Support NeoGAF

[Draugoth]

00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:21 User Experience, Smoothness, and More
00:08:46 Optimised Settings & PC vs PS5
00:16:08 Conclusion
​

Four years after its initial PS4 release, Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima arrives on PC, ported by Nixxes Software. Initial impressions of the port were favourable, but having now spent around a week with the game we're able to give you a much more nuanced appraisal of the conversion, suggest some optimised settings and offer up those all-important PS5 comparisons.


This may be a new engine for Nixxes to deal with, but the overall framework of the game has much in common with its prior ports - which is generally a very positive thing. It means you get a settings menu that lets you tweak as you like, your changes reflected in the background in real-time - no restarts required! And as usual for Nixxes, there's support for dynamic resolution scaling and all major upscaling technologies, along with both FSR 3 and DLSS 3 frame generation (though the new FSR 3.1 spatial upscaling upgrades are not included). Nixxes has also liberated FSR 3 frame-gen from requiring FSR 2 spatial upscaling, which is a welcome change.


In terms of the quality of the upscalers, we see the usual hierarchy, though DLSS has some issues in this title with depth of field effects, with some off-putting jitter. This manifests itself with XeSS but to a lesser extent, while it's not a problem at all with FSR. It would be nice to see this remedied in due course.

 

[Chiggs]

The Nixxes acquisition sure did pay off nicely. How refreshing it is to see a large gaming company make strategic decisions that work.

 

[Quasicat]

I have been playing this on Steam Deck and most the time it’s docked to my TV. It looks absolutely amazing! My only big issue is that the “Sign into PlayStation” option on the main menu is greyed out. I’m hoping this is a bug and it will get patched soon.

 

[Ge Os]

I have been playing this on Steam Deck and most the time it’s docked to my TV. It looks absolutely amazing! My only big issue is that the “Sign into PlayStation” option on the main menu is greyed out. I’m hoping this is a bug and it will get patched soon.

I think it's because of this.

 

[Quasicat]

I think it's because of this.

Thank you. I appreciate it. All I was getting online was that it was because I was in a place where PSN is unsupported, yet I live in Ohio.

 

[Killer8]

... a PC port with smoothness issues not found on console, that is.

 

[Physiognomonics]

Alex didn't even compare the loadings. Always trying to show where PC is best at. I remember he was previously comparing loadings in those types of articles. But I guess not this time!

 

[Zathalus]

One thing to note on PC is to just stick to SSAO, the game was not designed around the newer AO methods so it just looks worse using them.

 

[Big Baller]

Four years, thet better drop the sequel this year

 

[Thanati]

I have been playing this on Steam Deck and most the time it’s docked to my TV. It looks absolutely amazing! My only big issue is that the “Sign into PlayStation” option on the main menu is greyed out. I’m hoping this is a bug and it will get patched soon.

Stop telling me this! I'm trying my best to hold off on buying it at the moment but seeing crap like this makes me give in!

ARGH!

 

[Kataploom]

... a PC port with smoothness issues not found on console, that is.

Well, I think sometimes a "win" (whatever that means) has to be given, I mean, considering the infinite amount of games on console that are not 60 fps at least or when they are it's far from stable, the "smoothness war," would be a one side child play

 

[Denton]

... a PC port with smoothness issues not found on console, that is.

I am not experiencing what Alex reports at all, so it is not universal. Game is 100% smooth during camera pans (or any other time) on my system.

Alex didn't even compare the loadings. Always trying to show where PC is best at. I remember he was previously comparing loadings in those types of articles. But I guess not this time!

Loading takes about 2-3 seconds, I think it is irrelevant really

 

[Zathalus]

Loading takes about 2-3 seconds, I think it is irrelevant really

Game doesn't even use Direct Storage, as I think Nixxes realized there really is no need.

 

[Rocco Schiavone]

Alex didn't even compare the loadings. Always trying to show where PC is best at. I remember he was previously comparing loadings in those types of articles. But I guess not this time!

No surprises here. What do you expect from a guy who jerks off to Crysis and hates sexy women??

 

[proandrad]

Anyone else notice DF tends to be a lot more harsh about the negatives of a game when they don't get it early. I don't remember them being nearly as harsh about the performance mode in Horizon FW and that was a shit show.

 

[Zathalus]

Anyone else notice DF tends to be a lot more harsh about the negatives of a game when they don't get it early. I don't remember them being nearly as harsh about the performance mode in Horizon FW and that was a shit show.

Are you referring to the FW PS5 video? That was done by John and he is not as harsh as Alex is unfortunately.

 

[squidilix]

Anyone else notice DF tends to be a lot more harsh about the negatives of a game when they don't get it early. I don't remember them being nearly as harsh about the performance mode in Horizon FW and that was a shit show.

You talk for PC Performance or PS5 Performance Mode?

Alex forget sometimes (voluntarily I think) that's not a PS5 game but a PS4 game.

 

[Gaiff]

Anyone else notice DF tends to be a lot more harsh about the negatives of a game when they don't get it early. I don't remember them being nearly as harsh about the performance mode in Horizon FW and that was a shit show.

Alex was on vacation lol.

 

[proandrad]

Are you referring to the FW PS5 video? That was done by John and he is not as harsh as Alex is unfortunately.

Ah you're right. I'm still really salty about how much praise he gave that game when it had such a broken mode that wasn't fixed until 6 months in.

 

[Celcius]

It runs amazingly on my PC
I'm just looking forward to them fixing the crashing when loading multiplayer matches

 

[T4keD0wN]

Game doesn't even use Direct Storage, as I think Nixxes realized there really is no need.

