The Finals - Ps5/xbox Series X/s - Df Tech Review - Destruction Physics At 60fps
Even if the texture asset is the same between Series S and X, this combination of lower and isotropic filtering, plus the lower resolution 720p to 1440p range on Series S, ends up blurring a surface's details. Next, in terms of shadows, we do see a more sizable difference for any up-close detail on suncast shadows.
Series S uses a lower preset, causing more visible flickering on movement. It's a subtle difference, but slowing the footage down, it's clear there's more visual noise and more breakup on the character and tree shadows. In a similar vein, Series S also falls short in shadow filtering, so to isolate on Series S, for example, there's an obvious filtering line on Shadows ahead as we run through the stage.
This cascade line is closer to the camera on the Series S. Simply put, making the quality switch all the more glaring and likewise drawing distances on geometry are ranging on series S2, so expect to catch more pop overall on the four-teraflop machine during any quick sprints across the map , between the resolution cutbacks, the drop in foliage detail, shadow quality, and geometry drawer distances.
Xbox series s frame-rate test
Series S still looks and plays well, and so on that note, let's get to performance testing on Series S first. There's a clear visual sacrifice, especially in image quality, when it hits the 720p lower bounds, but the end result really justifies the means. I think for a competitive multiplayer shooter in this tradition.
Membar Studios clearly respects the need to optimize for 60 FPS, and so impressively, the team does manage to hit a typically locked 60 frames per second. Even during peak action, you're able to charge through entire buildings, you're able to set Force to Flame, or you can build new partitions using the goo grenade to cause as much havoc and wreckage as you like.
It's difficult to buckle. the reading on series s in my experience so far, at least the UE5 technology, working with dynamic resolution scaling, appears to adjust accordingly with the GP load to hand in a mostly tight 60. FPS i say mostly because there's always the potential for drops in Series S.
For example, there's a pretty surefire way to trigger a Lurch below 60 FPS if you're truly determined to do so. Take any overview of a stage from the rooftops; any complex area will do next; raise and lower your viewpoint; aggressively look to the sky; give the engine time to raise the resolution to closer to 152p; and then sharply drop your viewpoint.
In this brief moment, the engine will try to adjust the resolution to a more suitable value based on the sudden spike in GPU load, and within that window we see a drop to the mid-50s, sometimes lower with full screen tearing too. The Series S is the most vulnerable overall to drops like this because of its pure GPU-side limitation. This is an artificial and extreme condition, obviously, where, in actual practical play, it's surprisingly uncommon so far; I wouldn't roll out drops into the 50s like this entirely then, but generally, the DRS system does well to avoid any noticeable lurches in frame rate on Series.
Xbox series x frame-rate test
Next along is, of course, series X, which puts in an even more consistent 60 FPS reading.
There's no way to match the series in any coordinated test. Really, the best approach is to simply throw hours at the game and see if any frame rate drops appear in the general run of play based on five hours of testing. Then, in using every class and every explosive weapon available to me so far, series X turns in a watertite 60 FPS of 99%.
Most of the time, at least across the Vegas map, on the soul stage, there are only rare moments that show any real issue at worst. Alpha transparency effects like fire trigger a brief flash of tearing up and down the entire screen with a brief drop into the 50s. There are also certain moments with physics-based destruction; cue a similar drop, but nothing too egregious overall.
Honestly, it's all too easy to show a collection of all the worst moments from hours of play. The truth is, the bulk of my time spent playing on series X was met with a flat 60 FPS line, as dull as that is to show great news, and again, all credit goes to Embox Studios for optimizing realistically to the console's abilities.
Playstation 5 frame-rate test
Last up, of course, is the PlayStation 5 version, which, much like Series X, has no problem hitting 60 FPS most of the time across every stage.
It's typically a consistent performer. It must be said, though, that drops do occur in my testing on the PS5. They tend to drop much harder than X; they drop for longer stretches. It might be simply bad luck to stumble across the worst scenarios possible in such a dynamic physics-based game. There really is no matched test method between PS5 and Series X here after all to simulate the same load on each, but based on another 5-hour sample of gameplay.
I couldn't help but notice heavy destruction. Physics and Alpha effects trigger drops into the 50s on PS5 more typically. These drops also do not resolve back to 60 FPS as quickly as they do on Series X in the current build; at least they tend to linger for as long as you keep the destruction in.
From this view, it must be stressed that this shows PS5 at its rare worst moments because otherwise it hands in an identical performance level to Series X. There's anecdotal evidence here to suggest PS5 is PR to bigger drops in its current state, which I hope are easy to address.
Conclusion
But that's the state of the finals as it stands right now as a free-to-play game. It genuinely surprised me with how robust the mechanics are and how successfully it commits to its physics destruction.
The concept really works brilliantly. The only complaint I really have is the default look of your characters; this goes back to its free-to-play design, and Embark Studios, in fairness, does need to make money somehow from this project, so the cosmetic changes to your character must be paid for in real-life currency.
As a result, you're kind of stuck with the default Bland costume until you pay up. I think that's a fair trade, though honestly, especially given all the weapons and skills are unlockable without spending a penny, the mechanics of its gameplay are unaffected, and the pure joy of playing the finals is open to.
In assessing the PS5 series X and S versions today, it's a real pleasure to say no console loses out on 60 FPS gameplay; you get the destruction. Physics, the RT Global illumination on each machine, and sparing some visual cutbacks on series in resolution foliage and shadows each offer a superb way to play the game.
The finals had that stealthy late 2023 release, and if you happen to miss it, I'd highly recommend giving it a go, but that's all for me today.
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