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Far Cry 6 in the test: no next-gen graphics, but fast ray tracing on RDNA 2

Oct 7, 2021

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More than two and a half years after the release of Far Cry New Dawn, Far Cry 6 is a new offshoot of the open world shooter series. The game made a good impression in the technology test. But despite the optimized PC version, DXR ray tracing, FSR and HD texture package, the optics are not “next gen”.

Table of contents

1 No next-gen graphics, but fast ray tracing on RDNA 2
1. Despite some innovations, the graphics are no longer” AAA “
2. A first-class graphics menu at Ubisoft level
3. Optional HD textures require more memory
2 Ray tracing and AMD FSR in detail
1. Die Image quality of ray tracing
2. The performance of ray tracing
3. The image quality of AMD FSR
4. The performance of AMD FSR
3 benchmarks in Full HD, WQHD & amp; Ultra HD and frame times
1. The test system and the benchmark scene
2. Benchmarks in Full HD, WQHD and Ultra HD (update)
3. Benchmarks in Full HD, WQHD and Ultra HD with ray tracing (update)
4. Decent frame times with medium-sized outliers
4 Conclusion
1. Current Technology, but no next-gen optics
2. HD textures require 12 GB VRAM in Ultra HD
3. Ray tracing with high performance on Radeon and GeForce

Update 10/6/2021 4:47 p.m.

ComputerBase has added further graphics card benchmarks in Full HD, WQHD and Ultra HD, with a total of up to 18 graphics cards to the Far Cry 6 test, with both deactivated and activated ray tracing. This means that 3D accelerators from GeForce GTX 1060 to Radeon RX 5600 XT to GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and Radeon RX 6900 XT are represented in the test field.

A good two and a half years after Far Cry New Dawn (test), Ubisoft is sending the popular open-world shooter series on a new adventure. Far Cry 6 is based strongly on its predecessors and does not reinvent the wheel. Nevertheless, there are some changes with an adapted scenario, a new story and an improved open world, which make the game appear fresh again after the waiting period.

Despite some innovations, the graphic is no longer” AAA “

The same applies to the graphics. Like its predecessors, Far Cry 6 uses the in-house Dunia 2 engine, but has several improvements over New Dawn and the game looks quite chic overall. From time to time it is even really nice, because the level design in combination with the sunlight makes for really chic moments. But there are also scenarios in which the graphics are at most average. Especially at night, Far Cry 6 does not look beautiful and also not up-to-date.

In a modern AAA game, you can actually expect a little more. The competing Assassin's Creed series from the same company, for example, clearly offers more for the eye. Far Cry 6's graphics are definitely not “Next Gen”. There are too many weaknesses for that.

Mit Ray tracing and FSR there are important upgrades

Far Cry 6 still offers important improvements over its predecessor on the PC. The only API available is DirectX 12 – the DirectX 11 used so far is completely left out. In line with this, Microsoft's own DXR extension supports ray tracing, whereby the rays are used for nicer reflections and the shadows. AMD's upscaling technology FidelityFX Super Resolution (test) is also on board. And with an optionally downloadable HD texture pack, there are particularly detailed surfaces.

A first-class graphics menu at Ubisoft level

For some time now, Ubisoft has always been offering first-class graphics menus on the PC in terms of convenience and features, and this is also the case with Far Cry 6. There are very few other games that can offer such variety. Because in addition to the classics such as four different graphic presets (“Low”, “Medium”, “High”, “Ultra”) and numerous individual detail options, there are many other setting options.

Far Cry 6 offers an FPS limiter that can be freely activated between 30 and 144 FPS in 1-FPS steps – or remains off. In-game downsampling and upsampling are available, whereby the resolution can be freely configured in the range of factors 0.5 × and 2.0 ×. In addition, there is a separately activated dynamic resolution, like on consoles, which tries to keep the frame rate either above 30 FPS or 60 FPS.

The PC version was developed in cooperation with AMD, as a result of which some AMD features have been added to the game. FidelityFX Super Resolution includes its own upscaling technology and FidelityFX CAS, an automatic resharpening filter from the AMD modular system.

Apart from the features, the graphics menu of Far Cry 6 offers a lot. There are sample screenshots for the individual graphic options and the more complex functions have been given a more detailed description. In addition, a VRAM display and an integrated benchmark are at the start.

Optional HD textures require more memory

Far Cry 6 offers optionally downloadable, higher-resolution textures, which are simply called “HD textures” in the game. If you switch to or from HD textures, you have to restart the game. HD textures are not uncommon for the Far Cry range. The effects that HD textures have in Far Cry 6 are, however.

Without HD textures, Far Cry 6 doesn't need a lot of VRAM. 8 GB is enough for everything – up to Ultra HD including ray tracing. In FHD and WQHD it looks like the HD textures won't change anything. This assessment is quickly refuted in Ultra HD and with ray tracing.

In UHD 12 GB VRAM are mandatory

Ultra HD with HD textures is simply not playable with only 8 GB of VRAM. Far Cry 6 then ends in a single jerk orgy. And not only that: even 10 GB is not enough. After the first load everything runs smoothly, but after a while or even just opening the map for a short time, everything is over. Far Cry 6 doesn't just run slower or stall every now and then, but there are single-digit frame rates – constant. With 12 GB of memory, however, there are no longer any problems, which even applies to ray tracing with UHD.

Although the editorial team cannot guarantee that this will not change after a while, Far Cry 6 deletes data from the VRAM in a clearly visible manner every now and then when it is no longer needed. 12 GB resulted in no problems in the test, most likely they will not do it even after a long period of play.