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00:00 [Loud noise]
00:06 From Software are a rarity in the gaming hemisphere, a studio that's created its very own sub-genre.
00:12 But they never like to rest on their laurels, with new directions or themes often the case in between, say for sequels.
00:18 In Armored Core 6 we get both a return to their roots with one of the studio's origin series,
00:23 in addition to it being cross-generation and PC.
00:27 Turn up the AC, it's gonna get hot in here.
00:30 [Loud noise]
00:35 Now numbers can be important, being the sixth entry in a 26-year series from Software show they do not like to milk every IP.
00:43 And when it comes to bigger numbers, resolutions are also important.
00:46 With dual modes on PS5 and Series X we get a choice, frame rates and quality mode,
00:51 which offers a native 4K on both, which is fixed from all my counts, but DRS remains a possibility.
00:58 And the frame rate mode shifts this down on both with DRS now engaged,
01:02 and we see a counted high of approximately 1800p on the PlayStation 5, and slightly lower of 1620p on the Series X.
01:11 The lowest count I got on both was 1440p, but again, a lower and higher range could always be possible,
01:18 and likely is a 4K target overall.
01:21 But 1512p was the median level across multiple counts on each,
01:25 and unsurprisingly for a From title, both target 60fps, but one does a better job than the other.
01:32 Go on, guess which one.
01:34 Now the engine also scales FX quality, which is very intelligent use of resources in heavy combat.
01:39 AO volumetric shadows can reduce slightly, instead of just dropping resolution or alongside it,
01:45 and that helps maintain a closer lock on that fps target.
01:49 Visually, they are identical in each mode, aside resolution scaling impacts,
01:54 such as reflection quality and texture clarity,
01:57 and again, each mode matches on both consoles, aside those dynamic resolution, FX, and performance levels.
02:04 A final extra visual option is present with ray tracing, and this is limited to non-gameplay areas,
02:10 effectively entitled "Garage Mode".
02:12 It adds ray traced AO and possibly shadows, which although minor, does help improve the solidity of the mix,
02:19 and the look of models as you view them from the photo mode, or tweak them and generally pimp your ride.
02:24 They're also used during the introduction to each section, as you see comparisons here.
02:29 These ray traced options are not present during gameplay, but they lock you into a quality mode when you enable them,
02:35 but you can easily switch back and forth in the modes during gameplay, which is useful.
02:39 Complementing the FX suite of the same engine the team have used and improved since Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne,
02:46 is a competent per pixel motion blur, which can help the frantic military grade mech combat.
02:51 A very good particle system, adding atmosphere with snow, embers, sparks from explosions.
02:57 Textures are good, if not great, but they certainly do a good enough job.
03:00 Reflections use SSR and cubemaps, but do suffer with a lack of depth data, causing incorrect scaling and reflections at times.
03:09 Shader effects add to these with contact ripples or splashes,
03:12 and destruction is quite ingrained, with many set objects such as boxes, pylons, containers and more being destructible as you expand your skills,
03:20 and it integrates physics and collision quite well for a title like this.
03:24 A hazard for any modern mech pilot is to avoid missiles, choppers and randomly placed boxes.
03:29 It is within the mech combat though, the use of dynamic lights, the alpha, the smoke trails and particles,
03:35 where the biggest visual punch of the game comes through, as they can get very hectic indeed.
03:40 And you need your wits about you to gain that class 2 rating.
03:44 Series S offers the same modes, but DRS does seem far less aggressive here,
03:56 with FX quality taking a hit, shadows, ambient occlusion, volumetrics are all reduced in both modes,
04:02 with the framerate mode being closer to medium. Dynamic reductions could also make this go lower.
04:07 Quality mode is best, with it seemingly staying at its ceiling of 1440p. Scaling is always a possibility, but none were found.
04:15 Raytraced options within Garage is included. FPS mode drops resolution down to 1080p now, from all my counts.
04:22 Again, DRS is still possible. In addition to this, reductions in shadow, ambient occlusion are also present,
04:28 but maybe others as well, including level of detail.
04:31 Both modes still target 60fps here, and comparisons to the bigger consoles just present an IQ difference
04:38 and little else to split them in side by side shots, with reflection, shadows and AO quality being the biggest,
04:44 but in combat you're likely not to see them.
04:47 Last Generation also makes do with a single mode, reflected here in the PlayStation 4.
04:52 Visuals take a further cut back, with textures being significantly lower than any current generation console.
04:58 Shadows, volumetrics also look to mix up low to medium, with high at certain places.
05:03 Dynamic is also likely, as it is present for resolution, with AA also being reduced here.
05:09 The range appears to flip between 1080p and 900p, which is sufficient to never jump out at you
05:15 due to the low AA and sharpening, it still looks good.
05:18 It also targets 30fps, which is the best choice, as I doubt it comes close to 60fps very often.
05:25 (gunfire)
05:40 Now PC can scale based on hardware, and the Steam Deck here reflects the lower end,
05:45 with 800p DRS medium to high being ideal for a 30fps target.
05:50 You can run 60fps, but you'll often not get close enough to offer a reliable rate here.
05:56 But you can at least target 40 from the Operating Systems Limiter, and it can help smooth out some judder.
06:02 Although, it will never lock to a smooth delivery, which is covered next in Performance.
06:07 (gunfire)
06:18 First up is PlayStation 5 and Series X, and my recommended mode here in the Frame Rate mode.
06:23 It does a decent job on both, much better than previous From titles.
