but for most uses I'd rather have a panel that isn't softly diffused.
13
0
101
Sounds like the MGS Master Collection will render at 240p (MGS 1) and 720p (MGS 2 & 3) judging from the fine print here. They've been "up-converted" (presumably upscaled) to 1080p output according to Konami.
Konami has posted resolution/framerate info for Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1
378
354
4K
14
4
99
Crisis Core Reunion is still a PSP game at heart, but comes packed with a comprehensive visual makeover, snappy combat, and excellent performance.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion gets the full Digital Foundry tech review treatment.
@oliemack
stacks up the PSP original against the new versions, examines PS5, Xbox Series and Switch releases and even compares areas common with FF7 Remake...
11
76
565
5
2
96
Massive fire in the Okanagan today right across the lake. Hoping for the best... scary situation.
11
0
97
These new Definitive Editions offer big lighting enhancements over the prior releases, and visually work quite well. But the games' longstanding frame-pacing issues need to be addressed.
Available to download with a Netflix subscription, the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Definition Editions return for mobile users - and here's
@oliemack
with a look at how the games look and run on iPhone 15 Pro, stacked up against eighth-gen consoles:
16
50
473
5
6
96
It’s nice to see these changes, but the 30fps capping issue was a very foreseeable problem. Also very much hoping for an Xbox Series image quality fix, which isn’t mentioned here.
To all Dragon's Dogma 2 players!
We're planning to release patches including the following updates and fixes in the near future, and will release them as soon as they are ready for distribution on each platform.
Thank you for your patience and support!
1K
2K
15K
5
2
95
While Far Cry 5’s current-gen update has limited scope, its improvements are very much appreciated. This is an excellent time to explore one of the most true-to-life open worlds in video games.
Far Cry 5 gets an official 60 frames per second upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles - and
@oliemack
has the complete breakdown on how all versions of the game are improved.
16
31
316
7
4
93
The Callisto Protocol is seriously downgraded on last-gen, but it’s still a decent experience - except for the Xbox One version.
The Callisto Protocol is clearly geared towards modern hardware, so to what extent can the last-gen consoles deliver a decent experience? An intriguing cross-gen head-to-head here, courtesy of
@oliemack
.
14
29
269
8
2
91
Cyberpunk is a much better experience with Phantom Liberty and patch 2.0 installed. And the console builds are fairly solid too, despite some occasional frame-rate wobbles.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty - the DF tech review, courtesy of
@oliemack
. Xbox Series consoles and PlayStation 5 versions tested, plus a look at 2.0 console changes over the older 1.63 versions.
18
46
336
10
3
92
How do people feel about this? I definitely sympathize with the developers, but I can't help but think this project isn't a good fit for Naughty Dog. GAAS is a bit of a graveyard these days.
11
3
90
Looks like The Matrix Awakens demo is dead. Trying to boot into the game brings up the following screen, which loops infinitely. Turning my consoles into offline mode didn't work.
9
0
88
Super excited... is there anything you'd really like to see in a Switch successor? Judging from recent rumours, it sounds like new controls might be in the mix - though I'm hoping for something more conventional.
This is Furukawa, President of Nintendo. We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year. It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015. We will be holding a Nintendo Direct
3K
36K
163K
20
1
89
I do think the DeckHD has a place in a post-Steam Deck OLED world. But if you really want a categorically better Steam Deck experience, the OLED model is the way to go.
Steam Deck OLED is excellent - but there are other options.
@oliemack
checks out DeckHD, a 1200p replacement for the lacklustre LCD, in a three-way display face-off:
6
25
269
3
3
87
It's up there with the best-looking games on current-gen consoles though, with very impressive model quality and lighting.
9
3
86
@margot_rubin
The whole point of investing a pension fund internationally is to provide stability during local recessions. An APP that was predominantly local (or worse, predominantly local and in energy projects) would produce much less reliable returns.
4
5
87
For Switch games that didn’t quite hit all the right notes at launch, a decent patching campaign can indeed fix key issues - even if some problems remain.
Fixed on Switch! A range of games have been upgraded since we first tested them - and the dramatic improvement in No Man's Sky with its custom FSR 2 implementation is the undoubted highlight of this round-up:
16
103
614
7
2
87
Jedi: Survivor feels great and animates smoothly with a proper 60fps refresh. This is how the game should have handled its performance mode at launch, even with the ray tracing cutbacks.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's revamped 60fps mode on PS5 and Series X has some issues, but good performance and improved image quality make it a qualified success:
22
73
579
7
3
82
Looking forward to hopefully seeing some improvements on this front. Despite some of its technical flaws, I still really like Rebirth - and the performance mode would be my preferred way to play with decent image quality.
