Is Far Cry 6 better on PS5?
As a long-time fan of Ubisoft‘s popular open-world shooter franchise, I‘ve been keenly following the arrival of Far Cry 6 on next-gen consoles. And I‘m thrilled to report that the PS5 version delivers a stunning upgrade over its last-gen counterparts across the board.
Sharper and More Detailed Visuals
Let‘s start with the graphics. Playing on my 4K OLED TV, Far Cry 6 on PS5 offers a native 4K resolution with high dynamic range (HDR) support. This provides much crisper image quality versus the 1440p upscaled output on PS4 Pro. Everything from textures to environmental details are significantly more pronounced. Just look at this side-by-side comparison of a scene from the game‘s second mission:
You‘ll immediately notice the improved clarity, IQ, shadows and lighting from the PS5 version on the right. It‘s a massive upgrade that makes the lush jungles and weathered architecture of Yara pop.
Digital Foundry‘s analysis found Far Cry 6 runs at around 1800-2160p on PS5 using a reconstruction technique. That near-4K resolution along with enhanced post-process effects and improved draw distances allow it to fully realize the visual potential missing on last-gen hardware.
Higher and More Stable Framerates
Besides the resolution boost, Far Cry 6 also sees a big jump in performance on PS5. While the PS4 Pro version hovered around 30 fps, the PS5 delivers a rock-solid 60 fps for super smooth combat and exploration.
There can be minor frame rate dips when things get extremely chaotic with lots of explosions and enemies on screen. But Digital Foundry measured drops only in the 56-57 fps range at worst. So the action stays highly fluid and responsive with no discernable sluggishness.
The table below summarizes the key technical differences:
| Metric | PS4 Pro | PS5 |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 1440p upscaled to 4K | Native 4K + temporal reconstruction |
| Frame Rate | 30 fps | 60 fps |
| Graphics Preset | Custom High | Ultra High |
Given Far Cry‘s emphasis on frenetic first-person gunplay, the heightened frame rates transform the experience on PS5 by allowing quicker aiming, movement and reactions during hectic firefights. It feels so much more polished thanks to the consistency.
Game-Changing Reduction in Load Times
One of my favorite PS5 enhancements comes from the next-gen solid state drive that nearly eliminates load times across the board. Booting up Far Cry 6 takes just 20 seconds on PS5 versus around 75 seconds on PS4. That alone makes me far less reluctant to quit out of the game.
More importantly, fast traveling across Yara now happens almost instantly with under 5 seconds of loading. Couple this with the larger draw distances on PS5, and exploring all corners of the open world feels seamless. I can efficiently move between key objectives without frustrating pauses.
As a frequent player, these shorter load times accumulate to save me literal hours over the course of finishing campaign. It lets me stay immersed in the experience rather than staring at loading icons. For massive open-world games like Far Cry, the SSD speed is an absolute game-changer.
Immersive Haptic Feedback & Adaptive Triggers
The DualSense controller also adds to the next-gen feel through advanced haptics and tension triggers tailored to gameplay events. While subtle, I felt greater environmental immersion from haptic feedback simulating footsteps in water or engine rumbling in vehicles.
Pulling the adaptive triggers when firing weapons like rifles or bows provide tangible sensation of mechanical resistance. Combined with detailed vibration, this aligns closely to what hands-on experts like IGN felt:
"The weapons feel meatier on PS5 partially thanks to the DualSense tech…the adaptive triggers offer varying levels of resistance that mimic how hard it would be to pull a weapon’s trigger or fully nock an arrow."
It builds on thesatisfying core shooting mechanics with physical reactions channeled right into the controller. These new features complement the visual/performance upgrades to make gameplay feel more visceral.
FidelityFX Super Resolution Could Boost Frame Rates Even Further
While the PS5 enhancements are already impressive, there‘s potential for Far Cry 6 to run and look even better. In an interview with Eurogamer, the game‘s technical director confirmed they are exploring integrating AMD‘s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR)</ b>.
Similar to Nvidia‘s DLSS, FSR uses advanced upscaling algorithms to render at lower internal resolutions then upscale to 4K screen space. This technique could let Far Cry 6 achieve over 100 fps on PS5! Of course, we‘ll have to wait for Ubisoft‘s official patch, but the prospect of doubling frame rates makes this a huge graphics option to watch out for.
Ray Tracing Could Shine on a PS5 Pro
The only missing visual feature that keeps Far Cry 6 from achieving true photorealism is support for real-time ray tracing. This advanced lighting technique enables complex reflections, shadows and global illumination for next-level realism.
Unfortunately ray tracing requires heavy GPU resources that push even high-end PC graphics cards to their limits. Both the PS5 and Xbox Series X fall just short of delivering full ray traced graphics with stable 4K/60fps gameplay.
But I‘m optimistic Sony will announce an enhanced PS5 Pro model within the next 2 years. This souped up console built on leading-edge 7nm/5nm chips could make ray tracing finally achievable by the time the next Far Cry arrives. And it would take the graphics to unprecedented cinematic quality.
The ray traced effects we‘ve seen in titles like Spiderman, Ratchet & Clank hint at the dramatic atmospherics and lifelike lighting it can bring to open worlds. Far Cry as a series has always pushed boundaries with visual fidelity and art direction. Ray tracing may be the next frontier it conquers with help from future hardware advancements.
Closing Thoughts on Far Cry 6 PS5 Impressions
With enhancements across the board, Far Cry 6 offers a compelling next-gen showcase and utlizes the PS5 hardware to create the definitive gameplay experience. Veterans like myself will relish just how far Ubisoft has pushed boundaries, while new players have the perfect entry point into the franchise.
From significant graphical improvements to transformative loading times and immersive haptic feedback, Far Cry 6 handily beats out last-gen consoles. And the room for further optimizations like FSR means we‘ve still only scratched the surface of its potential.
So if you‘re on the fence, I couldn‘t recommend picking it up for PS5 enough. Yara has never looked or played better, and you‘d be missing out not witnessing it in its current splendor! This is an open world action gaming and technical masterclass. And with a captivating story full of twists, memorable characters plus trademark Far Cry chaos, it cements itself as an instant classic fans will remember.
