Time and again, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 players complain about cracked or grainy shadows that just don't look good. In this short guide, we'll show you how to improve shadow quality in Modern Warfare 2 in just a few easy steps.
What’s going on? Reddit, Twitter, and even Modern Warfare 2's in-game chat have long been filled with messages like, "Why do my shadows look so weird?" This problem is actually caused by the custom graphics settings. However, we'll tell you how to get rid of the crackly or grainy shadows.
To fix the sometimes really horrible looking criss-cross shadows, you have to go to the graphics options of MW2. Here you will find countless different settings, but luckily there is a filter function in the upper right corner. Search here for the following options and turn them completely off - not on low, off!
Then save your settings and marvel at the result. Your shadows are no longer grainy. But what is Screen Space anyway and does it have a big impact on the look?
Should you just turn off Screen Space? If you asked yourself the question we asked you, "Does it make a visual difference?" after selecting the Off option, you answered it. If you don't see any difference, then that's good.
Basically, the two screen space options are reflections and shadows on your player model. The reflections are mirror images in puddles that are calculated based on your field of view. In the fast-paced gameplay of Call of Duty, most players won't notice this negatively at all.
The screen-space shadows on your player model or weapon are more noticeable but are just the basic problem of grainy shadows. Off, the shadows are completely gone. Turned on, you have a noise fest on your weapon and mini-map - we both know which is the better option!
| More about Call of Duty |
There are actually a few more settings in Modern Warfare 2 that mess up your image. Among other things, edge smoothing creates an often annoying blurry effect. It is therefore best to turn this off. The difference is small, but you will get a much sharper and clearer image in the end.
Speaking of sharper: If your hardware allows it, activate FidelityFX CAS. This option allows you to sharpen your image even more. YouTuber Thinnd even finds that enemies are most visible when you set all graphics options to low - but that's up to you. In his video, he shows you which settings have which effect on the visuals and performance:
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
If you have any questions or comments, please write us a comment or join us on social media and Discord (via Linktr.ee). On Discord you can also write us directly if you need further help.
