A new Horizon Forbidden West update has added VRR and 120Hz modes
A new ‘Balanced’ 40Hz graphics mode has also been added
A new update for Horizon Forbidden West has been released, adding support for variable refresh rate (VRR) displays.
The version 1.17 patch also adds a high refresh rate (HFR) mode for 120Hz displays, as well as a new ‘Balanced’ 40Hz graphics mode for displays that support 120Hz.
VRR syncs the framerate of the game being played to the monitor which, in theory, reduces noticeable frame-rate drops and other graphical issues.
As for the HFR mode, 120Hz doesn’t mean 120 frames per second – it simply means the screen is refreshed 120 times every second. This can lead to an increase in frame rate and reduced input latency, though.
Sony rolled out VRR on PlayStation 5 in April this year, for HDMI 2.1 compatible TVs that support it.
“Gameplay in many PS5 titles feels smoother as scenes render seamlessly, graphics look crisper, and input lag is reduced,” Sony said in a statement.
VRR is automatically be enabled for supported games if the PS5 console is connected to an HDMI 2.1 VRR-compatible TV or PC monitor. Users can also choose to apply VRR to PS5 games that don’t support it, but Sony says this may result in “unexpected visual effects”.
The full patch notes for the latest Horizon Forbidden West update are as follows:
Horizon Forbidden West – version 1.17 patch notes
New Features (PS5)
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and High Refresh Rate (HFR) support
- VRR improves dynamic resolution scaling on 60Hz
- VRR & HFR targets a refresh rate between 60Hz and 120Hz
- New “Balanced” Graphics Mode introducing 40Hz for supported displays
Known Issues
We are currently looking into several issues reported by the community. Please note that these issues are not yet fixed in this patch, but our teams are aware of them, and they’re being investigated.
Fixes and Improvements
Performance and Stability
- Multiple crash fixes.
Main Quests
- Fixed an issue in Main Quest “The Wings of the Ten” where the objective “Defeat Regalla” was not updating.
- Fixed an issue in Main Quest “The Wings of the Ten” where the “Sunwings” might be missing during the objective “Override a Sunwing”.
- Fixed an issue in Main Quest “All That Remains” where the cinematic with Tilda after the gallery might not start.
- Fixed an issue in Main Quest “The Broken Sky” where sometimes Dekka would be behind Hekarro’s throne during the objective “Talk to Dekka”.
Side Quests
- Fixed an issue in Side Quest “Shadow in the West” where the objective “Kill Vezreh and His Machine” was not updating.
- Fixed an issue in Side Quest “The Gate Of The Vanquished” where the objective “Defeat Yarra/Drakka” was not updating.
World Activities
- Fixed an issue in Errand “Nights of Lights” where collecting the “Gizmo” earlier would block progress.
- Fixed issues in Relic Ruin “The Stillsands” where the activity would be blocked.
Machines
- Fixed an issue where the “Dreadwing” would remain cloaked when knocked down.
- Fixed an issue where “Apex Clawstrider Hearts” would be placed in “Valuables to Sell” in the inventory
Weapons
- Fixed an issue where “Elemental Arrows” from fully upgraded bows would destroy canisters instead of detonating them.
- Fixed an issue where using “Elite Precision Arrows” with “Iriv’s Downfall” would not deal additional damage for enemies in “Brittle” state.
UI/UX
- Updated text for selecting “Ultra Hard” difficulty to clarify that the setting cannot be changed.
- Removed exclamation point icon when all skills have been unlocked and skill points are available.
Other
- Fixed an issue where “Desert Bird Wing” could not be looted from birds.
- Fixed an issue where trophy “All Machine Types Scanned” would not unlock, if scanning remaining machines on NG+
- Fixed an issue where changing the “Crouch/Slide” button to R1 would make it unusable.
- Multiple localization and subtitles fixes and improvements.
