Digital Foundry: Silent Hill 2 Xbox Review - Big Cutbacks on Series S, Series X is Fine
- Thread starter GrayChild
- Start date
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
A year on from its initial release, Xbox Series X and S users can now step into Silent Hill's foggy streets. Being so heavily built around Unreal Engine 5's Lumen technology, the most fascinating subject here is Series S - where the cutbacks go further than you might expect. Series X? A ringer for PS5, with a small performance win... and some screen-tearing.
00:00 - Introduction
01:49 - Image Quality
03:52 - Lumen Reflections/GI Downgraded on Series S?
07:11 - Performance Testing
09:42 - Game Impressions and Wrap-up
ChorizoPicozo
Member
the most fascinating subject here is Series S - where the cutbacks go further than you might expect.
Prepare to be shocked
-Jez (dumb as a rock) Corden
Prepare to be shocked
-Jez (dumb as a rock) Corden
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
- Series S:
- Series S is the 'most intriguing' version of this release
- Series S caps the game at 30fps with no 60fps Performance mode
- Native 720p with TSR up-scaling. No signs of DRS in DF's testing
- More dithering on hair and TSR artifacts on Series S
- Lumen reflection takes a hit compared to 60fps Performance mode on PS5/SX with notable aliasing
- Lumen GI has reduced accuracy over SX/PS5's Performance mode
- AO quality is the same as SX Performance mode
- Texture quality and tesselation setting is dropped in places
- The game targets and generally hits a solid 30fps with some traversal stutter
- Series X:
- Match for PS5's resolution: 1152p DRS in Perf and 1512p DRS on Quality
- Same software based Lumen as PS5 with Quality mode offering higher quality and 60fps offering lower quality RT
- The 30fps quality mode is locked at 30 with some minor traversal stutters and some GPU related single drops when heavy things like enemies vomitting on you
- Performance mode runs with some tearing but higher average FPS compared to PS5.
- 'Prime material for VRR display owners'.
- Indoor areas run smoother 60 with large camera swings showing some lurches
Verdict:
Mostly a solid port. On Series S but DF would not recommend it as the main way for someone's first time through the game.
- Series S is the 'most intriguing' version of this release
- Series S caps the game at 30fps with no 60fps Performance mode
- Native 720p with TSR up-scaling. No signs of DRS in DF's testing
- More dithering on hair and TSR artifacts on Series S
- Lumen reflection takes a hit compared to 60fps Performance mode on PS5/SX with notable aliasing
- Lumen GI has reduced accuracy over SX/PS5's Performance mode
- AO quality is the same as SX Performance mode
- Texture quality and tesselation setting is dropped in places
- The game targets and generally hits a solid 30fps with some traversal stutter
- Series X:
- Match for PS5's resolution: 1152p DRS in Perf and 1512p DRS on Quality
- Same software based Lumen as PS5 with Quality mode offering higher quality and 60fps offering lower quality RT
- The 30fps quality mode is locked at 30 with some minor traversal stutters and some GPU related single drops when heavy things like enemies vomitting on you
- Performance mode runs with some tearing but higher average FPS compared to PS5.
- 'Prime material for VRR display owners'.
- Indoor areas run smoother 60 with large camera swings showing some lurches
Verdict:
Mostly a solid port. On Series S but DF would not recommend it as the main way for someone's first time through the game.
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diffusionx
Gold Member
Serious question how many people are playing on Series S in 2025? I suspect most people who bought one traded it for a PS5 when those became more available.
It's a real piece of shit device and while I get my MS did it, they shoulddn't have.
It's a real piece of shit device and while I get my MS did it, they shoulddn't have.
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Witchilich
Member
720p 30 fps in a home console in 2025. What a waste. I can't believe people actually bought this box.
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EverydayBeast
ChatShitGPT Alpha 0.001
I've wanted to play silent hill for decades, you see it talked about all the time online, series s versions are almost always worse, gaming enthusiasts prefer series x. I think series s is misjudged, I think expectations for the series s were stronger than a Xbox one x, less powerful than a series x.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Wym, "just turn down the resolution to
*with even more cutbacks
Those tech speculation threads pre system launch were a hoot. Even more so with the tardfluencers at the time.
Valt7786
Member
It amazes me that more people don't see this.
