PSM3: Fallout 3 looks better on the 360

by Dustin Burg { Oct 23rd 2008 at 2:00AM }

In another edition of "my console is more powerful than yours", we've been informed that Bethesda's Fallout 3 looks graphically superior on the Xbox 360 when compared to the Playstation 3. Or so says Playstation 3 magazine (PSM3).

You read correctly, ~~the UK's official~~ Playstation magazine PSM3 received some hands-on time with Fallout 3 and, as part of their game review, mentioned that "the PS3 version compares poorly to its Xbox [360] and PC counterparts." How very honest and un-fanboyish of them. But after their pro-360 words caused a stir within' the Playstation community, the PSM3 staff tried to calm Playstation fanboys by "clarifying" their Fallout 3 remarks. "The PS3 version looks the same as on Xbox, but things in the distance are slightly jaggier/rougher, the textures seem 'muddier' up-close and the frame rate is choppier, especially during the last few story missions." Nice attempt at saving face.

Tags: bethesda, bethesda-softworks, fallout, fallout-3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

erivera3 @ Oct 23rd 2008 2:08AM

xbox 360 > PS3

Anthony @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:40PM

LOLOLZZZZZ!!!!1!!! Awesome. I agree. 360>ps3 for sure. Its nice to know that even with its powerful processor, people can admit to the ps3 to being exactly the same graphically with the 360. Reminds me of when a [head programmer] admitted to the 360 being more than capable of running mgs4. Who knows! maybe that'll be one more awesome game that won't end up as a ps3 exclusive. a la: ff13, and such.

Azerael @ Oct 23rd 2008 2:12AM

Not surprising considering the PS3's history with ports, but it IS surprising that the OFFICIAL Playstation magazine would point it out.

I can't imagine they'll be 'official' much longer if they keep up with this ridiculous journalistic integrity. They're obviously XBOX fanboys in disguise.

ChocoDK @ Oct 23rd 2008 2:27AM

Well this reminds me a lot of Nintendo Power. Back when Nintendo owned Nintendo Power they would never mention a rival company of current times or past (well maybe excluding Sega). Anyways, what shocks me now when reading Nintendo Power is that they mention a rival system. For example in the review of Final Fantasy Tactics A2 the reviewer said "The original Final Fantasy Tactics on the Playstation 1 was better." If Nintendo still owned the magazine I doubt that statement would've been put in there.

When all is said and done when it was announced the PS3 version of Fallout 3 wouldn't have trophies I decided immediatly to rent it on the 360 for the achievements. As an owner of both a PS3 and 360 I would have to say being non-bias that the PS3 seems to be getting screwed over with Fallout 3 more and more.

LilTmac2003 @ Oct 23rd 2008 2:48AM

I own a 360.
I don't own a PS3.

Therefore, I'm happy that Fallout 3 looks better on the Xbox 360.

I dislike PS3.
I only like 360.

I am not a faboy.

Silicon Siren @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:04AM

Wait...... I see, you are trying to trick us. You may not be a "faboy" but you are a fanboy.

I own all 3 but obviously I'm getting it on the 360. I would get it on the PC but I like the achievements and centralized social networking on Live. Nice to be able to voice chat with 7 other people while playing Fallout 3 without consuming a great deal of extra wattage and bogging down the system performance like I would have to with the PC or running Skype on the PC to be able to chat with friends when I'm playing on the PS3 version.

ChocoDK @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:31AM

I own all three systems and you say that you dislike the PS3 but like the 360? Then add that you aren't a fanboy? I would take that as contradicting yourself.

The PS3 is a good system as with the 360. There are things I like better on the 360 then the PS3 and visa versa. But don't make such silly comments.

I just think that its sad still that developers don't fully utilize what the PS3 has to offer. But as someone said it was probably originally scripted for the PC and it is much easier to port things from the PC to the 360.

Either way atleast everybody gets to play Fallout 3 (well except if you don't own any of the current gen systems or an updated PC or just have a Wii).

ryan @ Oct 23rd 2008 12:46PM

I think he's making a general statement on fanboyism and not really his own personal beliefs. Tho I was too lazy to look at his posting history. :P

LilTmac2003 @ Oct 23rd 2008 2:43PM

Ryan for the win people.

