Xbox 360 vs. PS3 Face-Off: Round 24

By Richard Leadbetter Published 4 February, 2010

Dante shows everyone how it's done. Plus: Army of Two, Avatar, Darksiders, Dark Void, Saboteur.

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The arrival of 2010 brings us into year three of Eurogamer's cross-platform development coverage, and with it the arrival of a brand new release that defies analysis. It's full 720p. It's a rock-solid 60 frames per second. It's literally the same game on both platforms. A great way to kick off the New Year.

Joining this new title are five other releases subjected to the rigorous Digital Foundry analysis. As per the norm, this feature is accompanied by an enormous mountain of bonus assets for you to check out for yourself.

Shots derived from lossless 24-bit dumps of the HDMI ports of the Xbox 360 and PS3, high-quality h264 videos, and of course our exclusive support for 1080p screengrabs (where the game offers it on PS3). In truth, I was close to binning this particular layer of support within the Face-Offs, but the fact that five of the six titles covered this month feature 1080p upscaling suggests the format might well be getting a second wind, so the coverage continues for now.

In the meantime, "word" to the mysterious Slimm for putting together this worryingly exhaustive collation of all the Face-Off findings to date, which also allows you to check our findings up against the competition out there. So, many thanks to Slimm for his efforts in "coalescing our musings into a simple list", as he puts it.

Returning to this particular feature, the six games up for analysis this time around are:

An interesting selection then, and more than enough to keep you busy until the next standalone Face-Off, which will be concentrating on 2K Games' hugely anticipated BioShock 2. Also, look out for an update on the recent Bayonetta PS3 patch in the near future.

Many thanks to Alex Goh for his invaluable contributions to this feature.

Dante's Inferno

Visceral Games won't be winning any awards for originality with Dante's Inferno: it is essentially a multi-platform rendition of God of War, cut and shut with Christian religious mythology in place of the epic Olympian storylines found in the original Sony franchise.

In fact, the HD remixes of the PS2-derived God of War Collection compare favourably with this "next-gen" off-shoot. What the old games may lack in technical excellence is compensated by the sheer craft of visuals and gameplay. Plus of course, PS3 owners have a brand new God of War title to look forward to within weeks of Dante's.

However, Dante's Inferno is a game that is not without its own charms. For starters, if you don't own a PS3, comparisons with Sony's blockbuster franchise are of course irrelevant, and on that basis Visceral's offering is still plenty of fun and well worth a look. Xbox 360 owners who have not played God of War can finally have a go at something very similar to get an idea of what the fuss is about.

For PS3 owners, Dante also does something that God of War doesn't: it runs at a rock-solid 60 frames-per-second. In fact, if we go back to the demo performance analysis we did, it is perhaps the most uninteresting FPS graph we've ever rendered: it's 60 frames from start to finish, one continuous straight line.

This element has not changed in the transition from demo to final review code. What's more, this enviable performance level is exactly the same on Xbox 360 too. So, how about the look of the game? Frame-rate aside, is there anything of note to tell the PS3 and 360 games apart?

Dante's Inferno is a phenomenally close conversion - perhaps the closest seen to date in three years of Face-Off coverage. Click the full screen button for full HD, or click the EGTV link for a larger window.

The answer is "no". There is no difference we could pick out in terms of resolution, effect, anti-aliasing, texture filtering, alpha-buffers, normal maps. As far as we can tell, the two versions of the game are like for like. Even the most pedantic of nit-pickers will be unable to take issue.

Dante's Inferno bears all the hallmarks of being a really tightly designed and technologically "budgeted" game. To sustain 60 frames per second basically demands it, but to achieve it on both platforms is a seriously impressive achievement.

Looking at the code in motion you can see that Visceral keeps a very tight rein on the game: camera motion is closely tracked, movement through the game happens in a strictly linear fashion, and of course the enemies spawn in positions entirely according to the designers' whims.

Dante's Inferno runs so smoothly that you get the idea that the particular strengths of both consoles have been reined in simply to maintain that super-slick frame-rate. The game runs at native 720p with no anti-aliasing, so on the Xbox 360 the entire framebuffer fits within the 10MB eDRAM connected directly to the Xenos GPU.

Bandwidth in this scenario is effectively limitless, but there is the sense that it is simply not used to the fullest of its potential. We often see lower-resolution transparencies and particle effects on 360 multi-platform titles, but in Dante's Inferno they're pared down on both platforms. So even when technology could be deployed to give one version the edge, Visceral has chosen not to do so.

The overall result is a game that lacks the majesty of God of War's environments and its epic boss encounters, but the smoothness of the visuals, the superb feedback from the controls, and the fact the game performs beautifully no matter how much carnage is occurring on-screen, all conspire to provide an arcade-like feel we've not experienced on console for a long, long time.

Additionally, Visceral deserves kudos for the loading times, in that aside from the odd break for cinematics there are none - the gameplay flows smoothly from one stage to the next with no perceptible loading. That's on both platforms. And no, there's no mandatory install on PS3 either.

It is a shame, however, that this all-pervading slickness does not carry through to the overall presentation. Engine-driven cut-scenes lose the fluidity of gameplay, being rendered at 30FPS, and worse is the jump from these to low-quality video. The developers haven't used the additional storage space of Blu-ray to give the pre-rendered sections more quality, but as Darksiders proves in-game cinematics can still look very decent even within the confines of DVD.

Overall, in terms of its technical achievements as a cross-platform project, Dante's Inferno is spectacularly good.

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Comments (103) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • tesco #1 2 years ago

    so it begins....

  • Charlie_Miso #2 2 years ago

    Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!

  • the_dudefather #3 2 years ago

    'is there anything of note to tell the PS3 and 360 games apart?'
    'The answer is "no"'

    'barely any difference between the two games'

    After Bayonetta, it's good to see better ports, although the other games seem to suffer a little

  • berelain #4 2 years ago

    The Avatar vid appears to be showing Dante's Inferno....

