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Every mode tested in this major refresh to Overwatch - including a brand new 120Hz mode added on PS5 via the Overwatch 2 app. Are you visuals upgraded in any meaningful way over the 2016 original? And how do the new maps and characters push Blizzard's engine on Series X, S and even Switch? Tom finds out.

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Text article:

Overwatch 2's upgrades tested on all current-gen consoles

Overwatch 2 is a sequel if you take it on the face value of its title but it's more accurate to say it's a major update…

www.eurogamer.net

 

[adamsapple]

Summary:

- 3 Modes. 4K Resolution Targeting 60hz. Balance Mode Targeting 60hz. Frame Rate mode targeting 120hz.
- Resolution Mode: Dynamic with drops to 2880x2160p targeting 60hz. Best mode for 60hz displays
- Balance: 1440p/60. Not really useful as Resolution mode is pretty much locked 60hz during game play anyway
- The only difference here is that Res mode runs menus and character selection screen at 30 FPS, Balance mode runs those at 60 FPS as well
- Frame rate mode targets dynamic 1440p with drops to 1980x1440p to hit 120hz

- Series S retains all 3 modes. Res: Dynamic 1440p, Balanced: 1080p, 120hz: Dynamic 1080p
- Performance is rock solid regardless in each respective mode. Minor tearing in replays but it's relegated to top so even if you don't have VRR, it's hardly a bother.

- Switch dynamic 900p when docked and dynamic 720p when portable.
- Targets 30 FPS and can have some drops here and there, but mostly it's a robust 30 FPS.

 

[playsaves3]

Would be nice if we could uncap the resolution mode on vrr screens

 

[balls of snow]

One thing you never have to worry about blizzard games is that they run well.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

One thing you never have to worry about blizzard games is that they run well.

Yup.

Activision/Blizz games arent perfect, but the most trustworthy for solid performance. Even going back to the 360 days, COD was 60 fps and Diablo 3 looked and played smoother on 360 than it did on my laptop.

Their games dont look the best, but they sacrifice uber visuals for solid performance. Most of their franchises are big sellers too, so it shows the gaming community enjoys their games for gameplay than the company striving for the best looking games that are shit to play.

 

[//DEVIL//]

One thing you never have to worry about blizzard games is that they run well.

What would you expect from a cartoonish game that was running fine on a base ps4 ?

 

[intbal]

One thing you never have to worry about blizzard games is that they run well.

Well, I wouldn't say never...

 

[Filben]

Summary:

- 3 Modes. 4K Resolution Targeting 60hz. Balance Mode Targeting 60hz. Frame Rate mode targeting 120hz.
- Resolution Mode: Dynamic with drops to 2880x2160p targeting 60hz. Best mode for 60hz displays
- Balance: 1440p/60. Not really useful as Resolution mode is pretty much locked 60hz during game play anyway
- The only difference here is that Res mode runs menus and character selection screen at 30 FPS, Balance mode runs those at 60 FPS as well
- Frame rate mode targets dynamic 1440p with drops to 1980x1440p to hit 120hz

- Series S retains all 3 modes. Res: Dynamic 1440p, Balanced: 1080p, 120hz: Dynamic 1080p
- Performance is rock solid regardless in each respective mode. Minor tearing in replays but it's relegated to top so even if you don't have VRR, it's hardly a bother.

- Switch dynamic 900p when docked and dynamic 720p when portable.
- Targets 30 FPS and can have some drops here and there, but mostly it's a robust 30 FPS.

Thank you for considering folks don't like to or can't watch videos!

 

[elliot5]

Riky come get your victory lap

 

[Physiognomonics]

I am not sure they have carefully tested the 120hz performance modes though. I have seen one video (the user being banned here?) with sustained drops to 100fps-110fps on XSX and XSS.

 

[Feel Like I'm On 42]

Ps5/sx can't run this at native 4k/60?

Does it even have higher settings than OW1?

