The video reviews Nvidia’s newly released DLSS 5 technology, which uses AI to enhance in-game faces with photorealistic lighting but currently produces mixed and often unsettling results, requiring extremely powerful hardware. While DLSS 5’s environmental lighting features might interest Squadron 42’s developers, the overall negative reception and early state of the technology make its integration into the game unlikely in the near future.
The video discusses the recent surprise release of Nvidia’s DLSS 5 technology, which introduces an AI layer designed to enhance in-game faces with photorealistic lighting and materials. However, the initial public reaction has been overwhelmingly negative, with many finding the results unsettling and falling into the “uncanny valley.” Nvidia’s demos show DLSS 5 running in real time at up to 4K resolution, but currently require extremely powerful hardware, such as dual RTX 5090 GPUs, raising concerns about its viability for most gamers.
Focusing on Star Citizen and Squadron 42, the presenter experimented with AI tools to simulate what DLSS 5 might do to character faces in the game. The results were mixed: some characters like Gary Oldman appeared hyperrealistic and somewhat improved in static images, while others were dramatically altered in undesirable ways, such as aging or distorting the original models. These offline static images differ from DLSS 5’s real-time application, but they illustrate the potential issues with AI-driven facial enhancements, including inconsistent quality and unintended changes.
Despite the current shortcomings of DLSS 5, the presenter expresses confidence in Cloud Imperium Games’ (CIG) ongoing graphical improvements, noting that Squadron 42’s faces and environments are already impressive and likely to remain industry-leading without needing an AI filter. While CIG might be curious to experiment with DLSS 5, the overall negative reception and the technology’s early state suggest it may not be integrated anytime soon. The video also highlights that Nvidia might need to refine the AI model significantly before it becomes practical and visually acceptable.
One intriguing aspect of DLSS 5 is its ability to enhance environmental lighting and color grading, which could interest CIG for improving Squadron 42’s locations. Nvidia claims developers can control the intensity and application of these enhancements to preserve a game’s unique aesthetic. However, with ray tracing already confirmed for Squadron 42, the game’s visuals might already be sufficiently advanced, possibly reducing the need for DLSS 5’s environmental effects.
Finally, the presenter raises an interesting speculation: if DLSS 5’s full release coincides with Squadron 42’s potential 2026 launch, could CIG and Nvidia collaborate to incorporate this technology into the game? While this remains uncertain and somewhat unlikely given current reactions, it represents a fascinating possibility for pushing graphical boundaries in the upcoming AAA title. The video invites viewers to share their thoughts, anticipating that most will oppose the integration of DLSS 5’s AI facial enhancements into Squadron 42.