Fallout 4 on the PlayStation 4 recently received patch 1.14/ which adds PS4 Pro support. The update weighs just around 460MB and the number of improvements on offer here brings along some substantial changes to the base version.
To begin with, PlayStation 4 PRO owners can enjoy a full 1440p resolution which is more than 40% boost in pixel density. The base version ran at a native 1920 X 1080 resolution so a 1440p buffer makes the image look sharper and crisper. Furthermore, the Pro Patch enables the game to render a supersampled 1080p image if you are playing on a 1080p TV set. So it’s nice to see that Bethesda haven’t forgotten about the overwhelming majority who still play on 1080p displays.
On the performance front, the engine still targets a 30 frames per second cap. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t always run at a locked 30 frames per second, we witnessed a few drops here and there but nothing that will spoil your experience. But then again we expected rock solid frame rates given the Pro has a much better hardware than its older counterpart.
Unlike many other games in the past who support the Pro with just a resolution bump, Bethesda have improved a number of graphical parameters for those playing Fallout 4 on Sony’s latest machine. Right off the bat, one can clearly observe that the foliage density has been drastically increased. Areas which previously had a “flat” feel to it now have lush foliage over them. The game’s bump in resolution has ensured that jaggies are kept to a minimal. On the base PS4 version, one can clearly see aliasing on several objects (such as power lines). On the Pro however they are gone or at the very least aliasing is kept to a minimum.
Other improvements include improved draw distance which ensures that far away structures such as buildings aren’t blurred out or lack in detail. We also witnessed increase in the level of detail across various objects along with slightly better shadow quality.
So overall we are pretty pleased with this update. It not only manages to improve image quality but also brings forth a number of noticeable differences. Of course we would have loved to have a full native 4K resolution (like Skyrim on the Pro) but Fallout 4 runs on a better tech compared to Skyrim and the Pro’s archaic CPU does not make life any easier for developers.