 

[Doctor Hades]

I just tried this to check out the visuals on PC, as I have no interest in the gameplay (looks boring to me) and was a bit surprised that this new visually revamped version doesn't support TAA but only SMAA which means that whenever you move there is noticeable shimmering around edges and so on. The art style is nice enough but the image quality is poor for a 2022 release in my opinion.

 

[Ezekiel_]

Riky come get your victory lap

...shading on PS5 and Series X is improved with more pronounced shadows in darkened interiors - while it appears SSR is removed on Series S for its resolution mode, too.

 

[Black_Stride]

Ps5/sx can't run this at native 4k/60?

Does it even have higher settings than OW1?

DSR is probably really aggressive to keep the framerate at or near a locked 60.
Which is why its drops from 3840x2160 to ~2880x2160.
In eSports titles framerate is all but king.

Would be nice if we could uncap the resolution mode on vrr screens

The resolution mode drops res at 60 flat?
So youd rather have a fluctuating framerate than have a horizontal scale with a basically flat frametime graph?
In an eSports title?

 

[solidus12]

10.3 = 12

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

Series s looks blurry in this video.
Switch is below 30fps which makes me wonder why they even bother.

 

[adamsapple]

Series s looks blurry in this video.
Switch is below 30fps which makes me wonder why they even bother.

They already have the first game there , it probably has enough of a userbase to justify this 'free' upgrade.

 

[playsaves3]

DSR is probably really aggressive to keep the framerate at or near a locked 60.
Which is why its drops from 3840x2160 to ~2880x2160.
In eSports titles framerate is all but king.

The resolution mode drops res at 60 flat?
So youd rather have a fluctuating framerate than have a horizontal scale with a basically flat frametime graph?
In an eSports title?

The resolution drop is minor it seems pretty obvious in the instances where it’s locked at 60 at 4k it could probably do 80-90 uncapped no reason to limit it

 

[Black_Stride]

The resolution drop is minor it seems pretty obvious in the instances where it’s locked at 60 at 4k it could probably do 80-90 uncapped no reason to limit it

So you would rather have an unstable frame rate than a minor res drop when the engine gets stressed.
Noting the engine is most likely getting stressed when action peaking, so the player really needs that reliable frame rate.....but you would rather the game run at 70fps when nothing is going on?
Hahaha.

 

[playsaves3]

So you would rather have an unstable frame rate than a minor res drop when the engine gets stressed.
Noting the engine is most likely getting stressed when action peaking, so the player really needs that reliable frame rate.....but you would rather the game run at 70fps when nothing is going on?
Hahaha.

On a vrr screen yes

 

[Black_Stride]

On a vrr screen yes

Absolutely not.
2880x2160 to 3840x2160 with a locked 60 is way way way better than 3840x2160 with 40 - 80fps, noting that it will only hit above 60 when you dont need the frame rate cuz chances are nothing is actually happening.
Maybe for some other genres sure, but not a competitive shooter.
A stable framerate will matter more often than a small increase in resolution.....when you are averaging above 100fps yeah let that framerate fluctuate cuz the frametime differences are really really small.

In a competitive game when the game drops down to the 40s you are going to be cursing the day you ever thought VRR could save you from a low framerate ina clutch match, all for the sake of a couple more pixels.

Nope nope nope
I hope the dev definitely dont see your post.

 

[playsaves3]

Absolutely not.
2880x2160 to 3840x2160 with a locked 60 is way way way better than 3840x2160 with 40 - 80fps, noting that it will only hit above 60 when you dont need the frame rate cuz chances are nothing is actually happening.
Maybe for some other genres sure, but not a competitive shooter.
A stable framerate will matter more often than a small increase in resolution.....when you are averaging above 100fps yeah let that framerate fluctuate cuz the frametime differences are really really small.

In a competitive game when the game drops down to the 40s you are going to be cursing the day you ever thought VRR could save you from a low framerate ina clutch match, all for the sake of a couple more pixels.

Nope nope nope
I hope the dev definitely dont see your post.