    EDIT: No, the video is okay, its just the video thumbnail.
    Edited by berelain at 04/02/10 @ 09:02

  • the_dudefather #5 2 years ago

    No reference to 'kiddy uncharted' or whatever this time Hammerhead?

  • kdoggdayton #6 2 years ago

    ah the article all the xbots have been waiting for all week to give them their little erections and a reason to live for just a little bit longer. haha.

  • karooo #7 2 years ago

    @hammerhead lmao.

    You do realize when PS3 launched all multipaltform games were worse on it. Now its improved a lot to the extent of being equal.

    All multiplatform games should be made with PS3 as the lead platform, because its difficult to port from xbox to ps3.

    360 and PS3 have a different architecture, it is impossible to make perfectly equal games on it, that's why sony have so many first party studios and launched ps3 with an exotic architecture.

    oh and come back when any game looks as good as killzone 2 or uncharted 2.

  • mcmothercruncher #8 2 years ago

    Result?

    We ALL LOSE.

  • Widge #9 2 years ago

    EA seem really good at doing their multiplat games, good parity on their products.

  • DiamondIce #10 2 years ago

    I was intrigued which version (if any) of Dante's Inferno would be better. Since getting a PS3 I can pick-and-choose the platform I buy on, although the 360 control pad will, for the most part, swing my vote.

  • TopKatt #11 2 years ago

    No!! We all WIN!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Negotiator #12 2 years ago

    I love these, I haven't read this yet but I predict xbox 360 wins again.

  • Darren #13 2 years ago

    "It will try to refresh at 60Hz..."

    The game will *ALWAYS* refresh at 60 Hz because that's the frequency HDTVs refresh HD games at. Or did you mean it will try to run at 60 fps...? ;)

    I'm surprised after all this time that Richard Leadbetter still confuses TV refresh rates with framerate terminology. They work independently of each other, i.e. a game's framerate (measure in fps) can vary but the refresh rate of the display (measured in Hz) will always remain static (usually 60 Hz for HDTVs).

    Aside from that the article is OK but the games themselves are not a particularly interesting bunch for me... well put it this way, I haven't bought a single one of them nor do I have any plans to!

  • Negotiator #14 2 years ago

    and I was right.

  • FladgeMangle #15 2 years ago

    Funny thing I noticed here. When there is a tiny advantage on the 360 it becomes "the one to get" yet when (for once) the PS3 edges ahead it's "not something that should affect your purchasing decision".

    A curious lack of impartiality? Oh well...

  • AC!D #16 2 years ago

    I agree with FladgeMangle. These face off's are starting to sound more like an advertising campaign for Xbox 360.

  • telboy007 #17 2 years ago

    Hmm, from all these face off articles I'm getting the impression that its the UE3 engine that is the cause behind the 360 version coming out on top (marginally or more). This is what? The user of the engine or the engine itself not doing it's job? Still, the difference is marginal at best so all good surely.
    Edited by telboy007 at 04/02/10 @ 10:00

  • Monkey_Puncher #18 2 years ago

    Avatar does look surprisingly impressive, shame it wasn't a better game.

  • Geordiemp #19 2 years ago

    @Fladge - you finally noticed....Look at the FIFA 10 face off quoted below :

    With the technical analysis out of the way, here's the really important bit: the game passes muster with the hardcore football crowd at Eurogamer's offices on both platforms, with all parties describing the core gameplay as being identical.

    However, with both consoles and both versions of the game readily on-tap, it appears to be the 360 version that gets the most playtime. It's nothing to do with the actual code; it's more about the control system.

    EG just like xbox 360 better. I have both and se pros and cons of each, but sometimes EG are like a bunch of 14 year old kids.....

  • frunk #20 2 years ago

    Well this Face-Off seemed a little different to previous ones... looks like its a turning point on PS3 ports - and parity is pretty much there unless you are utilising UE3. I think as the current crop of engines are phased out the "sloppy port syndrome" will die with them.

    I think it is proven from this that multi-platform games could be identical and as we move forward they will be.

    Yeah - yeah - the Avatar engine favours 360, but CryEngine 3 (which is the natural evolution of this engine) will probably sort that out as it starts being used more widely.

    Hopefully that will mean the end to the deliberate fanboy handgranades you get from folks like "hammerhead666" and the discussion will evolve a little.

    Also means Richard and his team can go off and do some of their more interesting "look ahead" articles.

  • Widge #21 2 years ago

    Don't know of anything using CryEngine 3 (apart from Crysis 2 obviously). Be interesting to see what happens with that. It'd be nice if more things come out looking like Saboteur, actually something I'd like to buy for once would be good.

  • GamerG #22 2 years ago

    Ignore the fanboy haters and keep up the great work Eurogamer.

  • phAge #23 2 years ago

    I still find it nothing less than hysterically funny when people accuse EG of being "360 fanb0is", because they rate most multiplatform releases higher on Microsofts console. If they were simply saying "da threesixty vurshun is da bester!!22!" you'd have a case - but how the fuck do you argue against carefully performed scientific analysis of framerates, torn frames, lighting techniques, etc?

    Sure, often the differences aren't all that great (something most of the faceoffs go to great lengths underlining), but why is it so hard to simply recognise that the exotic architecture of the PS3 makes it very hard to code for, meaning that most developers will - naturally - not get the most out of it?

    Games like Uncharted and KZ2 clearly show what Sony's machine is capable of when put in the hands of capable (and ressourceful...) coders - so why all the ultra-sad denial and accusations of fanboy-ism when EG simply state the factual truth: the 360 is nearly always the better choice for multiplatform releases?
    Edited by phAge at 04/02/10 @ 10:37

  • sfp_noodle #24 2 years ago

    console parity is finally here! :D

  • gjgjg #25 2 years ago

    nice to see the ps3 catching up some. maybe this year will actually be the year sony have been banking on... personally the few exclusives are not enough to overcome the current (but obviously decreasing) difference in performance for me to justify changing priorities over the xbox ...but im open to suggestion sony!