06:27 They both can dip in heavy explosions and effects, but in general play, they stay within the 50s,
06:33 and even when they do dip, it's also like an old-school R-type slowdown,
06:36 and then you're straight back into the action.
06:38 Neither console exceed 33ms in my tests in this mode, and sit within any VRS window to feel very smooth,
06:46 if you have that screen, and they even feel good without it.
06:49 Do expect some dips and judder from time to time, but in general, this is very, very good.
06:54 And although PS5 is slightly better here by a couple of percentage, the Delta is all but invisible to the player.
07:01 (gunfire)
07:08 Now, Series S does almost a good a job.
07:10 1080p in Reduction, see it often staying within the 50s, but it can dip lower at points.
07:15 If it dips on the Series X and PlayStation 5, it's dipping more here.
07:19 Some bigger frame time spikes can happen, likely memory and bandwidth related when they do,
07:23 but by and large, the FPS mode on the S does a half-decent job if you have a VRS screen.
07:29 If not, then expect a game that feels good, just not great.
07:33 With it skipping between 16 and 33ms in almost all battles, in wider arenas or bigger boss battles,
07:40 it is a game that certainly has some performance hiccups, but it's certainly not a bad performing title.
07:45 (gunfire)
08:01 The quality mode is not as stable though. Dips are now constant, bigger stutters,
08:05 and although the IQ is sharper and the FX increased, the game is now largely a 30fps title.
08:11 That said, the fact we have it running unlocked does not make that much of a difference,
08:16 and in reality, it may actually be slightly better, as we'll see with the PS4 version shortly.
08:21 The boost to resolution does come at a big hit to performance,
08:25 but I'm happy the modes are here for you to choose, but for me, the FPS mode still wins out.
08:31 (gunfire)
08:43 Which is true for the same mode on Series X and PlayStation 5.
08:47 They both again now dip under 60fps all the time, neither of them hitting it in my tests,
08:53 and the gap to PlayStation 5 and Series X is a little bigger here,
08:57 with PS5 delivering approximately 8% better performance on average, but again, that delta is purely academic,
09:03 and means we have a game that offers almost exactly the same visuals, modes, and performance on both consoles.
09:10 The IQ shift is not as drastic on these two consoles, and thus, the choice to make is even easier,
09:16 as the performance hit can certainly be felt immediately,
09:19 and again, the option of a cap 30 may be welcome here, and could possibly be more consistent,
09:24 but in reality, it hovers close enough to that to actually feel like a 30fps title in denser areas,
09:31 but again, the choice is best.
09:33 (gunfire)
09:45 PlayStation 4 is a lot like Bloodborne, and slightly better than Elden Ring.
09:49 It is memory-bound, and can see similar stutters and dips as the Series S in its quality mode.
09:55 The bad frame pacing causes the render to shift between 16, 33, and 50ms,
10:00 and as such, these feel like dips to the player, but in many runs, it actually holds 30fps, even if it feels like it does not,
10:07 and this is why the 'unlock Series S' option may be best, as it can flip a new frame whenever it can,
10:13 whereas on the PS4, if it misses the required 33ms slot, it then has to wait another 33ms,
10:19 which can then exacerbate the frame delivery issues as it tries to catch back up.
10:24 During combat, expect some dips below 30fps also, as the FX and fill rate, and general pyrotechnics are as big and impressive here,
10:32 and the game is GPU-bound by and large.
10:34 That said, it still looks great, and will not ruin your enjoyment of this amazing game,
10:39 and it will take you back to the glory days of the PlayStation 2, as it does actually feel like a PS2-generation game on steroids.
10:46 That should be a slogan.
10:48 [Game audio]
11:09 Now, wrapping up performance in the handheld that can, is the Steam Deck.
11:12 It runs great on Valve's little big hits, with the dynamic FX and resolution set in the menu,
11:18 leaving FPS level at 60 with high settings, you will often be below 800p and below 60fps,
11:25 feeling similar to the Series S quality mode in performance, but looking much worse on a big screen.
11:30 But in your hands, it looks great, and it still delivers all the frantic combat explosions and style as the bigger consoles.
11:37 I recommend setting options mostly around medium, leaving DRS on at 800p, and then capping the game at 30 or 40,
11:45 and this provides a consistent level of performance, and betters the PS4 even, as it has a larger pool of RAM, lower settings and resolution.
11:53 But due to the screen size, it all fades away, as you just go back to kick that last boss's...
11:59 [Game audio]
12:22 I know many will, and even have, reviewed the game as Elden Dark Souls Armored Core, and this is not what Armored Core was, or is.
12:31 This is a tactical sci-fi cloak and dagger tale of met combat, tactics, upgrades, and even a branching story.
12:38 The variety in the levels does start slow, but it builds up, as do the visuals, which do represent a clear cross-generation title,
12:45 but the art and style drives them, and although it is not a visual tour de force, this was never the case,
12:51 it does deliver a pretty solid performance level on current generation, and presents some impressive levels,
12:58 encounters, enemies, and combat, with particularly good use of physics and destruction.
13:03 I love the style and mood it has, such as that Brad Fiedel-like Terminator main menu music,
13:08 [Game audio]
13:21 and the constant chatter and trash talk that runs throughout battles, delivering on the military-style badass aims it is going for.
13:29 Hicks, Vasquez, Hudson, and Ripley would be so proud.
13:33 [Game audio]
13:39 And that's it for another deep dive into combat, mechs, performance, and pixels, and everything PC and console related.
13:44 Remember, if you like what we do here on IGN Performance Reviews, keep it IGN, and we'll catch you on the next one.
13:50 [Game audio]