Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Boasts Impressive Performance on Consoles

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) promises strong performance across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms, showcasing adaptability across various settings. This article delves into KCD2's performance capabilities on each platform and its customizable settings.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: Cross-Platform Performance Analysis

CryEngine: Photorealism Meets Performance

Testing and reports indicate impressive performance for KCD2. PlayStation and Xbox consoles deliver smooth gameplay at both 30fps and 60fps, with the PS5 Pro leveraging its power for enhanced visuals. KCD2's photorealistic rendering, a rarity due to its use of CryTek's CryEngine, sets it apart.

The sequel's continued use of CryEngine, also employed in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1 (KCD1), stems from the developer's Warhorse Studios' familiarity with the engine, enabling them to refine and expand upon its features. PC Gamer highlights CryEngine's unique approach, favoring older rendering techniques (limited shaders, simpler lighting) for superior performance.

Despite this, KCD2 achieves photorealism through physically based materials. Eurogamer notes that CryEngine's SVOGI (sparse voxel octree global illumination) convincingly simulates indirect light, realistically rendering light interactions, such as torchlight and metallic reflections.

Console Options: 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 features the fidelity mode. The PS5 Pro runs at 60fps at 1296p, upscaling to 4K via PSSR.

Fidelity mode enhances visuals on PS5 and Xbox Series X with increased foliage and improved shadow casting, particularly benefiting outdoor scenes and ambient occlusion. The PS5 Pro further refines these features, adding sharper details, enhanced ambient occlusion, superior object quality, and overall image clarity.

PC: Customizable Upscaling

True to PC tradition, KCD2 offers optional upscaling, with FSR and DLSS available for lower-resolution rendering. XeSS, sharpening options, and frame generation are absent.

While CryEngine prioritizes performance, running KCD2 at 4K with maximum settings will still demand significant GPU power. However, the game's scalability is a strength, providing five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental) for optimal customization.

A comprehensive guide detailing system requirements (CPU, RAM, GPU, storage) and preparation steps is available to help players optimize their systems for the game.

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.