Spider-Man 2 launched on PS5 and the highly-anticipated superhero game leaves you with some big decisions to make when it comes to graphics and stability.
Ultimately, it comes down to fidelity versus performance, and the decision will largely be up to you in Spider-Man 2.
Should you use Performance mode in Spider-Man 2?
If you're looking to get the best framerate you can out of Spider-Man 2, then selecting the Performance setting in Graphics Mode will be the best for you. The game will target 60 FPS the whole time, but you'll take a visual hit in the process. Instead of hitting a full 4K resolution, it'll top out at a dynamic 1440p and drop to around 1080p at times. The image above is an example of what the game will look like with Performance mode on. The reflections are still there, but they just take a hit to image quality when compared to the Fidelity mode.
On top of the resolution drop, you'll notice worse textures and ray-tracing. In practice, it doesn't look all too bad and you'll get used to it fast. If you have a TV that supports VRR and 120hz, you can unlock a few extra features. VRR will automatically smooth out framerate dips, essentially making it feel like you're getting a solid 60 the entire time even if there are drops.
Turning off the Smoothed option will allow you to push higher than 60 FPS, but there will be some drawbacks to that. Your TV will no longer smooth out the drops, so you might feel some sudden shifts while playing. It will also drop the resolution further down to try and get a higher, but variable, framerate. If you're especially susceptible to dips like that, leaving on the Smoothed option will be much better.
Should you use Fidelity mode in Spider-Man 2?
If you want to take full advantage of the graphical horsepower the PS5 can offer, then Fidelity mode will be right for you. This mode targets a full 4K resolution, but the framerate will be capped at 30. For a game that depends on fluidity and fast movements like Spider-Man 2, this could be a deal breaker for many, even if the framerate is quite stable.
As a tradeoff for the lower framerate, just about everything in the game will look better. You'll get better textures, particle effects, and a higher base resolution. The ray-tracing will also look a lot better, and this can easily be tested by scaling the side of a building and looking at the reflections from the windows. The image above shows how crisp the game looks with fully maxed out ray-tracing.
If you have VRR and 120hz support, you can get some cool features. As a nice middle ground between framerate and graphics, you can enable a 40 FPS mode that keeps the Fidelity settings. You'll get 10 extra frames per second and the same high-quality graphics. Of course, that's not an option for everybody, but it's nice to have if you have the necessary hardware. Turning off the Smoothed VRR option will allow you to climb all the way up to 60 FPS, but there will be a lot of drops between 40 and 60. If you want the smoothest settings, you'll want to leave the aptly named Smoothed option enabled.
Film Grain in Spider-Man 2
Film grain adds detail to images, but not everybody likes the look of it. The above image is what Spider-Man 2 looks like with Film Grain turned up to 10.
The result is a little bit of added detail with the grain on, but it ultimately doesn't make too much of a difference, especially if you like the cleaner, digital look that's offered with it toggled off. You can also give yourself a middle ground by setting it to 5.
Chromatic Aberration in Spider-Man 2
Chromatic Aberration blurs the edge of an image to give a more cinematic feel to the game. As expected, not everybody is on board with that. Luckily, it's easy to toggle on and off. The above image is what it looks like when it's on.
It's a lot easier to notice in motion, but what you'll be looking for is the corner of the screen giving a sort of rainbow effect. The next time you're swinging through the city, just keep an eye out and see if you like the setting better on or off.
Depth of Field in Spider-Man 2
Depth of Field will blur far off or background objects, again lending itself to a more immersive and cinematic feel. Not everyone is looking for that in their games, so they toggle it off.
Looking at images and swinging through the city are entirely different things. Zipping around will give you a much better idea of whether or not you like having Depth of Field on or off. Photo mode will also be a way to make it stand out.
The image above of Miles brings him to the foreground and blurs the background with Depth of Field. You're not going to get anything that looks quite like this through gameplay, but it'll be fun to mess around with when you think you have a good screenshot opportunity.
What are the best graphics settings in Spider-Man 2?
Ultimately, you'll have two choices at the end of the day. If you're somebody who values the best graphics possible, then fidelity mode will be the best, and more specifically the 40 FPS one. If you have a 120hz TV, this is your best overall choice. It gives you a very nice blend of graphics and framerate.
If a 120hz TV is not an option for you, then it gets trickier. Performance mode will give you a smooth 60 FPS while Fidelity drops it down to 30 FPS but gives better visuals. It varies by person, so figure out if you value graphics or framerate more. Insomniac crafted a good experience no matter what you go for, so it's tough to go wrong. Film grain, depth of field, chromatic aberration, and motion blur are all going to be things that come down to personal preference, as they have little to no impact on performance.
For more Spider-Man 2 guides, check out All villains in Spider-Man 2, ranked by difficulty on Pro Game Guides.
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Best visual settings for Spider-Man 2
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