In Battle: Lighting and Effects
Battle sequences are where The Zodiac Age really shines in comparison to the original game. The PS4 version definitely uses the same texture assets of the original, but the filter that Virtuos have used does a great job of smoothing everything over and giving it a more modern sheen. In battle, lighting effects from spells and explosions look brilliant and the additional power of PS4 hardware has allowed the developers to include more over-the-top effects that wouldn’t run on PS2.
With respect to frame-rate: yes, the PS4 still runs at 30fps, which is identical to the original. But while the lack of 60fps is slightly disappointing, there’s a case to be made that the semi-turn-based combat doesn’t really require super low latency and high framerates to be enjoyed. The vividness of color, deeper palette, and sharper contrast mean that battle scenes look spectacular even in comparison to modern games.
