A fan recently released a patch for Uncharted 4 that allows the game to run close to 60 frames per second. Despite being released relatively early in the PlayStation 4’s lifespan, Uncharted 4 is undoubtedly one of the best-looking games on the consoles, in keeping with developer Naughty Dog’s reputation of releasing some of the most visually impressive console games available. However, Uncharted 4’s native 1080p resolution came at the cost of its frame rate, which remains at a consistent 30 fps throughout the campaign. Although the multiplayer runs at 60 fps, this could only be achieved by lowering the resolution to 900p.
There has been a noticeably renewed interest in increasing the frame rate on last generation console games since the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. This is because these latest consoles offer the option to upgrade select older titles, allowing for higher resolutions and increased frame rates. This is a significant development in the world of console gaming, as backward compatibility alone was considered a blessing when it was available. Now that older games can be upgraded to resemble current-day releases, console gamers have been wondering what some of their favorite titles would look like once they’ve been upscaled.
According to MP1st, a modder who goes by “illusion0001” has answered that question as it pertains to Uncharted 4. Illusion0001 explains in their patch notes that this mod was quite simple to develop; by searching the game’s code for “1600” and “900”–the game’s multiplayer resolution–changing the resolution was as simple as replacing the numbers. To achieve a steady frame rate of roughly 59 fps, the tradeoff is that the resolution must be lowered to 540p. The lessened resolution allows the frame rate to be uncapped, resulting in a much smoother experience, as displayed on the modder's YouTube channel.
Of course, lowering the resolution to 540p may be a deal breaker for many Uncharted fans. One of the biggest draws for the PS4 and Xbox One consoles was their ability to play games in 1080p instead of 720p, which was generally where the previous generation capped out. Lowering the resolution below levels that even the PS3 was designed to handle makes Uncharted 4 look noticeably blurrier than before despite the animations being much smoother. That being said, illusion0001 does mention that the PS5’s hardware makes running the game at 60 fps “very much a possibility.” Considering the Uncharted series’ status as one of the defining PlayStation exclusives, it would not be surprising if the game received a PS5 upgrade in the future.
Going forward, it will be interesting to see which titles Sony decides are worthy of a PS5 upgrade. Popular titles such as Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II have already received theirs, and the results speak for themselves. Not only do the games receive an additional layer of visual polish, but the fluidity of the animations and significant reduction of load times make them an even more impressive experience than before. However, fans are still eagerly awaiting official patches for other games such as Bloodborne and Uncharted 4, although it remains to be seen whether this will ever happen. In the meantime, unofficial patches like this one will have to suffice.
Source: MP1st, illusion0001, illusion0001/YouTube