UPDATE 23/6/22 6:10pm: We’ve now had the chance to complete the set, running the rule over the current generation console upgrades to Resident Evil 7 – the first game to use Capcom’s excellent RE Engine. Perhaps inevitably, there’s a great deal of commonality between RE7 and the remakes, with the same fundamental upgrades in place. There are high frame-rate and ray tracing toggles, offering three different performance modes: 60fps with or without RT in play, along with a 120Hz mode that only works with ray tracing disabled.
There are resolution upgrades, of course, and just like the Remakes, it’s a case where PS5 and Xbox Series X run at 2160p using image reconstruction techniques to upscale from a lower resolution, while Series S targets a more conservative 1440p instead using the same upscaling algorithm. The good news is that the RT mode seems to deliver a locked 60fps on PS5 and Series X, but performance is still under par on Series S – though users of VRR displays will be fine (the alternative here is simply to disable RT, which locks you to 60fps). RT global illumination adds extra depth to the scene, but as you’ll see in the video below, RT reflections are a mixed bag.
The 120Hz high frame-rate mode is great across the board, however. The same 2160p/1440p targets remain in place and all consoles do a great job of delivering the requisite high performance. Indeed, PS5 and Series X are essentially locked to the target, and while Series S can still drop to circa 100fps, it’s still exceptional on a VRR display and not too bad on a conventional display either. Ultimately, while the ray tracing could have been better, RE7’s patch delivers – and it’s a great excuse to revisit a classic survival horror title.
ORIGINAL STORY: In the wake its ‘E3’ press conference last week, Capcom left us with a rather thoughtful gift: current-gen upgrades for Resident Evil 2 Remake, Resident Evil 3 Remake and Resident Evil 7. In common with prior RE engine titles running on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, the new features include higher resolution, ray tracing and 120Hz support. Stacked up against PS4 and Xbox One versions – and their enhanced equivalents – we’re looking at a substantial suite of upgrades, but for the remake titles at least, the new versions aren’t without their minus points.