I do not 'dislike' the PS3. True, I don't own a PS3, but it still has it's pro's over the 360. I was just making a general statement.

Anthony @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:01AM

This is interesting. Now that I read this I am most likely going to get the 360 version. I try not to be biased and do my research before buying a multi-platform game.

It is annoying when games can't look the same on the ps3 as they do on an xbox 360. Considering the ps3 has more "horsepower" I entirely blame the developer on there lacking port. It is even more annoying when I developer develops for a better system (hardware wise) then downgrades the software to be equal on all platforms. PC games should look best, then ps3 games, then 360 games. It should not be a shock to consumers that games won't look as good on the 360 than they do on the ps3 or PC. Consumers should just accept the reality for what it is and buy their software or hardware based on their needs. example: I own oblivion on the ps3 because of the better draw distances and the free expansion. Thats what appeals to me for oblivion.

jrb @ Oct 23rd 2008 4:46AM

``Considering the ps3 has more "horsepower" ``

without spending the next half an hour covering the differences in great deal, the ps3 has a better cpu, but practically everything else is slower. specifically the lack of unified architecture, and an incredibly slow memory bus.

OrionnoirO @ Oct 23rd 2008 7:23AM

Exactly. People still buying into Sonys marketing... I just wonder how long it is going to take for people to realize that? I mean, people have even put side by side system comparisons together to show that same thing, and it still doesn't seem to sway people from thinking the PS3 has some sort of magical ability to transcend the parts it uses and the architecture of the system.

Noshino @ Oct 23rd 2008 7:48AM

Actually, no, he IS right, the PS3 has more "horsepower"

Even Carmack has mentioned it, I think you guys are confusing the fact that the 360 is easier to work with it being more powerful, most developers are saying that although the PS3 is more powerful it just takes too much time to work on, while the 360 is much easier.

joeybeast @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:53AM

Get over it Sony fanboys. PS3 is in the market for 2 years. "More horsepower" did not translate to better games. It's like saying Dreamcast has more power than PS1. Where's the Dreamcast now?

SlyTheBoss @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:41AM

"and an incredibly slow memory bus".

You're kidding, right? Beside eDRAM memory (which is actually not really faster than the other buses, just a wide pipe), the memory buses of the PS3 are as fast or faster than the 360 buses. The bus that creates the most latency, the CPU memory bus (for the lack of a better term) runs at the CPU clock speed on the PS3, thanks to its XDR DRAM (3.2GHz), unlike the 360 DDR3 RAM that runs at 700 MHz (although the effective bus speed is 1.4GHz thanks to the bus width).

Nevertheless, even without this news, I intended to buy Fallout 3 for the 360 but not at launch, I'm too busy playing Fable 2 for now. I tend to use my PS3 for exclusive titles only, were its power shines...

Popfrogs @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:48AM

@Joeybeast: Good point, we all remember the Xbox vs. PS2. Xbox had a built in hard drive, decent online and better graphics and the PS2 still rolled it up and smoked it.

Microsoft was so dismayed they stopped selling it the day the 360 launched. Meanwhile Sony is still selling tens of thousands of PS2's monthly.

/flame on

ryan @ Oct 23rd 2008 12:41PM

And while the PS2 continues to smoke, the 360 has followed in it's footsteps ironically. I guess smoking is a good habit after all? :P

DC502 @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:39PM

To clarify... I am not a PlayStation or a Xbox 360 fanboy. Actually the only fanbouyism that I have is for Nintendo (even though I sold me Wii) because thats the system I grew up with.

People in general need to stop categorizing other people. It happens with videogames and it happens with politics. America is competitive by nature but we need to overcome it and be unified. I want to see a open source console in the next couple years running linux.

DC502 @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:47PM

Whoops... DC502 is Anthony

Carbonize @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:05AM

I'd guess that they wrote Fallout 3 for the PC first and it's easier to port from PC to 360 than from PC to PS3 hence the slightly crappier graphics.

Cutty @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:42AM

hahhaahhahhahahahhahahahahahahaah.......ha...

