Our exclusive Fallout 3 PS3 review (from PSM3#107) has leaked onto the Internet and, as expected, a single sentence has been dragged out, beaten and interrogated under a spotlight. This one; "The PS3 version compares poorly to its Xbox and PC counterparts." Which, in the parlance of the Internet, obviously means; "THE PS3 VERSION SUCKS! XBOX WINS! ANOTHER CRAPPY PORT!" But that isn't the case. The PS3 version just looks SLIGHTLY WORSE than the other versions.
The PC version of Fallout 3 is gorgeous. The colours are vivid, the draw distance is endless, the textures are high-res and the lighting effects are beautifully subtle, especially when you're gazing over the Capital Wasteland at sunset. It's the best-looking of the three.
The Xbox 360 version's textures are noticeably rougher than on PC, and objects in the distance aren't quite as clear. It does, however, boast an impressively solid frame rate. The game is, otherwise, identical.
NOW, the PS3 version looks the same as on Xbox, but things in the distance are slightly jaggier/rougher, the textures seem 'muddier' up-close and the frame rate is choppier, especially during the last few story missions (which may be the same on Xbox, but we've not seen the equivalent scenes to comment). We won't spoil anything, but the set-pieces here are MASSIVE, and the engine quivers under the weight of what's happening.
So, really, the difference between the Xbox and PS3 versions won't hamper your enjoyment of the game in ANY WAY. High-res textures or not, it's still the same huge, epic, absorbing, brilliant adventure.
And if you're bothered by a slightly inferior frame rate and fractionally blurrier textures, then perhaps, yes, you'd best buy the Xbox version, leaving the rest of us to enjoy an almost-identical, equally brilliant, game on PS3, while you smugly inspect concrete textures at terrifyingly close range to reap the full benefit, rather than, say, losing yourself in a 100 hour epic quest in an evocative post-apocalypse. Or having fun.
Good night.
Andy Kelly (the one who reviewed Fallout 3, and finished it on PS3.)
EDIT: As this story has spread, some of the more conspiratorial forum posters are suggesting this post is 'damage control', prompted by Bethesda. Once again, sorry to disappoint, but no-one from Bethesda, or their PR Agency has been in touch - we just felt the need to clarify what had been taken, and blown out of proportion, in our review. While it is entirely sensible comment that, yes, we could have clarified the visual differences between formats more clearly in the review, seeing as we already had to trim up to 800 words off the original copy, we opted to describe more about the game's setting, its atmosphere and rich possibility, than devote 300 words to the minutiae of textures, and visible - but negligible - draw distance occurrences, since most of our readers, we presume, would be more interested in the game's broader sweep. It is, after all, a 100 hour action-RPG, not an exercise in turning over corpses to inspect the resolution of their trousers. As for those claiming this as some form of victory for Xbox's architecture over PS3, the dull truth is that games will almost always look slightly better on the format they were originally coded for. In the reverse scenario, look at PS3-specific titles like Uncharted, LittleBigPlanet, MGS4 and Killzone to see how PS3 can perform when coded from the ground up. Bigger third-party developers, especially EA, have almost completely eradicated cross-platform hiccups - for example, our recent demo of Skate 2 led on PS3, while last year's game led on Xbox.
If I had the two consoles, I'd buy it on 360. Why buy on the PS3 for the same price when you get a worse game with no trophies poorer graphics and none of the DLC. It's a no-brainer.
Yup - as someone who likes to plays games I really don't care as long as the game is fun to play. Also - Of course the pc version is going to be best. If it wasn't then something would be terribly wrong. I'll be getting it for ps3 even though I do own a 360. Two more days before I can buy the mag in the shop
Yup - as someone who likes to plays games I really don't care as long as the game is fun to play. Also - Of course the pc version is going to be best. If it wasn't then something would be terribly wrong. I'll be getting it for ps3 even though I do own a 360. Two more days before I can buy the mag in the shop
If I had the two consoles, I'd buy it on 360. Why buy on the PS3 for the same price when you get a worse game with no trophies poorer graphics and none of the DLC. It's a no-brainer.
