We need to talk about Crackdown 3's visuals

[MosquitoSmasher]

They actually released some early official screens too.

Here's how those fare versus the most recent screens (Jan 19 and E3 2018).

Click to shrink...

Yeah ever since that reveal trailer I was wishing the ingame graphics to look like the first screenshots you posted. Clearly that was never gonna happen but man, I love the look of it.

 

[Bradbatross]

I know some people like Forbes articles, so here is my contribution to the thread.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/insert...se-xboxs-crackdown-3-still-looks-abysmal/amp/

The images in the article highlight the OP, but here are some snippets:







Personally, I only played Crackdown 1 and it was fun back in the day, but I never liked the look of Crackdown 2 and this far into the generation Crackdown 3 does not look appealing to me either. If I was looking to play this due to looks/graphics, I would not be impressed. However, if the game is fun, the game is fun, but it's not a $60 purchase type of fun for me.

Click to shrink...

Lol pathetic. The person didn't even play the game.

 

[Thorrgal]

So you're saying we need to talk about we need to talk about threads

Click to shrink...

Lol

 

[J 0 E]

This is X360 level graphics.

 

[Deleted member 22750]

This is X360 level graphics.

Click to shrink...

Really?

 

[mas8705]

At this point, I've held off on looking at the game itself until the final product. Considering how long it's been in development, I have my doubts that it will reach those expectations if I start to raise them.

Still going to check it out on the game pass later this month, but I hope I will get to enjoy the game enough to where I want to get it and not just glance over it and move onto something else.

 

[Klobrille]

This is X360 level graphics.

Click to shrink...

 

[nib95]

Click to shrink...

That's the original Crackdown on the Xbox 360. There were considerably better looking games that released on the system too, case in point.

 

[Equanimity]

I'm saying your "explanations" don't hold up to simple scrutiny - other people agreeing with you doesn't change that.

Click to shrink...

Playing/watching the original Crackdown in 4K has only reinforced my opinion. I'm not denying the visual upgrade, by play them both side by side and the latter looks as dated.

Your lack of "simple" scrutiny doesn't change how it looks to me, and we've GamesSpot and Game informer sharing a similar opinion - there's a perceivable reason behind this shared opinion.

I'm also I'm saying an artstyle doesn't have an expiration date on it. you can dislike their use of a certain artstyle, but that doesn't invalidate obvious technical improvements over time.

Click to shrink...

I'm slightly baffled here. Why are you giving me a lecture on art styles and technical periodic improvements?

I'd love to see those gifs. But keep watching previews to see if I can spot any physics issues and I'll post what I find.

Click to shrink...

Alright, I've only noticed a handful of wonky moments. I think 3 are seen in the Game Informer preview video.

 

[Deleted member 36622]

I think veichles look bad, the rest i can give a pass but i can see where the criticism is coming from.

People bought Xbox One X expecting top tier graphics because that is the selling point, and Microsoft recently produced exclusives (between this, Sea of Thieves, Super Lucky's Tale, State of Decay 2) that don't really aim at that.

 

[zedox]

The first three I posted were from the 2015 Gamescom Gameplay trailer, and the last four were from E3 2018 and during the preview embargo last week.



In the initial gameplay trailer it was stated that cloud performance would add 20x the Xbox One's computational power. I don't know what sort of Cloud compute is taking place in the current build, but it certainly doesn't look anything close to what was originally advertised or stated.

Click to shrink...

THe first part of that video is clearly CGI. The gameplay part came later.

 

[Windu]

For a game that is large in scale with no loading. The visuals look fine. The lighting can either make or break the game.

Just Cause is probably the pentacle of vast open world graphics but that game struggles on the original xbox and I am not sure how the size of that game compares to Crackdown.

 

[ShaDowDaNca]

This is X360 level graphics.

Click to shrink...

Agreed and it only being 30fps doesn't help... I am skipping this.

 

[Novocaine]

I'd be lying if I said I like the new style over the old. But for a game like this I think I'll take the graphics change in exchange for a stable frame rate and good draw distance. If I get none of these things I'll be pretty bummed. I guess we will see in 10 days.

 

[EvilBoris]

Gamers sure do love superhero games, look at all the Spider-Man avatars in here....

 

[Legacy]

Optimised.

 

[Razgriz417]

welp good thing this is on game pass. could give a try without shelling out any more $

 

[Electro]

Watched that german preview and especially the mp looks imo very ugly....

 

[Got Danny]

im sorry but that wrecking zone comparison is... LMAO

Everything breaking looks like Styrofoam

Red Faction Guerilla Remastered looks like it has better destruction

 

[justiceiro]

Threads like this make me feel like I'm too old to perceive graphical features anymore. Excepts for few lights here and there, most of all footage I have seen so far looks the same to me.

Reminds me of the Witcher 3 downgrade (?)

 

[dabri]

I'm hoping I'm wrong because CD 1 was so good and I want this to be good too, but I have a feeling this game is going to bomb with critics and sales. That combined with such a long dev time just doesn't bode well for the devs.