Quinn @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:58AM

oh but the PS3 multiple chip arc*SMACK*

On your forehead..,

Quinn AGAIN @ Oct 23rd 2008 4:07AM

PS3 fanboys take themselves too seriously.., they shouldnt have been all retarded about the comment but then again thats PS3 otaku for you. Dont get me wrong ive seen the 360 ones but even they seem to be able to take a joke. Reguardless.., All joking aside.., As long as the game is gorgeous on either system who really cares what you play it on.., the aforementioned is minute at best. I have all the systems and love and hate them all for different reasons. I developed for them too. The point is get the game.., support the DEV team and the company publishing it by buying it and not pirating it. And above all enjoy it and stop caring about whos CPUs are bigger and whos systems are girthier. Nuff said.~Q

OrionnoirO @ Oct 23rd 2008 7:25AM

My system is, have a nice joystick and they will come. ;)

Laraman @ Oct 23rd 2008 3:59AM

PSM3 isn't the Official UK Playstation Magazine, that honour goes to OPM - Official Playstation Magazine.

PSM3 is independent.

Either ay, the game will be great on both platforms - obviously the blurrier textures and jaggier edges won't be hindering the Xbox 360 version :).

Livi70590 @ Oct 23rd 2008 4:48AM

I was just about to say that.

No matter how much better the 360 version looks over Playstation, They both still trail Quad core PCs with dual GEforce 9500s, 8GB of RAM etc.

Ian @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:49AM

Dual 9500's aren't very fast. Dual 9800's maybe, but not 9500's.

Livi70590 @ Oct 23rd 2008 1:20PM

I dunno, I've only got the one 8400.

ryan @ Oct 23rd 2008 7:37PM

500 and below in any series of cards, 6, 7, 8, or 9 absolutely blow for gaming. you want 600 and above.

buff0x @ Oct 23rd 2008 5:25AM

Show me where you can get a top spec quad core processer, dual 9500's, 8gb of ram, plus all the other little things you need to get a working pc of the spec for under £150. They might trail it in the looks department, but not in the price department.

Gamertag: GOPAL892005 @ Oct 23rd 2008 5:43AM

it would cost you around £850-£1000 to 'Build' a PC to that spec.

Dale Thornton @ Oct 23rd 2008 6:58AM

Your all idiots. Look into the facts before you believe anything.
PSM3 is NOT the official playstation magazine in the UK.
The official one is called OPM.
Get it right and look into the facts. Im dissapointed in all te fanboys for believing it, and xbox 360 fanboy for writing it.
BAD FORM

Haohmaru @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:33AM

You should never expect "journalistic integrity" from any of Weblogs' "Fanboy" sites, or Joystiq for that matter.

Never.

koehler83 @ Oct 23rd 2008 7:14AM

I cant believe anyone is actually surprised, disappointed or in some way vindicated by this 'revelation'.

Has no one found it even the least bit suspicious that 5 days from its release, the PS3 version of the game has yet to be shown to the public? It never will either until people get their hands on it and start posting footage online themselves.

I also dont think anyone is upset by the obvious fact that the lead platform will always trump every other platform, they're upset with Bethesda pretending all this time like the PS3 version will be a pristine copy of the game, worth every penny the other platforms are. (Apparently the prospect of DLC and achievements are worthless in Bethesda's eyes). After such a successful port of Oblivion, I guess a lot of people just lifted Bethesda well above any station they deserve.

Personally, it makes no difference, I always planned on getting it on PC anyway.

Miguel @ Oct 23rd 2008 7:38AM

The problem that the PS3 is having with ports is that since the PS3 still doesn't have as large of a base as does the 360 developers will choose the 360 as their base and will put a little less effort into the PS3 version but just enough to make the game respectable enough to be purchased by PS3 owners who dont have a 360. Orange Box, Rainbow Six Vegas and a few other titles seem to have suffered from this and consequently us multi-platform owners will choose the 360 for those games.

But not all developers have been this way, GTA IV was equally good on both systems. Bioshock seems identical on both judging from the demo on the PS3.

Regardless, Fallout 3 hasn't captured me yet, too many other good games this fall/winter. LBP, GOW, Dead Space, Resistance 2 etc.

I have no idea how I am ever going to get to play these games with a full time job. LOL

jarhead906 @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:35AM

Is anyone here surprised by this news? You shouldn't be. As someone mentioned before there has been absolutely no footage of Fallout 3 running on the Playstation 3.