  • menschenfracht #26 2 years ago

    2 the_dudefather

    you should give Bayonetta a try with the new patch ))))

    2 AC!D

    'attention, everybody. low-scored games are performing perfectly on the Xbox360 system.' ))))

  • IneptPercy #27 2 years ago

    It just shows the problem with the PS3, an amazing but arkwward CPU and a medicore GPU chucked in at the last second.

    I really have to give it to ATI, instead of just taking a PC GPU and chucking it in they made changes which would make no sense in a PC.

    It is good to see that the PS3 has caught up mostly, but surely if its the power house Sony made out it should be well ahead.

    As a PC gamer mostly I do still find these interesting, seeing how the hardware on both consoles is getting pushed further and further, as it is that rarely happens PC's as if it can't do it we just throw more power at it.

  • Retro_ #28 2 years ago

    The Saboteur mearly above average....!

    I don't think so, I've loving it. Technically it might be just above average but the game itself, the atmosphere created and the overall immersion is great. Just my opinion of course but for myself, my opinion is King ;-)

    Another decent Vs article but I do wonder if the average person would really see these differences between the formats. Also, personally I find fan noise annoying so PS3 Slim, which is very quiet, wins every time.

  • Retro_ #29 2 years ago

    ... Addition. The UE3 engine. Weirdly, UT3 on PS3 is as smooth as butter, especially since V2.0 patch towards the end of last year. I noticed a difference to the visuals as well, smoother and cleaner looking. Perhaps DF could do a retrospective look at that.

  • IkariW #30 2 years ago

    Just stop with these pointless videos...please...please....just stop.


    Ikari

  • Aretak #31 2 years ago

    Is somebody forcing you to read them, Ikari? Shall I call the police?

  • phAge #32 2 years ago

    "Just stop with these pointless videos...please...please....just stop."

    PS3 fan, eh? :)

  • Bagpuss #33 2 years ago

    I think these console games are starting to look very dated now in terms of graphics.......they have reached a graphical plateau and there is no where else to go.

    Any further improvements comes at the expense of image quality, dropped fps, screen tear, etc,etc.

    We need a new generation of consoles....quickly.

  • Lionheart #34 2 years ago

    Xbox ftw kthxplz

  • Bigglesworth #35 2 years ago

    Every time EG posts a Face Off article, God kills a kitten.

  • Goffee #36 2 years ago

    24 rounds and you haven't come up with a winner yet, you guys are worse judges than the American Idol lot

  • feistycheese #37 2 years ago

    First of all, thanks to DF for providing another good article (even if half of the techno jargon is beyond me).

    Now, to the gripe.

    I have a PS3. I like my PS3. My brother has a 360. I like the fact that he likes his 360. When we see each other, we dont nit pick and needle each other over each others choice of console. Why? Because that would make us pathetic and childish.

    The differences between the majority of 3rd party games for 360/PS3 are so negligable that your average joe like me wouldn't be able to tell the difference or quite frankly care about it. I'm currently playing Darksiders and thoroughly enjoying it, but when I'm happily slashing up some Demon, i dont think to myself, 'hmm, im pretty sure the shadowing effect from that car over there is slightly deeper on the 360'. I'm too busy ENJOYING the fucking game!

    There are benefits and problems with both consoles, I will be swapping my PS3 with my bro's 360 this month so he can enjoy some Demon Souls and UC2, and ill be happy playing ME2 and Bayonetta.

    If the rest of you fanboys get your kicks from posting pathetic 'my dicks bigger than yours' comments, then please, go ahead and enjoy. While your doing that, ill be sat here having a great time actually playing my games.
    Edited by feistycheese at 04/02/10 @ 11:37

  • telboy007 #38 2 years ago

    @Bagpuss - wtf? have you seen mass effect 2 in action?
    Edited by telboy007 at 04/02/10 @ 11:37

  • seanthejackal #39 2 years ago

    @Bagpuss Buy a PS3 problem solved.

  • irve77 #40 2 years ago

    I love these articles .. it's even more important now when both the 360 and PS3 versions should be very similar games like bayonetta should be brought to account.

    But the basic result of all these test is that with very few exceptions the differences between both versions are not significant

  • onyxbox #41 2 years ago

    I'm finding these articles more interesting these days, they seem to have become more scientific.

    I think it's also fair to say that the differences between most ports these days are marginal and quite frankly I'd be embarrassed to attempt to show the differences to some one 'normal' :-) .... Just imagine saying... "see, there... it dropped by 3fps I think... that one's better" and then seeing the stoned look of disbelief on their faces.

  • udat #42 2 years ago

    Hey Earl,

    How can the additional opinion of the DF guy on the game he is comparing possibly negatively impact your life? You now have more information than you had before, and that information cost you nothing apart from the time it took to read it. As you took the time to moan about it, you don't appear to have a terribly limited supply!

  • FogHeart #43 2 years ago

    "Every time EG posts a Face Off article, God kills a kitten."

    Deus ignominus antialias quincunx ferae naturae morte. Amen.

  • Zappa #44 2 years ago

    PS3 version of ARMY of Two has screenshot feature in the demo anyway thats got to take away some memory but i worth it:)

  • memeroot #45 2 years ago

    reviewing the game kinda helps me provide a second rating to whether I should give a sh*t whether it's better on ps3 or 360
    though in this article it is a bit much - though avtar comments appreciated

    neither console realy cuts it in my books at the moment. PC's have walked all overthem this gen from the start to the finish... very dissapointing

  • muscleblade #46 2 years ago

    "oh and come back when any game looks as good as killzone 2 or uncharted 2. "

    You dont really believe these are the best looking games this gen do you? Sad.

