GTA 4: Xbox 360 vs. PS3 - 360 Wins
We decide which version of this year's most anticipated game is most worthy of your money. Video included.
No game has generated as much rabid fanboy forum posting as GTA 4. The Xbox 360 and PS3 armies have been out in full force, claiming their version to be best, piecing together tiny bits of info from articles all over the internet. We thought we'd save you the trouble and settle the argument once and for all. We've played both versions, gone online, taken screens and video footage from each (GTA 4 Xbox 360 Vs PlayStation 3 video), and are ready to deliver the ultimate verdict. Which version of GTA 4 is best? Xbox 360 or PS3?
Graphics
GTA 4 is one of the most impressive looking games ever released. It lacks the sheer "OMG WOW" factor the likes of Gears of War and Uncharted had on their release, but given the size of the city it's a phenomenal achievement. There's just so much to see, with tonnes of detail packed into every suburb. The lighting also has to be seen to be believed. Given the scale of the city some sacrifices had to be made, most notably in the frame rate and pop-in of minor objects as you hurtle through the city. It's here that the Xbox 360 and PS3 games differ slightly.
At a push we'd say that the pop-in is better in the PS3 game, but the frame rate seems generally smoother in the Xbox 360 game. Of more importance though is how rough the PS3 game looks in comparison to the Xbox 360 version. With both consoles set to 720p and connected to our 55" Sony HD TV via HDMI the PS3 game clearly features more aliasing issues and a general roughness. In comparison the Xbox 360 game is far sharper. Lighting is also an area of difference. The PS3 game features more yellow, giving it a slightly garish appearance, while the 360 game's more subdued lighting looks more natural.
One almost incidental difference is in how the two versions let you view the TV programs from your apartment. In the Xbox 360 game you have a distant view and a view that shows Niko watching the tele, but on the PS3 there's an additional view that is nearly full-screen. Whether this is down to the PS3 offering higher quality video thanks to the Blu-ray disc's larger storage capacity isn't clear, but watching the in-game TV is certainly better on Sony's console.
Verdict:
Much has been made of the pop-in seen in the Xbox 360 game, but it's a minor problem that most gamers won't even notice. What is more significant is the roughness of the PS3 game, which came as quite a surprise after spending an awful lot of time with the 360 game. You won't be disappointed with either, but if you're only interested in the visuals we'd definitely recommend you buy the 360 game.
You can see a direct comparison of the two games running side by side in our GTA 4 Xbox 360 Vs PlayStation 3 video. Please note: it was not possible to accurately match up the time of day. The video contains some strong language.
User Comments
LKJHGFDSA
The guy who wrote this is clearly an Xbox fanboy, look at his avatar.
The whole thing is completely biased. Alot of it being subtle but this quote is utter bull*****;
"we're discounting the motion control in the PS3 game as it's not worth using) this section is an absolute tie - we hope the rumble-equipped Dual Shock 3 will be available in Europe soon"
They say it's hard to use the sixaxis controls, honestly I disagree.
Granted the vehicle controls aren't very practical most of the time, I like to use the "reload" function. Which is where you simply shake the controller a little to reload your gun.
It's much easier than pressing square, and it comes in handy since you can do it while doing other things with both your thumbs.
He could of at least said it's somewhat of an advantage rather than "absolute tie".
and then he bitches at the lack of vibration support. I remember the DS3 was set to come out only 2 days after GTA IV. I remember this because I was fussing up whether to wait for it before buying the console with the old controller.
I haven't played the game on 360, and I prefer Playstation in general, but this article is too blatant. Yes 360 was getting exclusive content. Yes the controls might be more suited to the 360's pad.
but you can't say the game isn't worth buying for the PS3 because it forces you to install game data the first time you load it. That's just rediculous. It only does it one single time.
and he goes and mentions bull***** like "aw the ps3 has bluray but it's useless because it doesn't make a difference here". That's just taking a shot at the console itself.
If it doesn't matter then why mention it.
He mentions the 360's system features straight after that too, praising the custom game soundtracks.
but then when he's talking about the comparison in online play, doesn't even hint at the PS3's being free & 360's being a subscription service.
and the screenshot/video comparisons. I couldn't really see much of a difference in any of them. You have to take into account that GTA's ingame clock is always changing, and can result in the images looking very different at different virtual times of the day. (this happens even when starting a new game & loading cut scenes.)
I came here looking to see if the 360 version also supported 1080p. I see that it does as someone said in the comments. Wish I didn't read the article but I was curious as to how the conclusion was made.
txn9
magichater@ hu99ie
hu99ie
bhlester
boris19
Neutral...not!
Olly
Anonymous
True that
zmon
Hint: don't read what is written by Microsoft.
zmon
I'm sorry vg, but this reminded me why I don't visit this site often.
joytech22
how could a stupid old 7800gtx beat out a ATI-Radeon 3000 series?!
the ps3's GPU is the last thing id stick into a console!
cheeseman3414
3sixty