Remaining Fantasy XVI is an uneven PC port with efficiency to match

Fifteen months on from its PS5 launch, Remaining Fantasy XVI – that actiony RPG of emo-fringed hack ‘n’ slashing and disquietingly horny Ralph Ineson characters – is now on PC. Sufficient time, you’d suppose, to do a correct job of rejigging it with Home windows spanners, particularly after Remaining Fantasy XV’s port acquired a lot stick for its lack of options and efficiency points.

FFVXI does make some enhancements, adopting a full set of DLSS and FSR upscalers and body turbines, and its mouse and keyboard integration feels typically slicker than XV. Sadly, it’s nonetheless no first-rate adaptation, neglecting quite a few PC options and giving low-end methods a fair deeper kick within the plums. Slicing the standard settings may also help, as per the information down under, however total efficiency is so up-and-down than you’ll probably by no means obtain a wonderfully easy journey.

Remaining Fantasy XVI PC efficiency and system necessities

The calls for begin early with FFXVI’s official necessities, that are on the upper aspect even by fashionable AAA requirements. It doesn’t appear that way back the the likes of the Radeon RX 5700 and GeForce GTX 1070 had been tearing via excessive settings at 1440p; right here they’re steered for 30fps at 720p. The as soon as mighty RTX 2080 has additionally been relegated to recommended-for-1080p responsibility, and Ultima assist you to if you happen to don’t have a spacious SSD. FFXVI’s precise obtain dimension is extra like 152GB, moderately than the 170GB listed, however that’s nonetheless a monstrous set up.

Remaining Fantasy XVI minimal PC specs (720p/30fps)

• OS: Home windows 10/11 64-bit
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 / Intel Core i5-8400
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Intel Arc A580 / Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB VRAM required)
• DirectX: Model 12
• Storage: 170GB (SSD required)

Remaining Fantasy XVI beneficial PC specs (1080p/60fps)

• OS: Home windows 10/11 64-bit
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X / Intel Core i7-10700
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT / Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
• DirectX: Model 12
• Storage: 170GB (SSD required)

For what it’s value, the GTX 1070 can nearly handle 1080p on the Low preset, versus weedy little 720p – however that’s partly as a result of FFXVI cheats by bundling all of its graphics presets with each upscaling and a type of dynamic decision. Whereas each will be manually disabled, some method of DLSS or FSR is successfully essential at any decision, given how GPU-bruising FFXVI will be.

A compounding downside is inconsistency. A {hardware}/settings mixture that may run sure areas properly above 60fps, even throughout these flashy battle sequences, can all of the sudden plummet to 30fps throughout a boss battle or whereas approaching a very detailed village. Oftentimes, it may really feel as if you’ve acquired your high quality settings decrease than they have to be, simply to create a buffer zone of spare frames in order that the sport doesn’t all of the sudden change into unplayable throughout these harder moments.

It additionally signifies that lower-end package that may initially seem to work, just like the GTX 1060 or Steam Deck, will finally wilt. So sure, these system specs are excessive, however they’re principally correct.

For benchmarking functions, I break up the distinction, discovering a pleasant, repeatable part a few hours into FFXVI that didn’t fairly plumb its darkest efficiency depths – however would pressure my check PC way over the easygoing bits. Right here, the GTX 1070 averaged 52fps at 1080p/Low, sufficient to maintain above 30fps throughout the actually arduous sequences.

Actually, you’ll need to pack one thing newer and nimbler. The RTX 4060 is nice for 1080p – it averaged 60fps on Extremely, and may use the cleaner-looking DLSS as a substitute of FSR. That is FSR 3, so nonetheless seems first rate, however simply can’t beat DLSS’s sharpness. For 1440p, I’d counsel no less than the RTX 3070 (70fps on Extremely) and even the RTX 4070 Ti (93fps on Extremely), with the latter additionally in a position to deal with 4K. With 66fps, once more on Extremely, it’s nearly brawny sufficient to keep away from the nastiest of framerate dips, although for actually slick 4K you in all probability would wish to have invested foolish cash into your rig. The RTX 4090, for instance, scored 97fps with the Extremely preset, rising to 152fps with DLSS 3 body era.