    AC2 and ME2 looks just as good considering the scope. Even MW2 looks just as good as KZ2 imo.

  • metalmike25 #47 2 years ago

    @muscleblade

    That's not really true though is it. I own an xbox and a ps3 and i have to say that only a blind man could say that uncharted 2 isn't the best thing they've ever seen. And your argument about other games doing more making up for slightly worse graphics is completely pointless. Football Manager does millions of things at once but this doesn't make it graphically more impressive than anything else. But its your opinion and i'm sure its not based at all on what console you like ;)

  • muscleblade #48 2 years ago

    "played mass effect 2 on PC, max everything... Not impressed with most of the visuals "

    Not many reviewers or other people agree with you there.

  • Darren #49 2 years ago

    "The real test of this will be with Final Fantasy XIII, which will see a 40GB PS3 Blu-ray version go up against an Xbox 360 game with a theoretical maximum of 20GB of storage space at its disposal across the three DVDs."

    That's interesting... I had no idea the game size and number of discs had been confirmed. I pre-ordered the PS3 version anyway but I'm guessing that it'll feature 1080p rendered FMV (vs. 720p on the 360) and higher quality audio (7.1 DTS?) at a guess. I mean we're talking about the PS3 version being twice the size of the 360 version so one would think there would be a noticeable difference in quality. Great that 360 owners will be able to play it but a single disc version on the PS3 seems more convenient for obvious reasons (assuming it doesn't use multiple installs a la Metal Gear Solid 4).

  • telboy007 #50 2 years ago

    @semitope Bagpuss' comment was aimed at 360 / PS3 graphics, it is universally known that the PC will always produce better graphics because you can stick in a new graphics every 5 minutes if you wanted to. I'm talking console graphics with a set of static components. The 360 version of ME2 is impressive to look at. Therefore his comment about how this gen's gfx are already yesterday's news is IMHO a load of shit. :)

    I'd imagine to keep costs down they normalised assets between the two versions, so the PC version was only ever going to look so good? Don't know.

    Edited by telboy007 at 04/02/10 @ 13:55

  • HokutoNoKen #51 2 years ago

    Regarding FFXIII, there is no install option on the PS3 version. I can confirm this as I have the Japenese version and the game loads fast too.

  • BritishBlue1 #52 2 years ago

    "If you want the best, just a buy a PC."

    We will have no sensible comments in this thread please, move along.

  • muscleblade #53 2 years ago

    "If you want the best, just a buy a PC"

    I have a pretty good PC at home. Its meant for work. Im using it right now. I wouldnt dream of playing games on it though. Just feels wrong. I like xbox live too. Having a look at what my friends are playing, chatting with them and so on. I love my huge LED TV, Blueray and xbox 360 setup just like it is.

  • menschenfracht #54 2 years ago

    2 hammerhead666


    I agree with the other people who question uncharted 2's supposedly incredible visuals.
    I'd say it's one of the nicest looking games i've seen considering the low 1280x720 res but there's hardly anything going on in the game apart from in the little area surrounding the character.
    Backgrounds are just for show most of the time,they're not reachable.

    Assassin's creed 2 has a breathing world with loads of people walking about,you can actually visit the stuff in the background.
    It's a far more impressive showcase than uncharted 2(the 360 version of assassin's creed 2 anyway).
    And assassin's creed 2 doesn't take an hour to complete. Uncharted 2 was a tiny game.

    I see your point.
    I can say that Dwarf fortress easily gets best graphics award this generation. It's far more impressive showcase than AC2.
    http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/
    Edited by menschenfracht at 04/02/10 @ 14:55

  • menschenfracht #55 2 years ago

    2 muscleblade

    Its meant for work. Im using it right now.
    Oh, spreading xbox360 propaganda is your job then... I hope money is good
    Edited by menschenfracht at 04/02/10 @ 15:12

  • VandelayIndustries #56 2 years ago

    Kudos to Visceral!
    Bodes well for Dead Space 2. Anyone know if the PS3 version of Dante's Inferno carries a DTS track?

  • Big-Swiss #57 2 years ago

    Face offs

    its like a fucking manipulating go-to-war article in a important news paper.
    After seeing this one I am 100% sure, Face offs should be forbidden!

    you could make a 3 line article and it would all be done:

    We tested these games:
    [list of games]
    it doesen't fucking matter which console you play it on, have fun with it.


  • groovychainsaw #58 2 years ago

    I'm looking forward to a FFXIII analysis - I genuinely want to know which machine has got the edge (albeit slight). Any chance of it coming out before the launch, eg? I'm, holding off on a pre-order a the moment until I know more...

  • BartonFink #59 2 years ago

    Wow 24/0

  • GamesConnoisseur #60 2 years ago

    PS3 is making better strides this face off and interested to see how the AA for Saboteur on PS3 would be adapted in future games? That would gives it a fair edge me think, but yet in the whole sum, fps and screen tears is always what matters for me.

    X360 and PS3 does have them, both to a different degree and how these looks on YOUR TV, and if you dont see them side to side, would you have known?!

    I m loving ME2 at the moment, but I am another who is siding with PS3 for FFXIII due to 40gb, that is a lot of data to be compressed/diluted but at the end the difference between two wont be as wide I think as implied by the size of the data.

    Bink compression of FMV and non Bink for X360 still shows up well? ITs how you implement them and how these get shown on your TV.

    Glad for my mates who only owns X360 that they can play FXIII but I felt it would be morally wrong to have it on X360 yet I spend about 80 percent of my gaming game on X360!

  • Drpwnage #61 2 years ago

    Dr. Leadbetter makes a good point regarding higher quality video that can be stored on Blu Ray. Playing Mass Effect 2 on my PC and the video looks shit, heavily compressed with that horrible blocky look from a crap encoder, low res and (on a 24" monitor), washed out colours. Whereas in game it looks vibrant, running at 1900x1200 with all the goodies on. To be honest I find most video cut scenes like this on my 360 on a 40" TV as well. But really, on this generation of consoles higher quality cut scenes is all Blu Ray offers games.

