Tech evaluation finds Assassin’s Creed Shadows is “one of many biggest” PS5 Pro upgrades but, and praises “a generational divide in lights constancy”

I’m not really a huge enthusiast of the PS5 Pro, but this recent video demonstrating the variance in visual quality for Assassin’s Creed Shadows might change that opinion.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows already looks like a polished game, but Digital Foundry’s new video illustrating the differences between the standard PS5 performance mode and the PS5 Pro performance mode is impressive. The environment possesses greater depth, the lighting is more vibrant, and even the colors appear to stand out more.

“Shadows features one of the most significant Pro enhancements we’ve encountered thus far,” notes the narrator, and I can understand why. Shadows bloom more effectively, and indoor areas seem to gain additional depth. I wouldn’t have said the standard version looks flat, but when compared side by side, the difference is stark.

The narrator mentions this is due to RTGI on the Pro, which stands for ray-traced global illumination. Essentially, every light source reflects and bounces off the environment, creating a more realistic light diffusion. While realism isn’t always superior—I tend to prefer stylized games over those aiming to look like photographs—it is undeniably a significant advancement here.

Digital Foundry describes it as “a generational divide in lighting quality,” and this is especially evident in the wooded areas of Shadows. On the standard PS5, spots beneath tree cover appear somewhat murky, which is expected. However, on the PS5 Pro, light filters through, forming distinct contrasts between illuminated and shadowy regions. Opening and closing doors even causes the shadows they cast to shift on the Pro version, unlike on the original PS5.

Usually, I don’t focus too much on these visual details, but I appreciate that a company as large as Ubisoft is advancing gaming technology. Furthermore, I’m excited because I plan to spend quite a bit of time befriending monkeys so they come to my hideout, and I want them all to look their best.

If you’re wondering whether to invest in a Pro, check out our list of the top PS5 games you can play right now.