March 6th, 2012
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Head2Head
Welcome back for another exciting Head2Head! This week we put the most anticipated game of 2012 thus far under the Lens — BioWare’s Mass Effect 3 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360! We’ll still need a few days to uncover the performance differences of these retail versions, but while we wait, lets have a look at the visual side of things…
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57 comments from members, join the discussion in the forum >>>Pages: 1 2
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Simple Gamma Difference Great Job Bioware
yep, i also noticed it seems like PS3 has motion blur?
look at picture 7.
aside from that and gamma its identicle
It’s unrealistic to think it’s simply a gamma issue. Why would the PS3 be have a glowing box in the second to the last image if it was merely gamma? That’s a completely different lighting effect which honestly looks terrible. The textures look more detailed on the Xbox 360 even if it is just a difference in gamma. Either way, you can’t change the gamma in the PS3 version and make it run more than 20 fps in fights….
Visually its a tie
M U C H better looking on ps3
The diference is on Performance, let´s see if it´s better than the demo
The black crush in the 360 version is awful, that alone stops it from being the best looking version. Performance is still up for grabs though.
Yeah. At least in ME2 PC you could edit shader file to remove black crush. I prefer PS3 looks, however performance in demo was much better on Xbox.
I love PC gamma levels, they are always perfect.
People must realize that although the black crush may make the game look more stylish in some places, it’s usually not worth it because of the loss of detail when looking at dark spots. This is painfully prevalent in a lot of Xbox 360 games and PS3 games are often regarded as looking washed out when compared side by side. Still, I think the xbox 360 version of ME3 is looking a bit sharper so that makes up for it IMO. I think the two versions are close enough to let performance decide which version you should get. I’m going for the PC version however. Even a modest rig should run this game well.
Looks great on both console. I’ll wait for the Performance comparison because I do not know which version I must buy.
Graphics still look like complete crap.
you bash on nearly every single mass effect article about the graphics
Not much in the screenshots to be honest, but having played the demo on 360 and ps3 i could only really see gamma differences anyway(i did turn the 360 brightness up a couple of notches).
Performance wise though there was only one winner on the demo.
I hear the opening scene still struggles on ps3, but the framerate for the rest of the game isn’t bad.
In other words when the engine gets stressed(like the opening scene), the ps3 is going to struggle more.
There’s only one winner of this h2h when it comes to the retail game
Android, that’s a retarded comment even by your standards. You cant base the retail analysis on demo, especially knowing that bioware products are done from 360-ps3, meaning ps3 demo would be older code. However, I do agree that 360 version will be superior one, and I can spot small differences overall between two. Each has strenhths and weaknesses, but seems to me that the 360 has more higher res textures and will most likely have a bit of frame rate advantage. Overall, looks like theyve done good job, shame, I dont like RPG’s , and couldnt give two hoots about this game though
You misunderstood me suarez07, i didn’t base the retail version on the demo, i’ve heard from people who have played the retail ps3 version saying the opening level still stutters a bit but the framerate is fine after that.
We’ll find out soon enough but i can only see one machine winning this h2h(nope not the ps3)
Ohh right, Android. It’s the old “I heard from someone who heard from someone who was told by another someone” gag. C’mon man, just take a day off from trolling for once to admit parity where it is. “There can only be one” lol seriously??? You sound like a writer for the The Highlander movies.
You cannot compare vsync’ed framerate to non vsync’ed. If xbox had vsync on it would struggle the same. If you want proof, take a look of DF analysis of Alan Wake American Nightmare. Framerate drops up to 10 fps lower with vsync engaged. The question is why developers choose different setups for two system? To engage vsync is smart choice only on more powerful system which leads us to conclusion??? Aaa android?
Mass effect 3 does have vsync on the 360 version, it just drops it when the framerate drops under 30fps(the sensible choice that the struggling ps3 should be using)
There’s identicle areas on mass effect 3 on the two consoles when the 360 version is still 30fps with vsync on and yet the ps3 is still dropping far more frames on that same scene.
The ps3 just can’t handle the pure awesomeness of an engine optimized for the mighty 360
Both look amazing. But for different reasons. Visually, it’ll be definitely a preference thing. Performance wise, I reckon it will be close. But since I didn’t have a Xbox 360 at the time when I got Mass Effect 2 for PS3, I gotta buy ME3 on PS3 for my ME2 saved file.
Can someone who have bought the PS3 version tell me if the framerate is horrible like the demo or it’s fixed in the final build????