  • Badassbab #62 2 years ago

    I think this is the first time in console history where a console released AFTERWARDS (in this case a whole year) is consistently performing worse than the supposed technically inferior rival. Never happened with NES vs MS, MD vs SNES, Saturn vs PS1, PS2 vs Xbox but this gen is different. Still PS3 fans nothing to worry about U2 still looks better than anything on 360. As for Killzone 2 I think the blisteringly fast 60fps, hi res textures, bloom effects etc etc of MW2 (360 version) gives it a run for it's money.

  • TRUTH #63 2 years ago

    pHage / metalmike25

    I also have PS3 and 360 and I'm blind too - tell me how does Uncharted 2 surpasses games already out!


    Mass Effect 2 (Some sections will amaze you (as you don't expect them to be there) and character detail), NBA2k, Assassins Creed II ( Much more larger and complex and open then UC 2 ), Bayonetta (The amount of effects and action and solid framerate has to be admired), Dirt 2, GTA IV (TBOGT) with it's living world... etc tec etc; are these games not as good or equal then UC II - for me these games look just as good (surpass depends on the complex of what the game is doing onscreen inc AI, physics, design etc etc - the reason liner games always look better, with less characters onscreen) then UC 2. It's simply UC 2 is an exclusive it gets more credit then other games which do just as well.

    Uncharted 2 is fine looking game but honestly I thought it's nothing above games already out. Yes! it had nice environments, but very limited interaction and fairly liner compared to AC II and also a lot smaller. After playing AC II, Batman AA (Which came out a good time earlier) you simply don't see the fuss that a lot of PS3 fans keep bringing up...Yes! UC 2 was a lovely looking game - but a major leap over other games already out before - NO!

    The fact is many games look great and do a lot more complex things then certain games (eg: AC II compared to UC II); yet fan boys will continue to deny this as the game is not a exclusive to a certain console. To me games like Split Second, Crysis 2, Batman AA (considering the 1st game still holds up amazingly), Just Cause 2 (though this seems to action orientated for me), Dead Space 2 etc etc...look more dazzlingly then any exclusive PS3/360 game!
    Edited by TRUTH at 04/02/10 @ 19:47

  • Dizzy #64 2 years ago

    >Dr. Leadbetter makes a good point regarding higher quality video that can be stored on Blu Ray

    Please no. I thought we were past the age of pre-rendered video. I want to see my character as it is in game, wearing the same clothes, the same weapons and with the same band of brothers behind him. ME can do it. DA can do it. Even Lost Odyssey can do it. No more pre-rendered junk.

  • Drpwnage #65 2 years ago

    I completely agree Dizzy, but as video is still regularly used in games I would rather it was decent quality.

  • menschenfracht #66 2 years ago

    2 TRUTH

    Ha. Ha-ha. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.
    Seriously. You think that deleting your comment and posting it without any changes a few hours later would give some importance to your words? You ARE funny.

    Let me make it clear. I'm no fanboy (or I'm in a serious denial). Yes, my only current consoles are PSP and PS3, but I don't detest Xbox360 and I would've certainly bought it quite a time ago, but almost all the games I want on it are already ported (I do not like MW2, KZ2 or Halo for that matter). What gets to my nerve is that you constanty referring to all people who don't quite agree with as 'ps3 fans' or 'fan boys'.

    If you are a sensible person, maybe, you could clear some of your arguments for me, couldn't you?
    Mass Effect 2 (Some sections will amaze you (as you don't expect them to be there) and character detail) .
    Alright, I agree, I saw this game a few months ago at a Russian expo, it's a beautiful cinematic experience. I haven't played it though. But you say 'great, because you don't expect them to be there'... OK. So if I expected Halo ODST to be a visually stunning game full of rich non-cliched landscapes, and it is not one, its graphics is totally shit. I've got your thought right?

    NBA2K. It doesn't fit in your concept of open world, in fact, it is smaller than most of Uncharted 2. So its graphics is shit. I've got it right?

    Assassin's Creed 2 - much more open and complex and larger than Uncharted 2. Ok. It IS open, though the speed of Ezio is so low, that it is possible to load huge chunks of textures without any loss. How it is more complex? Nathan jumps and shoots, Ezio jumps and shoots. Where did you see this 'complexity' of yours? 'Larger', I think, refers to the size of maps again. Ok. Fallout 3, Oblivion, not mentioning Daggerfall. They are by any means larger and more complex. More than that, AC2 and Bethesda games use THE SAME buildings over and over, over and over, over and over, over and over until they bore you to hell. Also, in AC2 water looks like a foil and has no animations for NPCs. For the game that forces you to spend half of it in Venice, it is pretty lame. Bioshock designers chose to build their game in the ocean, but they did the water right. So, both AC2 and U2 lose to Oblivion (and, ultimately, to Dwarf Fortress). Dwarf fortress has ASCII graphics though, but as long we're measuring graphics by the number of processes game runs and the size of the world, Dwarf Fortress is the one to go.

    Bayonetta - simply no. It looks completely dated, but plays merry as hell. Dirt 2 - ok, it does look good. But you forget that both Bayonetta and Dirt 2 are not openworld, so, their graphics is shit (as follows from your remarks).

    GTA IV addons - they are great but they are soooooooo slow. Also, textures and models are not nearly as good as those of ME2 and U2.

    'It's simply UC 2 is an exclusive it gets more credit then other games which do as well.' - How's that? Do you have some arguments to back it up? Sony conspiracy, maybe?

    'Yes! UC 2 was a lovely looking game - but a major leap over other games - NO!' No, it wasn't. It is just that no other game has the visual on par with U2. At least, until Alan Wake and Heavy Rain come out.

