Halo 3 News

For:Xbox 360 Release Date: 25 September 2007

Believes the game looks great, better than Halo 3.

Halo 3: ODST screenshot

It's not uncommon for a game to run at a sub-720p resolution, but when that game is an entry in a console's flagship franchise, people take notice.

Halo 3, the first Halo title released on Xbox 360 and Bungie's first title for the console, sacrificed 720p and ran at 1152x640 in order to maintain a steady frame rate. Now, two years later, Halo 3: ODST has sparked internet chatter about sub-720p resolutions once again.

Asked by VideoGamer.com at gamescom last week if too much has been made from the fact ODST runs in a sub-720p resolution, Bungie community and pr director Brian Jarrard agreed, stating, "I think so".

"I think the game looks great. I think like CJ [Cowan, director of cinematics] pointed out, ODST looks even better than Halo 3, and it's the same technology and the same engine," explained Jarrard. "Whether it's 640p native or 720p, I mean I don't think that's really a deterrent to whether or not the game looks good and is fun to play. I think it's a bullet point media love to pick up on, and they love to pick and pry. But I feel like it's definitely overrated.

"We're very happy with the engine we have, and how robust it is and the ability to have all these great features. If that means that we've shaved off 20p somewhere, so be it."

Has too much been made of Halo 3: ODST's sub-720p resolution or should a game in Microsoft's flagship franchise be showing off the Xbox 360 to its full potential? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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Highest Rated Comment

CheekyLee's Avatar

CheekyLee@ El-Dev

Please clarify something for me, Dev. Are you saying that it is a fact that KZ2 is the pinnacle and that therefore my opinion is wrong? Or are you saying that your opinion is a fact? Neither way reads particularly well. Why does your preference get to be fact whereas mine gets relegated to opinion? Again, you can not just look at numbers when it comes to graphics. If I were to post a 480 image of the Mona Lisa next to a 1080 stick-man, would you say the stick-man is superior?
Posted 13:19 on 26 August 2009

User Comments

guyderman's Avatar

guyderman

I didn't even realise that tearing was an issue on Resi 5 - this is the first I've even heard it mentioned!
Posted 17:26 on 26 August 2009
CheekyLee's Avatar

CheekyLee

I found that the screen noticeably teared on the 360, but not on the PS3. However, I have not played local co-op on the 360 version, and have only played that on the PS3, so perhaps that has something to do with it.
Posted 17:15 on 26 August 2009
guyderman's Avatar

guyderman

I had no screen tearing on Resi 5 either - and I have to agree with Karl that this was also also one of the best looking games I've played this gen too - it certainly wowed me with it's visuals more than KZ2.

With reference to eurogamer - I always find that they are more interested in the so called technical aspects of a game than the heart of game and I often find myself at odds with their views. but then again I'm not a professional so what do I know, all I can go by is what I enjoy more in a game and what actually makes me stand up and take notice.
Posted 17:10 on 26 August 2009
Karlius's Avatar

Karlius@ El-Dev

RE5 Screen Tearing? Must be the PS3 as mine run it at 1080p obviously upscaling its native 720p with no problems at all. I most deffinately can say i've played the game more than mostly everyone on the site with the exception of Crusty. So if I was going to get any issue I would surely of got it.

This is the view off one site and lets not forget there are millions out there all with differing views so to take one as gospel is retarded!
Posted 16:10 on 26 August 2009
CrustyJockStrap's Avatar

CrustyJockStrap

Perosnaly I have not been back to KZ2 i have only played about an hour. I am not saying it bad or ugly just it does not give the enjoyment of other games.

Halo 3 completed it many times and play online constantly.

So yeah it's personal preference nothing more.

I have not had RE5 screen tearing on either the Ps3 or 360. I have seen people post who have had it but i have not.
Both my Ps3 and 360 run at 1080p but RE5 on the ps3 only runs at 720p
Posted 15:55 on 26 August 2009
El-Dev's Avatar

El-Dev

"RE5 is the most polished game on any platform."

Is this the RE5 with the screen tearing?

"I also don't see the difference between GOW2 or KZ2 i'd say those are on a Par in 2nd place."

Really? I've been playing GoW2 for the last few days and while it is an excellent looking game I'd have put it on a par with Uncharted, not KZ2.

"Are you saying that it is a fact that KZ2 is the pinnacle and that therefore my opinion is wrong? Or are you saying that your opinion is a fact? Neither way reads particularly well. Why does your preference get to be fact whereas mine gets relegated to opinion?"

