In an era where multiformat games tend to be available everywhere, Sony loves a good ‘PS5 Features’ trailer from third-party publishers.
The purpose of these is to highlight some differentiating features which make the PlayStation version stand out.
In the case of Starfield, this is particularly pertinent given its status as a former Xbox console exclusive. And to be fair to Bethesda, it’s using the full spectrum of PlayStation advantages here.
This trailer really scrapes the barrel at times – quick access menus via the touchpad anyone? – but if the haptics are handled well and adaptive triggers are designed properly then they could certainly accentuate the combat.
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Here’s the key information from the press release:
- Adaptive Triggers
- Feel the difference from shot to shot. Adaptive triggers add physical resistance and feedback to the L2 and R2 buttons, giving different types of weapons (both ground and starship) their own unique feel.
- Light Bar
- The DualSense lightbar keeps pace with the action. It shifts color to match your health on the ground or your starship’s status in space, pulsing red when you’re in imminent danger and returning to white as you recover.
- Touchpad
- Quick presses and swipes on the touchpad make it easier to stay in the flow while exploring. Switch POVs by pressing the left side of the touchpad; open the map with the right side; press and hold the right side to activate your hand scanner; and swipe in different directions to access key menus like Inventory, Missions, and Skills.
- Controller Speaker
- Audio logs and ship intercom chatter plays directly through the DualSense controller speaker, pulling you deeper into life among the stars.
We suppose the most important thing here is the inclusion of Performance Mode from day one; the game was locked at 30fps when it deployed on Xbox, although a faster frame rate option was patched in later. Here it’ll be available from the jump.
It’s not mentioned in the trailer, but Starfield will also support the PS5 Pro, so that’s where you can expect the best possible presentation and performance. Unless you have a highly capable PC, it’s going to be the best place to play the game.
The press release reveals a little more about your options:
- Pro Visual Mode
- Delivers a 4K final rendering output targeting 30fps for maximum visual fidelity.
- Pro Performance Mode
- Targets 60fps for a faster, more fluid experience. Both modes are powered by PSSR upscaling technology.
It still remains to be seen how well the sci-fi RPG will sell on Sony’s console, but it’s topping pre-order charts right now, and you can’t ask for more than that.
Will you be picking it up at launch on the PS5? Let us know in the comments section below.