    'The fact is many games look great and do a lot more complex things then certain games (eg: AC II compared to UC II)'. Yes, it looks great, but also bland and repetitive. How many type of houses, bars, signs, bridges, churches are there in AC2? And how many of them are scattered on the map with minimal changes? Does this simple repetition means 'complexity'?

    'yet fan boys will continue to deny this as the game is not a exclusive to a certain console. To me games like Split Second, Crysis 2, Batman AA (considering the 1st game still holds up amazingly), Just Cause 2 (though this seems to action orientated for me), Dead Space 2 etc etc...look more dazzlingly then any exclusive PS3/360 game!'
    so, you say that games still to be released are better-looking than those released already? did you discover it on your own or somebody really clever taught you?

  • Lord_Gremlin #67 2 years ago

    Somehow I feel like soon PS3 will be not only console with best exclusives, but with best multiplatform as well. Well done.

  • Dizzy #68 2 years ago

    Nice long post menschenfracht... sadly you have no clue. Ignored.

  • Badassbab #69 2 years ago

    Lord Gremlin...and on what evidence do you base that on?

  • Lord_Gremlin #70 2 years ago

    2Badassbab: I've commented on this article. Have you read it? Just seeing the fact that most multiplatform titles look same on PS3 and 360, and sometimes better on PS3, with some promising features emerging - like Saboteur's anti-aliasing.

  • man.the.king #71 2 years ago

    Apparently, according to EG/DF, the smallest advantage on the 360 makes it "the version to get", while on PS3, the lack of even a single feature makes it unworthy of purchase.

    As others before me have stated, curious lack of impartiality there. Might as well just put "regardless of actual pros and cons, the 360 version is the one to get" instead of going through the rigmarole of screengrabs and everything.
    Edited by man.the.king at 06/02/10 @ 04:17

  • TRUTH #72 2 years ago

    The fact is playing AC II first then UC 2, you will notice how UC 2 is a much smaller scale game, based on set pieces and fairly repetitive esp towards the end with the shooting. AC II may repeat a bit but has a hell of lot more to do and see within it's world then UC II. More variation and more epic scale - not perfect, but more varied then UC II. The whole game is on a much bigger scale and still looks as good as UC 2. I was expecting great epic adventure not a line set piece adventure that last approx 6.5 hrs (though I enjoyed the game, I honestly think it's over hyped waaaay to much esp when compared to Batman AA, AC II, GTA (BOGT)).

    The fact Batman AA, AC II, ME 2, Dirt 2, Bayonetta (funny how you say this looks dated, when it's looks amazing onscreen and has been scoring well above average 9/10 for graphics - and in fact is throwing around a lot more then UC 2), MW 2, Fight Night 4 etc etc, liner or not but an adventure game where everything is liner, and a large part are set pieces, camera angles are fixed though this gave UC 2 a better scope in certain areas, only one way to reach your exit actually is a fixed path sort of takess away the adventure element ...you can see that why GTA and AC 2 and even Batman are actually surpassing UC 2 world of fixed/liner adventure.

    Yes UC 2 is a fine looking game, but not a leap over anything that's already out.

    Oh! I meant NBA2k9 (PS3) which has great graphics and animation - UC 2 may be a different game, but again this game amongst others hold up against UC 2. When I play UC 2 on my PS3 then play Batman AA, Assassins Creed II (360 version looks better), ME 2, MW2, - you really don't notice the fuss PS3 fanboys make.

    Edited by TRUTH at 04/02/10 @ 22:33

  • Retroid #73 2 years ago

    The comments on these features never fail to depress.

    "Bias!" this or "fanboys!" that.

    Christ.

    It couldn't just be that Game X runs slightly better on Machine Y, could it?

  • Lunastra78 #74 2 years ago

    This fanboy bitchfight is getting really old now. We should just meet up someplace and fight. Winner takes all, loser...dies.

    Are you in lads?!

  • JamieR #75 2 years ago

    I prefer to get a game for the ps3 if its not a big graphic difference normally games do look better on 360 but unless its a lot better on the 360 i get it for the ps3 simply because the my ps3 a hell of lot less noisy than my 360.

  • muscleblade #76 2 years ago

    ME2 IS better than UC2:

    [link url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064323p1.html
    ]http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064...[/link]

    And this guy seems more like a PS3 fan really. He is at least objective on the issue.
    Edited by muscleblade at 05/02/10 @ 09:20

  • funkateer #77 2 years ago

    @muscleblade
    "ME2 IS better than UC2:
    http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064.."

    What a ridiculous statement, backed up by an even more ridiculous article.
    I'm a huge ME2 fan and the high scores are well deserved, but come one, why even make this pointless apples-oranges comparison...

    Back on topic, I think these articles are improving. More to the point, and even when things become speculative, at least the speculation is not passed on as fact.
    Nice to see the platform parity in Dante's Inferno, even if the game doesn't actually look very good.
    Edited by funkateer at 05/02/10 @ 11:27

  • telboy007 #78 2 years ago

    Interesting read and I see that the comments are nearing 2000. Caused quite some debate!

  • muscleblade #79 2 years ago

    "but come one, why even make this pointless apples-oranges comparison..."

    I sort of agree with you. Im just tired of all the PS3 fanboys saying no game can match UC2 when some games not availaible on the PS3 actually surpasses it. Ive played them both and i know which game i prefer even though their apples and oranges their actually both games and can be compared as that.

  • TopKatt #80 2 years ago

    telboy007

    2000 comments? Shome mishtake shurely?

    And, as for ME2 vs UC2. Forget it. I'm playing them both and they're both fantastic games in their own right.

