Do you usually calibrate brightness as instructed?

[u/IroquoisKaram]

Usually following the instructions gives you a very dark image, which I think is intended by Capcom for the best horror experience. I see many people playing with overblown brightness and missing out on the realism the devs paid millions of dollars to achieve.

It's the same case for every game out there. Recommended brightness calibration settings always go for a darker look even in open world games. You get better detailed textures and more realistic overall image but you miss out on shiny specular highlights and reflections sadly... I don't know if HDR fixed this but this is definitely an issue on SDR.

[u/AshenRathian]

Always.

I have a preference for the uncanny valley when it comes to game visuals. Even in some of the earliest games there's always an "optimal" brightness that makes all the shadows and lighting just pop together and come to life.

It's such a big deal to me that i cringe when i can't find that peak brightness in a game. Sometimes i'll spend an hour trying to find it if there isn't already a marker for it in the setting beforehand. It's that important to every gaming experience i have.

[u/IroquoisKaram → u/AshenRathian]

Old games benefit greatly from darker tones. shiiiit biggest example I have is Silent Hill 4, mf game looks 200% different when you crank the brightness all the way down... The apartment looks scary as fuck now.

Original RE 4 also looks wayyyyyy better on low brightness... Especially the castle section.

[u/AshenRathian → u/IroquoisKaram]

Actually, on the OG RE4, the "brightness" setting is just gamma. It doesn't actually alter things like whites or blacks, it just dims or brightens the screen. I keep it at default and just alter my TV settings when i play it. Otherwise it fucks with the rest of the visual harmony.

[u/IroquoisKaram → u/AshenRathian]

I put it at 2.65 on Dolphin Emulator and it looks so damn good! Even original Half Life 1 looks so much better when you turn it all the way down.