Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is poised to deliver a strong performance across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms, showcasing impressive adaptability across various settings. Read on to discover how KCD2 performs on each platform and the settings players can adjust for optimal gameplay.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: Performance Across Platforms
Photorealistic Visuals Powered by CryEngine
Early tests and reports indicate promising performance for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) across all platforms. PlayStation and Xbox consoles smoothly handle both 30fps and 60fps options, with the PS5 Pro demonstrating enhanced graphical capabilities. KCD2's distinctive photorealistic rendering, a rarity achieved through CryTek's CryEngine, sets it apart.
KCD2's continued use of CryEngine, following its predecessor, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1 (KCD1), is attributed to Warhorse Studios' familiarity with the engine, allowing for enhanced feature exploration and development.
PC Gamer highlights CryEngine's unique approach, employing old-school rendering techniques—meaning fewer shaders and simpler lighting—to prioritize performance. Despite this, KCD2 achieves photorealism through physically based materials. Eurogamer notes that CryEngine's sparse voxel octree global illumination (SVOGI) convincingly simulates indirect light bounces, realistically rendering light interactions with torches, metal reflections, and other objects.
PlayStation and Xbox Console Options: 30 FPS and 60 FPS Modes
PS5 and Xbox Series X offer two modes: a fidelity mode (30fps at 1440p) and a performance mode (60fps at 1080p). Xbox Series S exclusively supports fidelity mode. Conversely, the PS5 Pro offers a single 60fps mode at 1296p, upscaled to 4K using PSSR.
Fidelity mode enhances rendering on PS5 and Xbox Series X, featuring increased foliage density and improved shadow casting, resulting in visually richer outdoor scenes and enhanced ambient occlusion. The PS5 Pro further refines these visuals, adding sharper imagery, superior ambient occlusion and object detail, and overall improved image quality.
PC Upscaling: Fully Customizable
True to PC tradition, KCD2 provides extensive customization of upscaling options. PC Gamer notes the limited upscaling choices—FSR and DLSS—for rendering from lower resolutions. XeSS (for Intel cards), sharpening options, and frame generation are absent.
Despite CryEngine's performance focus, running KCD2 at 4K with maximum settings will demand significant GPU power. However, the game's scalability is a strength, offering five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental) to optimize performance for various PC configurations.
KCD2 offers a comprehensive guide to prepare your system, detailing CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage requirements, ensuring a smooth gaming experience.
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.