I never said they need to lock it to native 4k leave the dynamic res window open I just said uncap the framerate (so likely 80-100fps average)

 

[Black_Stride]

I never said they need to lock it to native 4k leave the dynamic res window open I just said uncap the framerate (so likely 80-100fps average)

So why not just use the 120Hz mode?

If you use DSR in conjunction with a free framerate when does the engine decide to drop the resolution?

 

[playsaves3]

So why not just use the 120Hz mode?

If you use DSR in conjunction with a free framerate when does the engine decide to drop the resolution?

Because some people want the higher resolution Uncompromised

 

[Black_Stride]

Because some people want the higher resolution Uncompromised

No one wants that in Overwatch 2.
If you want resolution use the 4K60 mode, if you want HFR use the Framerate mode.
No one wants a freeflowing framerate that drops to the 40s when you need the framerate the most.
The people that do play Overwatch super casually and dont make any money for ABK so might as well ignore them.

 

[Bernkastel]

One thing you never have to worry about blizzard games is that they run well.

Yup.

Activision/Blizz games arent perfect, but the most trustworthy for solid performance. Even going back to the 360 days, COD was 60 fps and Diablo 3 looked and played smoother on 360 than it did on my laptop.

Their games dont look the best, but they sacrifice uber visuals for solid performance. Most of their franchises are big sellers too, so it shows the gaming community enjoys their games for gameplay than the company striving for the best looking games that are shit to play.

Well, I wouldn't say never...

The polish thing is mostly attributed to Blizzard games, nothing to do with Activision.
Activision has a lot of support studios and they use a fork of id Tech, which is really good at squeezing juice out of even very weak hardware. Doom/Doom Eternal also runs at 60 fps on base Xbox One.
"Blizzard Polish" was mostly attributed to Blizzard's Quality Assurance. They used to go to lengths to polish a game before releasing it. After things like Warcraft III:Reforged, not anymore.
Although, I don't know why this triggers Ezekiel_ ,these are not terms made up in NeoGAF.

 

[Ezekiel_]

They used to go to lengths to polish a game before releasing it. After things like Warcraft III:Reforged, not anymore.

 

[playsaves3]

No one wants that in Overwatch 2.
If you want resolution use the 4K60 mode, if you want HFR use the Framerate mode.
No one wants a freeflowing framerate that drops to the 40s when you need the framerate the most.
The people that do play Overwatch super casually and dont make any money for ABK so might as well ignore them.

Why would it now drop to the 40s if uncapped that literally has not happened in a single vrr game when uncapped

 

[Black_Stride]

Why would it now drop to the 40s if uncapped that literally has not happened in a single vrr game when uncapped

Cuz the game currently loses ~25% of its pixels to maintain 60fps.
If we lock it at 4K then it would have to give up something, im surmising it will lose ~25% of its fps which rounds into the 40s.
Or do you think the game drops res because that just the fun thing to do in truth it could maintain 4K60?

 

[In Cold Blood]

10.28 = 12.15

Fixed you sneaky cunt.

 

[playsaves3]

Cuz the game currently loses ~25% of its pixels to maintain 60fps.
If we lock it at 4K then it would have to give up something, im surmising it will lose ~25% of its fps which rounds into the 40s.
Or do you think the game drops res because that just the fun thing to do in truth it could maintain 4K60?

Are you unaware of how uncapped framerates work in a vrr performance modes in Spider-Man have some dynamic res and they don’t drop to the 40s

 

[Corndog]

DSR is probably really aggressive to keep the framerate at or near a locked 60.
Which is why its drops from 3840x2160 to ~2880x2160.
In eSports titles framerate is all but king.

The resolution mode drops res at 60 flat?
So youd rather have a fluctuating framerate than have a horizontal scale with a basically flat frametime graph?
In an eSports title?

Id rather have smooth frames in every game even if it means dynamic resolution.

 

[Black_Stride]

Are you unaware of how uncapped framerates work in a vrr performance modes in Spider-Man have some dynamic res and they don’t drop to the 40s

I know how they work.
No one wants that in an eSport title.
Lock that framerate down fuck free flowing framerates.

