Face-Off: Far Cry 3

[Soldier 95B]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/di...cry-3-face-off

Conclusion:

Far Cry 3: the Digital Foundry verdict

Compared to the first stretch of Dunia's legs on console the engine improvements are small but impactful. We don't see anything as game-changing as the wildfire dynamic being added to the equation, but refinements to motion capture and facial animation technology do much to amplify the beats in Far Cry 3's story. At the centre of the show is Michael Mando's delightfully off-kilter performance as Vaas, and the new tools are applied to equally great effect with the player's first-person hand animations. Jungle exploration has always been the running theme of the series, but propping up a narrative backbone in this way only adds to your sense of purpose around the islands.


But which version offers the best experience? Alas, abundant full-screen tearing does much to curtail the look of an otherwise gorgeously designed game on console platforms, for which both PS3 and 360 are guilty to equal degrees. Frame-rate is also a big drag too, and we'd hoped for better than the 20-30FPS fluctuations we're getting from both platforms during gunplay - though 360 fares slightly better here overall. There are stability issues with the PC release too but given the right hardware specs this is undeniably the road to take for a tear-free experience.


Image quality bears mention too: both console releases are tightly paired in their approach to multi-sampling native 720p outputs, and the only eye-catching difference is the dithered shadows on Sony's platform around globally illuminated areas. As if to compensate here, we see superior texture filtering on PS3 and slightly less evidence of triangle culling after fast-travelling around the archipelago. It's a close call in many respects, but the shadow issue sticks out even without the other formats to compare it to, leading us to give the 360 a nod here as well.


In all, Ubisoft Montreal has conjured up a beautiful, boar-skinning, hang-gliding romp on all three platforms, though tolerance is advised for console owners whose pet peeves include screen tearing. Otherwise, the scale of cut-backs to these versions isn't as extreme as we'd expected going in. Many principle effects and assets are faithfully upheld from the PC version - even down to the taxing ambient occlusion, and global lighting. Image quality purists will know where to find all the bells and whistles, but in the final tally, Far Cry 3 stands as a strong multi-platform release.

Sadly the framerates look to be an issue.

[Bigdoggy]

I read these but I only take it with a microscopic piece of salt because usually they make more out of something then it really is.

[radgamer420]

I read these but I only take it with a microscopic piece of salt because usually they make more out of something then it really is.

Yeah I agree. I was surprised to read that the PS3 version had better texture filtering though. But I doubt anybody is going to notice when theyre getting into fire fights.

[F34R]

Neither is going to hold over on the other while you're playing. Hard to even make a choice between the two at this point. Been playing it on the PS3 and it's been a blast.

[Fenix]

Figures the one part on games that drive me mad, and PS3 gets the worst shadows.. lol
No idea why shadows are really the only thing about this gen that annoys me

[Yungstar 2006]

Neither is going to hold over on the other while you're playing. Hard to even make a choice between the two at this point. Been playing it on the PS3 and it's been a blast.

what about the "frame-rate is also a big drag too, and we'd hoped for better than the 20-30FPS fluctuations we're getting from both platforms during gunplay", it stopped me from ordering.

[F34R]

what about the "frame-rate is also a big drag too, and we'd hoped for better than the 20-30FPS fluctuations we're getting from both platforms during gunplay", it stopped me from ordering.

Hasn't stopped the playability. Yes, it definitely has a drop, but nothing that has kept it from being played just fine.

[keefy]

15FPS is an eye sore. Its a slide show. Would annoy me too much to play.
Looks like the PS3 version has similar shitty low resolution shadows that GTA4 has on PC.

[Bigdoggy]

here is the PS3 version and I don't see this whole 15fps lolz i dunno. maybe it's a random thing.

[F34R]

I haven't seen that much frame rate drop. Below 30fps, yes. Something troublesome? No.

[Bigdoggy]

I thought the game releases on the PS3 on Dec. 4th o.O

[keefy]

Everyone is different obviously it doesn't bother you guys. But I bet you guys can see 3D. I cannot.

[F34R]

I thought the game releases on the PS3 on Dec. 4th o.O

Correct. I pre-ordered it.

[TDbank24]

Looks like the PS3 version of Far Cry 3 is the version to get.

[F34R]

Looks like the PS3 version of Far Cry 3 is the version to get.

Based on what?

[Cybertox]

I hate when the frame-rate is bad in games. Like i already said 1000 times the frame rate of a game is one of the most important aspects of the game.

[Soldier 95B]

Everyone is different obviously it doesn't bother you guys. But I bet you guys can see 3D. I cannot.

I can't see 3D either.

Correct. I pre-ordered it.

Is it anything like Far Cry 1? I so want it to be.

Based on what?

You know TD by now. I am surprised you asked.

[A7MAD]

Was going to get it on the 360 anyway but it's always nice to hear/read/see why your choice was the safer one.

[Yungstar 2006]

Hasn't stopped the playability. Yes, it definitely has a drop, but nothing that has kept it from being played just fine.

360 (achievements) version ordered.

[Fijiandoce]

more and more games are struggling to maintain 30 fps

interested in seeing how both consoles first party titles fair during this end game

sadly, i don't like Far-cry 3. from all the footage i've seen, the main character needs to go see an eye doctor to get some new spectacles. he is blind like as a muther-fudging bat!

[F34R]

I can't see 3D either.



Is it anything like Far Cry 1? I so want it to be.



You know TD by now. I am surprised you asked.

I haven't played Far Cry until now. I dunno if its like any others...

Was going to get it on the 360 anyway but it's always nice to hear/read/see why your choice was the safer one.

The 360 one plays just as good, if not better. The frame rate doesn't seem to off as much as the PS3. The comparisons will bring that out I think. If they slow at the same spots, at the same rate, then, I dunno lol.

360 (achievements) version ordered.

Pre-ordered the 360 version too.

[radgamer420]

360 (achievements) version ordered.

You just said earlier that the framerate kept you from ordering it but now suddenly youre ordering it for achievements? lol Not trying to start anything with you it just seemed odd. But you probably have a well above average gamer score.

[radgamer420]

Was going to get it on the 360 anyway but it's always nice to hear/read/see why your choice was the safer one.

Based on what? The framerate differences are by 5fps, both have screen tear, 360 has better tree shadows and PS3 has "superior" texture filtering (the actual article says PS3 takes a big lead in texture filtering which is why it looks sharper than 360 in many of our shots." None of these things are making one version a "safer choice" over the other. Are you really going to see a 5fps difference? I doubt it. Normally I'd probably go 360 but since PS3 has timed exclusive DLC missions I'll go with that since the tech differences are minimal like most multiplats nowadays.

[radgamer420]

here is the PS3 version and I don't see this whole 15fps lolz i dunno. maybe it's a random thing.

Yeah I've seen alot of PS3 gameplay videos on You Tube and it seemed fine to me.

[TGO]

I was gonna say why TD would say that (PS3 being the version to get) but Rad nailed it

Based on what? The framerate differences are by 5fps, both have screen tear, 360 has better tree shadows and PS3 has "superior" texture filtering (the actual article says PS3 takes a big lead in texture filtering which is why it looks sharper than 360 in many of our shots." None of these things are making one version a "safer choice" over the other. Are you really going to see a 5fps difference? I doubt it. Normally I'd probably go 360 but since PS3 has timed exclusive DLC missions I'll go with that since the tech differences are minimal like most multiplats nowadays.

To honest Rad most people that go on about framerates can't really tell the difference between 25-45 fps
In fact it only becomes noticeable if its below 18fps or above 50fps
The only thing noticeable is radical drops and jumps in framerates if its steady its no problem



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