Cyberpunk 2077's PS5 Pro Patch: A Ray-Traced Revolution
The gaming world is abuzz with the latest update for Cyberpunk 2077, specifically tailored for PlayStation 5 Pro owners. This patch is a game-changer, offering a visually stunning experience that truly showcases the power of ray tracing (RT) on consoles. It's a testament to CD Projekt RED's commitment to delivering an immersive gaming experience, even for an older title.
The RT Pro Mode: A Visual Spectacle
The centerpiece of this update is the RT Pro mode, a visual feast that brings the PC-level RT suite to consoles. This mode is a fully loaded quality setting, targeting 30fps on 60Hz displays and 40fps on 120Hz, with solid performance at the former. It's a significant upgrade from the base PS5's quality mode, offering a more immersive and detailed experience.
One of the standout features is the improved sun shadows, which now have proper contact detail and stability over distance, eliminating the need for shadow maps. RT local shadows from point lights add physically plausible penumbra and coverage, enhancing the realism of interior and street scenes. Sky lighting and emissive lighting are also enhanced, ensuring that underpasses, walkways, and overhangs are no longer over-lit but instead receive indirect light from the sky and appropriate light sources.
The iconic neon signs, lights, and billboards now cast light into the scene, no longer relying on screen-space fakery. RT ambient occlusion further grounds objects in the scene with improved contact shadows, a welcome addition to the overall visual fidelity.
However, there are some compromises. RT reflections are primarily visible on car windows and select, highly glossy car bodywork, with most other surfaces still relying on screen-space reflections. While this is done with performance in mind, it's a bit of a shame to lose the iconic RT reflected puddles. Nonetheless, when compared to the PC version running at RT ultra, the PS5 Pro version holds its own and looks good.
Balancing Act: RT and Performance
The PS5 Pro patch strikes a balance between visual fidelity and performance. The RT Pro mode offers a comprehensive RT feature set, but it doesn't eliminate the pop-in effect, which remains a challenge on other consoles. Interestingly, the 60fps RT mode, recommended by CD Projekt RED, dials back the RT features to boost frame rates, often achieving the target of 60fps, sometimes with CPU limitations. VRR support is available but not particularly useful in this context.
The RT Pro mode retains RT shadows from sun and local lights, eliminating shadow cascades and providing higher detail at distance. The compromised RT reflections implementation is also present, limited to car windows and glossy clear-coat bodywork. Overall, the image quality is strong, thanks to the upgraded PSSR, which works from a generous internal resolution.
Non-RT Performance Mode: Smooth Frames, Crisp Resolution
For those seeking smoother frame rates and lower input lag, the non-RT performance mode is an intriguing addition. It pushes the frame rate significantly beyond 60fps with VRR active, presenting a clean, crisp 4K resolution with a high-quality temporal upscaler. General frame rates are improved, and CD Projekt RED targets 90 frames per second, an impressive feat.
A Conservative Upgrade, Yet Impressive
While the PS5 Pro patch feels conservative in some respects, it's a clear improvement over the standard console. The RT and RT Pro modes offer a visually superior experience, and the non-RT performance mode caters to those seeking smoother gameplay. The PSSR upscaler is a significant win, outperforming the older FSR2. This comprehensive support from CD Projekt RED is rare and further cements their reputation as a publisher that values its players and their gaming experiences.
In conclusion, the Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 Pro patch is a testament to the power of ray tracing on consoles, offering a visually stunning and immersive gaming experience. It's a must-have upgrade for Pro users, showcasing CD Projekt RED's dedication to delivering the best possible gaming experience, even for older titles.
