- Spoiler warning at the top. Don't watch the video if you want to go in with 0 spoilers.
- SM2 expands the scale and scope from the first game.
- 9 seconds from PS5 OS menu to game from in-game via 'game cards'
- LoD pushed out significantly compared to last game including dynamic objects (cars/pedestrians)
- Additional geometric details and variety added to city-scapes
- Proper occlusion added to foliage (dark areas under trees look appropriately dark)
- All visual modes in the game use RT, there is no option to disable it.
- Includes Performance/Quality and both have 120hz/40hz option as well.
- Quality mode (30/40hz) DRS from 1440p to 2160p.
- 40hz mode drops to 1440p mode often than 30
- Both can have single frame drops during traversal or camera cuts.
- Performance: 1440p to 1008p DRS.
- Performance is largely stable but alpha effects can see small drops.
- Game offers 3 in-game VRR options (off/smooth/uncapped)
- Off: Disables VRR and sees visible judder when FPS drops
- Smooth: Caps to 60 FPS
- Uncap: Unlocks FPS, performance mode between 65~80 average.
- Uncap Quality: 45~60
- Uncapped VRR can cause resolution to drop to lows of 936p
- John prefers the 40hz capped mode.
- Performance has lower LoD, worse shadow quality etc compared to Quality.
- RT reflections extend to all bodies of water (not just puddles)
- RT also includes 'secondary reflections' (reflections in reflections)
- Reflections are also higher quality than before.
- Interior spaces are rendered with checker board instead of cube maps like last game and stored within the RT BVH.
- Main characters use detailed strand-hair systems and Miles Morales's added muscle system
- Clothing and carpets are also well detailed.
- Nitpicks:
- Texture seams are visible in some areas, some bugs like T-poses seen in pre-patched state, some clouds look weird.
- Sound system also praised.