 

[Nozem]

I think the game looks fine, but it does absolutely nothing to change my opinion that the whole "power of the cloud" spiel is absolute bollocks.

 

[EvilBoris]

Anyone know what engine crackdown 3 is using?

Click to shrink...

Unreal 4 and the Halo engine apparently

 

[Deleted member 33409]

What if Crackdown 3 will be released on Nintendo Switch too with crossplatform? Maybe they downgraded the physics complexity for that. I would totally buy it on Switch with the crossbuy advantage like every other game they could port.

 

[EvilBoris]

I think the game looks fine, but it does absolutely nothing to change my opinion that the whole "power of the cloud" spiel is absolute bollocks.

Click to shrink...

I mean it's clearly not bollocks, as a result of what has been delivered, there is literally no game that will play the same in the multiplayer.

Can can literally see technology working here

 

[Electro]

What if Crackdown 3 will be released on Nintendo Switch too with crossplatform? Maybe they downgraded the physics complexity for that. I would totally buy it on Switch with the crossbuy advantage like every other game they could port.

Click to shrink...

Hmm maybe...

 

[SuikerBrood]

What if Crackdown 3 will be released on Nintendo Switch too with crossplatform? Maybe they downgraded the physics complexity for that. I would totally buy it on Switch with the crossbuy advantage like every other game they could port.

Click to shrink...

What's this 'Microsoft game A or B could come to Switch'' thing that's going on era these days? Lol.

 

[Trup1aya]

Playing/watching the original Crackdown in 4K has only reinforced my opinion. I'm not denying the visual upgrade, by play them both side by side and the latter looks as dated.

Your lack of "simple" scrutiny doesn't change how it looks to me, and we've GamesSpot and Game informer sharing a similar opinion - there's a perceivable reason behind this shared opinion.



I'm slightly baffled here. Why are you giving me a lecture on art styles and technical periodic improvements?



Alright, I've only noticed a handful of wonky moments. I think 3 are seen in the Game Informer preview video.

Click to shrink...

You said Crackdown 3 looks like an early last gen game. It doesn't. Since you can now see the upgrade, I'm not sure how you believe that statement holds up. I look at footage of early, open ended, 360 games like Tony Hawk American Wasteland, Gun, or even Crackdown 1 and it's immediately clear that they are a full generation away from Crackdown 3.

Thats said, Crackdown 3, visually, isn't a show peice for the current gen. That goes without saying. But your comment is hyperbole, and if GameSpot and Game Informer share make a similar comment, then they are using hyperbole as well.

I'm not trying to give you a lecture on anything. I just think when you are arguing that technical improvement is lacking, you shouldn't use your personal distaste for an artstyle to support your argument. The two are unrelated.

 

[Theorry]

What's this 'Microsoft game A or B could come to Switch'' thing that's going on era these days? Lol.

Click to shrink...

 

[methodiczero]

At this point, I'm just surprised that its going to be coming out this generation at all. I sure hope that it does well. I loved the first on and dropped so many hrs into it. I don't own an Xbox, but I do hope it does well and lives on.

 

[Deleted member 33409]

What's this 'Microsoft game A or B could come to Switch'' thing that's going on era these days? Lol.

Click to shrink...

Minecraft is on Nintendo Switch, and from my point of view they can bring any game on Switch since it won't interfere with sales on XBOX/Windows. It's portable vs home experience. At the end of the day if they sell a copy on Switch, they have high chances to sell more XBOX too offering crossbuy. I would buy an XBOX the next day to put near my Switch if I could access these games on both platforms with a single purchase.

 

[Djost1kk]

I feel like Saints Row 3 looks better stylistically and it came out like what, 8 years ago?

 

[Equanimity]

You said Crackdown 3 looks like an early last gen game. It doesn't. Since you can now see the upgrade, I'm not sure how you believe that statement holds up. I look at footage of early, open ended, 360 games like Tony Hawk American Wasteland, Gun, or even Crackdown 1 and it's immediately clear that they are a full generation away from Crackdown 3.

Click to shrink...

I think I might have to repeat myself here, dated visual aesthetic entails more than just what you seem to be suggesting. Take everything I've said into consideration this time. Character animation is the worst offender, second is the early gen angular design, third is the incoherent art style - seems be stuck between cel shading and regular 3D, and fourth is the complete lack of an adequate mechanical jump between early last-gen and late current-gen.

Thats said, Crackdown 3, visually, isn't a show peice for the current gen. That goes without saying. But your comment is hyperbole, and if GameSpot and Game Informer share make a similar comment, then they are using hyperbole as well.

Click to shrink...

You're entitled to this lacklustre opinion, but I undoubtedly disagree.

I'm not trying to give you a lecture on anything. I just think when you are arguing that technical improvement is lacking, you shouldn't use your personal distaste for an artstyle to support your argument. The two are unrelated.

Click to shrink...

1. I like cel shades graphics.
2. My entire argument is based on a personal perceptual opinion.

The two aren't unrelated.

 

[Cranster]

That's the original Crackdown on the Xbox 360. There were considerably better looking games that released on the system too, case in point.

Click to shrink...

