Marvel’s Avengers on PS5 reduces minute-long load times to a few seconds

The PS5 version of Marvel’s Avengers greatly reduces the PS4 version’s long loading times to just a few seconds.

That’s according to a tech analysis from Digital Foundry, which shows a campaign chapter loading from the main menu in both the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game and compares their load times.

The PS4 version takes around 62 seconds, whereas the PS5 version loads the same chapter in about 4 seconds.

The same analysis also shows that when playing the PS5 game in Highest Quality mode it creates more destruction effects, most notably when playing as the Hulk. Performing his ground smash causes more debris to fly up, and it rests on the ground instead of disappearing.

The PS5 version of Avengers offers players two graphics options: Highest Performance and Highest Quality. Highest Performance delivers a nearly perfect 60 frames per second (with only a few occasional blips), but reduces the rendering resolution depending on how much action is on-screen, occasionally down to 1440p or even 1080p.

Highest Quality, meanwhile, locks the frame rate to a solid 30fps but renders at full 4K most of the time, dropping down to 2088p on rare occasions, and also improves things like shadows and reflections.

Digital Foundry concludes that Highest Performance is the best way to play the game, because the difference in detail isn’t enormous and playing in 60fps makes the game feel more responsive.

Last month it appeared that the Xbox Series X and S versions of Avengers may not include both graphics options, according to official charts posted by the game’s Twitter account. Now that it’s released, though, YouTuber ElAnalistaDeBits has confirmed that every next-gen version of the game includes both options.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Avengers launched yesterday alongside patch 1.5.0, which introduces new hero Clint Barton and fresh story content in the form of Operation Hawkeye: Future Imperfect.

It also introduces the ability to replay the game’s campaign alongside customisable HARM (Holographic Augmented Reality Machine) Rooms, which let players choose the enemy types and numbers they want to face off against, add hazards, and apply buffs such as reduced damage or invulnerability.

The new update also slows the rate at which characters level up, a decision that caused enough controversy among players that Crystal Dynamics had to attempt to clarify it.

Crystal Dynamics has revealed that a Black Panther expansion will be added to the game this summer at no extra cost for players.

Further reading

16

Review: Marvel’s Avengers forces the world’s mightiest heroes on a tedious grind

Square Enix's superhero blockbuster feels like it cares more about economy than its experience