It does, CPU usage doesnt change when fast traveling so it seems to work too. Id need to do some testing at same settings on my own to compare it, but fast travel seems roughly the same. Launching the game might be different/slower on pc.

 

[sachos]

I find it so lazy how they seemingly decided to stop doing side by side benchmark runs in different stress areas. I guess they want to stop console warriors from weaponizing their videos but it is such a useful and important and even obvious part of a tech channel to omit imo.

 

[Anchovie123]

If i remember correctly, the PS5 version of ghost was barely even touched up from the PS4 Pro version. They basically changed the FPS cap from 30 to 60, threw in the expansion and called it a day.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

I am not experiencing what Alex reports at all, so it is not universal. Game is 100% smooth during camera pans (or any other time) on my system.



Loading takes about 2-3 seconds, I think it is irrelevant really

This is an example where I am not seeing what Alex is showing. The game is buttery smooth for me. Buttery smooth.

I am using a 7800X3D and 4090, so perhaps I have overcome it, but this game runs as perfect as I could ask.

 

[Ashamam]

He phoned this one in as he was on holidays. Even says so at the start referring to a supporter who did most of the work. So I wouldn't read too much into his focus, as it was basically informed by whatever footage he was given.

 

[MAX PAYMENT]

The Nixxes acquisition sure did pay off nicely. How refreshing it is to see a large gaming company make strategic decisions that work.

Nixxes getting acquired is a loss for most of the industry, and a win for a 1/4th of it

 

[KyoZz]

Nixxes getting acquired is a loss for most of the industry, and a win for a 1/4th of it

While I agree, it's also true that at least as PC players we can expect most of Playstation games to be well optimized on PC. So it's still a small win.

 

[SportsFan581]

Looks like a nice port.

 

[TheStam]

I had some obscene issues with pop-in at first where half the objects on screen, like trees appeared and disappeared, but after doing a clean driver install the issue went away. I'd say it's a good port in terms of performance. You can tell it has the bones of a PS4 game, but the artstyle and use of contrast and color kind of makes up for it. It looks great in HDR although maybe a bit dark sometimes, even without the high contrast mode. I do believe they should have added ray-tracing, this was kind of low effort for an "RTX game".

The game is a lot of fun, like an Assassin's Creed but with better gameplay and story. There's some filler content for sure but at least not as much as AC Valhalla or something. €60 is a bit much for a 4 year old game, but at least I'm enjoying it.

 

[Desprado123]

DLSS 3 Performance is much better than PS5 checkerboard rendering dam.
So this is the reason why Sony is releasing it's own Super Resolution and halting checkerboard rendering in future.

 

[Senua]

One thing to note on PC is to just stick to SSAO, the game was not designed around the newer AO methods so it just looks worse using them.

That's piss poor by nixxies

 

[squidilix]

Nixxes getting acquired is a loss for most of the industry, and a win for a 1/4th of it

Dude, they never do so more jobs than before. And Nixxes was doing only Eidos port game.

You know what? Eidos doesn't exist today...

So this is the reason why Sony is releasing it's own Super Resolution and halting checkerboard rendering in future.

Yeah, just hoping PSRR was very good, more than FSR/XeSS. Bc using checkboarding for a native port of PS4 games was a bit dissapointing.

 

[Team Andromeda]

Such an overrated game ,both graphically and gameplay wise

 

[Mr Moose]

Such an overrated game ,both graphically and gameplay wise

 

[IDWhite]

If i remember correctly, the PS5 version of ghost was barely even touched up from the PS4 Pro version. They basically changed the FPS cap from 30 to 60, threw in the expansion and called it a day.

And something tells me that GoT2 won't be a big leap either.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Nixxes getting acquired is a loss for most of the industry, and a win for a 1/4th of it

While I agree, it's also true that at least as PC players we can expect most of Playstation games to be well optimized on PC. So it's still a small win.

Did either one of you geniuses stop and think that it's entirely likely that Nixxes wouldn't even be around if not for Sony?

They were owned by Eidos, which was bought by Embracer.

Since you are so brilliantly causing this a LOSS for the industry, please enlighten me on what has been actually lost, because I see a ton of gain.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

I have been having a blast replaying this.

Great story. Great graphics. Great overall port. I did not experience ANY of the issues Alex mentioned in his DF video. It has been a buttery smooth experience for me.

The only annoyance is that sometimes in the Standoffs, is that the game doesn't register me holding the button and won't allow me to grab my sword causing me to get completely wiped out in those situations. Also the camera angle can be janky as well in those parts.

Other than that, this is as perfect a port as I have played.

 

[KyoZz]

Did either one of you geniuses stop and think that it's entirely likely that Nixxes wouldn't even be around if not for Sony?

They were owned by Eidos, which was bought by Embracer.

Since you are so brilliantly causing this a LOSS for the industry, please enlighten me on what has been actually lost, because I see a ton of gain.

Chill dude, did you wake up on the wrong foot?
I never said Sony was bad for acquiring Nixxes. Even if I always prefer a studio to be independent when possible, I know it's not an easy task so good for Nixxes for the security and good for Sony for the good buy.

 

[JohnnyFootball]

Chill dude, did you wake up on the wrong foot?
I never said Sony was bad for acquiring Nixxes. Even if I always prefer a studio to be independent when possible, I know it's not an easy task so good for Nixxes for the security and good for Sony for the good buy.

It was mainly the post above yours saying "is a loss for most of industry"

How can anyone with a functioning brain say it's a loss for industry, especially when Nixxes would have been at the mercy of Embracer.

Being independent is not all it's cracked up to be.

 

[bender]

Such an overrated game ,both graphically and gameplay wise