Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Boasts Impressive Performance on Consoles

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 different systems and customizable options.

KCD2's Cross-Platform Performance: A CryEngine Triumph

Multiple sources confirm KCD2's smooth gameplay across various platforms. PlayStation and Xbox consoles deliver fluid experiences in both 30fps and 60fps modes, with the PS5 Pro leveraging its advanced capabilities for enhanced visuals. The game's photorealistic rendering, a standout feature, is achieved through the use of CryTek's CryEngine.

Warhorse Studios' continued use of CryEngine, also employed in the predecessor KCD1, allows for familiarity and optimized feature development. PC Gamer highlights CryEngine's unique approach – prioritizing performance through a more traditional rendering pipeline, featuring simpler shaders and lighting techniques.

Despite this classic rendering approach, KCD2 achieves photorealism through physically based materials. Eurogamer notes the effectiveness of CryEngine's sparse voxel octree global illumination (SVOGI) in realistically simulating indirect light, enhancing the visual fidelity of elements like torchlight and metallic reflections.

Console Performance Modes: Fidelity vs. 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 supports the fidelity mode. The PS5 Pro runs at a native 60fps at 1296p, upscaled to 4K using PSSR.

Fidelity mode enhances visuals on PS5 and Xbox Series X, improving foliage detail and shadow quality. The PS5 Pro further refines these improvements, adding sharper imagery, superior ambient occlusion, and overall enhanced image quality.

PC Upscaling: Player Choice Reigns Supreme

True to PC gaming tradition, KCD2 offers optional upscaling via FSR and DLSS, allowing players to tailor settings to their hardware. XeSS, sharpening options, and frame generation are not included.

While CryEngine's focus on performance is beneficial, running KCD2 at 4K with maximum settings will still demand significant GPU power. However, the game's highly scalable graphics, with five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental), ensure a customizable experience for diverse PC configurations.

KCD2 provides a comprehensive system check guide to help players prepare, detailing CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage requirements.

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.