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/312121/mass-effect-3-ps3-vs-360-you-wont-see-a-difference-says-bioware/
They would say that DEVILC, the story you’ve linked is from july 2011 as well.
I don’t think the ps3 version will be that bad from what i’ve heard.
Visually they are very similar but i’d expect the 360 version to have framerate advantages in places.
I don’t think the ps3 version will be as bad as some of the moaning fanboys on bioware’s site are expecting it to be though
Visual-wise, based on what being shown here, it’s a tie in my eyes. Although the texture filtering of the Xbox 360 version seems to be slightly better in some occasions (or spots, to be more accurate), it’s very negligible overall, and even more so while the game is in motion. I’m looking forward to what the performance analysis has to show.
@Lens of Truth
Please consider a Head2Head for Binary Domain and possibly I Am Alive (when it comes out.) Also, I would like read your review of Mass Effect 3 at some point in the near future, too.
Its a tie for me. I see both good qualities and bad qualities in both versions. But the one thing that sticks out the most is the darkness level on the 360. Way to dark for my taste. PS3 is the winner for me.
There seems to be a shadow glitch in the PS3 version, 2nd screenshot. The 3rd screenshot shows slightly better texture filtering on the X360, and in some spots textures seem very slightly sharper. Also there’s a texture streaming issue on PS3 in the 1st shot on the 2nd page. So far so typical UE3 fare. Technically a tiny bit better on X360, but not nearly as pronounced as to make an actual difference. Plus, the black crush on the XBox, as others have mentioned, is quite a bit off-putting.
Let’s see how things fare performance wise.
hopefully the framerate on the PS3 version wont be as terrible as it was in the demo
I fail to see any significant differences in these screen shots, and can only be considered a tie. To argue about any screen shot differences at this stage would be completely anal and unnoticable during gameplay. This is one for performance, and so far, Bioware has achieved amazing parity with the graphics.
Aside from the gamma levels I see very little difference between the 2. So I’d say a tie. Great job on the visual fron bioware.
The problem with the Ps3 version is the performance which was quite bad in the demo. I hope they managed to improove it a bit in the retail version (though I’m hearing from other sites that it isn’t much better)
Based on these screen shots the 360 looks a little better in places though you’d be hard pressed to notice in-game. As others have pointed out the 360 is crushing the blacks too much. Glad Bioware saw fit to include an in-game brightness adjuster.
Also props to Bioware for including FXAA. Looks like a decent implementation of it since blur isn’t readily apparent.
My Mass Effect experience started on 360 with ME1 and the save file for both previous games intact and that’s where it will end. If the saves didn’t carry over I probably would’ve gone with PC though that would mean manually fiddling about to get the 360 controller to work since no support for it from Bioware as usual.
Come final H2H I predict a slight 360 win mostly based on performance as 360 just better at handling UE3.
I don’t see how people can say that it looks better in the X360. Here in my display, with max brightness the X360 pictures are just a dark mess. They lose 50% of details. If one has to mess up with the tv setting everytime a different game is on, the PS3 wins. Otherwise it simply a tie. But sure, what matters the most at this point are the performances. Let’s wait for the complete H2H for the real evaluation.
Apparently crushed black levels are the thing to have, since there are a huge number of 360 games that have major black crushing issues.
I will never understand how a lot of these idiots seem to always think that the crushed black levels in a huge number of 360 games looks great. Crushed blacks just take away detail. Other than the crushed blacks they look about the same, except for maybe the PS3 version has some motion blur. But I would rather have a bit of motion blur than have crushed blacks all over the place
How come LoT uses PS3 screenshots that are between 2 frames? They intentionally make the PS3 version look blurry due to capturing the screen during motion.
Retards.
at the moment I’m playing ME 2 in my PC using my 46″ HDTV, 1920×1080, I’m playing the game in its max setting,as well as I have the game in PS3, I really love the PC version and how does it look, sharp and no frame rates issues. I guess I will stick to the PC version , yet I wish I can still use controller rather than the keyboard. I cant judge at the moment which one is better PS3 or Xbox360. All I can say I trust LOT results of H2H.
Ovcourse the PC version is better, still on the PC it isnt that graphically impressive atall compared to other games, but compared to both the Xbox and PS3 here its obviously miles better, these are both as bad as eachother.
Also you do know you can use a controller on the PC dont you… just use and Xbox or PS3 controller and use Xpadder, exactly the same as the PS3 and Xbox.
