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A year in the making, so what has Game Science delivered with the Xbox port of Black Myth: Wukong? To put it simply... it's kind of weird. Those expecting Series X to deliver a carbon copy of the PS5 experience may be surprised - while resolution can be higher, visual quality can be cut back and screen-tearing is a thing. With three modes available on both Xbox consoles, there's a lot to cover with this one.


00:00 Overview
00:33 Series X performance mode
04:07 Series X quality mode
06:05 Series X balance mode
07:19 Revisiting PS5
08:09 Series S comparisons
11:10 Analysis and conclusion

 

[Skifi28]

It's like they flip a coin for every new mode on a console to decide the specifications.

 

[Connificent]

Damn monkeys

 

[adamsapple]

- Series X Performance Mode:

- Black Myth is a "stunning exception" on SX in Performance mode
- SX Disables Lumen lighting entirely in Performance mode where PS5 retains it
- There's no fallback GI system so it looks very flat
- On the flip side, it runs at higher resolution (1296 vs 1080p) providing an advantage in clarity and edge detail

- Performance 'radically' favors the SX
- Both target 60fps in Performance mode, albeit SX can have drops with tearing
- PS5 uses FSR frame-gen in performance mode while SX uses native frames
- Frame gen technique is 'immediately obvious' with more artifacts and worse input response on PS5.
- DF think it's a compromise between a console which runs proper 60fps vs a console with better lighting, neither are good trade-offs.

- Series X Quality Mode

- Here, both look about the same with Lumen
- Diffuse shading difference between the two which can look correct or incorrect based on different locations
- SX has lower grade shadows compared to the PS5
- IQ can look softer on SX because of the diffuse shading method used here, which doesn't match any of the PC pre-set options either.
- PS5 runs Quality mode at 1296p where it runs 1728p on Series X
- Even though SX runs at a much higher internal resolution, the diffuse shading difference makes difference hard to spot.
- Frame rates are generally similar with both holding 30fps, SX seems to use V-Sync here with no tearing

- Series X: Balanced Mode

- Same settings delta as Quality mode
- SX runs a higher resolution (1440p vs 1080p on PS5)
- Performance is rocky, PS5 locks it at 45fps and Xbox runs unlocked in the 50's with tearing
- Both versions lock to 40fps when system is set to 120hz
- Both hit a generally locked 40fps without any tearing when running this way

- DF tested PS5 version vs launch code and noted that it runs at 1296p now vs 1080p at launch in Quality mode.

Series S:

- Retains all 3 modes on paper
- Performance reduces settings on top of the performance mode concessions
- The fogging in some fights is removed in all modes on Series S
- Performance: 792p with lower IQ but runs at a decent 60fps without any frame-gen
- Quality mode: Dialed back over SX's quality and removes Lumen lighting, running at 1080p
- Balanced mode: No lumen, very similar to Quality mode at 864p
- Same as SX, runs unlocked without 120hz and locks to 40fps in 120hz with a pretty decent lock

Verdict:

- SX has a very odd set of compromises
- PS5 has a different but its own set of compromises
- Neither produces results DF likes with the 120hz / 40fps mode being the recommended way to play
- Series S occupies a lower level than the others
- Black Myth Wukong is "befuddling" on Series S|X and overall it doesn't maximize any of the consoles properly

 

[Punished Miku]

I'll pick it up on sale sometime, or just wait for the PC version. If they made it PA, I might have gotten it earlier because clearly PC is the best way to play it.

 

[Darsxx82]

This is the first time I've seen a DF review where what they say is contradicted by the screenshot they show...

On XSX, the texturing is clearly better than on PS5, and that's not the reason for the resolution advantage. In fact, it's clearly visible in this analisys and others as well.

Said that, is a port made without considering the rest of the previous PS5 versions, with their pros and cons.

 

[Stafford]

I am in no rush to get the game and (punish) myself because I just know it will kick my ass big-time. I just hope once I get around to buying it this stuff will be fixed.

But nowadays you never know, it could be worse too, because of some new patch. Seems right now Balance is the way to go.

 

[Darsxx82]

Cleary XSX seems to resolve better textures, and could even implement better texture quality and LOD at distance than PS5 and even Pro.


Captures from Three different video analys

 

[Bojji]

Fuck me.

These idiots have Series X running with lumen and ~1440p at ~50fps. Yet for performance mode they drop lumen to get 60fps.

What the fuck? They just needed to drop resolution to achieve 60fps.

 

[Bloody Crow of Cainhurst]

Sony always wins, baby!

 

[Bojji]

Sony always wins, baby!

Wukong is bad on both consoles.

You get 30fps + frame generation on PS5 or REAL 60fps but without lumen on SX.

Balanced 40fps modes are the best. But they could have achieved locked 60fps on both, this is PS5 level GPU:

 

[adamsapple]

Fuck me.

These idiots have Series X running with lumen and ~1700p at ~50fps. Yet for performance mode they drop lumen to get 60fps.

