God of War Ragnarok’s graphics modes revealed on PS5 and PS4

God of War Ragnarök affords virtually as many graphics modes as there are Norse gods and goddesses, as developer Santa Monica Studio revealed Wednesday night on Twitter. There are extra choices out there within the PlayStation 5 model than on PlayStation 4, and if you wish to get the absolute best expertise, you’ll have to have your PS5 hooked as much as a cutting-edge TV. Luckily, a quantity of Polygon staffers have been taking part in God of War Ragnarök for the previous couple of weeks, so whereas our full technical evaluation piece is coming quickly, we can provide you some fast ideas on how to select from the big selection of graphics settings.

Let’s begin with the PS5 model, which affords two graphics modes: “Favor Resolution” (which prioritizes picture high quality over body charge) and “Favor Performance” (the default, which prioritizes body charge over picture high quality). There’s additionally a separate “High Frame Rate Mode” toggle, which will probably be out there provided that your console is linked to a show that has an HDMI 2.1 port and a 120 Hz panel. And in case your TV additionally helps variable refresh charge (VRR), that HDMI 2.1 characteristic will work mechanically in God of War Ragnarök so long as you’ve enabled it within the PS5 system settings.

There are fewer choices on PS4, because the last-generation console doesn’t help VRR or HFR. The aforementioned Favor Resolution and Favor Performance modes can be found solely when taking part in on a PlayStation 4 Pro. The launch PS4 and the slim mannequin don’t have any graphics settings in any respect.

Image: Santa Monica Studio/Twitter

Here’s a full breakdown of the decision — which regularly varies, since God of War Ragnarök makes use of dynamic decision scaling to keep up its goal body charge in most modes — and body charge for every of the choices:

Favor Performance mode (PS5)

• normal mode: 1440p-2160p decision @ locked 60 fps
• excessive body charge mode: 1440p @ unlocked 60 fps
• HFR mode with VRR enabled: 1440p @ unlocked 60 fps

Favor Resolution mode (PS5)

• normal mode: 2160p (native 4K) @ locked 30 fps
• HFR mode: 1800p-2160p @ locked 40 fps
• HFR mode with VRR enabled: 1800-2160p @ unlocked 40 fps

Favor Performance mode (PS4 Pro)

• 1080p-1656p @ unlocked 30 fps

Favor Resolution mode (PS4 Pro)

• 1440p-1656p @ locked 30 fps

Standard PS4

There’s technically yet one more scenario out there, a Sony consultant instructed Polygon final week, after we inquired: If you’re taking part in the PS4 model of God of War Ragnarök on a PS5 by way of backward compatibility, you’ll get the decision of the PS4 Pro’s high quality mode (1440p to 1656p), however with efficiency doubled to a locked 60 fps.

Having spent dozens of mixed hours with the PS5 model of God of War Ragnarök right here at Polygon, we will unequivocally advocate the Favor Performance mode, it doesn’t matter what your TV setup is. In an motion sport akin to this, with screen-filling boss battles and difficult fight, the fluidity and responsiveness advantages of a 60 fps body charge are plain. And though the decision drops from the decision mode’s native 4K to a minimal of 1440p within the efficiency mode, the picture high quality stays virtually as excessive; the trade-off here’s a no-brainer.

The PS5 efficiency mode on its personal is a incredible approach to play God of War Ragnarök, however you probably have a HDMI 2.1 show that helps HFR (i.e., 4K/120 Hz enter) and VRR, that mixture delivers the definitive expertise. Enabling HFR runs the sport in 1440p and removes the 60 fps cap, and VRR eliminates any judder by synchronizing your show’s refresh charge to the body charge. This permits you to benefit from the sport with body charges that usually fall within the 80-90 fps vary — it’s the best way to go, for those who can swing it.

For extra, you possibly can learn our God of War Ragnarök evaluation now. And preserve an eye fixed out for our detailed technical evaluation evaluating the assorted graphics modes on PS5.