On Xbox Series X the rendering resolution oscillates between native 4K and 1440p, while on Series S the oscillation is between 1440p and 900p. Exploration in split screen mode drops resolution considerably on both machines: on Series X up to 900p and on Series S up to 648p. The reason is simple: the game renders both scenes at the same time in maximum detail, so it was inevitable that it had to sacrifice something in terms of resolution. The alternatives would have been to cut out the general detail, or give up this possibility, distorting the game.
The Medium - the Digital Foundry tech review, courtesy of @dark1x. A closer look at the first next-gen only Xbox title: https://t.co/uxCtFwYh3V
— Digital Foundry (@digitalfoundry) January 27, 2021
Ray tracing is only supported on PC and Xbox Series X, while the Series S version adopts more traditional solutions, with shadows rendered at a lower resolution. The use of the fixed camera allowed the use of many pre-rendered shadows, for a remarkable visual impact.
In general, Digital Foundry seems to have enjoyed the game very much and unreservedly recommends it as the first true next-gen title for Xbox Series X and Series S, and the best work of Bloober Team.