Is the First Descendant a technical glitch? Tech experts highlight performance issues and more

This generation of consoles gives us a variety of PC-like graphics options in gaming, with the PS5, Xbox Series X, and even Series S typically offering at least one quality and one performance mode.

However, Nexon Games' latest effort, The First Descendant , goes further and offers three main modes in addition to FSR 3 frame rate generation for increased performance and a ray tracing option. This means there are a lot of setup options, albeit noisy ones. Digital Foundry Technology Check Only a few of them are really useful.

The first descendant falls into the trap

The First Descendant falls into the same trap that the Saints Row reboot from 2022 and the more recent Hogwarts Legacy fell into. There are simply too many modes on PS5 and Series X and S, which means some of the optimization work is being passed on to users.

According to Digital Foundry, without a clear recommendation, the many possible combinations are overwhelming and often result in poor refresh rates. There are nine possible different types on PS5 and the series

Digital Foundry tested the performance in each mode on the PS5 series, however, the ray tracing option on consoles has major drawbacks. On the PS5 and Series X, either ray tracing or frame generation can be activated, but not both at the same time. Additionally, according to the analysis, activating ray tracing often causes the game to crash, meaning it is currently useless on consoles.

The resolution mode is at 30fps on PS5 and Series Pacing, which is not the case on PS5. Performance mode aims for 60fps, but it doesn't always achieve that in a stable manner, especially in graphics-intensive scenes. Overall, this mode is still the best choice for fast-paced games like this.

Furthermore, framerate generation doesn’t work optimally on consoles. On PS5, the tech is trying to hit 90 FPS, while the Series X and S aim for 60 FPS. However, framerate generation often results in inconsistent framerates and VRR issues, making it not recommended. The Series S has similar issues and runs at a lower resolution. According to Digital Foundry, the 30 FPS resolution mode is the best option here.

Overall, The First Descendant lacks the necessary optimization and stability, especially in ray tracing mode, which, according to Digital Foundry, requires further patches.