Nonetheless, not everybody has £2k graphics playing cards, and I’d have favored to have seen extra digital elbow grease go into making FFXVI run higher on reasonably priced internals. Together with to the purpose the place it might extra simply run at 1080p with out upscaling, which even on the best-in-class DLSS, doesn’t look fairly as crisp when the preliminary rendering decision is so low.

In a way, it’s an enchancment on Remaining Fantasy XV, which mystifyingly solely made DLSS accessible at 4K. However this nonetheless might have been a much more complete PC port. Ultrawide monitor resolutions go fully unsupported, forcing the usage of unofficial mods, and cutscenes are capped at 30fps – a visible toe-stubbing if you happen to’ve been taking part in at typically larger framerates. So as to add insult to damage, these cinematics endure FPS drops of their very own, typically stumbling into the low twenties even on a good mid-range construct.

What’s darkly humorous about all that is that earlier within the yr, Sq. Enix made a fairly particular fuss about “aggressively pursuing” a extra multiplatform strategy, together with “initiatives designed to win over PC customers.” They may have extra success if they appear past including one or two items of upscaling tech and extra absolutely embrace the PC ethos to make their video games work properly for as many gamers as attainable; not simply those with the fancy-schmanciest {hardware}.

Remaining Fantasy XVI finest settings information

As with all high-demand PC recreation, FFXVI drives us into the comforting embrace of the settings menu. It may not help each monitor decision, and it may not have even heard of an FOV slider, however it does no less than present the instruments to extra successfully stability seems and and efficiency. Greater than the presets, anyway; on the RTX 4060, which I used as a management GPU, the distinction between Extremely and Mid was simply 60fps to 69fps. Low greater than doubled the pace enchancment, as much as 79fps, although with starkly uglier outcomes (and a drastically inferior default upscaler in FSR 1.0), it rapidly turned clear {that a} center group between Excessive and Mid could be preferable.

Right here’s the complete record of visible settings you possibly can change, and the way they affected – when lowered or in any other case tweaked individually – that Extremely preset results of 60fps.

Tremendous Decision: Positively make use of this, both in DLSS mode when you’ve got a GeForce RTX GPU or FSR 3 when you’ve got… properly, mainly anything. Each appear equivalent of their framerate-boosting capabilities, although DLSS seems higher, particularly at 1080p.

Dynamic decision: I usually say to show dynamic rez methods off, although in FFXVI, it makes an uncommon quantity of sense to depart on. For one factor, with tremendous decision enabled it’s not a lot taking part in with the ultimate output decision as it’s the preliminary, inside rendering decision – which then will get upscaled to your monitor rez anyway. As such, it’s tougher to note any jarring modifications, and since FFXVI’s efficiency peaks and troughs so wildly, a dynamic strategy does appear extra wise than forcing a hard and fast rendering decision. In addition to, once I switched it off on my RTX 4060, common efficiency dipped to 54fps.

Upscaling: In the event you do resolve to show off dynamic decision, which overrides this in any other case, the upscaling setting determines the sharpness of DLSS/FSR/s rendering decision. I acquired 53fps on High quality, 57fps on Balanced, and 40fps on DLAA (native rez, in different phrases). Since none of those are as quick because the default mixture of Auto high quality and dynamic decision, I’d advise in opposition to them.

Sharpness: You may as properly depart this on 10. Decreasing it doesn’t actually assist with efficiency, and may make FSR particularly look blurry.

DLSS/FSR Body Era: The DLSS model of this works properly, assuming yow will discover a workable framerate with out it; on the RTX 4060 it turned that 60fps end in 98fps. FSR may even bundle you some additional frames, although it’s not as easy in movement as DLSS is.

