Only Rebirth gets a Pro patch - but many FF titles benefit from Game Boost.
PlayStation and Final Fantasy have been closely linked for nearly the entire history of Sonys console efforts.
So exactly how does Rebirth fare on PS5 Pro?
And can the PS5 Pro overcome frame-rate limitations inFinal Fantasy 14and 16?
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is widely acclaimed, but is also well known for substantial image quality woes.
That’s not really a concern on PS5 Pro.
In stills, the clarity difference is pretty enormous.
That means that the Pro is actually resolving 4K-like detail despite its typically sub-native pixel count.
The game looks pretty solid in motion as well, clearly resolving extra detail.
That said, it’s not flawless, with some sub-pixel shimmer and moire patterns on some surfaces.
The foliage, for instance, has some odd scanline-like patterns at a distance on Pro.
At closer ranges, it can sometimes blur excessively, with a kind of accumulation smear trailing behind.
The biggest criticism is that Square-Enix hasn’t touched graphical issues inherent to the game itself.
That makes that Rebirth would look a bit unstable in these scenes even with perfect anti-aliasing treatment.
It also falls somewhat short of the old graphics mode.
Graphics mode is generally free of visual gremlins like problems with foliage, or issues with shimmer or noise.
In a few specific areas, the graphics mode produces a substantially better result.
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But the PSSR-powered PS5 Pro does produce a clearer, sharper image, both at rest and in motion.
There are definite tradeoffs then, although I’d give the nod to the graphics mode in aggregate.
But the old modes are still available on Pro.
In essence then, the versatility mode addresses image quality concerns with better upscaling.
It’s the best way to play - until the PC version lands, at least.
Final Fantasy 16 is next up, Square-Enix’s 2023 action-RPG epic.
Technically, this isn’t actually a PS5 Pro enhanced game, but Game Boost produces some compelling results.
A quick side-by-side reveals considerably more detail on PS5 Pro, in both the frame-rate and graphics modes.
Certain fine details resolve more clearly in the final frame.
The graphics mode remains at 30fps however, just like PS5.
Finally we have Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, which is technically a Final Fantasy game too.
On PS5 Pro, those performance drops are a lot less frequent and impact the game less substantially.
Both modes feel fairly similar here in my experience.
There are two other PS5-native Final Fantasy games as well - Crisis Core Reunion and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Looking forward, I’d love to see an actual FF16 patch if at all possible.
Its a surprisingly strong showing for Square-Enix’s flagship fantasy franchise.
