Arkham City: performance analysis
On Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, we're given the standard Unreal Engine 3 performance profile. In-game, frame-rate is capped to 30FPS, with screen-tear manifesting when the engine is under stress and failing to meet the target. This helps to sustain controller latency, and while image consistency is compromised to a certain extent, the nature of the artwork makes the impact minimal. The set-up changes somewhat during cut-scenes, where input lag is not an issue - here, v-sync is employed (though we do see the odd torn frame crop up at the top of the screen when the framebuffer refresh kicks in a little late).
It's all change on Wii U though - and not for the better in our opinion. V-sync is employed throughout, working in combination with what appears to be an unlocked frame-rate. The result is messy - the consistent pad response from the Xbox 360 and PS3 games is lost and the game is plagued with judder as frame-rate zooms above - and below - the 30FPS target employed on the other console versions. Image consistency is obviously improved through the implementation of v-sync but the trade-offs in playability are not worthwhile.
To kick off with, let's take a look at a triple-format gameplay comparison encompassing a range of combat scenarios along with some open-world traversal. Xbox 360 comes off best here, doggedly maintaining its 30FPS target with only minor screen-tear issues during Batman's tour of Arkham City. In those same sections we see PS3 significantly more affected by the increased rendering load. Wii U appears to be a fairly close match for the Sony platform, but with none of the tearing problems. However, in combat it's a completely different story - decent performance on the existing current-gen platforms but noticeably sub-par results on the Wii U. In common with Mass Effect 3 and Black Ops 2, once again Wii U has trouble processing multiple characters on-screen at any given point - more evidence that the CPU is simply not up to scratch for straight PS3/360 ports without some extensive optimisation.
Next up, a chance to look at Wii U performance on a series of engine-driven cut-scenes - our best chance at evaluating how the tech copes when handling like-for-like rendering scenarios. Unfortunately, the Wii U version's unlocked frame-rate rules out a level playing field, and in many scenes we see 40FPS readings or even higher, with the older versions firmly pegged at 30FPS. This may suggest that the Nintendo platform is out-performing the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the reality is that Rocksteady artificially cap frame-rates in order to reduce judder - something the Wii U version has in spades. The cap disappears if you use the TriOviz 3D mode though, whereupon we see similarly high frame-rates - for those wondering, stereoscopic 3D appears to be absent from the Wii U version of Arkham City.
Also note that on open-world cut-scenes and areas with plenty of characters on-screen, once again we see disappointingly low levels of performance, though we suspect that if the Wii U version employed the same "lock at 30, tear below" approach seen on PS3 and 360, the open-world elements at least would be closer to what we see on the Sony platform. The big problem with employing v-sync rigidly is that the GPU effectively stalls when a frame runs over the rendering budget, as the new image has to wait for the monitor refresh to begin.
Overall, it's fair to say that performance is the Achilles' heel of this new Armored Edition. Frame-rate varies significantly, resulting in an experience that is nowhere near as smooth or as consistently responsive as the existing versions of the game. We're not quite sure why Warner Bros.' conversion team simply didn't stick to the template laid down by the existing games - there's a reason it's in place, and it's not surprising that a similar scheme is also employed by almost every other Unreal Engine 3 title out there on current-gen console.
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition - the Digital Foundry verdict
What looked like graphical tweaks from the press materials failed to materialise - FXAA apart - but thankfully some of the more alarming reports about Wii U graphical deficiencies turned out to be of little consequence to the final product. However, what we have here is a disappointing current-gen port with some bundled DLC and some interesting - if not totally convincing - touch-screen upgrades.
The overall takeaway is that the Wii U version of this classic title is unpolished and less enjoyable to play than Rocksteady's original. On top of the variable frame-rate, we were also disappointed to see the odd moment of more noticeable LOD popping and jerky FMV sequences suggesting that this version has some streaming issues. Unreal Engine titles background load data concurrently with streaming video, and you can hear the drive head zooming about, almost as if it is struggling to maintain both tasks - the halting playback adds further to the impression that this is a rougher, jerkier, more lacklustre rendition of the original.
