The short answer

On a base PS5, pick Performance (60fps, 1440p–1080p internal) unless you have a 120Hz VRR display, in which case Fidelity unlocked by VRR climbs toward 60fps with far better image quality. On PS5 Pro, Performance Pro is the default recommendation — it runs at 60fps with roughly Fidelity-level visuals reconstructed by PSSR — and Advanced Ray Tracing is worth enabling at a cost of only 3–4fps.

A drive, heatsink and white console panels are arranged on a technical workbench.
Original concept artA hardware preparation study; specifications are supplied by the article, not this concept art.

Every mode, and what it actually runs at

ModeConsoleTargetInternal resolution
FidelityPS530 fps2160p – 1440p
PerformancePS560 fps1440p – 1080p
Fidelity ProPS5 Pro30 fpsFidelity, reconstructed by PSSR
Performance ProPS5 Pro60 fpsFidelity-class visuals via PSSR
Advanced Ray TracingPS5 ProToggle, not a modeBetter reflections and global illumination

Both base-console modes use dynamic resolution, so the two numbers are the ceiling and the floor rather than a fixed output. Performance drops to 1080p internal in the heaviest combat scenes, which is where the softness people notice comes from.

The important structural point is that Performance Pro is not "Performance with a bit more resolution" — it takes the standard Fidelity presentation and reconstructs it with PSSR to hold 60fps. That is the single biggest reason to own a Pro for this game.

Base PS5: what to pick

On a standard 60Hz TV: choose Performance. This is a parry-timed melee game where the defensive window is the core mechanic, and 60fps makes that window meaningfully easier to read. The resolution cost is real but it is the right trade for this genre.

On a 120Hz VRR TV: try Fidelity first. With VRR engaged, Fidelity is no longer locked to 30 — it climbs toward 60fps in normal play and only dips in the busiest scenes. You get the 2160p–1440p internal range with most of the smoothness. This is the setup most people do not realise exists, and it is the best-looking way to play on a base console.

Enable 120Hz Output in the PS5 system settings first. The game cannot use VRR headroom if the console is outputting at 60Hz — check Settings → Screen and Video → Video Output on the console itself, not in the game menu.

PS5 Pro: what to pick

Default answer: Performance Pro with Advanced Ray Tracing on.

Advanced Ray Tracing is the surprise here. Ray tracing usually forces a mode choice; in this game the measured cost on Pro is around 3 to 4 fps, which is inside the range VRR absorbs entirely. Reflections and global illumination both improve — Madripoor's wet neon streets are where you see it most — for a cost that does not change which mode you are in.

Fidelity Pro is for 30fps tolerators only. It exists, it looks superb, and on a VRR display it can hold well above 30 — but Performance Pro is already delivering Fidelity-class image quality at double the frame rate. There is less reason to sit in a 30fps mode on this game than on most.

The one caveat is PSSR. Reconstruction artefacts show up most on fine detail in motion — chain-link fences, falling snow in the Canadian chapters — so if that particular kind of shimmer bothers you, Fidelity Pro is the clean option.

Quick picks by setup

Your setupModeRay tracing
PS5 + 60Hz TVPerformancen/a
PS5 + 120Hz VRR TVFidelity (VRR unlocked)n/a
PS5 + competitive/parry focusPerformancen/a
PS5 Pro + any TVPerformance ProOn
PS5 Pro + photo mode / screenshotsFidelity ProOn
Sensitive to PSSR shimmerFidelity ProOn

The 120Hz and VRR detail people miss

VRR changes this game more than it changes most, because both modes have real headroom above their targets.

With a 120Hz display and VRR active, testing found Performance mode can exceed 100fps in lighter scenes rather than sitting at a flat 60. Fidelity, meanwhile, approaches 60 rather than sticking to 30. In both cases the frame rate becomes a range instead of a cap, and the tearing and judder that normally punish an uncapped mode are gone.

That is why the recommendation flips on a 120Hz set: without VRR, Fidelity is a locked 30 and clearly worse for a combat game; with VRR it is closer to a high-resolution 50–60 and clearly better.

If your TV supports 120Hz but not VRR, stay on Performance. Uncapped without VRR just means uneven frame pacing.

The non-graphics settings worth changing on day one

Two more options affect how the game feels more than any resolution number:

  • Navigation Assist and waypoint icons. Both are on by default and both can be turned down. This is the single biggest change to how cluttered the screen looks — see our scent trail and HUD page for the full list.
  • Content toggles for violence and adult language. New for an Insomniac Marvel game, added because this is the studio's first M-rated entry. They live in the same settings menu, not behind a system-level parental control.

Difficulty is worth a mention too: there are no difficulty-based trophies, so playing on a lower threat level costs you nothing toward the platinum.

How this page is sourced

Article text draws on the official channels and press reporting listed in the sources below. Where a figure is an estimate or a claim is unconfirmed, the page says so rather than presenting it as fact. Last research pass: September 14, 2026. Illustrations are original AI-assisted concept art created for this wiki, not official screenshots or evidence of unannounced content.

Sources

References and further reading for this article.