You may have missed it, but Insomniac's reboot of the classic Ratchet and Clank series, which released in 2016, has just recently received a PS5 update that lets the game run at a buttery-smooth 60fps at 4K. The update makes a world of difference when it comes to gameplay, and as a long-time fan of the series, it is lovely to see how much care and love Insomniac continues to put into this series.
What's more interesting than Ratchet and Clank getting such an upgrade was what Digital Foundry found after performing a deep dive into the patch. They found that while the patch itself was developed in March 2021, it's built on a legacy SDK model.
This is significant because if Ratchet and Clank can be upgraded through a patch based on an old build, the potential for other PS4 to receive the same treatment is a lot higher now.
With that in mind, what other games desperately need to have that same switch flicked? Here are eight that should receive a PS5 upgrade sooner instead of later.
Bloodborne
You had to know this would be at the top. There truly is no other game that deserves, nay, demands, to be upgraded for PS5 with a 4K 60fps patch. I, like so many others, have gotten the Bloodborne platinum and spent many hours more just mainly mucking about in Yharnham.
But it is absolutely heartbreaking to play it on PS5 because what we know the performance could be.
The fast-paced, push-forward combat in Bloodborne makes it exactly the kind of game set to take advantage of a locked, high frame rate, yet it still runs at 30fps on the PS5.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
This is another one that feels like it should have been done a long time ago. The Uncharted series is one of PlayStation's most beloved franchises, and the incredibly impressive cinematic gameplay deserves to be experienced at a locked 60.
What's most baffling about A Thief's End, however, is that the original three Uncharted games already run at 60fps in the Uncharted Collection. It feels odd to think of the performance discrepancy if fans play the series chronologically on their PS5.
The Last Guardian
The Last Guardian is an interesting case because there is already a way to play it at 4K 60fps on PS5. The only catch is that fans must already own a physical copy of the game on PS4 and most importantly, do not update it to the latest patch.
Running the game unpatched on PS5 allows fans to experience The Last Guardian precisely the way it really should be experienced. It's unfortunate, though, that there is no official way to play the game this way, especially because it is also part of the PlayStation Plus Collection on PlayStation 5.
This one hurts a little bit more because those who own the digital version of the game can't roll the game's patches back.
The Last Of Us 2
Once again the latest in a hit Naughty Dog series is left behind without a PS5 patch. A full 4K 60fps patch for The Last Of Us 2 would make a great game even better.
Just as The Last Of Us was remastered and released for PS4 (and seems to be getting a full-on remake), it is very likely the same will happen here, where a remaster of The Last Of Us 2 is quietly being worked on, opening the door to more than just a frame rate and resolution boost.
The Last of Us 2 already looks great on PS5 via backwards compatibility but imagine how faster load times, increased frames, and ray-tracing could affect the feel of Ellie's adventure.
Batman: Return to Arkham
Unlike Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, where the series' early entries run at 60fps, the Batman Arkham series is a bit different: only the latest release, Batman Arkham Knight, runs at 60fps on PS5.
Before Insomniac's fantastic Spider-Man and Miles Morales, Batman Arkham ruled the roost, setting the stage for all of the superhero games to follow. So it goes without question that the remaster of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City is far overdue.
Gravity Rush 2
Why Gravity Rush 2 doesn't already hit 60fps on PS4 is another headscratcher. The remaster of the PS Vita classic, and this game's predecessor, Gravity Rush, runs at the incredibly smooth frame rate on Sony's last-gen system, so having the sequel being locked to 30fps feels quite anti-climactic.
It felt that way when the game released in 2017, and it still feels that way today. Hopefully, we can see this addition for Gravity Rush 2, but the recent departures from SIE Japan put the prospect of such a patch in jeopardy.
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Guerilla Games' smash-hit has struck a chord with more than 10 million fans (at the very least) since it released on the PS4 in 2017. Many, including myself, immediately connected with Aloy, her resolve, and her adventure. Plus it's cool to take down giant robot creatures with a bow and arrow.
With the sequel on the horizon (pun intended), the recent release of Horizon: Zero Dawn on PC, and Sony giving away the PS4 version via the Play At Home program in mid-April, a PS5 upgrade is sure to release soon, right?
In any case, like many others on this list, we already know how good the game would look and feel with a 4K/60fps upgrade thanks to the PC version, so it's time for the PS5 to come up to par with it.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima's latest epic is certainly controversial, but it cannot be denied that Death Stranding is a beautiful and, at times, horrific experience. Though it originally released on PS4, its subsequent PC release showed how incredible it can be when rendered at such high fidelity.
Unlike many of the games on this list, Death Stranding needs an upgrade to 4K/60fps not for its moment-to-moment gameplay, but for the world and story built around it. So much of why Death Stranding works relies on unperturbed immersion, and being able to experience its environmental storytelling in the finest detail — without losing any performance — is key to the experience.
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So there you have it: eight PS4 games that so desperately need a 4K/60fps patch to take full advantage of the PS5's hardware.
What games did we miss? What would you have included? Which game from the list would you be most excited for if a patch was announced? Let us know in the comments down below!
Published: Apr 9, 2021 10:31 am