  • ps3owner #81 2 years ago

    @hammerhead666
    And assassin's creed 2 doesn't take an hour to complete. Uncharted 2 was a tiny game.

    are you saying that Uncharted 2 took you just one hour to complete?! ... bizarre. I thought that after chapter 15 or whatever that there surely can't be any more. it was epic! I spend 3 days on it, at least... still haven't found all the treasures.

    re article. interesting

  • muscleblade #82 2 years ago

    [link url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064323p1.html
    ]http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064...[/link]

    The right link. Yes its almost 2000 comments in a short time. I loved the article. A proffesional editor that calls himself a PS3 fanboy that throws in the towel and admit that ME2 is superior to UC2 doesnt happen too often.

  • menschenfracht #83 2 years ago

    @muscleblade
    Im just tired of all the PS3 fanboys saying no game can match UC2 when some games not availaible on the PS3 actually surpasses it

    No, they can't. They are different genres. Every comparison after this is subjective.
    In fact, they represent different strategies in game design. UC2 is more like HL series, on a grander scale - it is basically a rollercoaster, fun to watch and, what's more important, very short, in order for its gameplay not to be turned into a chore. You see, PS3 was available to people in their 30s-40s at the start, and these are the people who, in general, do not long for tedious grinding and 'roleplaying' - they want a game for a couple of evenings that justifies their purchase of PS3. That's why Uncharted 2 is designed like a movie - to eliminate any chance of a slowdown, any clumsy actions or remarks from the actors. Uncharted 2 has its problems - those constant 'on the edge' scenes, when every brick imaginable crumbles under Drake's hands and feet, but, after all, it's one of the best rollercoaster, casual action game out there.

    I haven't played ME2 yet, but ME1 was built along typical RPG lines, yes, they've changed the combat for the shooter people, but still the game was rather long, and there were unskippable dialog lines a-plenty. This indicates that ME1 was the game for those who have a lot of free time. I can't understand why you don't see it as quite the opposite of Uncharted 2, Max Payne, MW2 and Half-life series game design.

    Let me summarize it for you.
    There are games that are short but are designed to present a brilliant spectacle throughout this short game-time of theirs.
    There are games that are long, their beauty lies in customization of the character, making different choices, replayability.
    And there is Tetris.
    The second type games require a great deal of commitment from the players, and noone can say for sure, is the player commitment bad or good thing. For example, if you get 75 level on all the jobs in Final Fantasy XI, are you a champion or just a retarded prick with too much time on your hands?

    P.S. Oh, and I loved this guy words about how he is proud of raising his own Shepard. Like, how he is 'not-a-galactic-hero' in his daily life and ME2 changes that completely.
    Also, the words 'I need you to accept this.' tell us that he is very much into this 'persuade' roleplaying crap, thinking that the IGN brand would be enough to support his arguments.
    Next week, I guess, would be 'Forza Motosport 3 versus Nobi nobi boy - You can't pimp this Boy up, man' for Greg Miller.

    P.P.S. muscleblade, considering you're quite a big boy now, it's time for you to know that everybody who says 'I'm a fanboy' isn't worth a penny.
    Edited by menschenfracht at 05/02/10 @ 12:28

  • muscleblade #84 2 years ago

    I thouth UC2 had a good lenght for the genre to be fair. Quality over quantity i say. ME2 had the perfect lenght for its genre imo.

  • funkateer #85 2 years ago

    "[link url=http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064...
    ]http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/106/1064...[/link]

    The right link. Yes its almost 2000 comments in a short time. I loved the article. A proffesional editor that calls himself a PS3 fanboy that throws in the towel and admit that ME2 is superior to UC2 doesnt happen too often."

    I think that article is pointless and just a blatant attempt to drum up some fanboy traffic.
    Edited by funkateer at 05/02/10 @ 13:16

  • M_of_the_sys #86 2 years ago

    @farticusmaximus

    Spoiler tags would've been nice.

    Edit: Oh, and all very good points.
    Edited by M_of_the_sys at 05/02/10 @ 13:29

  • muscleblade #87 2 years ago

    " I look back at this generation of games Mass Effect will be very near the top of my list of highlights."

    ME2 is a huge improvement over the original. Even more so than AC2 compared to AC. I never finished ME on insanity and started that playthrough when i was finished with ME2. Oh man the gameplay is clunky and the graphics isnt in the same leage at all. Even so the original is a true classic.

  • DrDamn #88 2 years ago

    @Farticus
    You only really had to shoot one yeti in the face with clip after clip though. Once one was down you then had the all important poison crossbow for any more

  • muscleblade #89 2 years ago

    @farticusmaximus

    I have the same problem. I also like to fully complete the games so that doesnt help.
    I completed Bayonetta on all difficultys + Alfheim portals and all missons in ME2 in january. Now im playing ME1 and need to finish that on insanity. I already have Darksiders and Dantes Inferno on the shelf. Next week Bioshock 2 will be joining them and then AVP and it keeps going. Oh man. Why cant i quit buying all those games. L4D2 and Tekken 6 is also unopened on the shelf when i think of it. Damn.

  • DrDamn #90 2 years ago

    @Farticus
    Yep one shot kill. Can't remember if it was alluded to in game, though that may not have happened as I turned off hints so it didn't lead me by the nose in the puzzles. Makes the battles with the Yeti more about ammo management. For example after one of the bigger battles you are faced with a battle versus 3 Yetis and only have 2 arrows. 2 of the Yetis are chucking grenades and one has a crossbow. So you need to take down the crossbow one with one of your first couple of shots to make taking down the last one easier.

  • feistycheese #91 2 years ago

    farticusmaximus speaks a lot of sense. Theres great games on both consoles and to hold just one up and say 'beat that' is stupid.

    I havent got round to playing ME2 yet, but am definetely looking forward to it (need to borrow my brothers 360 first), but I imagine I will probably prefer it over UC2 because of its RPG elements.

    UC2 was a fantastic game, but I actually prefered Demons Souls.

    Now that doesn't make me right, its just my opinion. As is that guys who produced the stupid 'ME2 is better than UC2' article over on IGN. That is just his opinion.

