Impressive Console Performance for 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2'

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2: Console and PC Performance Deep Dive

Recent tests reveal promising performance for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms. This article explores the game's performance across various settings and hardware configurations.

CryEngine: Photorealism Meets Performance

KCD2 leverages CryEngine, known for its performance-oriented, "old-school" rendering techniques. While employing fewer shaders and simpler lighting compared to engines like Unreal Engine, CryEngine excels in delivering smooth frame rates. This performance focus is complemented by the game's use of physically based materials, resulting in striking photorealism. Eurogamer highlights CryEngine's SVOGI (sparse voxel octree global illumination) as a key factor in achieving realistic indirect lighting effects.

Console Performance Modes: Fidelity vs. Performance

PS5 and Xbox Series X offer both fidelity (30fps at 1440p) and performance (60fps at 1080p) modes. Xbox Series S is limited to fidelity mode. The PS5 Pro provides a single 60fps mode at 1296p with upscaling to 4K. Fidelity modes enhance visuals with improved foliage, shadows, and ambient occlusion. The PS5 Pro further refines these features, delivering superior detail and image quality.

PC Performance and Upscaling

PC players have complete control over upscaling, with options limited to FSR and DLSS. XeSS, sharpening, and frame generation are absent. While CryEngine prioritizes performance, running KCD2 at 4K with maximum settings will still demand significant GPU power. The game offers five quality presets (low, medium, high, ultra, and experimental) for optimal customization. Warhorse Studios has also provided a detailed system requirements guide to assist players in preparing their PCs.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launches February 4, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Visit our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 page for further details.