Are Scalebound, Quantum Break And Crackdown 3 Setting New Graphical Benchmarks For The Xbox One?

If you haven’t heard, Microsoft had a rather excellent presentation at Gamescom. This was the presser headlined by three top exclusives for the Xbox One including Platinum Games’ Scalebound; Remedy Entertainment’s long-in-development Quantum Break; and of course, Crackdown 3 developed by Reagent and Cloudgine.

[FoxyGotGame]

Is the Pope a Catholic?

...Of course they are. Did anyone really need to ask? ...you only need look at the buggers )

Edit

Some people are complaining "Honestly ...more graphics talk, can we just let it go?"

Why you even here then? ...Honestly ...more complaining, couldn't you have just ignored the article?

[Genuine-User]

Quantum Break will most definitely set a visual benchmark for games on Xbox One.

As for Crackdown 3, its visuals are decent at best.

[FoxyGotGame]

Yeah Agree on QB for sure , and Scalebound looks awesome. But I guess it depends on an individuals point of view, so I cannot disagree that you see it that way.

For me, Crackdown destruction looks 'Visually' impressive and not only sets a benchmark, but a precedent /

[raggy-rocket]

I think Crackdown Visuals are really good for the style they're going for

In terms of convincing graphics and the everlasting journey to photorealism (9th gen, calling it), as you said, decent at best. That's because of the art style and right now, visually it looks pretty to me. Not realistic pretty, but pretty.

[user9950279]

Quantum Break will set a visual benchmark. period.

Crackdown... up for debate. "graphically" in a superficial sense its doesnt look amazing. But when you start considering the systems, physics, and destruction... definitely an insane benchmark there. for any platform.

[Genuine-User]

@thatPSguy

I'm not feeling Scalebound to be honest, the on stage demo was rough, and left a bad impression in my opinion. I'm waiting to see how it stacks up come E3 next year.

As for the Cloud destruction in Crackdown 3, I agree, it does set a new precedent.

@raggy-rocket

I'm just going by the 15 minute destruction presentation. My final opinion will most probably change once we get to see some campaign footage.

[Army_of_Darkness]

Quantum Break is the only xbone game that I would say will set graphical benchmarks.
Crackdown 3's visuals isn't anything to brag about(the handsome collection looks better) aside from the impressive destructible environments, it does not look that great.
Scale bound looks pretty cool but definitely not on the level of Quantum Break.

[dantesparda]

I agree QB looks pretty good, but the rest (Crackdown and Scalebound) just look ok. I'm not a fan of Crackdowns cell shaded graphics and I'm not fully sold on its cloud destruction yet, I'll save that for when it comes out.

[Bobafret]

Crackdown was never about great visuals anyway, has always been serviceable, but not great.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

Quantum Break yes. Scalebound has a fantasy style to it which I like. Crackdown not really but the core of Crackdown is the gameplay and destruction definitely not graphics.

All three games are achieving way different goals.

[nveenio]

I don't think Crackdown sets anything. Few games warrant destruction on that level, which I didn't realize until actually seeing it. It's almost like saying No Man's Sky sets a precedent for terrain deformation.

[ramiuk1]

quantum break looks amazing and as a ps4 owner "I WANT AND WILL BE GETTING A XB1 WHEN IT HITS".

the fact it looks so good,1080p has blown me away if im honest and only a dickhead would disagree with me no matter what format your loyalty is.

scalebound dont impress me though and crackdown is a tech benchmark for cloud based games,defo not graphically.

quantum,gears,horizon and uncharted are beautiful and im more than happy with that standard for next 4/5 years

[slate91]

Well said. I just SLIGHTLY disagree with scalebound, though. There is so much action going on at once on that game. But I do hope they smooth out the fps come launch.

[Mr-Dude]

Quantum break looks great, maybe the game for me to buy a X1.
Crackdown.... Never liked it
Scalebound looks good but the dubstep..... Meh

But thats me

[Eiyuuou]

I'm a PS4 player, and I can't see the difference between 920p and 1080p, nor do I care. The games look amazing, regardless of their resolution!

