Special K features NieR: Replicant specific tweaks and features (collectively known as Radical Replicant), created by Kaldaien with contributions from Ersh, SkacikPL and banz99. These tweaks can provide a noticeable improvement to performance and allows for an uncapped frame rate provided the release version of the game is used.
While the official June 21, 2021 update for the game solved some minor issues, it also introduced new ones and broke the frame rate unlocker. A new version of the frame rate unlocker was created by banz99 in 2023 to solve this issue.
These are the default settings applied by Special K for NieR: Replicant:
V-Sync is enabled by default, as otherwise the game might use a weird value that caps the game at a weird FPS (e.g. 48 FPS on a 240 Hz monitor). If you want to disable this change the Present Interval option in the Swapchain Management subsection in SK’s in-game control panel to 0 (Off) or -1 (allow the game to control it).
A 60 FPS lock is configured by default. Load into the game proper and open the SK control panel and disable or raise the Framerate Limit to go above 60 FPS. Note that SK will automatically cap to 60 FPS during the main menu and loading screens to minimize loading issues that might otherwise occur.
All NieR: Replicant related fixes are embedded into Special K so no standalone mod is required.
The usual install procedures apply:
The >60 FPS feature (aka “High FPS” or “High Dynamic Framerate”) was made possible thanks to the work made by Ersh, SkacikPL and later banz99. This feature is now embedded in Special K, though users interested in the original mod can find it over on Nexus Mods.
Special K enables the High Dynamic Framerate feature by default, which allows for FPS above 60 without speeding up the game. Note that the FPS limiter must be changed after the player have loaded into the game world, as the main menu and loading screens are capped to 60 to minimize streaming related issues.
Framerate Limit to allow for higher than 60 FPS gameplay.As a result of the way the game logic is tied to the frame rate by default, it is possible to disable Special K’s High Dynamic Framerate to speed up the game. This can make farming or proceeding through later playthroughs much faster.
High Dynamic Framerate feature.Framerate Limit to uncap the FPS.
G-Sync / G-Sync Compatible users:
> Advanced to the right of the Framerate Limit option and enable Nvidia Driver Black Magic.Low Latency + BoostStart-of-FrameEnabledPlaystation controller users can download and inject PS button prompts through SK’s texture injection.
Launch the game.
Press Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + ← Backspace to open the control panel of Special K.
In the file menu bar of the control panel, click on File and then Initialize Texture Mods.
Now click on File again, and select Browse Texture Assets and click on Injectable Textures.
887C8923.dds, A849ED21.dds, and A1856586.dds inside the textures folder \SK_Replicant_DualShock_v2\SK_Res\inject\textures.Copy/paste the extracted textures into the textures folder that was opened after clicking on Injectable Textures in step 4.
Launch the game. The Playstation buttons should appear in-game if all went well.
These textures are incompatible with ReShade due to the game using staging texture uploads.
Use the Windows’ Variable refresh rate setting to prevent the game from losing VRR in certain scenarios.
Do not force V-sync on from the display driver as this can break VRR in this game.
The Windows Variable refresh rate setting needs to be on and working in order to not lose VRR when a pre-rendered cutscene starts in Nier Replicant as otherwise synchronization with the game’s presentation rate is lost and unable to recover properly even after the pre-rendered cutscene is over.
If the pre-rendered cutscenes are still breaking VRR, try turning off Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling, restarting the computer, then turning Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling back on, and restarting the computer again.
Run the game in Borderless and ensure that the game is using Independent Flip presentation. There is no known way to prevent the pre-rendered cutscenes from breaking VRR in this game if it’s running in Fullscreen Exclusive (Hardware: Legacy Flip presentation).
To prevent Vsync from being disabled and/or to prevent tearing after a pre-rendered cutscene starts on a fixed refresh display, try forcing Vsync on for the game at the driver.
A Bluetooth connected gamepad must be power-cycled after having toggled Steam Input.
Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S controller:
Disable Steam Input)DualShock 4, DualSense, Switch Pro controller:
Disable Steam Input)DS4Windows.exe to DS4W.exe to prevent the steam prompt (about the use of a remapping tool) from showing up.
- Use the Display menu on the top of the SK control panel to configure the game to run in
Borderlessmode, then open the menu again and now configure it to run inBorderless Fullscreenmode.
This was an issue in the Radical Replicant versions between v0.2.x up to v0.5.6, so update your copy of Special K to a version that carries Radical Replicant v0.5.6 or later. This corresponds to a version of Special K dated after 2021-04-30.
Update Special K to a version that carries Radical Replicant v0.9.0 or later. This corresponds to a version of Special K dated after 2021-05-22.