It's Arkham City, and by default a good game, but the basic reality is that we'd take any of the older - and now cheaper - versions of this excellent title ahead of the underwhelming Wii U port.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-batman-arkham-city-wii-u-face-off
On Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, we're given the standard Unreal Engine 3 performance profile. In-game, frame-rate is capped to 30FPS, with screen-tear manifesting when the engine is under stress and failing to meet the target. This helps to sustain controller latency, and while image consistency is compromised to a certain extent, the nature of the artwork makes the impact minimal. The set-up changes somewhat during cut-scenes, where input lag is not an issue - here, v-sync is employed (though we do see the odd torn frame crop up at the top of the screen when the framebuffer refresh kicks in a little late).
It's all change on Wii U though - and not for the better in our opinion. V-sync is employed throughout, working in combination with what appears to be an unlocked frame-rate. The result is messy - the consistent pad response from the Xbox 360 and PS3 games is lost and the game is plagued with judder as frame-rate zooms above - and below - the 30FPS target employed on the other console versions. Image consistency is obviously improved through the implementation of v-sync but the trade-offs in playability are not worthwhile.
To kick off with, let's take a look at a triple-format gameplay comparison encompassing a range of combat scenarios along with some open-world traversal. Xbox 360 comes off best here, doggedly maintaining its 30FPS target with only minor screen-tear issues during Batman's tour of Arkham City. In those same sections we see PS3 significantly more affected by the increased rendering load. Wii U appears to be a fairly close match for the Sony platform, but with none of the tearing problems. However, in combat it's a completely different story - decent performance on the existing current-gen platforms but noticeably sub-par results on the Wii U. In common with Mass Effect 3 and Black Ops 2, once again Wii U has trouble processing multiple characters on-screen at any given point - more evidence that the CPU is simply not up to scratch for straight PS3/360 ports without some extensive optimisation.
Next up, a chance to look at Wii U performance on a series of engine-driven cut-scenes - our best chance at evaluating how the tech copes when handling like-for-like rendering scenarios. Unfortunately, the Wii U version's unlocked frame-rate rules out a level playing field, and in many scenes we see 40FPS readings or even higher, with the older versions firmly pegged at 30FPS. This may suggest that the Nintendo platform is out-performing the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the reality is that Rocksteady artificially cap frame-rates in order to reduce judder - something the Wii U version has in spades. The cap disappears if you use the TriOviz 3D mode though, whereupon we see similarly high frame-rates - for those wondering, stereoscopic 3D appears to be absent from the Wii U version of Arkham City.
Also note that on open-world cut-scenes and areas with plenty of characters on-screen, once again we see disappointingly low levels of performance, though we suspect that if the Wii U version employed the same "lock at 30, tear below" approach seen on PS3 and 360, the open-world elements at least would be closer to what we see on the Sony platform. The big problem with employing v-sync rigidly is that the GPU effectively stalls when a frame runs over the rendering budget, as the new image has to wait for the monitor refresh to begin.
Overall, it's fair to say that performance is the Achilles' heel of this new Armored Edition. Frame-rate varies significantly, resulting in an experience that is nowhere near as smooth or as consistently responsive as the existing versions of the game. We're not quite sure why Warner Bros.' conversion team simply didn't stick to the template laid down by the existing games - there's a reason it's in place, and it's not surprising that a similar scheme is also employed by almost every other Unreal Engine 3 title out there on current-gen console.
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition - the Digital Foundry verdict
What looked like graphical tweaks from the press materials failed to materialise - FXAA apart - but thankfully some of the more alarming reports about Wii U graphical deficiencies turned out to be of little consequence to the final product. However, what we have here is a disappointing current-gen port with some bundled DLC and some interesting - if not totally convincing - touch-screen upgrades.
The overall takeaway is that the Wii U version of this classic title is unpolished and less enjoyable to play than Rocksteady's original. On top of the variable frame-rate, we were also disappointed to see the odd moment of more noticeable LOD popping and jerky FMV sequences suggesting that this version has some streaming issues. Unreal Engine titles background load data concurrently with streaming video, and you can hear the drive head zooming about, almost as if it is struggling to maintain both tasks - the halting playback adds further to the impression that this is a rougher, jerkier, more lacklustre rendition of the original.
It's Arkham City, and by default a good game, but the basic reality is that we'd take any of the older - and now cheaper - versions of this excellent title ahead of the underwhelming Wii U port.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-batman-arkham-city-wii-u-face-off
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