Final Fantasy XVI - HDR Optimized Settings (Patreon)

The game DOES USE/APPLY Playstation HDR Calibration app settings.

The game has a fairly good HDR implementation by actually applying the system level HDR Calibration app values...but not exactly.

In fact, its Max HDR Luminance will generally be noticeably higher in an unpredictable way compared to anything you've setup there.

For this reason, Dynamic Tone Mapping is suggested.

Moreover the game seems to slightly increase the black levels in HDR, but this can be fixed with the following in-game settings:

• Set "Screen Brightness" slider to 2 (for fixing the black levels in HDR with DTM: On)
• Leave UI Brightness to 5 (or decrease it if you think UI elements are too bright for you)

BONUS:

• Do not use Performance Mode on PS5: as currently it will provide very unstable 60fps (with drops down to 30fps) resulting in very bad stuttering while playing. Even VRR won't fix this on PS5 as the console does not support LFC and will begin to stutter even with VRR when framerate goes below 48fps (which happens often). Also in Performance Mode resolution and textures take a big hit.
• Use Quality Mode: as, even if 30fps should be avoided on OLEDs, it will still look and play smoother than the unstable and visually downgraded Performance Mode;
• Reduce Motion Blur from Default 5 to 2: in order to get rid of trailing/ghosting artefacts while still improving motion, especially at 30fps.