![]() The reason for this is that lower-resolution artwork is used on many objects throughout the game, resulting in visible detail loss, while normal maps appear to be using a different, more lossy compression scheme which creates artifacts on surfaces that use the effect. ![]() We also find that normal maps feature less distinctive bumps and ripples, leading to the affected surfaces looking a touch blockier. On top of that, rendering in a lower resolution saves precious GPU time, which is used to help maintain a more stable frame-rate.Īside from the obvious resolution differences, it is clear that the PS3 version is missing some of the more intricate texture details found on the 360, a situation not helped by the more aggressive FXAA implementation. However, larger buffers would eat into this area, thus leaving less room for textures and other effects. Meanwhile the use of a sub-HD presentation on PS3 is most likely down to performance and memory issues: the framebuffer doesn't need to fit into a small 10MB space, so instead it is rendered directly into the system's 256MB VRAM. Looking at the rendering set-up of both games, the 80-line deficit on the 360 is quite revealing, suggesting the developers worked hard to integrate the deferred buffers into the 10MB of eDRAM attached to the system's Xenos GPU. Specular highlights are also subdued on the PS3 due to the stronger edge-detection being employed, although this doesn't come across as a particular downside given that the characters can look a little too shiny in some scenes on the 360. ![]() Finer texture details that are visible on both platforms are smoothed over and edges feature a distinct softness that is regularly apparent with anti-aliased sub-HD games. While the 360 game gives a passable impression of a native 720p presentation, it looks significantly blurrier on the PS3, which is the combination of the much heavier upscaling and a stronger FXAA solution covering the final image in a veil of softness. The impact of this difference is clearly seen in our head-to-head video above and in our Sleeping Dogs 720p comparison gallery. Use the full-screen button on the bottom-right of this window for full 720p resolution. "The overall experience of playing Sleeping Dogs on console is mostly very similar, but the Xbox 360 version has a clear resolution advantage and a number of more minor visual improvements." Sleeping Dogs compared on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. ![]() Anti-aliasing on both consoles is a post-process, most likely provided by NVIDIA's popular FXAA solution, although we find that the PS3 uses a more aggressive edge-detect algorithm in order to smooth over the additional jaggies created by the heavy upscale. On Microsoft's system, Sleeping Dogs adopts a native 1200x720 presentation, with an 80-pixel horizontal upscale to 720p, while on the PS3 we're looking at a much lower 1152圆40, which has more severe implications with regards to overall image quality. The use of a deferred shading set-up has implications for both consoles, resulting in two distinct implementations. These elements of the game work in tandem with a real-time day/night cycle to bring a sense of life to the world. The technology behind Sleeping Dogs is paramount in realising the complex world in which the action takes place, and the developer's use of a deferred shading engine allows for hundreds of dynamic light sources on-screen, from headlights and shop signs reflecting off of the wet roads to the flashes of thunder in the night sky. Originally picked up by Activision and re-purposed as a sequel to the True Crime series, the game was later delayed and eventually cancelled by the publisher, before being signed up by Square Enix, who enlisted its London studio to help finish the game.ĭespite the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the title's long and troubled development, it's clear the studio put a lot of time and care into transforming its vision into a game. While the overall experience isn't as polished as the likes of GTA or Red Dead Redemption, it's somewhat remarkable that United Front Games has been able to hand in such a solid product given the rocky development cycle of the title. The focus on hand-to-hand combat over gunplay is fitting for a game about a turf war engulfing Triad gangs, while Hong Kong, where the action is set, is highly detailed and full of life, creating a believable world in which the lines between cop and criminal are slowly blurred as you progress into the brutal underworld. Sleeping Dogs doesn't redefine the openworld sandbox genre in any meaningful way, but it is a strong, story-driven title that takes advantage of its Eastern setting to provide a new take on a game style in need of some new ideas.
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