Its clearly intended as a Fortnite/Fifa/Minecraft machine for the super casuals. Would have been better if it didnt exist at all but games shouldnt be beholden to make sure they run on it.
memoryman3
Member
Now lets see how a Switch 2 ($499 device) holds up.
RetroGamingUK
Member
Yeah let's see how the handheld does.
MacReady13
Member
Was anyone expecting any different from a low powered console? Series S serves a purpose and the fact it can actually play all of today's games is a good thing. Not everyone has the money to blow on powerful PC's or PS5 Pro consoles so a Series S is good enough for them.
Bojji
Member
I mean, Microsoft expected it:
Xbox Series S matches Series X on performance, but runs at 1440p instead of 4K
The "same next generation speed and performance" for less
Team Andromeda
Member
Well said. I don't think the Series S was a mistake but giving it such low RAM was a major cock up.
That said the Series S will be great for Xbox new Handheld porting wise
Tobimacoss
Member
Sony is deploying the same strategy with the PS6 handheld Canis. 15 watt 16 CU RDNA5, dockable handheld, that may come with a TV variant to get the ps4 users to upgrade. 4 Zen 6C core, 2 Zen 6LP core CPU
Series S is 80 watt 20 CU RDNA2 and its CPU is almost on par with the Series X CPU which is only 2% slower than the PS5 Pro CPU.
Sethbacca
Member
The parity requirement was the biggest fuckup.
scarlet0pimp
Member
Series S is fine if developers cant make an acceptable version of a game for it then its on them really. Personally I think its become my favourite console of the gen, I have a ps5 pro and series x but the series s i can throw in a small bag and take to my mates house for a lan real easy, and game like helldivers, CoD BF look and play fine on a smaller monitor even next to their 55" C2 tv. Its cheap and cheerful not for everyone but that's fine play on the more powerful devices if you want. I even use it at home sometimes on the old TV to stay out of the way.
Gonzito
Gold Member
I hate that games like GTA6 will probably have cuts as a result of this stupid useless machine
memoryman3
Member
Well next gen we're going to have similar machines, but with no parity requirements maybe? As hardware is getting more expensive most games need to run on lower end machines anyways. The Xbox Ally machines run this game.
MacReady13
Member
Yeah cause let's believe EVERYTHING that comes out of Microshafts mouths, shall we... I mean really, we all knew what the Series S would give us, and that's exactly what we've gotten so far.I mean, Microsoft expected it:
Xbox Series S matches Series X on performance, but runs at 1440p instead of 4K
The "same next generation speed and performance" for lesswww.gamesradar.com
Tobimacoss
Member
Series S main use is just for xCloud Series S profiles now. It has no bearing on the Xbox handheld.
It seems MS will not be doing a handheld that mandates dev support for it. The handheld doesn't require any ports to it. It is simply using and optimizing the same GDK created Xbox PC SKUs of games, with option for Handheld Optimization with presets and Default Profiles.
Game Development Kit (GDK) documentation - Microsoft Game Development Kit
Instruction on using the Game Development Kit (GDK)
learn.microsoft.com
The documentation for the handheld is paired up with the PC development, not the Console development. So for Xbox, the handheld isn't a fixed spec target like a Series S. It makes sense to do it this way as the handheld hardware is improving rapidly every year, every iteration.
GDK created Xbox PC versions that SCALE from PCs, Laptops, Handhelds. GDKX created and optimized for fixed spec Console versions that are also running on xCloud. Play Anywhere licensing to tie both SKUs.
Xbox will have one Magnus Console SKU, maybe two with an S tier, for devs to optimize for, they don't want to add a fixed spec Handheld target into the mix, like how Sony is doing with Canis.
This way while Sony's handheld will be 16 CU RDNA5 fixed spec target for the PS6 gen, Windows and Xbox handhelds would be 12-24 CU RDNA5, then 12-24 CU RDNA6, then 12-24 CU RDNA7, basically updating alongside AMD hardware roadmap. As the games designed for that handheld are designed to scale (Xbox PC GDK SKUs). So Series S no longer has a bearing on the Xbox handhelds since MS isn't doing a dedicated one. The handhelds would be more powerful than the Series S.
vaibhavpisal
Member
I have this game on Series S.
Was expecting worse to be honest.
I found it to be competent.
Was expecting worse to be honest.
I found it to be competent.