Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) promises strong performance across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms, showcasing impressive adaptability across various settings. This article delves into KCD2's performance characteristics on each platform and the customization options available to players.
KCD2's Cross-Platform Performance
Photorealistic Visuals Powered by CryEngine
Tests and reports indicate excellent performance for KCD2 across various platforms. PlayStation and Xbox consoles deliver smooth gameplay at both 30fps and 60fps, with the PS5 Pro leveraging its capabilities for enhanced graphical fidelity. KCD2's photorealistic visuals are noteworthy, particularly given its use of CryTek's CryEngine – a less common choice in modern game development.
Warhorse Studios' continued use of CryEngine, following its success with KCD1, allows for optimized performance. PC Gamer highlights CryEngine's "old-school" rendering approach, prioritizing performance over complex shaders and lighting effects. Despite this, KCD2 achieves photorealism through physically based materials and CryEngine's SVOGI (sparse voxel octree global illumination), creating realistic indirect lighting effects.
Console Performance Modes: Fidelity vs. Performance
PS5 and Xbox Series X offer both fidelity (30fps at 1440p) and performance (60fps at 1080p) modes. Xbox Series S is limited to fidelity mode. The PS5 Pro runs at 60fps at 1296p with upscaling to 4K. Fidelity mode enhances visuals on PS5 and Xbox Series X with increased foliage detail and improved shadow casting, while the PS5 Pro further refines these aspects, resulting in sharper visuals and superior ambient occlusion.
PC: Customizable Upscaling and Graphics Settings
PC players enjoy full control over upscaling, with options limited to FSR and DLSS. XeSS, sharpening, and frame generation are not included. While CryEngine's focus on performance is beneficial, demanding hardware is still required for 4K maximum settings. Five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental) allow for extensive customization to match individual PC configurations. A comprehensive guide is available to help players optimize their systems for optimal gameplay.
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.