What the fuck? They just needed to drop resolution to achieve 60fps.

The porting studio made some weird decisions on this one.

Performance mode: Notable resolution bump and ditch frame-gen but strip Lumen
Quality: Massive resolution increase but introduce diffuse shading issue making the clarity difference irrelevant
Balance: 70% increase in resolution but, again, same diffuse shading issue

Should have just kept PS5 settings as-is, same resolution metrics and all.

Also, kind of weird that the game locks to 40fps when 120hz is detected, on SX it seems to always be above 50fps .. which is well within the VRR range. The 120hz should have come with the option to lock to 40fps or not.

 

[Mr Moose]

Cleary XSX seems to resolve better textures, and could even implement better texture quality and LOD at distance than PS5 and even Pro.


Captures from Three different video analys

What's going on with this one? It looks terrible.

The porting studio made some weird decisions on this one.

Performance mode: Notable resolution bump and ditch frame-gen but strip Lumen
Quality: Massive resolution increase but introduce diffuse shading issue making the clarity difference irrelevant
Balance: 70% increase in resolution but, again, same diffuse shading issue

Should have just kept PS5 settings as-is, same resolution metrics and all.

Also, kind of weird that the game locks to 40fps when 120hz is detected, on SX it seems to always be above 50fps .. which is well within the VRR range. The 120hz should have come with the option to lock to 40fps or not.

The 45/50fps thing is weird and stupid.

 

[Fbh]

Maybe it's the shots they chose or how they captured them, but to me it looks like crap on both systems.
Horrible image quality full of smearing and ghosting around moving objects.

 

[Bojji]

Maybe it's the shots they chose or how they captured them, but to me it looks like crap on both systems.
Horrible image quality full of smearing and ghosting around moving objects.

That's typical UE5. You have ghosting from both TSR and Lumen.

 

[Dr.D00p]

So much fuss over such a mediocre game.

 

[kevboard]

Maybe it's the shots they chose or how they captured them, but to me it looks like crap on both systems.
Horrible image quality full of smearing and ghosting around moving objects.

I mean... it's UE5, what do you expect?


@topic:
the only actual issue I see is the missing shading in the balanced an quality modes. I actually think the performance mode on Xbox makes a lot more sense than the one on PS5. because what use is a 60fps mode when you literally increase your input lag when using it?

if the balanced mode on Seires X had gets the missing shading fixed, and gets an unlocked option, it would be by far the most optimal way to play it imo. it seems to stick above 50fps and runs at 1440p.

 

[viveks86]

Whaaaaaat.... This makes no sense to me. Isn't the whole point of an engine like UE5 to make target platform releases hassle free? How could this have gone so wrong?

 

[adamsapple]

if the balanced mode on Seires X had gets the missing shading fixed, and gets an unlocked option, it would be by far the most optimal way to play it imo. it seems to stick above 50fps and runs at 1440p.

Yeah, 50+ with VRR is both within the coverage window and the tearing will be gone cause of VRR.

Seems like the best way to play the game on console atm.

 

[Bojji]

I mean... it's UE5, what do you expect?


@topic:
the only actual issue I see is the missing shading in the balanced an quality modes. I actually think the performance mode on Xbox makes a lot more sense than the one on PS5. because what use is a 60fps mode when you literally increase your input lag when using it?

if the balanced mode on Seires X had gets the missing shading fixed, and gets an unlocked option, it would be by far the most optimal way to play it imo. it seems to stick above 50fps and runs at 1440p.

Even fucking series S have real 60fps mode while PS5 don't. WTF...

And that poor PS5 Pro, stuck with frame generation performance mode straight from standard PS5. You won't convince me that devs at Game Science don't smoke crack all the time.

 

[Horseganador]

It looks much better on PS5, on Xbox they have completely messed up the lighting.

 

[Gaiff]

Better on PS5, on Xbox it has much worse lighting in comparison.

But also plays worse due to frame generation being used to go from 30-40 to 60fps. The latency on Xbox should be significantly better.

 

[Skifi28]

You won't convince me that devs at Game Science don't smoke crack all the time.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Xbox wins again!

 

[Darsxx82]

What's going on with this one? It looks terrible.

The 45/50fps thing is weird and stupid.

Opinions. But I think it is much better than this. Especially regarding the level of ground textures.

I believe that it is not so difficult to discern the differences like DF say.

Being a title that generated so much controversy, perhaps it should have compared other areas and missions of the game... I suppose they are accumulating work with so many game releases.

 

[Lagspike_exe]

It feels like modes in this game across similar platforms are completely random. Very weird.

 

[adamsapple]

It feels like modes in this game across similar platforms are completely random. Very weird.

Because they 100% are, lol.

The two teams which handled either console versions seem to have completely different priorities in mind.

 

[LordOcidax]

I take the XSX version over the PS5, no frame gen sh**. Looks like they ported the game accordingly to the hardware specifications, same for Series S. That's a good sign for future projects from the devs.

