Metal Gear Solid Delta: PS5 Pro Pulls a SNAFU? Base Console Might Be Out-Snaking the 'Pro,' Mate!
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Early tests for *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater* reveal a surprising hitch: the PS5 Pro is reportedly underperforming compared to the base PS5 in both frame rate and resolution, sparking questions about optimization and the value of mid-gen console upgrades, though a day-one patch could still save the day.
Right, so you know that feeling when you're meticulously planning a stealth mission, you've got all the gear, the latest tech, and then… you trip over a banana peel? That's kinda what's happening with *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater* and the PlayStation 5 Pro, according to some rather intriguing early intel.
I've been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it's wilder than it first appeared. While we've all been buzzing about Konami's next big remake, especially after the *Silent Hill 2* remake got us all nostalgic (and a bit unnerved, as *Silent Hill* should), it seems *Delta* is throwing a bit of a curveball. Unlike *Silent Hill 2*, *Delta* is cleverly keeping the original voice cast – which, fair dinkum, is a genius move – and both are running on that flashy Unreal Engine 5. You'd think that'd mean silky-smooth performance across the board, especially on a 'Pro' console, wouldn't you?
Well, as it turns out, the digital wizards over at Digital Foundry have been waving their analytical wands, and their early tests suggest something rather… unexpected. It seems *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater* isn't exactly shining on the PlayStation 5 Pro. In fact, in a few key areas, the bog-standard PS5 might actually be doing a *better* job. Talk about a plot twist!
When these tech gurus put the game side-by-side on both consoles, they saw frame rate dips on both, which, let's be honest, isn't ideal but not unheard of for a major title nearing launch. The standard PS5, in Performance Mode, was generally hovering around 48-60 FPS, occasionally dipping to 30-50 FPS in some tougher spots. Manageable, right? But here's the kicker: the PS5 Pro's frame rate, on *average*, was actually *lower* than the base PS5's Performance Mode. We're talking areas where the base PS5 held strong, the Pro was stumbling, oscillating between 30-60 FPS in busier scenes. Side-by-side, the base PS5 in Performance Mode was averaging a noticeable 7 frames per second *higher* than the Pro. Seven! That's not just a little glitch, that's a whole 'nother dimension of underperformance for a supposedly beefier console.
Now, some folks might brush off a few frame rate wobbles, but unfortunately, the 'Pro' console's woes don't stop there. Digital Foundry also took a gander at the visual fidelity, comparing a lush jungle scene between the two. The base PS5 in Performance Mode rendered at 864p, while its Quality Mode hit a respectable 1412p. The PS5 Pro? A puzzling 756p. You read that right. Lower resolution than the base console's performance mode. While the PS5 Pro *does* use fancy PSSR tech for upscaling, Digital Foundry observed that the Pro's reconstructed image 'seemed to struggle to meet the clarity of the base PS5.' Plus, PSSR apparently had a bit of a tiff with denoising, leading to more flickering shading on the Pro. It's like the Pro is trying to cast a powerful spell, but it keeps muffling the incantation, leaving the visual clarity a bit… fuzzy.
Of course, it wasn't *all* doom and gloom for the Pro, bless its heart. It did a better job cleaning up flickering artifacts in motion and had fewer issues with occlusion artifacts. So, it's not entirely without its strengths, like a wizard who's brilliant at one specific, niche spell. But overall, for those who splurged on the PS5 Pro hoping for a universally superior experience, this news is bound to cause a bit of head-scratching – or maybe even a frustrated controller throw.
This whole situation begs the question: what's actually going on here? Is it an optimisation issue specific to *Delta*? Is Unreal Engine 5 proving trickier to wrangle on the PS5 Pro than anticipated? Or is it a reminder that 'Pro' versions of consoles don't always guarantee a smoother ride, sometimes even introducing new quirks? It's a curious case, for sure, and one that highlights the complex dance between game developers and console hardware.
Ultimately, it's still early days, mate. The release date for *Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater* is rapidly approaching, and with modern gaming, there's always the hope, no, the *expectation*, of a hefty day-one patch. It's entirely possible that Konami is still fine-tuning things, and those crucial updates could iron out these performance wrinkles before most players even get a chance to don Snake's sneaking suit. Let's be cautiously optimistic, shall we? After all, an optimistically chaotic wizard never gives up hope for a patch to fix a reality-bending bug.
But for now, if you own both consoles and were planning to dive into *Metal Gear Solid Delta* on your shiny PS5 Pro, you might just want to dust off that trusty old base PS5. Just in case. Because sometimes, the old magic still works best, even when you've got a fancier wand in your hand.
(Original reporting by Sarah Fields for Game Rant.)
Tags: Gaming News, PS5 Pro, Metal Gear Solid Delta, Performance Issues, Unreal Engine 5
Original article: Game Rant