Whereas I’ve all the time thought the race in the direction of graphical hyperrealism isn’t as pervasive because it’s typically perceived, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is certainly one in every of these video games. The sort that most likely has twelve artists devoted to the recreation of seen pores, that kind of factor. It’s so targeted on trying fairly that it hasn’t even observed the title and subtitle received combined up.
Positive sufficient, Hellblade 2 is a harsh check for older {hardware}, with a heavy reliance on DLSS or FSR upscaling to maintain efficiency candy. That mentioned, it’s no Dragons Dogma 2-style technical horrorshow both. A contented steadiness of visuals and smoothness is attainable on plush PCs and low-end laptops alike, whereas DLSS 3 body technology can ship an efficient kick within the framerate pants on RTX 40 sequence GPUs.
There are some key high quality settings you would possibly wish to decrease within the course of, so extra on these beneath. First, let’s get reacquainted with Hellblade 2’s system necessities, as a result of good googly moogly, there’s a whole lot of ‘em.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 system necessities and PC efficiency
This Pictish motion-adventure enables you to skimp on CPU energy a bit, solely asking for a crusty Core i5 at minimal and decidedly mid-range chips for maxed out 4K. A beefier graphics card pays dividends, although, particularly when you’ve received one with Nvidia DLSS assist; FSR 3 is offered for upscaling however lacks its body technology element, so RTX card homeowners would possibly as properly persist with the better-looking DLSS. Hope you’re not nonetheless on simply 8GB of RAM, too:
These specs seemingly assume that you just’ll stick to the default upscaler, TSR. With this, plus the Low high quality preset, I recorded a GTX 1070 averaging 33fps at 1080p – although after switching to FSR 3 on High quality mode, it jumped to 43fps, with a negligible drop in image sharpness. Sticking with AMD’s upscaler, the Intel Arc A750 additionally confirmed that funds GPUs can get by, scoring 47fps at 1080p with a combo of Medium settings and FSR 3 on High quality.
DLSS, nevertheless, proved each sharper and quicker. My RTX 4060 initially struggled a bit with the Excessive preset, even at 1080p, averaging 38fps with the default TSR. A change to DLSS on High quality immediately shot to 56fps, and for the reason that RTX 4060 helps DLSS 3 body gen, that too might bump all of it the best way as much as a slick 91fps. This tech does a positive job on laptop computer GPUs, as properly. My RTX 4050-based laptop computer, a 1080p MSI Skinny GF63, might run the Low preset at 51fps with High quality-level DLSS upscaling alone – and enabling body technology had it producing 88fps.
Hellblade 2 stays a good-looking recreation even on these decrease settings, and within the obvious absence of any actual issues with stuttering, flickering, or every other miscellaneous efficiency hiccups, it’s extra accommodating of lower-end {hardware} than its MEGA REAL GRAFFIX presentation would possibly counsel. With limits, admittedly – the Steam Deck struggles, solely in a position to run all-Low settings above 30fps with FSR 3 set to Extremely Efficiency. Which seems to be, in a phrase, pants. Efficiency mode is extra visually tolerable however often places the framerate within the twenties.
Conversely, Hellblade 2 scales impressively with larger, shinier GPUs. The RTX 4070 Ti eased to 78fps at 1440p/Excessive, albeit aided by DLSS on High quality, and body gen topped that as much as 127fps. The identical card and settings (sans body gen) additionally produced 78fps at 3440×1440, an ultrawide decision with an uncommon facet profit: eliminating the horizontal black bars that seem (and are apparently necessary) at conventional 16:9. In different phrases, Hellblade 2 insists on being performed in ultrawide. I’m no fan of this, no matter how cinematic the sport needs to be, although at the very least it’s a win for ultrawide monitor homeowners who would possibly in any other case should put up with the stretched/misplaced UIs of a video games trade that sometimes favours common widescreen.
The RTX 4070 Ti additionally took a good crack at 4K, managing 59fps on Excessive with DLSS High quality (88fps with body technology on). The henchest card in my cabinet, the RTX 4090, made for a good smoother 75fps with High quality-level DLSS, rising to 120fps with body gen.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 greatest settings information
Sadly, DLSS 3 is past most GPUs, however slicker efficiency might be yours with a mixture of normal upscaling and some lowered settings. Don’t worry such cuts to Hellblade 2’s visible deserves – as you may see from the comparability beneath, all three of the Excessive, Medium, and Low presets look pretty related, and a number of the extra seen modifications (like foliage and texture high quality) don’t really have an effect on efficiency that a lot. Or in any respect, in a whole lot of circumstances.