    And to be honest I dont give a monkeys about some guy on IGN's opinion, as the article was clearly just an attempt to fire up a mini-fanboy war and attract more idiots to that site.

    Everyone should just be glad they have so much choice of gret games on both consoles, if they want to go on a cock comparing exercise they should just go look in the mirror and keep it off the forums.

  • TRUTH #92 2 years ago

    I found UC2 climbing sections to safe a bit like POP 2; there wasn't much skill to the prefixed climbing as there was no risk of missing the catch/grab/hold or risk of falling so the element of danger was taken out!.

    More puzzles where needed too!...I can't remember any except the six armed temple statue (and that was the usual same puzzle as in every other game).
    Edited by TRUTH at 05/02/10 @ 17:30

  • TRUTH #93 2 years ago

    That's why ME 2 is the highest scoring game so far (96/100 on Metacritic)- yet isn't UC 2 just a basic shooter and platformer then (a very easy no risk platformer one!)!!!... playing ME 2 I can't see how you call it shallow, more evolving then Oblivion and Fallout 3. Cinematic experience that surpass all games at moment inc FF XIII (read the reviews), graphics which are there with most AAA titles inc UC 2. ME 2 within each world is completely different but equally gorgeous, be it in an underground mine or on a crashed space cruiser teetering on the side on a cliff etc; ME2 is truly gorgeous to watch, also exceptional in this game, showing even the subtle details on characters faces. Expressions can be easily understood. The scenes where you can sit back and watch are enjoyable due to the extra benefit of being able to read the characters faces. Could actually be one of the best looking games so far.

    DA has crap garphics (though slightly better on PS3), framerate issues (though better on 360), non stop ongoing faceless dialog, samey atmosphere throughout and fairly crap fighting (though I liked DA at first but the issues become more apparent the longer you play)...It had a great story but not well executed, has it's moments but again where there's a positive there's 2 negatives (console versions) such as dumb AI.

    UC 2 against ME 2 are two different games...exploration, action, adventure, story ME 2 is better and also I think AC II holds up against UC 2 too in these areas. UC 2 was an enjoyable action set piece, but for adventure/exploration/action and story it leads you by the hand (but that was probably the aim of the game - to be a blockbuster fun game; though I enjoyed but thought it was over praised esp when played Batman AA,AC II before) - I would have preferred more exploration and less guided by the hand (as previous no risk in platforming) set pieces.






    Edited by TRUTH at 05/02/10 @ 22:28

  • electrolite #94 2 years ago

    I love these threads. It's an invitation for the fanboys, but particularly the rabid ones (musclehead, Negotiator, frod_, bartonfink, hammerhead666, Tyrell) to do the internet equivalent of self-flagelation. Grab the custard and electrified nipple-clips and in they go....

  • Badassbab #95 2 years ago

    Lord Gremlin Post 92-
    Seems like we are reading the same articles with different interpretations.I'm basing it on performance.

    Dante's Inferno- Tie
    Darksiders- Tie
    Saboteur- 360
    Army of Two- 360
    Dark Void- 360
    Avatar- 360

    I guess it's closer than ever but so was the last face off and we are in the 3rd year of the PS3.

  • anonim1979 #96 2 years ago

    "We often see lower-resolution transparencies and particle effects on 360 multi-platform titles, but in Dante's Inferno"


    That the F$%$%$% ?!


    Thee "lower-resolution transparencies and particle effects" ARE IN PS3 TITLES - like Modern Warfare etc. !


    EDITOR fix it!.

  • Badassbab #97 2 years ago

    Semitope Post 124-

    Welcome back. Thought you'd have stopped defending the honour of the PS3 since your a PC gamer now. Still, I wish to comment on your favourite user review.....tough shit. Go play Fallout 3 if you want that, Mass Effect is not about that.
    Edited by Badassbab at 08/02/10 @ 20:04

  • TRUTH #98 2 years ago

    Yhea Yhea Yhea!...Is because it's not a PS3 exclusive so it's doesn't get the praise!

  • byron_hinson #99 2 years ago

    Still annoyed these don't also focus on the sound differences in games...Darksiders for example is fantastic sound wise on the PS3 - think it uses DTS, on the Xbox it's far more muted. Same on most of the other titles too. I know it's not the main part of gaming, but it does make a difference.

  • Badassbab #100 2 years ago

    Byron-

    360 version uses Dolby Digital 5.1 what you trying to say? I prefer DTS myself but both are loud and proud.

  • man.the.king #101 2 years ago

    @teh9182

    That's not true. Go through earlier face-offs as well and you'll see what I'm referring to. I know lovers of the MS console would never be convinced, but as far as I'm concerned RL has not shown complete impartiality or professionalism in his articles.

    "You seem to have ignored that in favour of searching for anti-PS3 bias. Perhaps that's more of a reflection on you than the author of these face-offs. "

    You can think whatever the hell you like. I know when I see bias in an article - it's not hard. Of course, the recipients of the favor in the bias would never consider it as such, which is why you thought it fit to question my motives instead of the author's. On further thought, though, I suspect the leaning in the article may be editorial rather than the author's, but who can tell?
    Edited by man.the.king at 09/02/10 @ 07:58

  • byron_hinson #102 2 years ago

    @Badassbab - the sound is just generally better - less compression and the DTS sound when used on PS3 titles is always far better which surprised me. It's just I guess as a sound lover I can notice a massive difference between the PS3 titles and the Xbox 360 ones. Darksiders was one, Dead Space loads in general.

  • Badassbab #103 2 years ago

    Bryon-

    Well I suppose it does depend on the game for example Killzone 2 sounds amazing, but as for multiplat games I can't see how much of a difference there would be between compressed Dolby and uncompressed DTS on most sound systems but if it's an issue than RL should look into it as all he concentrates on is graphics.