Im pretty sure the PS3 version has got trophies actually...
If I had the two consoles, I'd buy it on 360. Why buy on the PS3 for the same price when you get a worse game with no trophies poorer graphics and none of the DLC. It's a no-brainer.
Im pretty sure the PS3 version has got trophies actually...
I totally agree Andy. I'm still massively excited for this game and I don't give a s**t about a couple of fuzzy textures. Bethesda said that they'll eventually bring out trophies so that should get me to play it again.
good to see you putting your position to good use Andy. its bulls**t rumours like these that need stopping. you have my respect.
I agree, although this sort of thing will be ignored as the idiots that get mad over this subject don't like to know the truth, they would rather get some sort of self satisfaction from thinking they know better than someone who reviews game for a living.
already got mine reserved for the 360. unlike GTA IV, Fallout 3 is the kinda game where extra content mattered to me. still, i think i'm gonna chalk this up to lazy development. don't see any other reason they would make the PS3 version of Oblivion superior, but the PS3 version of Fallout 3 inferior.
I'm not dissapointed about this, it's just the massive 360 fanboy uproar that's likely to occur now.
I just don't get people who say PC is the best for games. I can see why they would look the best being that a new Graphics Card comes out every week but i can't stand the thought of having to sit there, in my cold office chair, clicking away at the mouse and searching for the the Tab key to access my inventory.
To be fair I think PSM3 has to take some of the blame for the uproar. They had to know that "The PS3 version compares poorly to its Xbox and PC counterparts." would be snapped up by fanboys and taken out of context, so they probably should have restructured the sentence to make sure that didn't happen. I mean to me, "The PS3 version compares poorly to its Xbox and PC counterparts." pretty much does sound like the PS3 version isn't as good. It's not like they're saying, "in certain places the graphics are a little more jagged on the PS3 version, but overall not a major problem." They know their review will be taken out of context, so either take extra care, or if you don't think you should have to change your words, don't complain about it here. I do love PSM3 but come on, you've got to see the other side of hte argument.
Funny how this topic has evoked quite a styorm in this very forum, although not quite for the same reasons.
It is a bit of a downer that the ps3 is getting the 'worse' ports sometimes. I know it's not the end of the world or anything, but is anyone tiring of that same gut - punch feeling, and having to walk a way a little bit miffed and with a nice sour taste in your mout, for what is otherwsie a very pleasant Cadbury's chocolate.
Too many anaolgies and metaphors to make sense? Possibly so.
But are the ports worse? Who cares? It's the same game. You still wander through D.C. with your Pipboy3000, you still have your dog by your side and you can still punch peoples heads off.
I'm almost getting as bored with this topic as I am the whole "Do game make you kill people" one around April.
I don't really care. Perhaps graphics might be important if the difference was astronomical (say PS One to PS3), but as soon as you start squinting, putting your eyes up against the monitor, asking for another persons opinion and then rant about it online, I think it's time to re-evaluate your life.
Well said dodgy1. And, anyway, we all know that the PS3 version of LittleBigPlanet looks way better than the XBox and PC versions. Oh no, wait, they aren't getting it. Zing! I'm such a bitch.
Well said dodgy1. And, anyway, we all know that the PS3 version of LittleBigPlanet looks way better than the XBox and PC versions. Oh no, wait, they aren't getting it. Zing! I'm such a bitch.
and appreciate LBP will be infinitley more fun in virtually every way
Look. Anyone Claiming FallOut 3 Will Be s**t Due To This News Or Not Are Simply Fools.. But Saying That.. what exactly did psm3 expect from the net full of xbots... huh.. And also if psm haven't played much of the xbox version then how can they state textures and framerates at those instances are worse then the xbox version?! Silly really. Fallout 3 WILL be incredible, no doubt about it People On Here Saying FallOut Is Pant, Fallout Was Simply Never Made For You.. Stick To Your MovieTie In Titles... Roll on nextweek..
360 fans blowing the whole thing outta proportion! It's obviously going to look slightly worse on a ported version, but come on, it's still going to have excellent gameplay value.
