Video: GTAIV 360 versus GTAIV PS3

by Dustin Burg { Apr 29th 2008 at 5:30PM }

Being fanboys, we just can't 't be satisfied with a great gaming experience like Grand Theft Auto IV when it's a multi-platform game and comparisons between a 360 and a PS3 version can be made. It'd go against the fanboy code of conduct and be an opportunity that'd be inexcusably wasted. So, today we bring you a GTAIV comparison video that puts both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions head to head ... erm, side by side. Pull out your magnifying glass, count each pixel and scrutinize the anti-aliasing, because there are comparisons to be made and a fanboy tradition to be upheld. For the most committed, watch the comparison video in full HD for a better analysis.

Tags: grand-theft-auto-iv, gtaiv, rockstar, rockstar-games

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

mcwattersm @ Apr 29th 2008 5:38PM

Hard to say... some things seemed to pop in on 360, where as on PS3 they didn't. I really couldn't care either way.

BananaBoat @ Apr 29th 2008 10:10PM

Having played the game all day on the 360, I can tell you that I didn't notice any pop-in. I didn't notice any framerate stuttering either, so I was pretty surprised.

Looking at the video, it's clear that the PS3 version has more vivid colors (for an example, look at the color of the sky 30 seconds in. On the PS3 it's a rich, vibrant blue. On the 360 it's a washed out blue/grey). Is this a good thing? It's really subjective, just like the comparison video of Okami on the Wii and PS2 (Wii having more vivid colors, and PS2 having that ink painting aesthetic). Personally, after playing GTAIV for awhile on the 360, I wouldn't mind if the colors were suddenly more vivid. Sometimes it's hard to tell where you are in the city, because everything is the exact same dull color (which is realistic, but whatever). Either way, the game is amazing, and it certainly isn't a waste of money no matter which system you bought it for.

Digital Limit @ Apr 30th 2008 4:23AM

I highly doubt the sky colors are different due to system setup. It's just random weather. The gray relative to the blue is a HUGE jump.

JakubK666 (Ninja Defence Force) @ Apr 30th 2008 9:34AM

I still prefer 360 Colors. PS3's are a little over the top.

Nick @ Apr 30th 2008 1:24PM

Sony colors are always a bit oversaturated. It's always been the case on Sony TVs, the reds are extra hot, etc.

It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's common with Sony, and it sounds like it hasn't changed here.

EvilElvis @ Apr 29th 2008 5:43PM

just over one hour played, and the games frozen 3 times. Anyone else experiencing problems?

Ray @ Apr 29th 2008 5:44PM

i see a ring of death in your future

Drago Dracini @ Apr 29th 2008 6:10PM

The PS3 colors look more... saturated. The 360 looks more... I guess realistically colored? o.O Maybe?

EvilElvis @ Apr 29th 2008 6:03PM

make that 4 times now

Drago Dracini @ Apr 29th 2008 6:11PM

o.O wow, sorry, for some reason it sent as a reply. But damn o.O 4 times? How old is your box?

mattclarkie @ Apr 30th 2008 6:17AM

Someone on a forum I read got a RRoD playing GTA IV, don't know if it is coincidence, lots of play in a short period, or a system killer.

joey @ Apr 30th 2008 9:32AM

clear you cache.
google it if you don't know how to do it.
did the trick for me on another game.

Destroyer88 @ Apr 29th 2008 5:46PM

I love the 360, but even i can admit that it looks better on the PS3, as it should. But graphics don't make games, and PSN has nothing on Xbox Live so 360 > PS3. :D

mcwattersm @ Apr 29th 2008 6:38PM

Hay! I know you!

Digital Limit @ Apr 30th 2008 4:25AM

People are throwing around "better" far too much. If veritable taste-tests were done, people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. There is no selling point for the minuscule gap between the two games.

Dirty @ Apr 30th 2008 12:11PM

I was playing online with 10 friends on xbl I cant name 10 people I know that own a ps3. I have both but had to get 360 to be able to play with friends.

Mr. Moo Cow @ Apr 29th 2008 6:05PM

For me as an Xbox 360 user i've become a customed to the 360 in HD. I feel that the 360 is more easier on the eyes. (for me). The PS3 compliments the darker tone while the 360 in my does both. Thats just my opinion of corse if i only own a 360 then i will like it better than the PS3, but again thats my opinion. =D

BerNasty @ Apr 29th 2008 6:09PM

Im glad to see somebody actually makes an effort to let people know that what they say is actually an opinion and not facts. props to your efforts.

