đ° Nvidia GeForce Now provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive GPU upgrades for running demanding games
đ NBA 2K27 demonstrates the realistic visual enhancements enabled by DLSS 5
đ« 007 First Light showcases path tracing, while Bodycam delivers high, stable performance in Unreal Engine 5
đDespite minor drawbacks like missing VRR and slight input latency, the service offers great value at $20 per month
In a world where upgrading or building a gaming PC has become prohibitively expensive, Nvidia GeForce Now has become a cost-effective way to enjoy the latest games with few compromises.
Iâve already spoken about how GeForce Now and the Steam Machine are a match made in heaven, which is how Iâve been enjoying NBA 2K27, 007 First Light and Bodycam. Each one shows off a different strength of Nvidiaâs cloud streaming service: NBA 2K27 is a showcase for DLSS 5, 007 First Light for path tracing, and Bodycam for high, stable performance in a demanding Unreal Engine 5 shooter.
It isnât perfect yet. VRR is still sorely missing for everything other than Nvidia GPUs, and youâre limited to 90Hz at 4K on the Steam Machine. But an update is due later this year that hopefully adds both.
I could run all three games on my RTX 4070 Super, and even on my beloved Steam Machine. But DLSS 5, path tracing and high performance in graphically intensive Unreal Engine 5 titles are off limits unless I part ways with a small fortune. Not so with GeForce Now.
Slam dunk
NBA 2K27 is the first game to use DLSS 5, and it has a transformative effect on the gameâs already broadcast-quality visuals. Everything has extra depth and looks more realistic, from the playersâ skin and hair to the spectators in the crowd. Itâs a night-and-day difference, and it shows just how impactful DLSS 5 can be, even at this early stage.
Itâs a good thing NBA 2K27 looks so good, as Iâve been getting brutally schooled by the CPU on âProâ difficulty. Even playing as the legendary â90s Chicago Bulls, Iâm missing easy shots, rebounds and layups, though the comprehensive training mode means Iâm getting slightly better after each loss.
Considering the last basketball game I played was NBA Inside Drive 2002 on the Xbox, Iâve only myself to blame, really. Still, I keep returning to the court to sink one more outrageous three-pointer from downtown and marvel at the visuals.
The nameâs tracing⊠path tracing
007 First Lightâs new path-tracing update is another visually enticing feature, and one that would require quite a few compromises on my current hardware. Path tracing delivers perfect, mirror-like reflections and realistic sunlight, and it grounds characters and objects in the environment. Details are easier to spot too, as theyâre no longer lost to baked shadows and crushed blacks, making the game even more impressive to behold.
007 First Light also has plenty of moments for path tracing to shine, like the âA Night Outâ mission set in an English nightclub. Toggling it on and off shows a dramatic disparity, from a scene that looks like a typical video game to one that feels like youâre actually there.
Fights, camera, action
Bodycam is perhaps one of the most visually impressive games Iâve played in some time, recreating the look of body camera footage with jaw-dropping fidelity. The sound design is also scarily real, with gunshots reverberating through buildings and out into open areas with disturbing accuracy.
Built on Unreal Engine 5, itâs a demanding game, and itâs a competitive first-person shooter at heart, so a high, stable frame rate is a must. Thatâs exactly what GeForce Now delivers with most settings maxed out. Input latency may not match native hardware, but itâs damn close, and I never felt impeded by playing over the cloud.
Bodycam is still in early access, but itâs come on leaps and bounds since its initial reveal, driven by community feedback.
Game over for dedicated GPUs?
NBA 2K27 shows what DLSS 5 can do for realism and means those without 50 Series cards can experience it first-hand. 007 First Light proves that path tracing can change the look and feel of any game for the better, and Bodycam is proof that cloud gaming can keep up with a fast, competitive shooter that pushes visuals like weâve never seen before.
GeForce Now still has rough edges. The lack of VRR or cloud G-Sync outside of Nvidiaâs own hardware is a big limitation, and input latency, while impressively low, will never quite match native hardware â at least not yet. But at $20 a month, compared to an RTX 5080 that costs around $1,300â$2,100, the value is hard to argue with.
If, like me, youâre running an aging rig and canât justify a small fortune on new hardware, GeForce Now is the closest thing to a cheat code in todayâs increasingly expensive GPU market.
Review codes for NBA 2K27, 007 First Light, and Bodycam were provided by the publishers. GeForce Now Ultimate access was provided by Nvidia.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcutâs Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadarâs Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.