Digital Foundry: Red Dead Redemption Remaster Review - Switch 2/PS5/Xbox Series X|S/iPhone - So... What's New?

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Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
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Developer Rockstar finds further ways to improve the Red Dead Redemption console experience for Switch 2, PS5 and Xbox Series consoles in a brand new 2025 release. Via this separate native app for each system, we're getting much closer to PC's top settings - though even today, cutbacks are still necessary in grass LODs and shadows on PS5. Meanwhile the Switch 2 release offers arguably the most substantial improvement over what came before in the 2023 OG Switch version, with 60fps, DLSS and even mouse controls added to the equation. In turn Tom tests each version - with even a look at the iPhone version later in the review.


00:00 - Introduction
02:53 - The Switch 2 Situation
09:48 - The PS5 Situation
11:36 - The Xbox Series Situation
15:13 - iPhone 15 Pro Tested
17:13 - Wrap-up
 
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- Includes native HDR support

Switch 2:
- AA, LoD and shadow quality improved over original 360 release
- Switch 1 already offered some of these improvements, Switch 2 improves further
- Switch 1 had 30fps target but could drop to 20's

- Switch 2 uses DLSS 1440p (native 720p) while docked
- Reduced flicker and better IQ compared to Switch 1
- Map and 2D elements also get better treatment (this is for all versions)
- Switch 2 gets 16x AF, increases terrain and Geometry LoD but still has minor pop-in
- Shadow quality on Switch 1 was equal to PC Medium, Switch 2 docked is PC CHSS (custom high but has somewhat lower resolution)

- Switch 2 Portable DLSS's 540p to 1080p final
- Other than shadow quality all visual pre-sets are a match between docked and portable

- Switch 2 targets 60fps on both docked/portable and sticks to it 99% of the time
- Some areas and Undead nightmare can see drops to mid 50's
- NS2 supports mouse controls too (the switch mouse)

PS5:
- Targets native 4K and 60fps and maintains it without any issues
- Minor DRS noted but it's always shy of the 4K count
- Visual noise, less flickering etc compared to the native PS4 version
- Possibly jump from FSR2 to FSR3
- No 30/60 or anti aliasing mode toggle anymore
- Geometry, trees, grass, shadow distance etc is enhanced
- Compared to PC Ultra pre-sets but just a bit short in some areas (grass distance etc)

- Switch 2 vs PS5, PS5 renders 9x more native pixels
- Switch 2's DLSS can show some sub pixel issues and occlusion artifacts in comparison

Series S|X:
- Before this, X360 BC version ran with original visuals at 4K/30fps and boosted AF
- New release has all of the PS5 upgrades, with the 60fps being the biggest boost over the BC version

- Series S targets a lower 1440p resolution @ 60fps
- No visual cutbacks made on Series S, retains all visual features as SX.

iOS:
- No iOS version can reach 60fps
- iPhone 15 Pro: 30fps in Fidelity mode without issue at 1062p with FXAA
- Shows more pop-in in foliage and terrain
- Performance mode runs at 702p with worse visual settings
 
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720p Native on Switch 2 is wild, cant the console even do 1080p DLSS on a PS3 game ?

540p portable ? Definitely SW2 owners are playing with power.
 
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I played it on my Z1 Extreme Ally... Max settings, 1080p and was almost always above 60fps except in one heavily wooded area...

Upscaling from a base resolution of just 540p on Switch 2 handheld is... Surely not necessary.
 
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Lovely game. Finished it this year when the remaster dropped. Did a full 100% base-game run and it was extremely immersive

Definitely in my top 10 of all time

Still haven't touched the DLC, even though I've been told for over 10 years that it's stellar

One day

Nothing to add about the technical side of things 😎
 
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RoboFu said:
because DLSS enhances the image more at 1440 than just running native at 1080.
Click to expand...
I think he was asking for 1080p scaled to 1440p with DLSS not 1080p with no DLSS.

But the special lightweight DLSS for switch 2 is probably optimised for only doing 2x Res. Think all examples of it being used have been that.
 
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Lokaum D+ said:
720p Native on Switch 2 is wild, cant the console even do 1080p DLSS on a PS3 game ?

540p portable ? Definitely SW2 owners are playing with power.
Click to expand...
This game is somewhat CPU-heavy, I recall on Steam Deck a lot of odd hitching here and there and framerate dips caused by CPU load. It also appears the S2 version is using the higher quality shadow settings. It's not really that crazy, this game likely took a lot of work to make it available for current hardware when it re-released a few years ago, it's slightly more demanding than most PS3-era games as a result.
 
Kacho said:
Hell, at least its 60fps unlike Skyrim.
Click to expand...
Wtf. I missed that.

The Switch 1 version of Skyrim is actually how I did my first playthrough. I believe it was a full 720p 30fps handheld but missing a lot of the Skyrim special edition graphical enhancements.

Skyrim still being 30fps on Switch 2 is mindboggling. Whoever they got to port it is a joke lol.
 
Mownoc said:
Wtf. I missed that.

The Switch 1 version of Skyrim is actually how I did my first playthrough. I believe it was a full 720p 30fps handheld but missing a lot of the Skyrim special edition graphical enhancements.

Skyrim still being 30fps on Switch 2 is mindboggling. Whoever they got to port it is a joke lol.
Click to expand...
That's Bethesda. They even ported day 1 bugs from the original game in ports many, many years later that were already fixed.

Why fix shit, eh? Just copy/paste v.1.0 source code.
 
RoboFu said:
because DLSS enhances the image more at 1440 than just running native at 1080p.
Click to expand...

A higher native res would give the game a clear image when using DLSS, also 720p to 1440p is DLSS performance, why not go for balanced or even quality ?

I just find odd that a console with almost the "same power" of a XSS is running at this low native when XSS is running at 1440p.
 
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Mownoc said:
I think he was asking for 1080p scaled to 1440p with DLSS not 1080p with no DLSS.

But the special lightweight DLSS for switch 2 is probably optimised for only doing 2x Res. Think all examples of it being used have been that.
Click to expand...

They have to use full version of DLSS here, "tiny DLSS" would look like shit with 720p internal res.
 
Lokaum D+ said:
A higher native res would give the game a clear image when using DLSS, also 720p to 1440p is DLSS performance, why not go for balanced or even quality ?

I just find odd that a console with almost the "same power" of a XSS is running at this low native when XSS is running at 1440p.
Click to expand...

im sure its built off the switch port for one, but also the final image looks like this so why bother?
N3W6jamZZLcHhuN2.png




squidilix said:
Switch 2 is blurred af
Click to expand...

lol what? I think you might have been watching the switch 1 footage in the video.
 
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Can't load the video at the moment, but going by the summary I guess they haven't analyzed PS5 Pro version at all? Shadows are better compared to base PS5.

Also, apparently no mention of the few improvements and refinements this new release has over the PC version, like new shadows here and there and reworked glass shaders?

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