Sucker Punch’s critically acclaimed Ghost of Tsushima has made its way to PC, ported by Nixxes Software. The transition brings significant upgrades compared to the PS5 version, focusing on enhanced graphics and smoother performance. After spending a week with the game, we can provide a detailed assessment of these improvements and offer optimized settings for the best experience.
Ghost of Tsushima PC Upgrade: Enhanced graphics and performance
One of the most notable enhancements in the PC version of Ghost of Tsushima is the improved image quality. Unlike the PS5, which uses a TAA-style ghosting effect, the PC version benefits from advanced upscaling technologies. Nvidia DLSS, although it has some issues with depth of field effects, and FSR 3 frame generation, significantly boost the visual fidelity. The game on PC eliminates the checkerboard rendering of the PS5, providing a cleaner and sharper image.
Additionally, the PC version offers dynamic resolution scaling and supports all major upscaling technologies, including FSR 3 and DLSS 3 frame generation. These technologies allow players to enjoy a smoother gaming experience with higher frame rates and better visuals. However, there are some issues with DLSS in this title, particularly with depth of field effects, which can cause some off-putting jitter. FSR handles these effects more efficiently.
Ghost of Tsushima PC Upgrade: Enhanced Foliage and Shadow Quality
Another significant improvement in the PC version is the enhanced foliage and shadow quality. On PS5, foliage draws close to the camera, often resulting in barren hills in the distance. The PC version pushes this distance much further, even at the high setting, reducing pop-in and creating a more immersive environment. The foliage LOD on PS5 is lower than the medium setting on PC, but the density of the grass tufts is similar to the high setting on PC.
Shadow quality also sees a noticeable upgrade. The PS5 version has shadows that become quite mushy close to the camera, but on PC, players can push this setting higher. The PS5 equivalent is the high shadows setting on PC, with the very high and ultra settings providing even better quality. For mid-spec GPUs, the high setting is recommended to balance performance and VRAM usage.
Screen-space reflections (SSR) are another area of improvement. While the PS5 version is equivalent to the high setting on PC, the PC version provides better SSR quality, although ray-traced reflections are not available. This upgrade helps eliminate the common issues associated with standard SSR, further enhancing the visual experience.
Performance and Stability Enhancements
In terms of performance, the PC version of Ghost of Tsushima offers several enhancements over the PS5. Cutscenes, which are locked at 30fps on PS5, can run at any frame rate on PC, dramatically increasing their smoothness. However, some particle effects, like dust and distant particles, still animate at lower frame rates, which can occasionally disrupt the overall visual experience.
Despite these improvements, there are some performance issues that need addressing. The game can saturate PCI Express bandwidth, affecting frame-time stability. Users with modern GPUs operating at eight lanes and older boards with only PCIe 3.0 support may experience poor performance. Even PCI 3.0 at 16x can struggle, as seen with an RTX 3070, highlighting a recurring issue with Nixxes’ PlayStation ports that needs to be resolved.
Memory management is another area that requires attention. GPUs with 8GB of VRAM can suffer from sporadic performance drops if display and texture resolution settings are too high. Implementing a VRAM meter within the settings or adopting an automated system, like the one used in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, could help mitigate these issues. This system dynamically adjusts mip streaming quality based on available GPU memory, ensuring stable performance without compromising visual quality.
Ghost of Tsushima on PC is a competent port with meaningful graphical upgrades and improved performance compared to the PS5 version. Key areas of enhancement include foliage LOD, shadow quality, and advanced upscaling technologies. While there are some performance issues related to PCI Express bandwidth and memory management, these can be mitigated with optimized settings. The elimination of checkerboard rendering in favor of modern reconstruction techniques and the inclusion of dynamic resolution scaling make the PC version a visually superior and smoother experience. As Nixxes continues to refine their porting process, future patches may address the remaining issues, further solidifying Ghost of Tsushima’s status as a must-play title on PC.
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