Movement blur: Dropping this doesn’t assist efficiency – I acquired 60fps with it modified from 5 to 0 – however you may nonetheless want the dearth of added blur, as I do.

Vignette: An non-compulsory darkening impact across the sides of the display. I turned it off and acquired one single additional body per second.

Chromatic aberration: Likewise, this can be a post-processing impact with minimal efficiency influence (61fps with it disabled), although FFXVI arguably seems higher with out it. I nonetheless don’t know why some builders need to recreate what is basically a fault with digital camera lenses.

Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: Not really a graphics setting, although in case your {hardware} helps it, you may as properly change from Enabled to Enabled + Increase to minimise enter lag. Particularly with body era enabled.

Graphical constancy: This ambiguously-named setting most visibly governs the element degree on character fashions and environments. I acquired 67fps out of dropping it to Low, although Medium (63fps) may be a more sensible choice if you happen to don’t need to harm the visuals an excessive amount of.

Texture high quality: Slicing this from Excessive to Low solely acquired the RTX 4060 as much as 62fps, a small cost for what it a comparatively noticeable high quality drop.

Terrain element: One other 62fps on Low. I’d maintain this cranked up.

Shadow high quality: Dropping to Low nudged the RTX 4060 as much as 63fps, so is likely one of the extra impactful settings. Nonetheless, it additionally makes FFXVI look loads worse, so Mid is a greater possibility.

Water high quality: Depart this on Excessive, because it doesn’t assist or hurt efficiency both means.

Muddle density: With simply 61fps from the Low setting, that is one other you may as properly carry on Excessive.

NPC amount: It is a difficult one. On Low, the RTX 4060 produced 65fps, which is a tempting rise – however then it cuts NPC draw distance so harshly that they don’t pop into existence till you’re shut sufficient to odor their aftershave. Go for Mid as a substitute, the place this pop-in impact isn’t almost as pronounced.

Display screen area reflection: Disabling this acquired me as much as 64fps. The distinction is notable round water, however in the end there aren’t that many splishy-spashy bits in FFXVI, and in comparison with most of those settings a 7% improve is tough to go up.

Ambient occlusion: Screw it, let’s ditch this too. On to off, that’s 63fps.

Bloom shader: One other unimportant impact I’d gladly sacrifice, even when doing so individually solely acquired me as much as 62fps.

Variable Charge Shading (VRS): Turning this on (it’s off by default, not like most) merely nudged the RTX 4060 to 61fps. It would assist extra on previous PCs, however on the whole lot else, it’s not definitely worth the lack of element.

I ought to preface the next that solely DLSS/FSR upscaling are actually worthy of “finest settings” standing; the remaining primarily replicate me scrabbling round within the grime for free frames. However there are loads of expendable results right here – chromatic aberration, bloom and suchlike – so it’s attainable to bundle a bunch of reductions collectively, tangibly boosting efficiency with out touching a few of the fundamentals. Mainly, attempt these:

• Tremendous Decision: DLSS 3/FSR 3
• Dynamic decision: On
• Upscaling: Auto
• Movement blur: 0
• Vignette: Off
• Chromatic aberration: Off
• Nvidia Reflex Low Latency: Enabled + Increase
• Graphical constancy: Medium
• Shadow high quality: Mid
• NPC amount: Mid
• Display screen area reflection: Off
• Ambient occlusion: Off
• Bloom shader: Off
• Every little thing else: Extremely preset equal

No, it doesn’t look nearly as good as Extremely (or Excessive, which could be very almost the identical factor). Nevertheless it retains textures, terrain, water high quality, and litter all on their maxed-out ranges, and by scoring 73fps on the RTX 4060, they need to outperform the Mid preset, which makes a lot wider cuts.

As for body era, it’s largely advantageous to make use of ought to you’ve gotten an RTX 40 sequence card that may allow DLSS 3. FSR 3, nonetheless, doesn’t fairly ship the smoothness I’d count on from a know-how designed to… improve smoothness. Strive it if you happen to like, however prioritise constructing a stronger base of non-generated frames first.