As a starting point, both consoles get the basics right. There are no drawbacks on the resolution front: this is a true 1920x1080 game on PS4, and a pixel count reveals it's the very same situation on Xbox One, with both backed by FXAA anti-aliasing. It's an interesting result given the console's trend of adopting lower native resolutions than PS4 to secure a smooth frame-rate, or to achieve parity in graphical features. However, Dark Souls 2's lock at 1080p plants it in the upper echelons of multi-format releases so far, at least in terms of visuals.
Xbox One pays a persistent price for matching the PS4's visual standard. Both formats target 60fps and engage v-sync at all times, but Microsoft's platform suffers the greater drops between the two in each scene of our frame-rate analysis. The Forest of Fallen Giants area is a good example, where a barrage of enemies causes a read-out of between 40-50fps on Xbox One, while PS4 operates within the 50-60fps range. Even while uncontested beneath the giant, arching trees of Things Betwixt, a regular margin of 10fps exists between the two - PS4 operating at a near perfect 60fps, while Xbox stutters along at 50fps.
Unfortunately this has the knock-on effect of making combat sluggish on Xbox One. In one example, an encounter with The Last Giant boss gives us our lowest drop, a record tumble to 36fps cued by a batch of floating souls. The PS4 goes entirely unruffled by the effect here, and it's fair to say the smoother controller response makes it easier to tackle a lingering knight after this boss battle's finished. Sony's machine does not produce a perfect 60fps of course, but it is a consistently better performer - and in a game that demands pinpoint timing for rolls and ripostes, the smoother frame-rate can make a difference.
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