http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2016-vs-dying-light-the-following-enhanced-edition wrote:XB1However, there's another problem with this version of the game that has been around for quite some time, it seems - Dying Light is rendered nearly unplayable when using the Instant On feature available on Xbox One - a feature that enables faster console startup times while allowing users to continue playing from where they left off. In Dying Light, this OS level option triggers a bug that basically forces a double buffer v-sync mode rather than the standard adaptive v-sync mode.
The reason this is a problem is simple - when the hardware is under load we see more significant performance drops. Scenes that operate at or near 30fps normally can come crashing down to a full on 20fps instead. The resulting frame-rate issues are rather similar to the 20fps swamp performance problems that plagued the PS4 version of The Witcher 3 for months. While this issue is in effect, we observed frame-times rapidly alternating between 33ms and 50ms (and higher) producing a very uneven level of performance that impacts controller response and the presentation alike.
Thankfully, when operating normally, performance is much better. We see a level of performance closer to 30fps most of the time with more demanding areas dropping to an average of 27fps with screen-tear. The countryside region available in the DLC certainly seems to struggle more often on Xbox One thanks to the abundance of foliage but it's still very playable. Unfortunately, in order to play the game optimally, you may need to restart your console on a regular basis or simply disable the Instant On feature. Neither solution is really acceptable and we only hope this can be patched out at some point simply because, beyond this issue, Dying Light is reasonably solid on Xbox One.
PS4This would be all well and good if not for one seriously frustrating bug that has plagued Dying Light from day one - frame-rate spikes above 30fps. Now, on paper, this doesn't sound awful. We're certainly not fans of the added judder one must deal with when running with an unlocked frame-rate (as seen in Killzone Shadowfall and Infamous Second Son - both of which added a 30fps lock option), but that's not what we're seeing in Dying Light. No, in areas where there is rendering power to spare, such as indoor locations or when looking towards the sky, we see a flurry of frame-time spikes to 16ms. Like an inverted version of the Xbox One standby mode bug, the game appears to use a double buffer v-sync setup in these situations.
This back and forth between 16ms and 33ms is remarkably jarring as the game is effectively rapidly alternating between 30fps and 60fps. This impacts controller input and the general presentation producing a lurching sensation that is highly annoying. As noted, this occurs primarily indoors or while in less demanding outdoor areas. Here's the thing, though, the Enhanced Edition is further optimized than the original release and, as a result, these frame-time spikes have become more common.
If the frame-rate is clamped down to 30fps with no opportunity to go beyond this point, the PS4 would have a nigh-on locked frame-rate. It really is a shame that this problem remains. We pointed it out in our original coverage and have continued to keep tabs on the situation. With Techland updating the game so regularly we were disappointed each and every time this situation went unresolved. The fact that the game now suffers more regularly from this issue in the Enhanced Edition is deeply disappointing.