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The visual aspect of this game does have some rather noticeable differences to cover. The first thing you will notice is the massive difference in the quality of shadows found between the two versions. The 360 version sports a very natural look with a fairly smooth implementation overall. However when it comes to the PS3 version, things aren’t quite as pleasant to the eye. Not only will you find the shadows in the PS3 version to be less aggressive than its 360 counterpart, but you will also find them to be very sloppy overall. One thing in particular in this case would be how the shadows trigger a stripped pattern (banding) going down the object it projects itself on as the shades get lighter or darker. Very sloppy, and very unprofessional of the development team at this point.

It doesn’t just end with sloppy shadows though. There were no issues with texture streaming and pop-ins, so there is no problem as far as that goes. However there is a gap in texture quality as they still remain less sharp and pronounced when compared to the 360 version. This seems to be just a simple case of lower res texture maps overall, as there is no sign of QAA or any other type of anti aliasing present that could cause a blurred image. It is a shame that after all of the great strides console parity has made over this generation, there are still games that sport differences this noticeable.

Everything else seems to be consistent however. From lighting effects right down to anti aliasing, things seem to be relatively the same throughout. When you look at the entire package however, it is obvious who claims the visual advantage overall.

Max Payne 3: The Digital Foundry Verdict

"It's fair to say that Rockstar Vancouver has effectively translated its hard-boiled action game to both platforms, and you can fully enjoy the ride on either."

Looking at the overall turn-out for each version of Max Payne 3, it's fair to say Rockstar Vancouver has effectively translated its hard-boiled action game to both platforms, and you can fully enjoy the ride on either. When it comes to image quality, while the PS3 version offers a slightly sharper picture, the 360 does hold up some advantages that are more considerable to those on the bench, such as the effectiveness of its anti-aliasing, and the more flattering treatment of foliage elements.

There is also the curious issue of missing effects during specific PS3 cut-scenes, though these crop up in entirely isolated instances, where in other areas they're rendered properly. These small nips and tucks are evidently to the benefit of the frame-rate on PS3, which otherwise isn't quite as consistent as the 360 during the majority of shoot-outs. Performance is still entirely serviceable to gameplay on both platforms though, and the sense of cinematic spectacle is held up - in no small part thanks to the way core video assets and native resolutions are identical to the pixel on each platform.

For multi-platform owners unsure of which version to opt for, we'd have to give a nod to the 360 version, though it remains to be seen what advantages the eventual PC release offers. With its reported support of the DirectX 11 API, stereoscopic 3D, and with an install size listed at a whopping 35GB, it seems Rockstar is taking the conversion quite seriously. Whether that feature list translates to a tangibly superior game worth waiting a few extra weeks for though, we'll have to wait and see.

Assassin's Creed is a great example of what a next-generation game should look like, with well-rendered environments that are nicely shadowed and filled with intricate details. The game looks beautiful on both systems, but we did notice that the Xbox 360 has sharper textures with better 3D-depth simulation readily noticeable in the flat cobblestone streets. Edges look great in both games, as do graphical effects such as shadows, smoke, and lighting. The extra time it takes to install the game on the PlayStation 3 doesn't seem to give the console any benefits over the Xbox 360 in initial or subsequent loads of the game.