How does PlayStation 5 Pro improve graphics in current games?

When the PlayStation 5 was released, fans were expecting a higher level of fidelity in games. The previous generation had already brought visuals close to Pixar-like quality, and many gamers were expecting this to be the console where visuals would be taken up a notch thanks to ray tracing.

Launch games like “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales” demonstrated this technical feat. The rendering technique simulates how light works on surfaces, making video games look more realistic. Windows would reflect the world outside. Puddles would pick up the tone of neon lights on a dirty street. The games had these graphical touches, but players discovered a compromise.

They could have chosen ray tracing, but frame rates would have been affected. Players generally felt the visuals were good enough, opting for smoother performance over better graphics. One disappointing aspect of the PS5 was that players had to choose. Fans discovered that a system they had hoped could handle any game thrown at it actually had its limits.

With the PlayStation 5 Pro, Sony is hoping to deliver a no-compromise console for the current generation. At an event at Sony Interactive Entertainment in San Mateo, I had the chance to play a few games that take advantage of the new system’s power and see the difference it makes. The PS5 Pro has a better GPU with 67% more compute units and 28% faster memory. It has more advanced ray tracing capabilities to better simulate light, while the system also features PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, or PSSR, which improves graphical detail.

I’ve seen how these work in games firsthand, and here’s my impression of how the PS5 Pro improves these titles:

“Dragon’s Dogma 2” — This Capcom game was one of those with beautiful graphics, but with action-heavy elements it would have been better to opt for a smoother frame rate. On the PS5 Pro, I experienced the best of both worlds and delved even deeper into the game.

The difference between a gorgeous game running at 30 frames per second and one running at 60 frames per second is stark. My eyes actually hurt after playing the game for a few minutes on the PS5 Pro and then switching back to the PS5’s lower frame rate.

“Demon Spirits” — This is one of the best examples of what the PlayStation 5 Pro can do. Despite being nearly 4 years old, the game is still amazing. On the PS5 Pro, Bluepoint Games manages to outdo the graphics on the PS5 cinematic mode. I could see finer details like stitching on the armor and ornate metal. On top of all that, players are getting that level of detail at 60 frames per second.

What really stands out are the particle effects, especially when you enter to fight a boss. Black dots spin around when players step through a door to fight a boss. That’s PSSR’s job, allowing the effects to stand out more the longer they’re on screen.

“Horizon Forbidden West” and “The Last of Us Part II” — Aloy’s adventure looks better with sharper cinematics and excellent visuals. Players won’t see new effects like ray tracing with the PS5 Pro. It simply combines the best of higher resolution and smoother frame rates. The same can be said for Ellie’s follow-up journey in “Last of Us Part II.” With the PS5 Pro, players can appreciate finer details in high fidelity mode with a higher frame rate. Players should pay attention to the trees. They will see that the leaves are sharper and less muddy.

“Gran Turismo 7” and “F1 24” — Sony’s racing game is a flagship in terms of what its devices can do. “Gran Turismo 7” makes PlayStation VR2 almost worth the price of admission, and the platform will see improvements when the game is run on the PS5 Pro. For those who want to race on a big flat screen, the PS5 Pro offers ray tracing during in-game racing. Players can see real reflections off the surfaces of other cars. As they pass other racers, they can see images of other drivers in their side mirrors.

It’s a ridiculous level of detail that adds to the realism for a racing title. Best of all, it’s all done at 60 frames per second. “Gran Turismo 7” also supports 8K monitors, but there are compromises when exporting visuals at that resolution. There’s no ray tracing, but the sharpness of crowds and signs is increased.

Codemasters is giving players a similar experience to “Gran Turismo 7” with “F1 24.” Players will get ray tracing as they hurtle around the track, which will contribute to photo-quality visuals. What’s notable is that if players have a TV that supports it, the developers can crank out 4K at 120 frames per second. Meanwhile, 8K is also supported, and there’s some light ray tracing on small sections of the track, but nothing too noticeable.

“Ratchet and Clank: The Breakup” — The PS5 Pro improves the visuals in this title a bit. PSSR improves the particle effects again. This time, the confetti that appears at the beginning of the game. Thanks to the technology, they fly more and stay longer. Ray tracing is also more robust and there is less of a glow effect, especially on distant buildings.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” — This is another title that shows off dazzling ray tracing running at a high frame rate. I tried taking a quick lap around the block on a PS5 Pro, and then doing the same lap on a stock PS5 running in fidelity mode, and the transition gave me a headache. The flickering pixels on the screen felt like they were scratching my eyeballs.

Core tech director Mike Fitzgerald said the team is working on a Fidelity Pro mod that will try to add more ray-tracing techniques and rendering tricks with the added power. Perhaps it could make “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2” look like the much-anticipated one. 2017 E3 demo.

“Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth” — When players see screenshots of the PS5 Pro and PS5 versions, they can’t convey the difference between the two. The best way I can describe it is this: The PS5 version running in performance mode is like playing the game with smudged glasses. It has a blurry film, as if everything is out of focus. When playing on the PS5 Pro, it’s like lasers have been pointed at your eyes and you’re enjoying the world with perfect 20/20 vision. Everything is sharper and you can appreciate the details.

“Crew Motor Festival” — This open-world racing game takes advantage of the PS5 Pro’s power to give players better visuals with a smoother gameplay experience. While racing on Oahu, I could see buildings in the distance were rendered sharply. As for the racing, PSSR has done wonders for the signs. It doesn’t just make the particle effects better, it also makes the banners and billboards sharper, increasing immersion and giving you an advantage if you want to drive without looking at the map.