I will be buying it for my ps3 and not my xbox 360 because I want to be able to play and not get a "dirty disc error" or "please insert a xbox 360 disc" or have it freeze on me. Oh yeah, I don't want to buy it and then get a red ring of death and not be able to play it for 4 weeks.
damn 360, barely bothering with detials when sharing ps3's titles and still having your exclusive ones at the top of the charts, so what if we kept metal gear, thanks for bioshock but wheres fable 2 and gears of war.. sure we didnt give killzone 2, but whod want killzone 2 anyway. instead were stuck with the short end of the stick with poor looking ports. fallout 3 better meet its expecations, dead space met all my expectations so i hope the next big title (fallout) for me isnt ruined by a few flaws in graphics, cause now i cant play without poking out little "muddy" close-ups.
Haven't seen many 'xbots' jumping on the bandwagon. Just some paranoid, touchy PS3 owners waiting for the backlash.
And a few textures? It's hardly anything anyway, I'm sure it will be a great game on either platform. It's just not top of my 'to buy' list at the moment with all the other great games that are on the way.
"look at PS3-specific titles like Uncharted, LittleBigPlanet, MGS4 and Killzone to see how PS3 can perform when coded from the ground up"
Only problem with using these games is there is nothing to compare them to. Sure they look great on the PS3...most games do....but would they have looked better on the 360 or a PC? Maybe, no way to know. One guy suggested Bethesda was lazy on the PS3 version of Fallout 3 citing Oblivion as an example.....that doesn't make much sense however as they had more time to work on the PS3 version of Oblivion.
I hear what you guys are saying about its a game enjoy it.. stop whinning.. BUT... if we let developers get away with making sloppy ports on the PS3 we will never get our high quality games we deserve. Anyone who says it was built on the ground up on all platforms is either talking crap or has no idea what they are talking about. No trophy support( as useless as " trophies" are) means they didnt take into account what the ps3 has to offer which means it was not built from the ground up, theres your proof right there... it might be childish and stupid but proof nonetheless. Plus the Ps3 is a effing power house of a machine, there is no reason it should feel heavy on it. Got to say.. the price of games have gone up a lot over the last couple of months with economic crisis and i will not be buying any inferior games for my ps3, supporting slap dash games is not on my to do list.
I agree that there was a greater complexity and darkness in this version because I’ve never played the previous two. This game got some good ratings and feedback so i had to play it. I’m really glad I did. it’s brilliant.
I Hyped Fallout 3 on Everhype and gave it 80% which I think is fairly accurate.
http://www.everhype.com/hyper/thebitch?X=G402
I wouldn’t mind getting some opinions on it . If you get on there, rate me a 5 & request friendship.
AM I missing something? PS3 = far more advanced bit of kit than xbox. BUT It's been out around 2 years and most of the big title releases are still inferior ports with reviewer comments continually bemoaning slow frame rates, flicker, poor colours, low developer support. I agree that ps3 original titles look great as they are built from ground up but where are they? MGS4 was an experience but v short in gameplay, LBP is cute but fairly short interest value, Resistance 2 / Motorstorm 2 more of the same but prettier...and that's it really (will killzone2 and GOW3 ever come out?). I have been a loyal playstation man from the beginning but, due to Sony getting lazy and resting on their laurels whilst ignoring their fan base, I have finally given in and recently bought into the enemy and now have an xbox. I now barely turn on the ps3. Fallout 3 is miles better (looks great and, having played both versions is a far more rounded experience in terms of gameplay too) with dlc coming, GTA4 has dlc coming, cracking RPG Mass Effect is a fiver preowned, bioshock is much cheaper than ps3, back catalogue of games much bigger...I could go on but it pains me to do so. It will never change as long as we are happy to accept less...sure I will get lots of aggressive responses but I truly would like to see ps3 reach its potential, hopefully before 2015!
i think MGS$ was over hyped.... But i still think it was the best game of 2008... because it had everything...and the story was awsome... and come on that could be the last time we can play as SOLID-SNAKE..because his story ends on MGS$
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
and appreciate LBP will be infinitley more fun in virtually every way
