Rise of the Ronin graphics modes explained: graphics, performance, and ray tracing differences

Rise of the Ronin is a gorgeous game with dense city streets and wide-open fields to explore, and the game features three distinct graphics modes to cater to all types of players. The game looks great no matter which setting you choose, but some are better than others for certain people.

All Rise of the Ronin Graphics Modes

There are three graphics modes to pick from in Rise of the Ronin.

• Prioritize Graphics
• Prioritize FPS
• Ray Tracing

These are the usual suspects that next-gen console owners have no doubt grown accustomed to at this point, but Rise of the Ronin’s visuals will change drastically depending on which of these modes you choose. There are some caveats, too, so keep reading to learn what each mode does and how to squeeze the most performance out of Rise of the Ronin.

Prioritize Graphics Mode

Graphics mode will prioritize resolution above all else, outputting at a sharp 4K resolution at the cost of framerate. The game enables a 30 FPS framerate cap by default when selecting Graphics mode, but you can choose to unlock the game’s framerate in the settings menu if you don’t mind an unstable framerate.

With an uncapped framerate, Rise of the Ronin hovers around 50 FPS in Graphics mode. It dips down below that in heavy scenes with lots of particle effects or large crowds, so we recommend capping the framerate at 30 FPS if you choose this mode. Enabling Variable Refresh Rate in the PS5’s system settings can make this mode a bit smoother, but VRR doesn’t work with anything below 48 FPS so you won’t get the benefits most of the time.

Prioritize FPS Mode

The Performance mode is best for gamers who crave those perfect parries and don’t mind a muddier image. Performance mode lowers the game’s resolution to what appears to be 1440p, but you’ll get a (mostly) locked 60 FPS. The game can drop a few frames below that in busy scenes, but it’ll never go below 50 FPS. VRR will make this mode buttery smooth if your display supports it.

While the option to uncap the framerate is still available if you choose Performance mode in Rise of the Ronin, the game won’t go any higher than 60 FPS no matter what. I tested the framerate on my LG CX OLED with VRR enabled and 120Hz support turned on in the PS5’s system settings, but Rise of the Ronin never rose above 60 FPS.

Ray Tracing Mode

This is the most interesting graphics option in Rise of the Ronin. Ray Tracing mode enables Ray Tracing, but I can’t tell exactly what it’s being used for. Even when swapping back and forth between all three modes for testing, I couldn’t figure out what was being Ray Traced in Rise of the Ronin. It’s clearly not shadows or reflections, and if it’s using Ray Tracing for something like global illumination or ambient occlusion, I couldn’t tell the difference.

Ray Tracing mode drops the game’s resolution slightly (though not as low as Performance mode) and the framerate obviously takes a hit, too. It hovers around 45-50 FPS most of the time, so you should be able to get some use out of VRR with this mode enabled. Still, I wouldn’t recommend this over the other two modes.

Which Graphics Mode is Best in Rise of the Ronin?

If you ask me, there are only two good options here: Performance and Graphics. Ray Tracing mode feels like a wasted opportunity since it’s not using the technology for anything super transformative.

If you want a smooth framerate no matter what, then choose Performance mode. If you want a sharp picture (and have a TV that supports Variable Refresh Rate), then Graphics mode is the way to go. If your display doesn’t support VRR, though, then you should just stick with Performance mode.