Kingdom Come II Shines on Consoles

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: Console and PC Performance Deep Dive

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) promises strong performance across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. Extensive testing reveals impressive results across various settings. Let's explore the performance details.

CryEngine's Photorealistic Prowess

KCD2 leverages CryEngine, renowned for its performance-oriented approach. While employing older rendering techniques (limited shaders, basic lighting), the engine excels in delivering photorealistic visuals. This is achieved through physically based materials and CryEngine's SVOGI (sparse voxel octree global illumination), which realistically simulates indirect lighting, enhancing effects like torchlight and metallic reflections.

Warhorse Studios' continued use of CryEngine stems from their extensive experience, enabling them to refine and expand upon its capabilities for the sequel.

Console Performance Modes

PS5 and Xbox Series X offer dual modes:

• Fidelity Mode: 30fps at 1440p, prioritizing visual fidelity with enhanced foliage and shadows.
• Performance Mode: 60fps at 1080p, favoring smoother gameplay.

Xbox Series S exclusively supports Fidelity Mode. The PS5 Pro provides a single 60fps mode at 1296p, upscaled to 4K using PSSR. The PS5 Pro mode boasts superior visuals compared to the other consoles' Fidelity modes, including sharper details and improved ambient occlusion.

PC Scalability and Upscaling

PC players enjoy complete control over upscaling, with options limited to FSR and DLSS. XeSS, sharpening, and frame generation are absent. Despite CryEngine's performance focus, high-resolution gameplay (especially at 4K with maximum settings) will demand substantial GPU power. However, the game's five quality presets (Low, Medium, High, Ultra, Experimental) allow for extensive customization to optimize performance for various PC configurations.

Warhorse Studios provides a comprehensive system requirements guide to assist players in preparing their systems for optimal gameplay.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launches February 4, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Visit our dedicated KCD2 page for further information.