Those DS screens look good enough for a handheld as far as I’m concerned. I know the PSP is technically better but the visible difference in these shots is fairly small. The PSP has reflexions on the street surface… so?
The pixellation is so much more obvious in screen #1. It’s almost a generation difference.
A) Screen shots can be misleading. If you watch the video of NFS on the DS, it becomes apparent that the lighting model is much simpler. To me, at least, this makes the thing look far different in motion to the PSP, especially as you’re dodging in and out of streetlight light cones.
B) Before you decide the DS is “good enough”, take a look at the (left out of this comparison) screen shots for Ridge Racer on the PSP. NFS on the DS seems to be near the nadir of currently offered game graphics. NFS isn’t even close. (The screenshots for RR on PSP are tremendously better than the NFS shot up there, IMO.)
Those DS screens look good enough for a handheld as far as I’m concerned. I know the PSP is technically better but the visible difference in these shots is fairly small.
This was the point of this little experiment.
The screens are from Need for Speed Underground 2 DS, Ridge Racer DS, and Need for Speed Underground Rivals PSP.
It was mostly out of my frustration with sites comparing PSP and DS graphics and posting Ridge Racer DS and Ridge Racer PSP screenshots. It would be much fairer to show something like NFSU2 for both.
Not to restart a whole huge discussion again, but why? I think NFS DS are clearly some of the best graphics out for the DS to date. Ridge Racer PSP are also clearly some of the best graphics out for the PSP to date. Why wouldn’t you compare those two things? Seems odd to say it’s “fairer” to show a middle of the road PSP game against what would seem to be some of the best DS games?
Why wouldn’t you compare those two things? Seems odd to say it’s “fairer” to show a middle of the road PSP game against what would seem to be some of the best DS games?
NFSU Rivals’ graphics was given an 8.5 on IGN, and a 8 on GameSpot, compared to a 9.5 and 9 for Ridge Racer. While certainly a considerable difference, this suggests that Rivals is more than “middle of the road.”
Also, there’s a considerable difference in atmosphere. Ridge Racer DS was added there only to show that it isn’t tapping much of the DS’s power at all. The real comparison was between the two different NFSUs.
The Ridge Racer DS v. Ridge Racer PSP also isn’t fair because it is obvious Namco only cared about one of the handheld versions. NFSU shows about similar care from its developer. (I don’t think that the graphic scores for it will be higher than NFSU Rivals despite the system difference, time will tell though).
Heh… Well, I think NFSU on the PSP is mediocre. Rather generic looking and glossy lighting effects for their own sake. RR seems to have much better texture work.
On the other hand, RR on the DS doesn’t look that bad to me either, frankly. You’re missing the lighting effects, which look quite good in the screenshot you posted, but seemed less impressive in motion (reminded me of Doom style lighting in action).
Jose Liz, dude, quit trying to make sense of those 7-9 ratings scales. That way lies madness.
I haven’t seen NFSU on the DS, and I agree that the graphics are a bit disappointing on the PSP (but I love the gameplay!).
But I have seen Ridge Racer on both platforms. It’s night and day: the DS looks like going back to playing a first person shooter in software mode. It’s a clear example of how the PSP makes it hard to enjoy more visually-oriented designs (shooters, racing games) on the other handhelds.
-Tom
I have seen Ridge Racer on both platforms. It’s night and day:
This is my point. You’re taking a game that your peers in the game reviewing circle consider mediocre (Ridge Racer DS) to one that excels, particulaly visually (Ridge Racer PSP).
Although I only sourced IGN and GameSpot, they seem to be the general concensus among the other reviews I’ve read.
I’m not arguing this point: “It’s a clear example of how the PSP makes it hard to enjoy more visually-oriented designs (shooters, racing games) on the other handhelds.” I just think that there are better ways to show it.
And the day I’d do this: “quit trying to make sense of those 7-9 ratings scales” I’ll have to stop reviewing games, wouldn’t I? :)
No, just quit giving them silly number ratings, I’d guess?
It doesn’t rain where you live? I almost killed myself trying to drive up to my parent’s yesterday afternoon. It was pouring down rain, but the sun was setting on the horizon where there were no clouds. The glare off the hillside was absolutely blinding. It was worse than staring directly at the sun because it’s brilliance is normally confined to a small circle, this was a great blinding sheet lain out on the landscape.
[quote=“Moore”]
No, just quit giving them silly number ratings, I’d guess?[/quote]
But then 90% of the audience would close the window as soon as the page loaded. :(
So we’ve learned that… the PSP has better graphics.
Brilliant.
Image 1 looks much better… Especially on the Xbox…
K
I really dislike the ugly yellow road surface in 1. It is otherwise superior to 2 in most respects, but that particular texture/lighting combo really looks bad to me.
I find the castle walls grainy with too many artifacts in the first image. The definition of the individual stones is highly improved in the second image. The folliage looks much more realistic in the second image, as well, though I assume you’ll need an high-end GPU to acheive that level of detail.
I don’t know… the flat shaded colors in #2 look pretty fake to me, #1’s dithered colors have a lot more of that “grimy realism” that people like these days.
Oh, believe you me, it rains in Pittsburgh. Does it ever. However, whatever the roads are made of out here (I believe it’s asphalt, not the more expensive but more manageable cement), they certainly don’t reflect light. Even with oodles of puddles.
As for the sun/rain situation, we’ve actually seen sun these past two days, which has to be a new record.