Whats funny is you mention Spider-Man which in its VRR performance mode is floating around 1440p80 most of the time.
Overwatch 2 has a lock locked 1440p120 mode so just use that if you want higher framerates.
If you want to NOT play the game and take screenshots or look around, set the game to resolution, it will now be a 2160p60 locked.
What purpose could a mostly 1440p mostly 90fps mode possibly serve in this title?

 

[Kar]

Fixed you sneaky cunt.

This is a serious port?

 

[playsaves3]

I know how they work.
No one wants that in an eSport title.
Lock that framerate down fuck free flowing framerates.

Whats funny is you mention Spider-Man which in its VRR performance mode is floating around 1440p80 most of the time.
Overwatch 2 has a lock locked 1440p120 mode so just use that if you want higher framerates.
If you want to NOT play the game and take screenshots or look around, set the game to resolution, it will now be a 2160p60 locked.
What purpose could a mostly 1440p mostly 90fps mode possibly serve in this title?

Also the fidelity mode that’s mostly 45-55 dont people on pc play with uncapped framerates on this game?

 

[Black_Stride]

Also the fidelity mode that’s mostly 45-55 dont people on pc play with uncapped framerates on this game?

Uncapped to what.
People on 60hz displays lock 60.
People with 144Hz wll lock 100 or 120, if they have the power maybe they lock 143/2.
There is a threshold you pass where 20fps between say 120 and 140 isnt a big deal.....the 20fps between 60 and 40 is massive, 80 and 60 same shit.
Dropping frames in competitive shooters is worse than dropping resolution.
This is a purely online shooter, there is no prettiness to marvel at, you want every frame.
The ress drops to 2880x3160....that is nothing in the heat of the moment.
The framerates dropping to 40....that will fuck you up.

 

[playsaves3]

Uncapped to what.
People on 60hz displays lock 60.
People with 144Hz wll lock 100 or 120, if they have the power maybe they lock 143/2.
There is a threshold you pass where 20fps between say 120 and 140 isnt a big deal.....the 20fps between 60 and 40 is massive, 80 and 60 same shit.
Dropping frames in competitive shooters is worse than dropping resolution.
This is a purely online shooter, there is no prettiness to marvel at, you want every frame.
The ress drops to 2880x3160....that is nothing in the heat of the moment.
The framerates dropping to 40....that will fuck you up.

People on 240 and 360hz displays are usually not getting a lock on either

 

[Black_Stride]

People on 240 and 360hz displays are usually not getting a lock on either

The frame time differences at ~240Hz is negligible.

 

[Spukc]

The frame time differences at ~240Hz is negligible.

i noticed it senpai all the time

 

[Black_Stride]

i noticed it senpai all the time

 

[playsaves3]

The frame time differences at ~240Hz is negligible.

But you said it was locked

 

[Spukc]

U-w-U

 

[Black_Stride]

But you said it was locked

I said people who play at 60Hz will lock 60.
People with 144Hz will lock to 100 or 120 depending on their power budgets they might go all the way up.

People with 240Hz and higher dont give a fuck about resolution and just want the lowest response time.
At such low frametimes the difference between 240 and 200 is barely noticeable so assuming they have the horsepower to even get to 240 they can leave the fps floating.

 

[playsaves3]

I said people who play at 60Hz will lock 60.
People with 144Hz will lock to 100 or 120 depending on their power budgets they might go all the way up.

People with 240Hz and higher dont give a fuck about resolution and just want the lowest response time.
At such low frametimes the difference between 240 and 200 is barely noticeable so assuming they have the horsepower to even get to 240 they can leave the fps floating.

We are just gonna have to disagree then

 

[Black_Stride]

We are just gonna have to disagree then

As long as ive got the devs and the community on my side, you can wish for a 720p mode for all I care.

There isnt a 4K framerate unlocked mode.
No one wants a framerate unlocked mode when the game is currently already dropping res.
And if res isnt an issue.

There is a 1440p120 mode thats damn stable.
So Im happy.

Devs are happy, anyone who actually plays this game is happy with the performance so...........yeah.