REFramework is a community-developed, open-source modding platform for games built on Capcom’s RE Engine, including titles like Resident Evil remakes, Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter Rise, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Monster Hunter Wilds. While its primary role is enabling advanced modding through features like Free Camera, Time Scale, and Lua scripting, REFramework also provides notable stability and performance benefits—particularly by addressing stuttering caused by the game’s anti-tamper (AT) or anti-cheat systems.
For official downloads, visit the REFramework homepage and get the latest release from the download page. For a deep dive into its scripting API and advanced features, check out the comprehensive documentation.
How REFramework Affects Performance
The short answer: REFramework can significantly improve stability and reduce micro-stuttering, but its effect on raw frame rates is generally minor. The main performance advantage comes from mitigating issues caused by Capcom’s internal anti-tamper systems.
The Anti-Tamper Fix: Smoother Gameplay
The Problem: Micro-Stuttering and Anti-Tamper
Many PC players report sporadic stuttering or frame-time spikes in RE Engine games, often triggered by:
- Enemy kills or AI events
- Loading new areas
- Rapid camera movements
Community analysis and modder testing indicate that these spikes are frequently caused by anti-tamper or anti-cheat checks running resource-intensive tasks in the background. These CPU spikes can stall the graphics pipeline, resulting in poor 1% and 0.1% low framerates and noticeable micro-stuttering. This has been observed in games such as Resident Evil Village and Monster Hunter Wilds.
The REFramework Solution
To operate, REFramework must bypass portions of the anti-tamper system. In doing so, its developers discovered a fix that disables the problematic AT checks, eliminating the CPU spikes that cause stuttering.
Results:
- Micro-stuttering disappears
- Frame-time consistency improves
- Previously inconsistent gameplay becomes smooth, even if average FPS doesn’t increase
This stability improvement is often more noticeable than any raw FPS gain, as the game feels more responsive and playable.
Additional Performance Benefits
Beyond the anti-tamper fix, REFramework enables other optimizations through scripts or mods:
- Disabling Post-Processing: Remove costly effects like volumetric fog, bloom, and lens distortion to free GPU resources and improve FPS.
- Ultrawide and FOV Fixes: Correct aspect ratios and field-of-view issues without introducing rendering glitches.
- DLSS/FSR Swappers: Update or replace dynamic-resolution upscaling DLLs (DLSS, FSR, XeSS) to newer, more performant, or artifact-free versions.
While these modifications can enhance performance or visual fidelity, the core strength of REFramework remains stability and frame-time consistency.
Limitations and Considerations
While REFramework provides valuable performance fixes, it’s important to manage expectations:
- Minor FPS Boost: If your system is bottlenecked by GPU/CPU limits unrelated to AT, the FPS increase is often minimal (1–2 FPS).
- Slight RAM Overhead: REFramework may consume an extra 1–1.5 GB of RAM, necessary for the framework’s operation.
- Not Always a Guarantee: PC configurations vary widely; some users may see little to no improvement if their stuttering isn’t AT-related.
- Update-Related Instability: Game updates can temporarily break REFramework until a community patch is released.
Conclusion
For RE Engine games suffering from micro-stuttering and inconsistent frame times, REFramework is a highly recommended stability tool. By effectively bypassing or neutralizing Capcom’s anti-tamper system, it provides smoother gameplay without relying on raw FPS boosts. While it’s not a universal solution for every performance issue, it should be considered a first-line tool for stability improvements in affected titles.
- Official Homepage: https://reframework.dev/
- Download Page: https://reframework.dev/download-reframework/
- Comprehensive Documentation: https://reframework.dev/comprehensive-guide-documentation/