Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Boasts Impressive Performance on Consoles

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) promises strong performance across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms, showcasing impressive adaptability across various settings. This article delves into KCD2's performance characteristics on each platform and the customization options available to players.

KCD2's Cross-Platform Performance

Photorealism Powered by CryEngine

Multiple sources report excellent performance for KCD2 across platforms. PlayStation and Xbox consoles deliver smooth gameplay at both 30fps and 60fps, with the PS5 Pro leveraging its capabilities for enhanced graphical fidelity. KCD2's unique photorealistic visuals are a result of its use of CryEngine, a notable choice given its emphasis on performance-oriented rendering techniques.

Warhorse Studios' continued use of CryEngine, also employed in KCD1, allows for familiarity and optimized feature development. PC Gamer highlights CryEngine's "old-school" rendering approach—prioritizing performance over complex shaders and lighting—as a key factor in its efficiency. Despite this, KCD2 achieves photorealism through physically based materials. Eurogamer points to CryEngine's SVOGI (sparse voxel octree global illumination) as a crucial element in creating realistic indirect lighting effects.

Console Performance Modes: Fidelity vs. Performance

PS5 and Xbox Series X offer two modes: a fidelity mode (30fps at 1440p) and a performance mode (60fps at 1080p). Xbox Series S is limited to fidelity mode. The PS5 Pro runs at 60fps at 1296p, upscaling to 4K using PSSR.

Fidelity mode enhances visuals on PS5 and Xbox Series X with improved foliage, shadows, and ambient occlusion. The PS5 Pro further refines these aspects, resulting in sharper visuals and superior overall image quality.

PC: Customizable Upscaling and Quality Presets

PC players have complete control over upscaling, with options limited to FSR and DLSS. XeSS, sharpening, and frame generation are not included.

While CryEngine's focus on performance is advantageous, KCD2 can still be demanding, particularly at 4K with maximum settings. The game offers five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental) to optimize performance for various PC configurations. A detailed system requirements guide is available to help players prepare.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launches February 4, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Visit our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 page for more details.