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It's been a long console generation but the end is in sight with the release of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One set for this November. But the PS3/360 legacy lives on - the sheer size of their combined installed base means that publishers can't leave the old machines behind just yet. Hence the arrival of "cross-gen" games; titles developed for current and next generation consoles simultaneously. Battlefield 4 is, perhaps, the most anticipated of these releases, with the promise of delivering the full PC experience on both next generation consoles at 60fps. Expectations are high for the new platforms but what of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 experience? Does Frostbite 3 bring anything new to the table for these ageing consoles? How do these versions compare to Battlefield 4 running on a more powerful PC? And with the arrival of last week's beta test, can we extrapolate anything about the next-gen console versions from the PC game?To begin with, the beta includes just one map, Siege of Shanghai, available in two variations according to the selected mode. In Domination the map is reduced in size to allow for a smaller player count while Conquest mode purportedly delivers the full experience. Unfortunately PS3 and 360 owners remain limited to a maximum of just 24 players per map. With Battlefield 4 it is more apparent than ever that this low player count simply isn't adequate for a full size Conquest map. Shanghai winds up feeling dreadfully empty with huge swathes of empty open space dividing skirmishes. The PC beta allows for a full 64 players - something DICE has also promised for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 iterations of the game.
But first, let's attempt to address a next-gen controversy surrounding the game. In the last few weeks, statements have been floating around suggesting that Battlefield 4 operates at 720p on the new consoles, or 900p on one but not the other, depending on which unsourced comment you read. With the PC beta in hand, we decided to take a look at the game running at various resolutions to determine what it might look like when operating at lower resolutions which are then upscaled back to 1080p. The PC version includes a resolution scaling option that allows you to maintain a desired output resolution (optimal for fixed pixel displays and for reducing input lag) while altering the internal rendering resolution. As it stands, BF4 is a demanding game on the PC and with the promise of 60fps, it's no surprise that compromises may have to be made. If the new consoles are able to deliver a level of detail on par with the PC version at 60fps, the drop in image quality could prove an acceptable trade-off.
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