When Sony began introducing retro games to PS5 and PS4 with its PS Plus Premium service, fans in Europe were disappointed to find they're the PAL versions. This means they run at 50Hz, while the American NTSC versions run much more smoothly at 60Hz. The company said it would resolve this oversight, and it looks like we're finally starting to see this come to fruition.
Both Syphon Filter and Ape Escape, PS1 fan favourites, have been updated on PS5 and PS4 today, introducing the NTSC option. If you hit Options, you can swap between 50Hz and 60Hz, with the latter resulting in a smoother experience.
These are the second and third games on Sony's top PS Plus tier to get this treatment. Syphon Filter 2 also lets you swap between the two versions, and as mentioned, the platform holder intends to roll out a similar update to other classic games. It is happening, then — just quite slowly.
Anyway, are you happy to see these games get the NTSC version in Europe? Warp into the comments section below.
[source resetera.com]
Comments 24
While very happy to see that, I feel like I've already seen this option earlier. Or am I confusing it with something else?
About a week after I just beat Ape Escape on my PS5 😂
Will download the PS4 ver to get the American experience
@dschons There was a prior update on the PAL versions of some PS1 games for 60Hz but the update was basically the PAL 50hz version boosted up to 60Hz which resulted in ghosting and other technical effects that isn't in the NTSC's native 60Hz version.
Now there is both versions to choose from without resulting to upscaling.
@WadeIsInsane Ah, I see, thanks. However, I just quickly tried it out and it doesn't seem to make a difference somehow. Still ghosting and technically identical to PAL. all it did was change the language.
Fantastic news!
I'll stick with 50Hz on Ape Escape for the UK voice acting, thanks.
@dschons Syphon Filter 2 launched with this option, so that may be what you're thinking of.
@get2sammyb
Are we sure this time? The actually 60hz NTSC version without ghosting?
@thefourfoldroot1 Pretty sure these updates let you switch between the ROMs.
@get2sammyb
That’s good, thanks for the reply.
@get2sammyb Yes, that could very well be. However, I don't see any difference visually unfortunately despite setting it to NTSC. Still the same ghosting and stuttering. Weird.
Good to see, here's hoping we get a good premium update this month.
@RainbowGazelle does the other version have voice acting?
@NateGoesLive bizarrely I believe the first game has a UK (PAL) and a US (NTSC) dub that are different from each other.
I think later games it was just one english language dub, but the pal version on 1, all the characters have british accents, its weird. Cant think of many examples of this happening.
Is there actually any difference at all in the PS4/PS5 versions? Does PS5 version even support VRR (not built in but general PS5 app VRR) so it would smooth out any drops?
Reason I ask is I still have a PS4 in the other room and you can’t use PS5 saves but I could play PS4 version on either console with cloud save.
@LordAinsley No, it was the same for the sequels as well. Different dubs for UK and US.
damn thats wild. for some reason in my head the characters all had american accents in the second game but I only played it once around when it came out.
This should be the norm for all retro games that were released as 50hz in PAL areas way back when. Allow the player to play both the best version and the version they originally played.
@Orpheus79V @LordAinsley @NateGoesLive Yeah, all 3 have two separate English dubs. Being from the UK, I grew up with the PAL dubs, so I'm biased towards them. Gotta love the James Bond villian voice that Specter had in the first game!
Glad to see this finally happen! Never should have been an issue in the first place.
@RainbowGazelle ha yeah his voice was great.
I liked the professors too
I've never understood this so can someone please explain like I'm five why TV's in Europe and North America output at different Hz? You would think the technology would be uniform.
@PegasusActual93 It's because of differing refresh rates on CRT TVs, when they were first introduced, due to differences between AC frequency in NA/JP and EU. You can read about the AC differences here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_frequency.
Original TVs were very sensitive to interference, even from their own power supply ripple, so running the refresh rate at the same Hz would reduce this interference (60Hz for N/JPA, 50Hz for EU). You can check out more about that here, in the "Televisions" section: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refresh_rate.
Just waiting for them to patch Resident Evil Director’s Cut now…
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