 

[scydrex]

Even the modes are diffent between the consoles. The optimization of this game is crazy.

 

[The Cockatrice]

A bizarre port lmao. Unreal Engine 5. Nuff said.

 

[LordOcidax]

Even fucking series S have real 60fps mode while PS5 don't. WTF...

And that poor PS5 Pro, stuck with frame generation performance mode straight from standard PS5. You won't convince me that devs at Game Science don't smoke crack all the time.

I was surprised by this… And automatically makes the Xbox series ports the better ones.

 

[Mr Moose]

Opinions. But I think it is much better than this. Especially regarding the level of ground textures.

Wow, you're actually blind.
You think this:

looks better than this:

Neither look good but that shot on Xbox looks like a mess. In the other shots it isn't like that.

 

[Darsxx82]

Wow, you're actually blind.
You think this:

looks better than this:

Mr Moose my, without malice. where are you seeing the images?? Look at this on an acceptable screen because if you tell me that the blur of textures of the ground and the definition of rocks on the screen of the PS5 version is better for you.....

And it is not because there are no other images where the difference is even more evident.

 

[Mr Moose]

Mr Moose my, without malice. where are you seeing the images?? Look at this on an acceptable screen because if you tell me that the blur of textures of the ground and the definition of rocks on the screen of the PS5 version is better for you.....

And it is not because there are no other images where the difference is even more evident.

Everything is blurry as fuck in the Xbox shot. Don't you see the vines (roots?) and trees on the right? No, because they are blurry as fuck. Other shots show more foliage and don't look like shit like this shot.
Also missing shading on the ground twigs (or they aren't there, I can't tell because it looks soft as poo).

Maybe it's mislabelled and not quality mode?
Edit: Wait, that can't be down to just a shading difference, can it? If that's what it is, that shit needs fixing.

 

[tanners]

They are probably(90%) outsourced Xbox version to third party studio, And they done PS5&PC versions themselves,that might explain why there were so many difference in graphic modes.
The reason about why xbox version gets a delay? Possibly they just can't handle that many platfroms.

 

[Darsxx82]

Everything is blurry as fuck in the Xbox shot. Don't you see the vines (roots?) and trees on the right? No, because they are blurry as fuck. Other shots show more foliage and don't look like shit like this shot.
Also missing shading on the ground twigs (or they aren't there, I can't tell because it looks soft as poo).

Maybe it's mislabelled and not quality mode?
Edit: Wait, that can't be down to just a shading difference, can it? If that's what it is, that shit needs fixing.

Well, maybe I misunderstood you. You were referring to that specific capture and I thought it was in general about all the captures.... Sorry

 

[Mr Moose]

Well, maybe I misunderstood you. You were referring to that specific capture and I thought it was in general about all the captures.... Sorry

Yeah just that shot. In other shots it doesn't look like this (though there is a slight difference in the shading in areas). Series X has more foliage in the other shots compared to PS5.

 

[Gitaroo]

Was hoping they had ported the game to UE5.4 with the delay and all other versions also benefits from that greatly

 

[demigod]

What's going on with this one? It looks terrible.

The 45/50fps thing is weird and stupid.

Lol, he says textures look better on the xsx and proceeds to post pics where the PS5 looks better. Well, this one at least.

 

[Darsxx82]

Lol, he says textures look better on the xsx and proceeds to post pics where the PS5 looks better. Well, this one at least.

You have almost 20 captures to decide....... but we all know it's you, let's just accept that you will decide what makes you feel better

 

[Venom Snake]

This is one of those games that is worth playing on pro if possible (just like Monhun), in terms of image quality you get the best of both worlds.

 

[Elios83]

Finished the game last year and on base PS5 and while it could look impressive thanks to the fantastic art direction, with all the upscaling and motion artifacts you could see, it was flawed.

On PS5 Pro the game looks and plays fantastic with PSSR in balanced mode, for me that is the best possible compromise to play this game on a console.

 

[Lootlord]

Wow at those minecraft trees on Series S

 

[LordCBH]

Why does it look so bad

 

[jm89]

Game science through that shit over the wall

 

[Karim]

Cleary XSX seems to resolve better textures, and could even implement better texture quality and LOD at distance than PS5 and even Pro.


Captures from Three different video analys

Clearly the xbox brand has completely fucked your perception of the reality.

 

[PeteBull]

ps5 wins but sometimes even if u win, u still lose

 

[adamsapple]

ps5 wins but sometimes even if u win, u still lose

This has to be staged, right? lol

 

[PeteBull]

This has to be staged, right? lol

Just check dude's channel, he is pranking hood's thugs with empty brand new ps5 box to check how long it takes for him to get jumped =D

 

[memoryman3]

???

You get a real 60fps mode on Xbox with the option to go back to high quality visuals with Balanced and Quality Modes, yet people are claiming the PS5 version is better?