The first exclusive project of the new Xbox Series has already been available since January 28. The Medium is the new exclusive title for Microsoft consoles and PCs developed by Bloober Team. The horror title is the studio’s most ambitious work to date, and it shows. In addition to the narrative quality, the biggest key is the setting, for which the new “Dual Reality” system is essential.
But many users have complained – if we can say it in any way – that The Medium doesn’t seem technically powerful enough to not jump into the previous generation. While Bloober Team claimed that the dual reality or “Dual Reality” system required a lot of resources, fans responded that it was not something new, that split-screen games have been around for a long time. However, the studio opened the engine hood of their game by updating the post of Xbox Wire focusing precisely on this issue. What is the difference?
The double reality of the medium is a hog of resources
Jacek Zięba, producer of Bloober Team is responsible for clarifying this issue for us. Basically, what Dual Reality does is very different from split screen multiplayer.
Essentially, split-screen games show you two instances of the same location, but on The Medium the two worlds shown are completely different, each with their own unique patterns, textures, properties, lighting, and visual effects. It’s much more demanding in terms of memory, storage, and rendering.
But it doesn’t end there, as Zięba takes the whole costly double reality process one step further:
In addition, effects such as motion blur or ambient occlusion should be calculated and rendered twice. Overall, the game requires a significant amount of VRAM and fast storage, much faster than that used in the previous generation of hardware. While it may look similar in screenshots or trailers, technically speaking, the game’s Dual Reality system works differently and consumes a lot more power than the “ classic ” split screen.
If you still have doubts about The Medium, its playability, or whether you will like it, we invite you to take a look at our review, which will probably get you out of the doubt. Spoiler: It’s amazing.
