A recent update allowedRemnant: From The Ashesto be played on the next-gen consoles, with aport for both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X/Sthat makes the game able to run at 4K and 60 fps in a stable manner. Recently, Game Rant had a chat with Colin Bonstead, Technical Director at Gunfire Games, about the update. The idea behind this update sprung when Bonstead decided to try and take advantage of the increased power of the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, back whenRemnant: From the Asheswas in its post-launch state and the studio was working on DLC content.
The process was more complex than anticipated, and Bonstead commented on how he and the studio weren’t happy with the outcome in terms ofRemnant: From the Ashes' performance there. However, when the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S came out, Gunfire Games knew it had to take advantage of the potential of the new engine and the speedy loading times of the SSD storage system. While Gunfire Games couldn’t make a “full-blown” port of the game because of resources and the impact of the pandemic, both the studio andRemnantplayers are quite happy with the result.
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How Remnant: From the Ashes Running at 60 FPS Changes Everything
Bonstead explained how a full port ofRemnant: From the Asheswould have meant doing a full conversion to the new consoles' tools in order to unlock the full power of thePS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Because of this, Gunfire Games decided to portRemnantby using the tools offered by the previous generation of consoles, but still be able to access extra CPU and GPU assets and memory storage. Still,Remnant’s improvement is not only in the graphics and performance department thanks to gameplay drastically changing, too.
Remnant: From the Ashesis one of those games where timing is everything and can pretty much be a matter of life or death, and having the ability to play the game in 4K, and at stable 60 fps, does have a huge impact on the quality of the session. It’s not uncommon for games that take mechanics fromDark Soulsto make players walk thin ropes that separate them from doom at every corner. As such, if the game runs smoothly then telegraphed attacks can be dodged, enemies' patterns can be discerned more easily, and of course, timing is narrowed down to the players' abilities rather than performance.
The biggest improvement was definitely the ability to run the game at 60 fps on a console. In agame likeRemnantthat demands precise aiming and timing, the extra fluidity can mean the difference between getting an awesome drop or re-running the whole level. Also, the 4K support really shows off all the detail our art team packed into the diverse levels.
As a matter of fact, Bonstead agrees that this was the biggest improvement made toRemnant. Another reason why this matters even more for this specific game is that playing with other people means making sure not to be in the line of sight of other players shooting, due to friendly fire being enabled and quite deadly, too. Having the option to playRemnant: From the Ashesat60 fps on next-gen consolesmeans that death becomes less frustrating and more strategic thinking can take players a long way, as opposed to dying from delayed attacks or the hits of friends.
Overall, the free update toRemnantmade the game a better version of itself, and the reception so far has been good. There are some issues with both thePS4 Pro and the PS5, but Bonstead says that they will be addressed soon in a new update and players should expect to fully enjoy the experienceRemnanthas to offer.
Remnant: From the Ashesis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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