Doom3killer @ Apr 29th 2008 6:13PM

look fairly similar

Tony @ Apr 29th 2008 6:19PM

I never know about these "color" comments. So much of that can be rectified by adjusting your TV settings.

The differences seem so minor that I can't even imagine bothering to claim one over the other.

JAKEJAX @ Apr 29th 2008 6:19PM

Too close to really care. I will just say that Rockstar made a great game for both console's and the consumer wins.

jaybird1905 @ May 8th 2008 12:28PM

Douche.

SEBAS @ Apr 29th 2008 6:25PM

I am a 360 fanboy but the 360 graphics are definetly better.....the first scene with the man gettin whipped relly shows it......YAY FOR MICROSOFT

Adam @ Apr 29th 2008 6:31PM

Ok i grabbed both of them today.I borrowed my cousins ps3 and ran a test to see a diffrence between the two.

I have barreled through the city on both and the only thing i notice is the ps3 version seems darker than the 360 and the 360 has more vivid color tones like on clothing traffic lights etc.

Textures i dont notice any diffrence at 1080i on my sony 52" hdtv.

As for pop in i experienced it twice on the 360 and once on ps3 when driving at top speed.

so they both had pop in the load times werent that much of a diffrence but a little faster on ps3 due to the annoying install.

To be honest i call a draw.

They each had pop in issues.
The 360 has vibrant colors.
the ps3 looks darker.
The ps3 load times were a little faster.
The ps3 had a mandatory install
"annoying waste of space"

If this was pushing the ps3 i have to laugh becuase graphically this game isnt that good.

Gameplay is like any other sandbox pretty much same concept a few more options thrown in.

Story i dont know havent really dove into it.Im returning them both tonight cuz its not my kinda game.

Troy @ Apr 29th 2008 8:36PM

load times faster on ps3? i smell horse crap, ps3's load times are ridiculous. graphics look pretty much the same with ps3 being darker. if i had to choose tho i agree the ps3 is slightly better.

either way i couldn't care tho because live > psn & 360 has exclusive DLC.

Luke @ Apr 29th 2008 10:04PM

I have both versions and have tested myself, the load times on PS3 are quite faster but I didn't notice a difference on the initial loadup, the mission loading screens however are about 5 seconds quicker to load on the PS3, the 7 minute installation didn't bother me either.

I just use the 360 for multiplayer (because we all know PSN blows and hardly anyone has a headset) and the PS3 for single player. (I prefer the quiet console when it's late and I can't have my system on so loud)

Luke @ Apr 29th 2008 10:06PM

"If this was pushing the ps3 i have to laugh becuase graphically this game isnt that good."

LOL, it's pushing the 360 AND the PS3, why do you think their is framerate drops? (Yes, you can argue bad port but that is NOT the case here)

Could you be anymore retarded?!

Adam @ Apr 29th 2008 11:44PM

Luke the game graphically is not a milestone here.I understand the concept of open world rendering.I know it requires alot to have a console run such a massive world with so much going on.

It just is way over hyped and even the multiplayer is garbage.

This game has done nothing new and nothing amazing.

Everything i see done here has been done in other older sandbox games.People thought halo was over hyped jeez.This game is a 8 at best

And dont run your mouth unless you know what your talking about luke.

Luke @ Apr 30th 2008 3:45AM

"And dont run your mouth unless you know what your talking about luke."

The irony is strong in this one.

chaddyb @ Apr 29th 2008 6:33PM

in my opinion, they look slightly different, but i can't say one is better than the other.

i can say that xbox live > ps network.
i can say that DLC for xbox > no dlc on ps3
i can say that achievements > no achievements

adam @ Apr 29th 2008 6:36PM

im a 360 and ps3 fanboy. they both look great to me, but if you want to nit-pick about stupid stuff, youll always be able to find stuff wrong on both sides. i lean towards ps3 now only because the xbox is made like fisher price pieces of shit no matter how good the software is.
(im just bitter because of the 3rd xbox ive had to return, and the fact that 4 out of the 4 friends i have that bought one, all have had rrod)

nsdcx @ Apr 30th 2008 1:49PM

You're a 360 fanboy but you call the 360 a "fisher price piece of shit"? And that everyone you know has been RRoD'ed?

Hmmm.....

Plus the fact that you only know 4 people with a 360 makes me question you.

Gareth @ Apr 29th 2008 6:58PM

It's not as if GTA IV has cutting edge graphics anyway...

