Digital Foundry: Red Dead Redemption, Forza Tech & FSR3

Red Dead Redemption 60 FPS Patch

Technical Analysis

• The release of a surprise 60 FPS update for Red Dead Redemption on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 is welcomed, though experts are baffled by its absence at launch.
• Testing confirms a stable, native 4K experience with no visual changes, relying on existing backwards compatibility overhead rather than complex engine overhauls.
• Questions arise regarding whether the original 30 FPS cap was due to technical issues or purely publisher strategy/parities.

Forza Motorsport: Performance and Expectations

Ray Tracing and Marketing Discrepancies

• The team discusses the discrepancy between pre-release marketing and the final ray tracing implementation. While the game is praised for its gameplay, there is disappointment regarding the curtailment of reflections and overall environment detail.
• The PC version is highlighted as problematic at launch, with critiques regarding high CPU overhead and counter-intuitive menu design.

"What you cannot do is to produce assets that the final game does not live up to."

FSR3: Frame Generation and Future Outlook

Performance Testing

• Initial tests with FSR3 (FidelityFX Super Resolution) reveal interesting potential, particularly for moving games into higher refresh rate territory. However, it requires a solid base frame rate to function effectively.
• Considerations for consoles suggest a need for high input latency documentation and cautious balancing between frame generation artifacts and native image quality.

Industry Trends

• The conversation touches upon the inclusion of Denuvo in recent titles post-review, which the team labels a "vile move" impacting transparency and performance testing.
• John shares unique insights from his trip to Japan, highlighting cultural differences in gaming, physical media presence, and his visits to Sunsoft and M2.