Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PC Graphics Analysis – Does it Surpass the PS5 Version?

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Among the games I played last year, one that I both savored greatly but also reluctantly persevered with is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This isn’t because of the story changes, mini-games, or any other criticisms people might have raised (although certain aspects grated on me more than others). Instead, it was solely due to its stunning visual quality and smooth performance on PlayStation 5.

Although I was excited about Performance mode promising 60 FPS, I also anticipated some compromises in graphic quality. However, the reductions were much more significant than expected, and while Square Enix made numerous improvements at launch and afterwards, the visual fidelity just didn’t live up to my expectations. It’s disappointing because the environments, cutscenes, and battles looked fantastic.

I was particularly eager for the PC version of Rebirth, as I hoped it would fully unveil this visual marvel in its best form. Would the characters like Cloud and his companions be even more stunning than before? Could it offer the most ideal way to immerse oneself in the saga’s progression, building upon the exceptional port of Final Fantasy 7 Remake?

As a gamer, I can’t hide my excitement now that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is almost upon us! While there are areas where it could still be refined and optimized even more, Square Enix has certainly delivered an impressive experience so far. Let’s dive into the details about the game’s performance and graphical prowess on PC, and how it stacks up against its PS5 counterpart.

Graphics Settings and Test Rig

For the computer version of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the graphics settings are typically typical. The graphic quality is divided into three categories – Low, Medium, and High – yet you have the flexibility to adjust specific options such as Minimum and Maximum Dynamic Resolution Scaling, background model detail, ocean detail, character model detail, and effect details independently.

Texture detail, shade clarity, mist quality – all these features are included, plus you can customize the number of characters shown and their shadow distance. For improved readability during gameplay at lower resolutions, a separate font option is provided. The anti-aliasing feature stands out with its three choices – TAA, TAAU, and DLSS.

In simpler terms, when it comes to Deep Learning Super-Sampling (DLSS), there are no distinct Quality or Performance options available, and neither can you choose AMD FSR or Intel XeSS. Square Enix hasn’t explicitly stated they will implement these alternatives, but lacking different DLSS modes feels unusual. Here’s hoping that these features might be added post-launch, especially to give users who require them a choice.

Our testing setup included an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU, a top-tier Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU, 64 GB of memory, and a super-fast NVMe SSD using PCIe 4.0 connectivity. The game settings were optimized with Dynamic Resolution Scaling set to half, High graphics settings along with DLSS anti-aliasing, 3840×2160 resolution at 90 frames per second, character display set to seven and shadow display distance set to eight. Now, let’s compare the game performance on PC versus the PS5 version in Quality Mode.

PC vs PS5 Quality Mode

Apart from boasting about features like 4K resolution, DLSS, 120 FPS, customizable character display, Square Enix also highlights other enhancements in the PC version. These include greatly enhanced lighting effects for increased clarity, higher texture detail, and an upgrade to the background polygon density.

– The Quality Mode for PS5 aims at 30 frames per second and approximately 4K resolution with a flexible scale. Although the console’s visual quality is generally good, it can’t match the clarity of the PC version. The Quality Mode consistently hits the 30 FPS mark, which is superior to the unpredictable Performance Mode. However, the PC version offers better overall fidelity.

The lighting significantly improves, giving off a more authentic feel, as shadow outlines appear smoother and less pixelated compared to the PS5 version. However, one significant drawback is the apparent pop-in, particularly in vast open-world landscapes. Though the PS5 edition experienced this issue, the enhanced clarity and visual quality make it even more conspicuous. It’s quite disconcerting when vegetation starts loading just a few steps away.

Regardless of other factors, the PC version remains visually impressive, boasting high-definition assets and lighting effects that gleam all over.

PC Performance

According to Square Enix, they suggest using either an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X or an Intel Core i7-10700 processor, paired with a Radeon RX 7 5700X or Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card and 16 GB of RAM for smooth gameplay at 2160p/60 FPS on high settings. However, our testing setup doesn’t meet those requirements entirely. Despite this, we managed to achieve decent performance, consistently running at around 90 FPS, with occasional drops down to 85 before quickly rebounding back up. Interestingly, the same frame rate fluctuations occurred when playing at 60 FPS, with frames occasionally dipping as low as 55. While some intense battles and certain scenes in the first hour did cause these frame drops, the PC version generally performs well overall.

On my personal system equipped with a Core i5-11400 processor, 32 GB DDR4 RAM, and a GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, the performance was quite robust. Lowering the resolution from 1440p to 1080p made it run more steadily, even with most settings set at High (although Square Enix suggests Medium, your experience may differ). The same occasional frame drops were experienced, but again, they didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the game.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (2024) stands out as one of the year’s best games and a commendable sequel to Remake. However, its graphical glitches on PS5 didn’t do it any favors, and it’s hard not to question how many potential players might have held off at launch due to these issues. Even with the PS5 Pro offering enhancements, spending $700 for a game with improved details doesn’t seem like a financially prudent decision.

The PC edition could use some polishing. Issues such as occasional loading of objects late, minor lag spikes, and no DLSS settings make it less than perfect. I’m hoping for more adjustments down the line to optimize quality even more extensively.

Despite some room for improvement, this remains a high-quality adventure that starts to deliver on the art direction, environments, cutscenes, characters, and other aspects of Rebirth. Square Enix may enhance customization options in future updates, but the lighting improvements add unexpected charm, making the world appear more vivid and lively. The keyboard and mouse controls are also quite serviceable, offering the flexibility to assign multiple keys and mouse buttons for various functions.

If you’ve been eagerly anticipating playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in its optimal form, the PC version is indeed a solid choice. I hope that the development team continues to polish and optimize it, ensuring an even more immersive experience as you follow Cloud and his comrades on their adventure.

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2025-01-23 21:11