Although there is much debate and speculation regarding the competition between the upcoming next gen consoles and the various producers waiting to promote their latest game releases, it’s easy to forget that the competition is also rife in software development. There is no better example of this competition than between the established CryEngine 3 by German Developers Crytek, the engine being used in games such as Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 and Crysis 2. The competitor is the upcoming Frostbite 3 engine by Swedish developer DICE, which has been showcased during E3 in the incredible gameplay demo of Battlefield 4.
One
of the first things that people will assess when comparing the two engines will
be the visual/graphical comparisons, and after comparing the two engines I feel
the award for the most visually impressive must go to the Frostbite 3. The
graphical display on Battlefield 4 was simply amazing, showcasing the clear
crisp graphics, excellent framerate, clear sound effects, shadowing, lighting,
speedy rendering, and the support for huge open world maps. All of this was a
clear demonstration of both the excellent graphical capabilities of the
software, but also a clear demonstration that the next gen consoles are capable
of running the engine without any compatibility or processing problems.
Both Engines are stunning
to look at, but I still find myself drawn more to the Frostbite 3.
Compare
that with the CryEngine which, to its credit, wowed us with its own display of
graphical, sounds, and quality when showcasing Crysis 2 on the PC. Also any
issue of its redundancy on next gen consoles was dismissed by Crytek who stated
on their website the engine will be compatible for supporting games on next
gen. Also, although I feel the graphics are better on the Frostbite Engine, the
CryEngine does appear to have a more colorful look and more emphasis on
character models, although both engines seem to adopt a dark and dusty tinge,
possibly to try and make the game world look more realistic.
However
in one area that I do feel the Frostbite 3 engine is indeed far superior, is in
its performance. One of the most glaring problems attributed to the CryEngine 3
is its apparent favoritism towards the PC platform. Although Crytek claims the
engine was designed specifically to allow more compatibility with consoles,
this did not translate in graphics, rendering, or performance, which was
average at best when compared to the PC. In the case of the Frostbite 3 engine
the development has been made for the use of next gen gaming as a priority, and
as such will not only be able to flex its ‘graphical muscles’ in high profile
events, but do so on what will soon be the best selling gaming devices on the
planet.
