Tango Gameworks' outstanding Hi-Fi RUSH officially made its way onto PlayStation 5 just a couple of weeks ago, and as expected, it's been getting a great reception so far - in fact, it might even be an early GOTY candidate!
Something we didn't expect, however, is that the PS5 version actually has "slightly improved" visuals compared to the Xbox Series X version. This is due to a higher quality of shadows, as explained by Digital Foundry this past weekend:
"The shadow quality on PS5 is improved compared to the Xbox Series X version. It's not a one-off case either, in that it applies across all of the game's dynamic shadows for the environment and characters.
"The higher resolution of shadows on PS5 allows for more precise shadow definition on fine details, like the mesh pattern on fences. We have none of the break-up, the aliasing or the pixelation we see on the lower Series X setting."
Digital Foundry's analysis also highlights that the PC version's shadows are identical to the Xbox Series X, so the PS5's improved quality is a mystery - perhaps the result of a "common" bug for Xbox and PC development environments.
Nevertheless, the outlet argues that we're "seeing too many inexplicable issues like this" on Xbox, and it's not something that's just limited to Hi-Fi RUSH - Ghostwire: Tokyo is another example that's brought up in the analysis.
"Whether it's the bugs or the more serious issues found in games like Ghostwire: Tokyo, Microsoft should be held to a higher standard when it comes to its multi-platform output.
Where there is sensitivity around the idea that exclusive games may jump to rival platforms, it just makes sense to ensure that Xbox versions are as performant and feature-complete in every way as the PlayStation 5 versions."
The full video is well worth a watch if you're interested (viewable at the top of the page), as it goes into even more detail about the differences between Hi-Fi RUSH on Xbox Series X and PS5, as well as some of the experiences that do perform best on Xbox such as Pentiment, A Plague Tale: Requiem and Resident Evil Village.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know down in the comments section below.
Comments 32
This is so so minor that it isn't worth PS fanboys gloating nor is it worth Xbox fanboys getting salty.
To even state something like this is just fanning the flame - Xbox is the red headed step-child and the PS5 is superior. All I see online (including this site) is that the PS5 has better games, the console sells better, the graphics look better and now, Xbox games look better on the PS5.
@ShadowofTwilight Oh but you know it's going to turn into that.
The vast majority of the world would never notice this difference unless they were specifically told about it.
The bigger issue that digital foundry was trying to address is that almost all the first party microsoft games have been in some way better on PS5 than the xbox series consoles and microsoft really should address that before launching these games.
But, Korsica looks equally sexy in both consoles. At least, Xbots and Ponies could agree on that.
@ShadowofTwilight it will be fixed in an update
I’d rather get the game over a year earlier than have an extra grain of detail in the shadow
The real winner here is that everyone gets to play this great title, where they can. Happy gaming to all
@ShadowofTwilight I'd argue it doesn't matter how minor it is. Their (xbox) game looks better on the competitions device. It beggers belief. What even goes on at Redmond these day's?
I personally don't care for him as a platform head, but if Jim Ryan ran Xbox with the same budget available to Spencer, then Xbox would be dominating gaming right. Not saying that would look good - I like Spencers feel good policies - but it's fact.
The shadows are a nice touch but what puts the PS5 version ahead is the haptic feedback on the Dual Sense. The game works great with it.
@Romans12 @ShadowofTwilight
It's about principle. Why are Microsoft first party games launching superior on Playstation? Pentiment launched with double the framerate and Hifi Rush has better looking shadows on top of haptic feedback. It makes Xbox and Microsoft look a bit silly.
And this is what will happen during the conversion over to the PS5. If small improvements can be made they will.
Even though tiny, it’s another thing against Xbox, like it or not.
Seeing as how the shadows at their highest setting on PC also look "worse", I'd chalk this up to simply API differences between DirectX and whatever Sony uses.
But, of course, the internet has to make mountains out of molehills.
They can have their shadows I liked our price, free
Expecting a PureXbox article on how Xbox runs Pentiment's 120 FPS more consistently than pS5.
Dies of waiting
@TheLastHarbinger
You mean the opening cutscene?
@ZuneTattooGuy
For those that put in daily rewards max work, it sort of was.
@CallMeDuraSouka
It launched on Xbox Gamepass
I hate this tech comparing crap
@ZuneTattooGuy
Cool, so not free then.
Ergh..... Here we go. Just yesterday I was reading how Xbox was in trouble because the PS5 version was superior and how Xbox ought not be undercutting their own console. So, here we go with he said she said...... Let them games begin.....
@ZuneTattooGuy Yes, but as mentioned in my previous comment GP isn't free unless........
Such an inane claim to make otherwise ya
@NeutronBomb
Yeah, then he could have spent over 50% of Xbox’s budget on live service games and sent Xbox down a path nobody wants. No thanks…
Cool news imo
Couldn't care less. Played it, loved it. That's it.
I choose to buy Shin Megami tensei Vengeance on switch rather than Xbox or PS5 so obviously performance and graphics is not an issue to me.
I know these are silly bits of stuff and news and agree it’s nothing much.
But at the same time Xbox needs to make its own amazing news and the only way to do that is create amazing games that get gamers and the general public extremely interested and coming up to four years this November 2024 they haven’t really.
This could have been Xbox year with the other two seemly being quiet, but it doesn’t seem to be so far.
Great amazing AAA games, advertising, positive momentum. All things that are missing.
@AlienigenX original SMT V version is horrible. I'll never buy it on Switch again. I was happy then Vengeance anounced for big consoles. I'll get it on PS for sure.
It's common for games to get improvements during the porting process because they've been able to iterate on their tech. In the case of Ghostwire: Tokyo, it's the reverse. Not sure why that was.
@evan23 yes the vast majority of people won’t notice. Critic outlets like digital foundry are partially to blame for making fans only care about such minor issues. Whereas in previous generations it was all about games quality. Not how many polygons are present, FPS and resolution. Perhaps DF can aide these developers with optimizing their code. That would be much better value IMO.
@AnVold thats what everyone says, but I have never seen a problem with it, and really enjoyed it.
@AlienigenX I finished it on Switch and enjoyed too. But I could enjoy it much more for sure, if it was relased on normal platform.
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