Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) promises impressive performance across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. This article details the performance across various platforms and customizable settings.
KCD2's Cross-Platform Performance
CryEngine's Photorealistic Visuals
Testing indicates strong performance on consoles and PC. PlayStation and Xbox consoles deliver smooth gameplay at 30fps and 60fps, with the PS5 Pro showcasing enhanced graphical fidelity. KCD2's unique photorealistic style leverages CryEngine, a choice driven by developer Warhorse Studios' familiarity with the engine, enabling them to optimize and expand upon its capabilities. Unlike engines like Unreal Engine, CryEngine prioritizes performance through a more traditional rendering approach, focusing on efficient shaders and lighting. However, KCD2 achieves its photorealism through physically based materials and CryEngine's SVOGI (sparse voxel octree global illumination), which realistically renders indirect lighting effects.
Console Performance Modes: 30fps Fidelity vs. 60fps Performance
PS5 and Xbox Series X offer two modes: a 30fps fidelity mode at 1440p and a 60fps performance mode at 1080p. Xbox Series S exclusively features the fidelity mode. The PS5 Pro runs at 60fps at 1296p with 4K upscaling. Fidelity mode enhances visuals on PS5 and Xbox Series X with increased foliage detail and improved shadows, while the PS5 Pro further refines these aspects, adding sharper visuals and superior ambient occlusion.
PC Upscaling: Player Choice
PC players have complete control over upscaling, with options limited to FSR and DLSS. XeSS, sharpening, and frame generation are not included. Despite CryEngine's performance focus, running KCD2 at 4K with maximum settings will demand significant GPU power. The game offers five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental) to optimize performance for various PC configurations. A detailed system requirements guide is available to help players prepare their systems.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launches February 4, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Visit our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 page for more details.