Jon @ Apr 29th 2008 7:52PM

Yeah .. The graphics arnt the best thing going , bu there is SOOOO much to see so it makes up for it

Trekster_Gamer @ Apr 29th 2008 8:01PM

Reasons why the 360 version is superior.

-You have to install on the PS3 using up precious hard disk space and it loads only slightly faster.
-The game looks more vivid on the 360.
-Popup's occur on both platforms. (this is an issue with the developers not the hardware)
-Extra Content

Will the Ps3 ever be able to make a game that looks measurably better?

I don't want to stir the pot but both systems for the most part seem to be equal when it comes to graphics.

dancingtosirens @ Apr 29th 2008 9:45PM

A 7 minute install isn't a big deal, and can be deleted at any time if you want any hard drive space. Which isn't a big deal if you replace the drive with a bigger one to begin with.

As far as extra content, there's so much to do in GTA4 it's not even funny. I don't see how I would ever need to spend the extra money for it.

I say both versions are equal.

Rell @ Apr 29th 2008 11:35PM

So... $400/$500 + money for bigger HD + 7 minute install + deletion of install + 7 minute reinstall beats content that will at the most be $20? But whatever suits you.

All in all, I have the game, I shall enjoy it.

Nate @ Apr 30th 2008 12:00AM

ha, your logic is kinda contradicting itself sirens.
say you buy a 40GB ps3 with an extra $100 HD, for a total of 500. Yay, you don't care about install (I wouldn't either). You might get better graphics (in my opinion), and a huge world to explore. Add the game for say $70, and you get a decent package for $570.

OR - for $450 for a xbox 360 120 GB, black with very comparable gaming features to ps3 (to even out hardware claims and value as much as possible). Then buy the game, and the DLC. at the same $70 price and $20 high price for DLC, that comes to $540, $30 cheaper. If you take away some things you don't want or need, then take another $100 off the price. Now your saving $130 for the same game with extra content.

in the end your paying more money for something your more or less satisfied with - or less money for something your more satisfied with.

Triforceowner @ Apr 29th 2008 8:39PM

I wonder how many people were born in 1909

rockeranimefreak @ Apr 29th 2008 9:17PM

I was born 1909. My how times have changed.

redpill @ Apr 29th 2008 9:26PM

i only have ps3 version since i got a discount on the SE (getting 360 version on friday for some drunken live fun though)

but like someone else said change the colour settings on your tv or use the ingame colour settings and you could get them to match closer everyone will have different prefrences anyway, whatever machine its on it doesnt look great but its still a blast to play.

oh and the ps3 versions install is around 3.4gb (says 3340KB minimum on back of box) not really much out of 40/60/80gb's ive swapped my 40gb drive with 500 tho.

Cytech @ Apr 29th 2008 9:33PM

this game is so awesome

oh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit

it's soooo awesome

james @ Apr 29th 2008 9:41PM

sorry for my ignorance but i don't know what point the achievments have could anybody here expalin it to me?

oh and belive me i have ps3 and psn is pretty good if you ask me, as for the games, they look identical to
me ps3 might be a little darker but graphically talking, they look the same

ryan @ Apr 30th 2008 12:04PM

achievements are a social trinket. bragging rights if you will. it's like a high score in Pac-Man. they don't net you free stuff from Microsoft or anything. they are there to simply enhance the "gaming experience".

James @ May 1st 2008 5:14PM

The word around the intarweb is that once Home launches, GTA will be patched with some neat tie-ins, which should make up for not having Achievements. I don't know much about it, though...

Logan @ Apr 29th 2008 9:47PM

I have four PS3's.

Trekster_Gamer @ Apr 29th 2008 11:01PM

I have four c64's, so you suck ;P

Tony @ Apr 29th 2008 10:14PM

The HDD install would be more of a bitching point if the PS3's wasn't larger than the 20 GB one for 360 most of us are stuck with. As it stands, it's a minor inconvenience, if that.

RagingStormX @ Apr 29th 2008 10:15PM

@ Adam.... come on, don't be a sock-cooker, of course this game isn't pushing the PS3 to its limits...heck it not even running at 720p on the PS3.

On topic..

I call a spade a spade...so far the PS3 version looks better and shows more realistic detail than the 360 version (perfect example is to look at the light glistening off of the water @ 1:12 on the PS3...that is not shown on 1:10 on the 360 which is at the same location)...but as many have said before, both look good (by GTA standards) and the minor differences doesn't seems to have enough pull to make one "that much" better than the next.