The PS5 Pro enhanced games I can't wait to play – but a big one is missing
This powerful console promises big enhancements
by Max Freeman-Mills · T3The PlayStation 5 Pro is now literally just moments away from being in the hands of a whole bunch of people around the world – including those of us who took the plunge and pre-ordered it. With that clock counting down, and the full T3 review also right around the corner, you might be wondering what games you'll actually find enhanced for the console.
After all, after a few weeks of arrivals, the next couple of months look suspiciously quiet on the gaming front, making the recent back catalogue surprisingly important for the PS5 Pro. A recent PlayStation blog post has provided a handy list of all the games that will be enhanced on day one for the PS5 Pro compared to the normal PS5, and I've sifted through it to pick out three titles I can't wait to sample – plus one that I'm a little gutted is missing from the list.
My next obsession: Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon Age: The Veilguard | Official Launch Trailer - YouTube
I've been racing to finish Metaphor: Refantazio so that I can tuck into The Veilguard, which has been a long time coming after Dragon Age: Inquisition all the way back in 2014. A decade is too long to wait for a new Dragon Age!
Now, though, I'm waiting just a little longer – The Veilguard will be PS5 Pro-enhanced, although we don't know exactly in what ways. Given how cinematic it looks, though, and how some of the environments it offers up are genuinely large, it's likely to see improved performance and resolution at 60FPS, which should make it easier to enjoy its flowing combat without compromises.
A twitchy shooter: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 - Global Launch Gameplay Trailer - YouTube
I can't pretend that I've held off on playing Black Ops 6, though – it's been the perfect palate cleanser when I want a break from single-player fun. I can't go a year without falling into a brief or extended COD multiplayer addiction, and with a 120Hz-capable gaming TV, I already enjoy really smooth frame rates in the game.
With PS5 Pro enhancements, though, I'm hoping for those frame rates to be at a boosted resolution, to further reduce the drawbacks of their responsiveness. Since I haven't dabbled with its apparently excellent campaign, either, so a visual boost is a great reason to boot up its conspiracy-riddled and explosive story.
A graphical powerhouse: Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2 on PlayStation 5 Pro Comparison Video ESRB - YouTube
I was a big fan of Alan Wake 2 when it came out about a year ago, and since then it's had two DLC story packs added, with both apparently expanding its story in really interesting directions. That means there's plenty of new stuff for me to sink my teeth into if I revisit the game.
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To make that all the more enticing, developer Remedy has been one of the few to go into real detail on how the PS5 Pro will improve the visuals in its game. The comparison video you can watch above makes it clear that Quality Mode will now look stunning with full ray-traced reflections, while Performance mode will pop even more while sticking to 60FPS. I can't to see how each feels.
A huge miss: Valorant
Valorant - Cinematic Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games - YouTube
There's no pretending that the list of PS5 Pro-enhanced games is all-encompassing, though. Many players will scroll down it and see that some of the games they most regularly play are missing, and for me that means Valorant, which I've got right into since it launched on PS5 this year.
It already runs extremely smoothly and crisply on my base PS5, but there's always room for better performance, and to see that it won't get any improvements, at least at launch, is a bit of a disappointment. Then again, I'm also one of the many players still waiting for Epic Games to actually release a native PS5 version of Rocket League, so I'm used to not getting what I want from service games.
Will it be worth it?
That all leaves me with the crucial question – is it going to be worth it? The money's left my account, including extra for a disc drive (back when you could find them in stock), but I'll also have to now sell my launch PS5 after moving over all my data.
I can't pretend that's not a pain, and I'll still have paid quite a chunk for the privilege of upgrade that many people won't even notice. Time will tell whether it's a foolish purchase, but I'm still looking forward to my slightly-crisper resolutions and slightly-faster frame rates when they come.