As part of its “E3” press conference, Capcom gave us a pretty exciting gift: current-gen upgrades for Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil 3 Remake, and Resident Evil 7. As with previous RE Engine titles released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, their features include higher resolution, ray tracing and 120Hz support. Compared to the PS4 and Xbox One versions – and their beefed-up equivalents – we’re looking at quite a number of upgrades here, but at least when it comes to the remake titles, the new versions aren’t without flaws.
Due to the scope, we decided to split the reporting. Because even if you don’t factor in the PC upgrades (which we also cover a little further down), it’s still three games with three different performance profiles – for a total of 27 different test variants. Because of this, we decided to tackle the remakes first.
Of all the different modes on offer, we wanted to look at the ray tracing upgrade first because, in theory, it should fix one of the remakes’ most glaring visual issues. It’s about the one ugly display of screen-space reflections that is completely at odds with the otherwise consistently high-quality presentation. The problem with SSR is quite simple: screenspace reflections only work when there are screenspace details to work with. In a third-person action game like Resident Evil, the main character onscreen obscures much of the required detail, resulting in massive gaps in the reflections. Add to that the poor quality of the reflections when the data is actually there.
As with previous RE titles, two RT effects are used: Reflections and Global Illumination. The reflections offer the most visually obvious improvements: all gaps are gone, while the poor quality reflections and related issues are also a thing of the past. To be clear, like Resident Evil Village, the reflections are still pretty low-res, but it’s a big improvement nonetheless. The clarity of the effect depends on how rough the underlying material is, with smooth surfaces giving the cleanest results. Enemies are also reflected, although understandably alpha effects don’t play a role. In general, the new RT reflections look subtle but stable, although the selective application of the RT reflections is disappointing, for example some mirrors don’t offer proper reflections. However, based on what I’ve played, Resident Evil 3 Remake seems to improve the distribution of RT reflections compared to its predecessor.
Ray tracing global illumination is also used, although the results are generally rather subtle. Fixed some of the minor inaccuracies that were present in the original version, while additional bounce lighting is visible in some scenes. It is definitely an additional technique and not a replacement for the existing pre-computed GI, but the results are reasonable given the limitations. RT GI also appears to disable Ambient Occlusion, with somewhat mixed results. All in all, both RT features don’t offer a transformative improvement on the remakes, but they do manage to fix the most obvious visual flaws and fix some inconsistencies in the ambient lighting.
The PlayStation 5 and the two Xbox Series consoles get the RT upgrades, with the more powerful devices targeting checkerboarded 2160p, while the Series S targets a similarly reconstructed 1440p. The lower resolution of the younger Xbox also results in correspondingly lower RT reflections. Still, the game looks reasonably clean and clear on all devices, even if the image is a bit soft due to heavy post-processing. Image quality is indeed better compared to the existing Xbox One X version, which ran at reconstructed 1620p, although the differences are often subtle despite a fairly large increase in resolution with the new Series X code. Fine details like hair are improved and more distant textures are resolved a bit more clearly, but you hardly notice this in normal gameplay.
The performance is very different depending on the selected mode. Perhaps unsurprisingly, RT mode puts the most stress on the hardware. The more powerful devices usually move in the range of 40 to 60 frames per second – a kind of no man’s land for the frame rate. Constant jerking and inconsistent inputs are the result on a conventional display. The Series S suffers a bit more, generally delivering 30 to 50 fps, with a low of 26 fps during a particularly demanding cutscene. VRR makes a difference, but only on Xbox Series X, where performance stays above the required 40fps level (assuming your screen supports 40Hz VRR). The other devices keep slipping in and out of the VRR window, which isn’t exactly a great experience. So on the one hand I like the RT support and the graphics improvement it brings, but the number of users who can use this mode effectively and smoothly is only a minority. The drop in performance is disappointing to be honest. A similar RT implementation appeared in Resident Evil Village last year, and that title mostly stayed at 60fps on PS5 and Series X. Image quality isn’t far off the PS4 Pro or Xbox One X versions, but performance is certainly more consistent.
That leaves the High Framerate mode from the game options, which again delivers the same reconstructed 4K/1440p resolution without RT, but removes the framerate cap, opening the door to up to 120Hz performance for those who want a Have a screen that supports the increased refresh rate. There aren’t any other options for customization, meaning the PS5 and Series X both tend to linger in the 80 to 120 fps range, although they typically hit around 100 fps or so. The Series S is similar, although it tends to fall a little further down. Some measured values are in the range of 70 fps in intense moments. The frame rates on the Series X and PS5 are fairly similar, although the Series X has a small advantage on identical footage – around five frames per second – although it varies a bit.
The improved response and smoother visuals are pleasing, but again this is a mode best suited for use on VRR screens. As the frame rate increases, discrepancies in frame time become less noticeable and the perception of judder decreases, but I still found the unrestricted frame rate annoying on a non-VRR TV. So, VRR comes to the rescue, ensuring smooth and stable output on a suitable screen. I like the option to play at 120Hz, but a more stable performance would have been nice. It’s unlikely we’ll be hitting a CPU cap given the performance of these titles on the upgraded last-gen devices, so some tweaks to the graphics settings would have been enough to get us to a stable 120fps.
We’ll be looking at Resident Evil 7 separately soon and updating this article accordingly, but in the here and now the improvements made to the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes are welcome, but not quite ideal. The problem is that the frame rates in two of the three available modes are just too inconsistent, with both ray tracing and high framerate modes generally falling short of their goals. Most users should really stick to the non-ray tracing and non-high framerate profile here, as this is the only way to get stable performance.
If you’re in the minority that has a screen that supports VRR and 120Hz, you have more options. 120Hz mode offers a significantly smoother experience over 60Hz non-RT mode as long as VRR is enabled. Likewise, VRR helps salvage RT modes to an extent, although only the Series X feels stable enough in conjunction with a 40-60Hz VRR window to make a recommendation.
VRR should be a bonus though, not a necessity. With some tweaking, more stable frame rates should be possible in these modes. Reducing the resolution would be a good start, as games’ dark and low-contrast color schemes and their heavy reliance on post-processing minimize the need to push lots of pixels. However, as it stands, the RT and high framerate modes need variable refresh rates to appear smooth. And that’s a shame, because I think these modes have some compelling features. The RT modes are particularly appealing as they fix one of the most obvious visual flaws of the original versions while improving the complexity and consistency of the environment shading. Resident Evil 3, with its high density of reflective surfaces, particularly benefits from this. Perhaps these performance issues can be resolved over time. Until then, while it’s an intriguing upgrade, you’ll need a modern screen to get the most out of it.
Originally by Oliver Mackenzie, Freelance Editor, Eurogamer.net
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