Digital Foundry’s latest test for Mass Effect Legendary Edition covers the collection’s performance on last-gen consoles, PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X included. Of course, the crew at Digital Foundry previously analyzed the Mass Effect trilogy’s performance on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The team found that while both current-gen systems reliably ran all three entries at 4K in 60fps, the Xbox Series X served as the true standout performance-wise. Microsoft’s latest hardware offers a smoother experience across the board; meanwhile, the PS5 dips frames during high-intensity gameplay sequences. That the Series X currently constitutes the only console capable for outputting 120hz makes the spacefaring experience all the more ideal on the pricier Xbox platform, but how might the trilogy fare on last-gen hardware?

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Upon taking a closer look at the Legendary Edition’s performance on previous generation platforms, Digital Foundry learned that PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, and Xbox One X all struggle to maintain 60fps in the Favor Frame Rate mode for Mass Effect. Later sections of ME2 and ME3 fare better, especially on PS4 Pro; thus, Sony’s mid-gen PS4 refresh offers the best experience in terms of performance. However, one curious difference lies in ME3‘s opening cutscene, wherein frames on PS4/Pro dip drastically compared to One/One X. In gameplay, though, the Pro takes the lead again. Digital Foundry noted that it’s unsure of what causes the shift. Resolution holds well across all platforms in the frame rate-centric mode, with the only differences occurring due to the base consoles targeting 1080p and the Pro/One X aiming for 1440p.

Quality Mode on PS4 and Xbox One targets 1080p/30fps and is mostly stable, though a few frame drops do appear. PS4 Pro’s Quality Mode aims to achieve 30fps at a 1800p to 4K range of resolution, which Digital Foundry discovered caused a few problems. Intense action sequences in ME1 and ME2 often drops frames on PS4 Pro, for example. Contrarily, the One X targets and typically remains locked to 4K/30fps, even during ME3’s chaotic opening segments.

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Digital Foundry’s analysis suggests PS4 Pro’s 60fps mode represents the smoothest performance out of all the last-gen platforms, yet its 30fps option counts among the worst. On the other hand, the Xbox One X’s Quality Mode serves as one of the best ways to play the beloved BioWare trilogy on last-gen hardware.

Electronic Arts and BioWare finally launched the remastered collection earlier this month, giving fans and newcomers alike a chance to experience the space opera on more modern hardware. Of course, such a release sets the ground work for the eventual roll out of the next Mass Effect entry, which BioWare teased last year with a Liara-starring teaser trailer.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is out now on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.

Source: Digital Foundry

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Brianna Reeves
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A Senior Writer on Screen Rant’s Game News team, Brianna Reeves graduated from Sam Houston Statue University in 2018 with a Master of Arts in English Literature. Brianna’s enthusiasm for games dates back to Mortal Kombat Trilogy on PlayStation 1, along with classics like MediEvil, Syphon Filter, and THPS2. However, Red Dead Redemption reinvigorated her love for the medium; hopefully, that passion reflects in the work she has contributed to Comic Book Resources, PlayStation LifeStyle, GVMERS, and Screen Rant.

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