- The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro features of Directive 8020 have been revealed
- The PS5 edition uses PSSR for “sharper visuals” and enhanced ray tracing
- Supermassive Games says the title was also designed with the DualSense controller in mind
Supermassive Games has revealed the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro features of its next major entry in its Dark Pictures Anthology, Directive 8020.
The interactive survival horror title launches in May, and ahead of its launch, the developer has outlined the tech that will “deepen the tension, clarity, and emotional impact at the heart of the game” on PlayStation.
According to Will Burdon, studio technical director at Supermassive, PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) is the most significant enhancement for the PS5 Pro version by offering “sharper visuals”.
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“PSSR intelligently enhances image detail and clarity frame by frame, allowing environments, character models, and subtle environmental storytelling to appear crisp and well-defined,” Burdon wrote in a new PlayStation Blog post.
“The metallic corridors of the Cassiopeia, the frost forming across a freezing medical lab, the distortion in a reflective visor, all of these details benefit from the added sharpness.”
The enhancements on PS5 Pro also boast advanced ray tracing, meaning lighting will behave more realistically in corridors and dark corners, heightening the horror of Directive 8020.
Dynamic shadows also “add depth and movement to scenes, making environments feel less static and more unpredictable”, while also enhancing the game’s tense atmosphere.
“The added richness in shadow rendering enhances atmosphere in subtle but powerful ways, reinforcing the unease that runs through the entire experience,” Burdon said.
A PS5 Pro enhanced version also means improved frame rate for “smooth, consistent performance” that will ensure players hit those split-second decisions that permanently shape the story on time, as well as fluid camera movements and cinematic transitions.
Supermassive also said that the game was “designed with the PlayStation 5 in mind”, particularly the DualSense Wireless Controller, and wants interactions to feel “instinctive”, whether that be reaching for the flashlight button, scanning a room before entering a hatch, or grabbing the wedge tool at the last second.
Haptic feedback “puts the fear in your hands during choices and while using tools,” and the controller’s audio output will alert players to distant characters to communicate with through the game’s messenger tool.
“Our goal was simple: make the controller your tool for survival and fully immerse you in the world, to keep you on the edge of your seat,” Burdon said.
Directive 8020 launches on May 12 for PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC.
The game will also feature a couch co-op mode called Movie Night, which allows up to five players to play through the entire story together in local couch co-op, where each player takes control of a crew member.
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