One of the perks of the PS4 version, as revealed earlier via a tweet, is atmospheric simulation - a real-time approach to rendering skies in the Ground Zeroes mission. This allows clouds to move dynamically and impact the sun's lighting, where by contrast the Xbox One release joins PS3 and 360 with purely static skyboxes
A pass of FXAA post-processing is dolloped across both versions too, which sadly negates some of the clarity we were expecting from the PS4 version, though the final image remains respectable. Meanwhile, in the Xbox One's case there's no stopping the pixel crawl artefacts resulting from its lower pixel throughput, and the drop in image quality here remains tangible.
The resolution details stand as the most dramatic difference though, with Konami happilymaking public the specifics of each version ahead of release. From our pixel counts, we can confirm that the PS4 does indeed push out a 1920x1080 framebuffer as promised, while on Xbox One we have just a 1280x720 window with which to work. For a game that embarks on a crusade for open-world stealth action, the lower resolution on Microsoft's platform does affect visibility when lining up long-range shots - just as it does across Battlefield 4's sandbox areas.
Outside of the resolution disparity, differences between the PS4 and Xbox One mostly fall into a category of subtle curiosities. Object quality is identical, and asset streaming operates in the exact same way - where geometry, foliage and shadows are drawn from the same distance. Normal map quality is a complete match here too, and ditto for the accuracy of shadows and ambient occlusion. Microsoft's platform does, however, set itself apart with a more aggressive full-screen motion blur. This is somewhat bizarre given that it's entirely unique to this version, though only a difference that comes to light when comparing still shots.
Crucially, the Xbox One and PS4 releases are relieved from the pop-in. A choice addition to the Fox Engine is its ability to stream assets in the background.
Even up-close, the new platforms simply render in more details and at a greater vantage. We have a surplus of grass, rocks and other minor extras populating the world on Xbox One and PS4 too, though again, neither adds more to the scene than the other.
Onto more good news; the Fox Engine is already cementing its reputation as an engine built for rock-steady performance. Not only is it designed to hit 60fps with v-sync on PS4 and Xbox One.
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes - the Digital Foundry verdict
As an early example of how the Fox Engine is refreshing the Metal Gear Solid series, it's hard not to come away impressed with this Ground Zeroes prologue. The PS3 and 360 releases buckle under the weight of its new-found ambition, with general performance lurking in the 20-30fps range, but on the whole the game is still fundamentally enjoyable as an open-world action game. Visually it's tie between these two older platforms down to the smallest details, though in the end the 360 does hold at the 30fps target more convincingly when stressed - making it the recommendation in this particular head-to-head.
As for the PS4 and Xbox One releases, Kojima readily concedes that having started development on earlier platforms, the game "might look a little behind" titles created specifically for newer hardware. Even so, the generational leap brings with it boosts to texture quality, much improved accuracy to lighting and shadows, and a curtailing of the pop-in we see on the memory-limited PS3 and 360. But chief among the advantages here is a committed approach to hitting 60fps on both platforms, where performance is hitch-free during all our tests. So determined to hit this figure without a drop, in fact, extra effects such an 80s-style movie filter were seemingly dropped mid-production, having proved too much of a drain on resources - even for these newer systems.
But the king of the roost is most certainly the PS4 version, with its slick 1080p presentation marking a clear lead over the maximum 720p possible on Xbox One. The atmospheric rendering for skies is also a welcomed, if subtle extra on PS4 - the ramifications of which aren't fully fleshed out for single area demonstrated here. With no PC version in sight for the moment, this is clearly the way to brace yourself for the full Phantom Pain package due late next year.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2014-metal-gear-solid-ground-zeroes-face-off
