Unreal Engine 5
GAME-CHANGER We take a look at some of the real-time engine’s key new features that enable creators to work with unbelievable levels of realism
T he world has waited years for this: Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). It represents a mammoth leap forward in technology for the games industry and completely redefines the playing field for the future of gaming, augmented reality and whatever the future holds for the digital parallel of the physical world.
We had a sneak peek of UE5 back in 2020 when Epic Games released a demo of what was possible with the engine. This demo, based on a Tomb Raider-like character, wowed the world, as realism which was previously unachievable became eminently possible. In true dramatic style, two years on, we’ve now been privileged to see another demo, this time from Xbox Games developer The Coalition. The Cavern runs on Xbox Series X and is impressive from start to finish. The main character looks absolutely amazing, especially the hair and beard which alone includes 3.5 million triangles. The scene itself includes 100 million triangles, with everything, including lighting and reflections, rendered in real time. This demo gives us a good look into what is possible with UE5.