Other differences in image quality come down to the difference in gamma balance and the sense that lighting appears to be subtly different between the two platforms in places it seems that more detail is "bleached out" on PS3 due to a harsher effect. An older version of FXAA is a likely candidate.Īnother area where we see differences here is in how the overhead cables are being displayed: typically these are very well anti-aliased on Xbox 360, but the implementation can look much rougher on the PlayStation 3.Ī post-process anti-aliasing solution of some description is implemented on both console versions, but it appears to be significantly more refined on the Xbox 360. However, with the game in motion, we see a lot of pixel crawl suggesting that both versions are using a form of post-process anti-aliasing, which would make much more sense bearing in mind the fact that Driver: San Francisco is looking to render an entire frame in just 16ms in order to reach its target 60FPS frame rate. At times we see anti-aliasing that looks very much like 4x multi-sample AA on the Xbox 360, while the PlayStation 3 runs with a 2x MSAA equivalent. Looking at still comparisons, the edge smoothing appears to be operating with more samples on the Xbox 360.
We reckon that both games are running at just under 720p - 1120x720, or thereabouts, but there do appear to be some differences in the way anti-aliasing is handled. There have been some interesting comments about the image quality of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games, with the general impression being that the Microsoft platform possesses a more refined output.
In the meanwhile, let's get to grips with the quality of each console version, with the head-to-head movie kicking off proceedings backed as ever by an extensive comparison gallery. It's a great idea that is beautifully handled in-game, and the technological achievement in making this work seamlessly is substantial - but more on that later. The further you progress into story mode, the more powerful Shift becomes, to the point where Tanner has an almost god-like overview of the entire city. It's all very reminiscent of the way that the agents could switch from body to body in The Matrix. and if he's still proving elusive, shift into oncoming traffic and plough head-on into the perp. Cop buddies having trouble catching a joyrider? Simply shift between the cops and ram the offender off the road. He can "shift" between vehicles at will and use them as he sees fit to complete the various missions on offer. Series veteran Tanner is trapped in a coma, which gives him superhuman-like powers within what we assume is his own imagination. The core game mechanic that sets this new Driver apart from its competition is known as "Shift". It sounds insane, but it works really well, feeling fresh and unique in a market where surprises are few and far between. Driver: San Francisco is a game we should treasure - a technological showcase built around an original game design that seeks to blend the traditional open world driving game with what you might describe as an action RTS, blended via riffs clearly inspired by the BBC's Life on Mars.