4A Games has added NVIDIA DLSS 5 Neural Rendering to Metro 2033 Redux without saying so. The option arrived through the Next-Gen Update released on 22 October, and VideoCardz reports it’s the second game with the technology after NBA 2K27, ahead of two integrations NVIDIA has already announced for November.
How a patch note became a DLSS 5 launch
The find came from a player, not a press release. Renan Maniero spotted a DLSS 5 DLL in the game folder that matches the version used in NBA 2K27, and other players confirmed the graphics settings now carry a DLSS-NR (Neural Rendering) option. DSOGaming, which published the full patch notes, says the Neural Rendering setting appears once you enable DLSS. The same update covers Metro: Last Light Redux, which reportedly supports Neural Rendering as well, and Wccftech counts both games, calling them the second and third titles to officially support the feature.
4A Games’ own notes are vaguer. The studio didn’t mention DLSS 5 and refers only to DLSS support alongside AMD FSR and 4A TSR. The rest of the update is a conventional modernisation job: 4K textures, improved PBR materials, Screen Space Global Illumination, uncapped frame rates and spatial audio. The developers confirmed that ray tracing was not added. The full notes also include a long list of community-reported fixes, covering crashes on Windows 11 and AMD GPUs, missing resolutions and controller detection, and a power-optimised mode for Xbox Ally handhelds and the Microsoft Store version.
What DLSS 5 does here, and what it costs
This isn’t upscaling. Unlike DLSS Super Resolution, Neural Rendering uses AI to modify lighting and material appearance based on the game’s rendered image, and it’s supported on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and RTX Spark systems.
The early verdict is that it helps characters more than scenery. DSOGaming’s comparison screenshots show better faces, according to Wccftech, while the same screenshots found environment changes barely noticeable. Wccftech suggests that may be deliberate, since the DLSS 5 SDK lets developers apply Neural Rendering to selected objects, and a 2014-era game’s faces are the obvious weak spot.
Performance is the trade-off. VideoCardz says early player reports show a substantial cost, though results depend on GPU and settings. The overlays in DSOGaming’s screenshots show frame rates falling, for instance from 332 fps to 238 fps in one pair. Wccftech reads that hit as a sign the game may use the September model rather than NVIDIA’s faster October one, but VideoCardz notes the DLL matches the NBA 2K27 version, so which model ships is still an open question. Wccftech adds that these old games still run at very high frame rates, so the cost is unlikely to bite on a capable RTX 50 card.
Ahead of NVIDIA’s own schedule
Metro has jumped the queue. NVIDIA recently confirmed Hogwarts Legacy will receive DLSS 5 on 5 November, followed by Where Winds Meet in late November. Both will use the updated model, which NVIDIA claims is twice as fast as the September release. Metro wasn’t in that rollout announcement, which makes the release a surprise even to people tracking the programme closely.
It also raises a question about Metro 2039, due on 4 February 2027. Wccftech says it’s unclear whether the new game will support DLSS 5 and notes the preview build it played a couple of months ago didn’t have it.
Availability
The Metro Redux Next-Gen Update is free for existing owners on Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG. The console versions and the Windows Store update are scheduled for 29 October. DSOGaming’s patch notes add that 4K texture support requires a 4K monitor. We haven’t seen any regional pricing or UAE-specific details, and none should apply to a free update.
Which GPU do I need for DLSS 5 in Metro 2033 Redux?
VideoCardz says the feature runs on GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards and RTX Spark systems. Owners of older RTX cards can still use the standard DLSS upscaling option listed in the patch notes.
Do I have to pay for the Next-Gen Update?
No. It’s free for existing owners on Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG, and the console and Windows Store versions are due on 29 October.
How do I switch Neural Rendering on?
Open the video settings, enable DLSS, and look for the DLSS-NR (Neural Rendering) option. DSOGaming says it only shows up once DLSS is on.
