While Mark is immersed in the intricate details of his review, I’ve taken the opportunity to delve into the performance of 007 First Light on PC. Armed with a laser beam, I playfully demanded the game to unveil its secrets, and to its credit, it complied without hesitation. The old adage rings true: when you wield a laser, everything can resemble a cinematic moment from a Bond film.
Performance Insights
My curiosity about how First Light performs on PCs has been piqued for months. The game’s initial footage reveal was marked by noticeable framerate dips during intense action sequences, a candid glimpse into its developmental stage. While such technical hiccups are not ideal for a final product, there’s an endearing quality to its rawness.
After spending five hours engaged in gameplay, including the same car chase and airfield shootout showcased in the reveal, I’m cautiously optimistic about the release build. It appears to be significantly more stable, although some performance discrepancies remain between the action-packed and stealth segments. The implementation of DLSS 4.5’s Dynamic MFG tool also suggests it requires further fine-tuning.
On a positive note, DLSS upscaling performs admirably, delivering substantial framerate improvements on Quality mode, whether on an RTX 5080 at 4K or a modest RTX 5050 at 1080p. At the latter resolution, the visuals are noticeably sharper compared to AMD FSR, which, while beneficial for non-RTX graphics cards, doesn’t quite match the clarity offered by DLSS. My GTX 1070, which is just above the minimum spec of a GTX 1660, struggled to maintain 30fps in crowded scenes at native 1080p on low settings. However, with Quality FSR, it managed to rise to the 45-50fps range, showcasing the game’s adaptability.
For those with more robust setups, fluctuations in performance are still to be expected. The RTX 5050 averaged around 60fps during NPC-heavy infiltration scenarios, but as the action shifted to a mountainside chase, the framerate dipped to approximately 45fps. Importantly, these drops were consistent rather than erratic, a welcome improvement over the unpredictable stutters seen in earlier footage.
RTX users can enhance visual smoothness further with frame generation, although this feature is not available on AMD or GeForce GTX GPUs. For optimal results, I recommend utilizing the classic 2x multiplier for DLSS frame generation. While it didn’t quite double my framerates, it elevated the RTX 5050 from around 60fps to a more enjoyable 72-80fps with minimal impact on input lag.
However, caution is advised with higher multipliers. The 4x and above settings should be approached with skepticism, reminiscent of Sean Connery’s aversion to taxes. First Light is among the first to adopt DLSS 4.5’s 5x, 6x, and Dynamic MFG modes, which, while faster, introduce noticeable lag and artifacting. The visual discrepancies can be jarring, as illustrated by a peculiar instance where James appeared to grow a second face in Dynamic mode.
Despite these quirks, Dynamic MFG has potential for specific use cases. Its ability to adjust frame generation based on the number of real frames being rendered indicates a thoughtful approach to mitigating the drawbacks of excessive frame generation. Nevertheless, the default auto-adjustment between varying degrees of generation errors is less than appealing. To maximize performance, it’s advisable to limit Dynamic mode’s multiplier to 3x and set a target FPS to prevent overreach.
Overall, First Light demonstrates solid technical performance. While it benefits from high-end hardware, it remains accessible to a broader audience. The optional ray tracing enhances the visual experience, and the game avoids major performance pitfalls during explosive moments. Although it would be ideal for performance to remain consistently high, I can’t help but wonder if my heightened awareness of the initial reveal footage has colored my perception of the game’s current state. Perhaps I should have reconsidered my decision to auction off that laser after all.