I'm not saying that my opinion is that KZ2 is the best looking most technically impressive game, I'm saying that it is. Take from that what you want.

" I were to post a 480 image of the Mona Lisa next to a 1080 stick-man, would you say the stick-man is superior?"

From which viewpoint? Artistically the Mona Lisa , technically the stick man.


These guys know what they're talking about:

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ki...es-and-verdict
Posted 15:02 on 26 August 2009
CheekyLee's Avatar

CheekyLee@ El-Dev

Please clarify something for me, Dev. Are you saying that it is a fact that KZ2 is the pinnacle and that therefore my opinion is wrong? Or are you saying that your opinion is a fact? Neither way reads particularly well. Why does your preference get to be fact whereas mine gets relegated to opinion? Again, you can not just look at numbers when it comes to graphics. If I were to post a 480 image of the Mona Lisa next to a 1080 stick-man, would you say the stick-man is superior?
Posted 13:19 on 26 August 2009
Karlius's Avatar

Karlius

1. RE5 is the most polished game on any platform. In my opinion and it's my opinion. I also don't see the difference between GOW2 or KZ2 i'd say those are on a Par in 2nd place.

2. In agreement with Guy! Unless highlighted most people couldn't tell whether a game was at 1080p, 720p or even 540p. As long as the games run smoothly.
Posted 13:01 on 26 August 2009
guyderman's Avatar

guyderman

Quote:
The thing with KZ2, is that the graphics did live up to the hype.

The graphics were nice - very bland, but technically impressive - the SP however was very dissapointing and very repetative - online was pretty good but certainly wasn't in Halo's or COD4's league. For me personally I was far more impressed with the Graphics on Uncharted than KZ2, and I think Naughty Dog will really dazzle us on Uncharted 2.

Back to this issue of the Sub-720p though - I played both Halo 3 and KZ2 on the same TV and as far as noticing any differences related to games being sub-720p - I couldn't see anything that has made me either WOW over a 720p game or be underwhelmed at a sub-720p game. For me it has always been down to what a developer does with the game itself.
I bet if half of you were given a game to do the pepsi challenge on and say whether it was in 720p or sub - you wouldn't tell the difference.
Posted 12:25 on 26 August 2009
dav2612's Avatar

dav2612

I wasn't impressed with the Killzone 2 graphics but it all comes down to personal taste. Sure, the graphics are very detailed but it's all dull with a lot of industrial style locations, there was only one point in the whole game where I stopped to take in the scenery. On the PS3, I'm much more impressed with the likes of Pacific Rift.
Posted 12:17 on 26 August 2009
Ghost_Dog's Avatar

Ghost_Dog

The thing with KZ2, is that the graphics did live up to the hype. The best thing about it, is that the gameworld feels solid and it's not all just technical trickery.

Unfortunately, the single player campaign was disappointing and a little bland. It also didn't help that the story and characterization were poor.

Where the game exceeded my expectations was with the online multiplayer, which for me personally, is one of the best. The graphics also held up very well, even when there are 32 players.
Posted 12:10 on 26 August 2009
Wido's Avatar

Wido

Whatever we say, we aren't going to be satisfied.
Posted 11:57 on 26 August 2009
El-Dev's Avatar

El-Dev@ CheekyLee

Personal opinion Lee, but KZ2 is the pinnacle so far of this gen.
Posted 11:53 on 26 August 2009
CheekyLee's Avatar

CheekyLee@ El-Dev

I would argue that graphics are not quantifiable. The best looking game I have seen this year has been MadWorld, which runs at 480p. Whilst I know that KZ2 is more impressive from a purely technical standpoint, shifting a lot more polygons per second, it has nothing like the impact that the heavily-stylized and much more artistic Wii title delivered.
Posted 11:31 on 26 August 2009
guyderman's Avatar

guyderman

Wonder what it was that made me play KZ2 through once and then sell it but made me play all the Halo games through multiple times.

It must have been just the enjoyment, the great storylines, great variation of gameplay with vehicles as well as being on foot and the fact that the games handled fantastically. - but obviously none of these are as important as graphics these days - I forget!

btw - and this is just my opinion - there was nothing in KZ2 that looked as impressive or was as exciting as say the Scarab battles in Halo 3.
Posted 11:20 on 26 August 2009