Silent Hill 2, a game powered by Unreal Engine 5, has been experiencing significant stuttering issues on PC. While Bloober Team has made commendable efforts with the game, the performance remains far from smooth. The stuttering problems extend beyond just big lurches on the frame-time graph and include traversal stutter and animation stutter. These issues make it difficult for players to enjoy a consistent gaming experience in Silent Hill 2.
Despite the performance challenges, there are some positive aspects to the PC version of the game. Graphics options are decent, and there are unique ray tracing features that enhance the visual experience. However, there are also visual flaws like cloth running at 30fps and cutscenes locking to 30fps, which can detract from the overall presentation. The PC community has been actively trying to address some of these issues with mods, but the foundational stuttering problems rooted in Unreal Engine 5 persist.
On the PS5, the stuttering issues are also present, albeit in a slightly different form. While the traversal stutter may manifest as dropped frames on the console, it is still a noticeable problem. Some players have attempted to mitigate the stuttering by capping the frame rate, but this approach does not entirely solve the issue. Additionally, animation stutter remains a concern, affecting the game update even when the frame rate is capped.
The root cause of the stuttering problems in Silent Hill 2 remains unclear. Whether it is a Windows issue, a game-specific problem, or an Unreal Engine issue is yet to be determined. While temporary fixes like capping the frame rate may alleviate some of the stuttering, they are not sustainable solutions. It is crucial for game developers and Epic to address these underlying issues to provide players with a smoother gaming experience. The community’s efforts to improve the game through mods are commendable, but a more permanent fix is needed to ensure that Silent Hill 2 can be enjoyed without the distraction of stuttering.