FF7 Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says a patch to fix performance mode visuals is on the way!
#FF7R
“We’ve received a lot of feedback on whether the graphics in the performance mode will be improved or not. We hear you, and we are currently working on an update patch to
143
396
3K
9
4
81
Relink is a bold, visually striking RPG. Players who are looking for a fresh Japanese action title will find a lot to like here, despite certain configuration caveats.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a strikingly impressive fantasy RPG.
@oliemack
checks out the game on PS5 in 30fps/60fps modes and how it scales down to PS4 and Pro:
8
28
165
3
2
79
@Dachsjaeger
and I go in depth on Dragon’s Dogma 2. It’s a beautiful game with very compelling technology, but it’s also a title that suffers from substantial performance woes on all platforms.
Our Dragon's Dogma 2 review is live! There's much to commend in terms of gameplay and visual features - but there's the sense that additional technical polish is required, while the CPU limitations are profound on all systems:
31
65
532
5
3
78
For those that do want to experience a touch of boundary-pushing tech on portable hardware, you can indeed run ray tracing experiences on handheld devices. Just keep your expectations in check.
Ray tracing? On a handheld?
@oliemack
investigates RT performance on Valve's Steam Deck and the Asus ROG Ally, with some surprising results:
13
25
260
4
1
77
Capcom has managed to deliver a credible enough eighth-gen port here, but with some substantial performance and image quality caveats. Hopefully upcoming Apple Silicon titles can come closer to that elusive home console on-the-go experience.
Resident Evil 4 on iPhone 15 Pro is a clear improvement over Village and perfectly fine as a mobile experience - but we're not quite at the PS4 triple-A level just yet.
@oliemack
reports:
52
60
567
10
2
75
UE5 is faring pretty well in early console efforts, with a highly impressive set of core visual features. Performance is more of a question mark though - especially for big-budget future games.
A while back we took a look at a range of first-gen UE5 games on PC - and now we've done it again on consoles. Just how well are PS5 and Xbox Series X/S faring with Epic's cutting-edge tech?
@oliemack
has this report:
12
32
313
8
1
73
Capcom’s first Dragon’s Dogma 2 patch is a step in the right direction, even if major problems still need fixing. The ability to turn off RT proves particularly interesting, providing a big frame-rate boost - at a significant visual cost.
Here's
@oliemack
with comprehensive tests of Dragon's Dogma 2's first patch. There are welcome improvements including an RT on/off option, but the 30fps cap has frame-pacing issues, while the key issues remain much as they were. All versions tested!
21
36
316
3
2
74
I finally beat Persona 3 Reload over the long weekend, and it was truly excellent from start to finish. I wouldn't be surprised to see this in my game of the year video for 2024...
4
2
74
The ROG Ally is such a great device. The screen is excellent, the controls are comfortable, and the performance is really impressive. It’s exactly what I want out of a Windows portable - basically a supercharged Switch with a huge library of games.
6
3
73
Despite some frame-rate issues, Remnant 2 is an ambitious, visually accomplished Unreal Engine 5 title. It's up there with some of the best-looking games released so far this generation.
Remnant 2 on PS5 and Xbox Series consoles - the DF tech review! Unreal Engine 5's Nanite delivers dense, pop-in free visuals that could only work on current-gen consoles - but can it sustain 60fps? And what about Series S?
21
67
591
12
3
70
Hi-Fi Rush is an eye-popping action title that translates the look of a animated TV show into 3D space. There's nothing else quite like it.
Hi-Fi Rush is a superb, wildly creative game that might just be an early GOTY candidate. Here's
@oliemack
with the full DF tech review, covering Series X/S + PC:
47
191
2K
4
6
69
The new PlayStation renditions of Red Dead Redemption are serviceable but very conservative updates of a classic game. It’ll satisfy those who are keen to revisit Rockstar’s epic, but RDR deserved a more substantial upgrade.
Red Dead Redemption tested on PlayStation 4, PS4 Pro and PS5 under backwards compatibility. FSR2 is a genuinely impressive upgrade - but this release could have been so much more. Switch review coming soon:
117
219
2K
6
2
68
Hogwarts Legacy on last-gen consoles is a decent release, though a lot of tweaks and cutbacks were needed to get there. Judged on its own terms, it’s a good looking, workable version of the open-world adventure.
After putting PC and current-gen consoles through their paces, Hogwarts Legacy is out now on Xbox One and PS4 consoles. Sensible cutbacks and compromises ensure a decent enough experience - though streaming and load times can annoy. Here's
@oliemack
:
28
20
298
6
0
68