Running Pragmata at 1440p on PlayStation 5 is an intriguing, if somewhat experimental, feature. But should Capcom officially add this support? In my opinion, the answer is a nuanced 'maybe'.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the fact that the 1440p mode is already present in the game, albeit as an unsupported, experimental feature. It's a bug, of sorts, that allows players to enjoy a higher resolution on their base PlayStation 5 console. But is it worth it?
From my perspective, the 1440p mode offers a noticeable visual upgrade, reducing aliasing issues and specular shimmering. However, it comes at a cost - a significant drop in frame rates. In the frame-rate mode, the game runs at a solid 60 frames per second, but when increasing the resolution, frame rates drop to around 42fps in matched content. This is a substantial change, and it undermines the mode's viability for consistent performance.
One thing that immediately stands out is the impact on VRR (variable refresh rate). The game doesn't support system-level VRR from the dashboard, and frame rate drops below 48fps cause judder. This is a critical issue, as it directly affects the player's experience and immersion.
What many people don't realize is that the 1440p mode is not without its trade-offs. While it looks better, the performance hit is significant. The game averages out at a 35% performance increase over 1440p, which is a considerable sacrifice. This raises a deeper question: is the visual upgrade worth the performance cost?
A detail that I find especially interesting is the fact that the 1440p frame-rate mode is only slightly slower than the 1080p resolution mode. This suggests that there might be room for maneuver in adding official 1440p support. Capcom's decision to run the game at 1080p on PlayStation 5 makes sense, given the GPU overhead. However, the experimental 1440p mode provides an interesting insight into the game's potential for improvement.
In conclusion, while the 1440p mode is an intriguing feature, it's not without its issues. The performance drop is significant, and the VRR problems are a critical concern. However, it does provide an interesting benchmark for the game's potential. Personally, I think Capcom should consider adding official 1440p support, but only if they can address the performance and VRR issues. It's a delicate balance between visual upgrade and gameplay stability, and I'm curious to see how Capcom navigates this challenge.
