Metal Gear Solid Delta runs smoother on Xbox Series X than PS5 and Pro, but Series S is ‘hard to recommend’, analysis finds
Performance mode on Series X even outdoes PS5 Pro in some areas, it’s claimed
The recently released Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater runs smoother on Xbox Series X than on PS5, a new analysis finds.
Digital Foundry’s Thomas Morgan put the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS5 and PS5 Pro versions of the game through their paces, and found that in the game’s performance mode, the Series X generally puts in a smoother performance.
The Series X, PS5 and PS5 Pro versions have options for a Quality mode running at 30 frames per second and a Performance mode which aims for 60fps.
According to Morgan, none of these versions manage to consistently hit 60fps in Performance mode for the entirety of the game, but when the frame rate does dip it generally tends to be less severe on Xbox Series X.
Morgan points out that the dynamic resolution in Performance mode on Series X hits a high point of 1152p, while on PS5 the highest it can hit is 1080p. Likewise, in Quality mode the lowest possible rendering resolution on Series X is 1152p, compared to 1080p on PS5, suggesting both modes can look fractionally sharper on Microsoft‘s console.
Moving on to frame rate, Morgan compares a swamp section and a later bridge section across the Series X, PS5 and PS5 Pro versions and notes that “the bottom line is that Series X enjoys a performance lead over both PS5 machines” in these areas.
The reporter puts this down to “area by area tweaks in ambient shading and global illumination” on Series X, as well as its “its 12 teraflop power profile being an existing advantage over base PS5’s 10 teraflops”.
“Drops into the 40-50fps range are possible in that opening string of areas, but overall Series X does ultimately end up giving VRR displays a higher baseline frame rate to work from by a margin of 5-6fps at times,” he adds.
“Plus, combined with the wider 40-60Hz VRR range possible on Xbox systems, it positions Series X as the smoothest way to play on these three consoles”.
Morgan does go on to note certain areas where PS5 runs smoother, but says Series X generally runs smoother in average, adding: “Series X’s relative performance is higher, then, but the reality is it still has issues.”
The Xbox Series S version, on the other hand, doesn’t fare quite as well. Microsoft’s less powerful console doesn’t give players a choice between Performance or Quality mode, instead giving a single 30fps mode.
Morgan says players are “effectively lumbered with uneven frame pacing no matter what” on Series S, and that it drops below 30fps more frequently than the Quality mode does on Series X.
The Series S version’s dynamic resolution goes from 540p to 1080p, and it’s noted that “Delta’s upscaler doesn’t always have sufficient pixel data to work with, and too often the image ends up being noisy or pixellated in motion on Series S.”
Further reading
Concluding, the reporter says all versions of the game suffer from frame rate issues which mean that Quality and Performance mode both fail to continually hit 30fps and 60fps respectively, but that “the saving grace for Series X is that it does at least offer a frame rate lead over Sony‘s machines in most matching runs through the jungle, barring a few exceptions”.
“Series S, on the other hand, is simply hard to recommend,” he adds.
VGC’s Metal Gear Delta: Snake Eater review calls it a solid but safe remake, saying it’s “a steady hand at the tiller of a franchise that has felt in mortal danger for some time”.
“It’s a way to play the PS2 classic on modern hardware, with a fresh coat of paint, and contemporary controls,” we wrote. “While those looking for a more expansive remake may be left wanting, translating much of MGS 5’s excellent gameplay to the PS2 classic is more than enough for us.”
