On the main screen, Nintendo's platform manages to output a native resolution of 1024x576, with a post-process approach to anti-aliasing running over the top. Compared with the full 1280x720 frame-buffer we see running on PS3 - also benefiting from this AA treatment - it's surprising that such a downgrade doesn't impact the Wii U version so negatively. The worst of it boils down to a subtle moire noise pattern forming across fencing when viewed from afar, and a few rougher edges on the Shibuya Downtown stage. This doesn't amount to anything drastic during play. By comparison, the 360 renders at a 6 per cent higher overall pixel count of 1152x544, with similar artifacting issues disguised by the efficient AA. In general, the PS3 does look the sharpest of the bunch by a narrow margin, but the other two formats acquit themselves very nicely thanks to the frequency of the motion blur. |
PS3: 1280x720
360: 1152x544
Wii U: 1024x576 is the lowest rez
Lead director Steve Lycett has also strongly indicated that the Wii U version features bumped-up texture quality, but we've scoured the game's many levels for one-to-one shots on each platform, and the actual improvements are often difficult to pick out. In fact, it's the PS3 version that turns up with markedly higher-quality assets of the three console versions overall. In one case, we see the red cliffs on the Panzer Dragoon circuit matching up to even the PC version's level of detail, while the Wii U version fares a little better than the blurry textures we see on 360. This level appears to be an anomaly in the grand scheme of the game, and many assets between the three consoles are nigh-on identical elsewhere.
