March 29, 2024

30fps, 60fps…a well-known horror game released on Switch at an extraordinary 24fps


Even the curator seems a little suspicious. Man of Medan runs at 24fps on Switch.

Recently, Gotham Knights and Redfall, among others, have had to take all sorts of justifiable criticism because they didn’t offer a 60fps mode for release as current-generation AAA action games. As is well known, the clocks tick a little differently on the Nintendo Switch since now outdated hardware and ports at 30 fps are not uncommon and nothing to cause a stir.

However, with Man of Medan, a port of Nintendo’s hybrid console released this week, it comes with a very unusual target frame rate — the horror game from developer Supermassive Games packs a frame rate of 24 at best.

Feeling like in the cinema…

24fps seems very unusual for a video game and looks a bit like a poorly optimized port for the Switch. The target frame rate is most likely not a coincidence, it should offer a cinema-like experience, as movies are also played at that frame rate.

Since the Dark Pictures series, with its many cutscenes, dialogue, and heavily watered-down gameplay, feels like a cinematic experience, shall we say, the developers may have been thinking of something.

The video on ContraNetwork’s YouTube channel shows just how streamlined everything is:

Link to YouTube content

Not the first attempt: The PS4 exclusive The Order 1886, which also takes a cinematic approach, should also be released in 2014 at 24fps. However, according to developer Ready at Dawn, the plan was dropped because the shooter “didn’t play well” with that frame rate. (via GameSpot.com).

It’s in the Man of Medan Switch port

The first installment in the Dark Pictures series has been released with all the content you’ll find on other platforms: Kurrator game mode, online co-op for two, couch co-op for five, difficulty adjustment, QTE warnings, and new accessibility settings like zoom in subtitles.

Switchport has innovations in its baggage: Additionally, the release introduces an extended ending with new character deaths.

Do you find Man of Medan’s 24fps approach interesting or do you think it’s more like “what the heck”?