Resident Evil 2 PS4 Pro vs Xbox One X: Which Version Should You Buy?

Resident Evil 2 has you running and gunning down an assortment of zombies as you progress through a 20-hour campaign to escape the undead of Raccoon City. In our Resident Evil 2 review we felt it was a fantastic reimagining of its source material, a 1998 PS1 game by the same name. If you want to play Resident Evil 2, you can do so on the PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC from January 25. While we're yet to play Resident Evil 2 on PC, we were fortunate enough to play the game on both the PS4 Pro and the Xbox One X. So if you were wondering which of these platforms to play it on, here's what you need to know.

Resident Evil 2 PS4 Pro and Xbox One X enhancements

While Capcom has stated in the past that Resident Evil 2 would allow players to toggle between 1080p at 60fps and 4K at 30fps, that doesn't seem to be the case in the final release. There's no toggle between prioritising frame rate or resolution in the game's menus though players can expand their field of view to see more of the game world. Outside of sharper visuals brought on to the Xbox One X by the increased resolution, there's little to differentiate between the two in terms of feature set.

Resident Evil 2 PS4 Pro and Xbox One X frame rate

Resident Evil 2 makes use of the PS4 Pro's and Xbox One X's beefier specs to push 4K resolution and a frame rate that appears to be close to 60fps given how smooth it looks. That said, both consoles manage to hold a steady frame rate even in the most hectic scenarios, particularly with multiple zombies on screen and the Tyrant chasing you down. Even with effects such as fire, rain, and smoke in full use, both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X delivered a solid experience, holding up admirably. Regardless of the console you own, Resident Evil 2's frame rate remains consistent at both 4K and 1080p.

Resident Evil 2 PS4 Pro and Xbox One X graphics

This is where things get a bit interesting. Both PS4 Pro and Xbox One X suffer from the odd instance of shimmering. Certain indoor surfaces like walls and pillars look like they've been smeared with vaseline. It's present on both consoles. However, it's more apparent on the PS4 Pro. Furthermore, intricate hair animations on Claire and Leon tend to get caught in their collars on the PS4 Pro rather than the Xbox One X. Plus, Resident Evil 2 looks a tad more softer overall on the PS4 Pro versus the Xbox One X, with effects like rain and fog looking a bit duller on Sony's console compared to Microsoft. Sections with fast movement, such as dodging a monster or firing machine gun rounds, has some blurring on the PS4 Pro when compared to the Xbox One X. Lighting and textures also appear just a bit more sharper on the Xbox One X.

Resident Evil 2 PS4 Pro vs Xbox One - what to buy it on?

Overall, the Xbox One X has the edge in terms of visuals. As for frame rate Resident Evil 2 holds up well on both consoles. Considering the level of optimisation Capcom has achieved with Resident Evil 2 on the PS4 Pro and Xbox One X, it will be interesting to see how the PC version fares. As it stands though, if you have an Xbox One X, that's where you should be playing Resident Evil 2.

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