Digital Foundry: Black Myth Wukong, Zen 5, and Deadlock
Black Myth: Wukong Performance Analysis
Black Myth: Wukong is approaching its release, and the team analyzed the recent PC benchmark tool to estimate its potential performance levels on the PlayStation 5.
• The benchmark appears to focus primarily on graphics-heavy, non-action scenes, making it difficult to gauge actual combat-heavy scenarios.
• Initial findings suggest that a 4K 30 FPS target is highly viable, though questions remain about how the console version will manage the more intensive 60 FPS performance mode.
• The team highlights the use of TSR (Temporal Super Resolution) versus FSR, noting that TSR generally offers better image quality and performance stability in the tested scenarios.
AMD Ryzen 9000 (Zen 5) Launch Overview
There has been significant controversy surrounding the launch of the AMD Ryzen 9000 series.
• Performance improvements compared to previous generations are inconsistent, with some titles showing surprising regression in performance.
• Core parking issues and high chiplet-to-chiplet latency are suspected contributors to the underwhelming gaming performance, leading to a confusing and difficult launch for reviewers.
• Despite the promise of high efficiency, the Zen 5 chips face stiff competition from existing processors like the 7800X3D, which remain superior for gaming purposes at this stage.
The Deadlock Media Blackout
Valve’s new title, Deadlock, is currently in a state of high player count but low public acknowledgement due to a media NDA.
"Whenever there's this many people playing a game, people want to talk about it."
• Despite official attempts to keep coverage limited, the game is widely accessible and footage is proliferating across platforms, raising questions about the effectiveness of Valve's communication strategy.
• The team discusses the ethical considerations of reporting on a game that is technically under an NDA but easily accessible to the general public.
Future Trends: UE5 and Handheld PC Market
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy: The potential shift to Unreal Engine 5 for the final installment is seen as a logical and positive step to improve geometric density and lighting via technologies like Nanite and Lumen.
• SteamOS expansion: The move to bring SteamOS to Windows-based handhelds, such as the Asus ROG Ally, is viewed as a massive boost for user experience, offering a more console-like, optimized interface compared to the current Windows-heavy landscape.