I mean, this game has been in production for a long while now and has been in that process long before games such as Call of Duty 4, Grand Theft Auto IV, and Burnout: Paradise City came about. I mention these games because these were the games that looked equal to the Xbox 360 version (CoD 4) or looked better than the Xbox 360 version (GTA IV and Burnout).

When Fallout 3 was announced to not have Trophies it was all too obvious that the game would be categorized into the group that doesn't have enough experience developing on the PS3 or choosing it from the get-go to be the lead development platform (which significantly helps both versions of the game).

Yamagushi @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:22AM

I dont know about Burnout. But the PS3 version of GTA most certainly does not look in any way better. The graphics are exactly the same, the only difference being the 360 has better lighting effects. Mb you should take another look at a High Def review of it. This was a Rumor as GTA was coming out and was proven to be BS.

Vask @ Oct 23rd 2008 12:04PM

actually the 360 version had way more pop in otherwise they looked exactly the same lighting and everything. how do i know? i have access to both versions

KoAlex87 @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:18AM

Hey Miguel, you forgot Left 4 Dead....

joeybeast @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:55AM

When's the demo out?
Throw me a freaking bone here, Valve.

horngreen @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:21AM

When development cost get as high as they have in recent years it only makes sense to build a console that is easy to program for. I'm sick of these claims that developers are not using the PS3 to it's "full" potential. Maybe they are. Just because Sony claims it is SOOOO powerful doesn't make it so. I'm sure any day now the PS2 will finally have Toy Story like graphics...And who will care at this point.

Fire Fawkes @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:37AM

Tee hee. It may not be a big deal, hell it might not even be a 'deal' but I find this kinda funny. Little stories like this (and the crazy fanboy flame wars that follow) are always good for some entertainment.

Brucie B @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:54AM

So I have a PS3 for what!!! Ohh Thats right, That Bi@%& is my Blu Ray Player....

lol

Urza @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:23AM

What's wrong with admitting the truth? Sheesh. PS3 owners should be glad to hear that Fallout 3 is poop on the PS3 and should either not buy it or demand Bethesda fixes it.... or buy a 360. :)

Yamagushi @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:42AM

I donno what I love more, Stories like this or The PS3Fanboys that have nothing better to do than come on Xbox360Fanboy.com to defend there console. Lotta free time on there hands without good games to play aye. ;)

jarhead906 @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:58AM

Yes, it's probably because the article is posted both on xbox360fanboy.com and ps3fanboy.com.

There are just as many xbots making ignorant comments about the subject at hand as there are ps3fanboys making ignorant comments.

Just because someone comes up with a counterpoint or argument doesn't make them biased or non-objective.

Devin @ Oct 23rd 2008 1:46PM

You do know that people own/play both consoles, right? And just like what was said, just because someone comes up with a justifiable/reasonable counter-argument doesn't make them a fanboy....

CABALLOTE @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:41AM

Ignorance is bliss to these ps3 fanboys. When will they learn? Bethesda has worked on the ps3 long enough to give ps3ers a good game.
If they didn't then that means that they can't. And by "they can't" I mean, it's not technically possible. They have been making games for a long time for both platforms.
So when sony says "teh powerful ps3" take it with a boulder of salt. Stop blaming devs and start blaming the people responsible for these outcomes, the liars you call Sony.
The first xbox was better and xbox will always be better get used to it.

xbox>ps2
xbox360>ps3
NeXbox>ps4

jarhead906 @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:52AM

So by your logic the Xbox is better than the Playstation 2... just because.

Well you can try some of my logic with the statement that the Playstation 2 is better than the Xbox:

The Xbox is dead in the water. No games are being published for it. It never came close to having a library the size of the PS2's.

Oh and did I mention that the PS2 is STILL being supported and is in its 9th year of production? I recall the beginning months of 2008 showing more sales for the PS2 than the Xbox 360... so yeah I guess the 'xbox' brand is always going to be better. You're right.

And no Bethesda did not reach the technical limit of making games for the PS3 look as good for the 360. Oblivion is proven to look and perform better than the 360 version, but that is because it had more development time than the 360 counterpart. This is obviously not the case for Fallout 3.

All this shows is that the development team charged with producing the PS3 version are not experienced enough with the tech as other companies such as Naughty Dog or Infinity Ward are.