This was a TIE at least on those screenshots.On some screenshots PS3 looked better and on some X360,I couldnt not notice the small motion blur on PS3,but as i said it looks the same except the gamma so EVERYONE THAT SAYS PS3 OR X360 BETTER IS A FANBOY at least till we see the analysis which will decide
NO motion blur in the ps3 or xbox version from what i have played and the xbox only iooks like its crushing blacks when its set to expanded if you set the display to normal games look washed out like the ps3 its just a fact that deeper blacks look better than milky grey ps3 owner are the only people who mone about xbox blacks and its something that can be turned of so its daft to mone about it in the first place unless your just looking something to put the xbox version down on.If your getting the ps3 one dont worry about how the xbox version looks just get worred about the ps3 framerate
Sharper on Xbox 360. A 360-victory for me.
Doesn’t matter, the game still has horrible textures on both.
Started this franchise on PC and I were not really impressed by the weird recoil. Got ME2 for really cheap on PS3 and it was a really great game. And I will end this on the PS3. I still likes the deep customizations of the first Mass effect though.
OMG i cant believe it,the framerate of ME3 on PS3 is exactly like the demo,horrible ! Bioware gives to PS3 owners a crappy port.I took a chance and now im f..cked with a 60$ lazy port sh.t ! Im really not joking ! If you have the 2 consoles,go buy it on 360 or you’ll regret it like me
Fu.k U Bioware!
A patch 1.01 is now live on PSN but didn’t fixed the framerate! From Bioware???? Cant still believe it man…..I have no words
Graphically,it’s the same PS3 vs Xbox but the framerate is definitely better on 360! Crappy is exagerated but that shouldn’t have happened for PS3 owners for having poorer framerate than 360
Graphically,it’s a tie but in performance,Xbox win! Sad but true man!
But i will not exchange it for the 360 version cuz the game is still very playable! No screen tearing,great textures and i’ll always prefer the PS3 controler.Maybe the framerate dips is just at the beginning of the game??dont know but anyway,enjoy it guys cuz it’s an awesome game
Yeah Android,it’s exactly like you’ve heard from others! The PS3 demo framerate dips was like around 20 fps but i think now that the dips is more around 25 fps! Not really sure,but seems like a bit improved! Everything else is top notch
I have to agree, After downloading the 1 hour trial of the full game the framerate was always in the 20s. Only problem is i re-bought Mass Effect 2 on PS3 and have my gamesave all setup on there. The reason i don’t have my game save on my 360 is because at that time it red ringed and i just wiped out the hard drive then bought a new 360 slim. I think I’ll wait a little while to see if Bioware makes a patch to improve the framerate before i buy it on PS3.
Ok im now at 2h:30 played,and i can say that the framerate becomes more stable when you go further in the game! Man this game is great! Maybe it was only at the beginning of the game after all,and that is what i’ve read on some forums! If your a fan of ME,go buy this game right now without hesitation! One word Awesome baby
DF performance of the retail version, PS3 pretty much runs at 20fps the major part of the video, just like the demo.
http://www.eurogamer.net/videos/mass-effect-3-retail-game-performance-analysis-video
Easy one for Xbox this time.
a little too dark on X360 and a little too bright on PS3…
personally I do believe thers a lighting issue here, and im not sure if its the game itself.
BUT, although I feel that its lighter on the PS3 from how the reviewer has set the game, you can see more detail. toggle between the frames, its interesting.. I think the 2nd to last pic is the most interesting, because the PS3 version has clouds where as the 360 doesn’t seem to.
im sure there is more to this though, so I will wait for the final showdown.
Well eurogamer has confirmed it ps3 me3 is just like the demo in the full game so there you have it ps3 version is the worst crap framerate that’s another of the best games this year is a mess on ps3 And the clouds are just the point in time the shot was took like the first pic the most is missing from the ps3 it’s just the point the shot was took
Performance wise the Xbox360 version is better. However, even with the discs installed to hardrive on the Xbox360, you constantly have to switch discs in the Xbox360 version when you play the side missions in Mass Effect 3 on Xbox360. For multi-platform owners, It comes down to whether or not you want to deal with a lower frame rate with play through on a single game disc or a game that performs better but has constant disc swapping when you stray from the main story line.
Eurogamer said this game runs at 16 fps on the “might” ps3 … LOL! Mass Effect is the best game series this gen can offer… and ofc, only for xbox 360 players.
360 wins again