All of those games you posted were released years later. Crackdown has a a deliberate cartoony art style too it aswell. Alot of people in this thread are looking like a bunch of console warriors.

 

[behOemoth]

The game looks way too old gameplay traversity wise. It looks like they just implented some more dashes and called it a day. We got way bigger improvements in games like infamous:ss, sunset overdrive, spider-man or the last two just causes.

 

[Deleted member 10428]

I was thinking about using my game pass trial for this but nah.
I can't believe how MS can get away with the first party and exclusives the Xbox one gets.
I mean hardware wise the X is the most awesome console I've owned but it should have better software (like a useful UI, what the hell happened there?!).

 

[Bradbatross]

Damn, the hot takes just keep on coming.

 

[Starviper]

They're practically different games. It's like all the tech that made the demo cool was stripped out.

 

[nib95]

All of those games you posted were released years later. Crackdown has a a deliberate cartoony art style too it aswell. Alot of people in this thread are looking like a bunch of console warriors.

Click to shrink...

Right, but Crackdown 3 is also releasing at the tail end of the Xbox One's life (6 years in), and the system is orders of magnitude more powerful than the 360. As such, the expectations are obviously going to be higher, hence comparing it to better looking late 360 games instead of worse looking early ones. It isn't like cartoony, stylised or artsy style games can't have great graphics either, see Sunset Overdrive, Ratchet and Clank, Gravity Rush 2, InFamous Second Son etc.

 

[AzerPhire]

Oh look the OP never returned to update his original poor GIFs after they have been called out.

Yes, Crackdown 3 is not the greatest looking open world game but it also isn't a AAA title. The OP and many in this thread are being disingenuous when making many of their claims (360 level graphics, C1 looks better, massive downgrade, etc.).

The overreactions on this board really need to stop as it is really bad look.

 

[m23]

Definitely looks rough based on some videos, though luckily it isn't a huge deal to me. Still pretty disappointing.

 

[Cranster]

Right, but Crackdown 3 is also releasing at the tail end of the Xbox One's life (6 years in), and the system is orders of magnitude more powerful than the 360. As such, the expectations are obviously going to be higher, hence comparing it to better looking late 360 games instead of worse looking early ones. It isn't like cartoony, stylised or artsy style games can't have great graphics either, see Sunset Overdrive, Ratchet and Clank, Gravity Rush 2, InFamous Second Son etc.

Click to shrink...

None of those games work as comparison, also InFamous??? Really?!!

 

[SuikerBrood]

They're practically different games. It's like all the tech that made the demo cool was stripped out.

Click to shrink...

What tech was stripped out according to you?

 

[Trup1aya]

The game looks way too old gameplay traversity wise. It looks like they just implented some more dashes and called it a day. We got way bigger improvements in games like infamous:ss, sunset overdrive, spider-man or the last two just causes.

Click to shrink...

Traversal looks more engaging to me here than any of those games....

Crackdown is like a platformer, there's an actual challenge to getting around.

Those other games are just different superhero archetypes - their abilities arent neccisarily "improvements". Crackdown agents are more like Captain America in terms of ability- swinging around, flying or grinding on powerlines doesn't fit here.

 

[rashbeep]

Oh look the OP never returned to update his original poor GIFs after they have been called out.

Yes, Crackdown 3 is not the greatest looking open world game but it also isn't a AAA title. The OP and many in this thread are being disingenuous when making many of their claims (360 level graphics, C1 looks better, massive downgrade, etc.).

The overreactions on this board really need to stop as it is really bad look.

Click to shrink...

It certainly looks like a fraction of the game that was initially shown, but yes the 360 comparisons are pushing it.

 

[Convasse]

I'm not sure I understand all the hand-wringing going on around this game. Crackdown 3 is the only one of three titles (Scalebound, Fable Legends) that managed to make it out of severe developmental hurdles. There is no doubt the project was re-tooled at LEAST once. So what are we arguing here about? It's not that the Xbox One X isn't capable of delivering more, we've seen it's power demonstrably on several titles already. What's more evident in the game is the development and project management issues the game has had.

Microsoft was clearly not interested in the bad press associated with cancelled three anticipated, announced titles in a single generation. And coincidentally, while 5 years ago, it may have just floundered, Game Pass guarantees it an audience, even if they don't purchase it wholesale.

 

[Marcus Brutalius]

Even Agents of Mayhem looks better graphics- and aninmation wise.

Traversal looks more engaging to me here than any of those games....

Crackdown is like a platformer, there's an actual challenge to getting around.

Click to shrink...

So you're saying that there's no challenge involved with traversal in games like SO, Spiderman, Just Cause...? Okaaay

 

[John Rabbit]

Gosh if only they'd labeled all that pre-alpha footage as such.

 

[Riderz1337]

It's definitely not a looker, but that doesn't come as a surprise to me. The game had too many changes in studios, too much focus on the cloud and was overall a mess when it came to development. Don't think people actually have high hopes for this game. I'd be shocked if it even got a 70 meta to be honest.

 

[Anthony Hopkins]

Just been playing some saints row 4 and C3 definitely looks a lot better.