Armed with an RTX 4060 – I’d have used the min-spec GTX 1070, however wished to check DLSS and body gen – I benchmarked every particular person graphics setting at each its highest and lowest high quality, thus figuring out which have been the perfect at dashing up efficiency. Something with a major enchancment on 38fps, the common end result on the Excessive preset at 1080p, is value contemplating:
Movement blur: You possibly can decrease this when you merely don’t just like the impact, although it gained’t influence efficiency both approach. I nonetheless received 38fps with it turned down from 10 to 0. (You’ll additionally want to go into the Accessibility menu to seek out the slider, because it isn’t on the principle graphics menu.)
Customized upscaler: Overlook the default TSR, even with its decision scale on a quicker setting; FSR 3 and DLSS are each faster and, particularly within the latter’s case, better-looking. DLSS on High quality mode boosted the RTX 4060 as much as 56fps, the best results of the bunch, whereas FSR 3 proved itself the perfect various for non-RTX GPUs with 54fps on High quality. Intel XeSS can be obtainable, and scored 53fps 53fps on its Extremely High quality mode, although is a contact blurrier than FSR 3.
Body technology: Once more, that is unique to Nvidia’s RTX 40 sequence playing cards, but it surely’s value having in case your GPU helps it. With it enabled, that’s 56fps with High quality DLSS upscaling lept to 91fps. Simply make certain that, when you do allow body gen, to additionally set Nvidia Reflex (somewhat additional down the menu) to On+Enhance. This may assist take care of the added enter lag.
Variable Fee Shading: VRS, which goals to enhance efficiency by various visible high quality round completely different components of the display, in on by default. Nevertheless, I nonetheless received exactly 38fps after disabling it, so that you would possibly as properly flip it off and hold all the pieces constant.
Antialiasing: A possible non-issue as each DLSS and FSR embrace their very own AA tech, which supercedes the sport’s personal. For what it’s value, I noticed no efficiency distinction between Excessive and Low whereas TSR was enabled.
Put up-processing high quality: Yet one more unchanged 38fps after switching from Excessive to Low.
Results high quality: Low received me 39fps, simply 1fps quicker than on Excessive. I wouldn’t hassle.
Shadow high quality: It’s marginal, however I reckon the 41fps granted by dipping this to Low nearly makes it a worthwhile change. Not less than when you’re not already pulling 60fps-plus.
Reflection high quality: One other 39fps end result on Low. You possibly can see the standard distinction in water and whatnot, so attempt to hold this on Excessive.
International illumination high quality: One other setting for the chopping block. Low high quality nonetheless seems to be positive and helped the RTX 4060 as much as 44fps, an immediate 16% enchancment.
Volumetrics: Possibly tone this down as properly, as Low received the RTX 4060 averaging 43fps.
Texture high quality: Hold this on Excessive. Low did completely nothing to assist efficiency, as soon as once more touchdown at 38fps.
View distance: Low solely produced a 39fps common, arguably not well worth the squeeze.
Foliage element: Likewise, dropping to Low solely raised efficiency by a single body per second. Stick with Excessive.
It’s maybe not probably the most refined method, however slapping a bunch of those settings right down to Low and preserving the remaining on Excessive actually does produce main FPS positive aspects. Make no mistake, although, it’s the third-party upscalers that deal with a lot of the heavy lifting. Right here’s what I’d counsel for Hellblade 2:
- Movement blur: 0
- Customized upscaler: DLSS/FSR 3 on High quality
- Variable charge shading: Off
- Shadow high quality: Low
- International illumination high quality: Low
- Volumetrics: Low
- All the pieces else: Excessive
Nonetheless on the RTX 4060 at 1080p, these netted me 75fps with DLSS and 73fps with FSR, the previous in a position to rise to 117fps with DLSS 3 body technology. Even with out it, thoughts, that’s achingly near double what the GPU was pulling on the Excessive preset, and with no painful discount in visible high quality. Job’s a superb’un, because the Picts would have mentioned, most likely.