[ramiuk1]

@slate i think its the headphones,annoying voice and dubstep crap that just doesnt go with scalebound.

i like the dragon stuff and the fighting,just not the style and music.

[ABizzel1]

Crackdown no.

Quantum Break and Scalebound......No Duh, I mean what other XBO exclusives in their genres look better than them, you'd be hard pressed to find a multiplat right now that looks better.

[Darkwatchman]

Crackdown 3 is not. It's a technical
Benchmark because of its use of destruction and physics, but the animations and the quality of the visuals themselves Is actually really poor.

The other 2 are most definitely impressive though

[BVFTW]

I don't get why people disagrees with you, from what was shown, Crackdown is impressive because all the physics calculations and interactive render but it wasn't pretty and shiny as it focused on delivering mayhem!

[Letthewookiewin]

I've been saying the same thing about Crackdown. The destruction is pretty cool but the game still looks like crap. Quantum Break looks flat out amazing! Scalebound looks really great I love Japanese games, but like everyone is saying hopefully it gets smoothed out. I still haven't seen a game on any platform that looks better than the Order 1886 too bad it was only ok to play.

[Daz]

JUdge a game from a tech demo and pre alpha of the destruction nice one /s

[NeoGamer232]

Honestly, more graphics talk?

Can we just let it go?

The games look like they will have great gameplay, great story, great sound, great cloud features, and great environments. Great graphics is only part of the game.

Once they release we will find out if they live up to their demos. But, I couldn't care less as long as they are at least 720p and hold at least a solid 30 FPS.

[SteamPowered]

Then why even buy an X1? If it isnt a technical advantage over an older console, then there really isnt incentive to upgrade in my opinion.

If we dont expect better things out of developers, they simply wont deliver, knowing we will buy whatever they churn out anyways.

[NeoGamer232]

There is a lot more to this generation of games then upcoming the number of pixels on the screen.

There has been way too much focus on that. Games like Ryse and The Order are 900p or 1080p. Did that help them with reviewers? Did that help push sales of those games?

There is much more to game advancement then graphics... The level of interactivity in the environment, the maintenance of frame rates at or above 30 FPS, the story the game tells, then ambience the game environment sets, the level of control of the game's story/outcome, the game controls, the gameplay system, the game AI, the sounds from the game, the sense of urgency and intensity the game gives the gamer, etc.

Why does innovation only get recognized by how many pixels are on the screen? You look at games like Gears, Final Fantasy, Halo, Batman, Resident Evil, God of War, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Witcher, Dead Space, CoD, Battlefield, Uncharted, TLOU, etc. Arguably, some of the greatest IPs ever in gaming and none of them started with 1080p.

[raggy-rocket]

I very partially agree with him, but I think regardless of graphics the console are much more capable in terms of technical achievements e.g how much they can fit into a big open world. Maybe he meant to say that, but although graphics aren't a bit thing to me, richer and more detailed environments through better texture and lighting are definitely incentives to upgrade. I like seeing improvements in the game and how the world looks. Frame rate is also a big boost to the experience but resolution I don't really mind.

[BVFTW]

Well, I do like pretty graphics but wouldn't you prefer that the developers were more focused on delivering refined gameplay, expand and create new experiences? They're so focused on outdoing the graphical performance of last gen that content is getting behind as an afterthought, I mean, is expensive to deliver that graphical quality and game content in most cases has been reduced or fractionated as dlc for making an extra buck. Infamous second son comes to my mind, I'm a fan of the franchise and I enjoyed second son but I also felt that Infamous 2 gave Second Son a run for its money. The extra power of the new tech can be used for many more things than weren't possible on last gen than shinier graphics.

[SteamPowered]

Raggy and BVFTW bring up some great points. Some view technical advantages as resolution, while others think of it as experiences or peripherals. Personally I was lured into the X1 with the kinect 2.0 because I thought it was the next best thing for consoles.
Others may view the Morpheus, or digital libraries, or faster FPS as the reason for an upgrade.

Good thoughts going around.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

I really want that sense of wonder that we had back in PS2 and OG Xbox days. That sense of variety, flavor, adventure. That generation captured that.

But it seems like this gen just continued the debate on graphics and FPS more harder than last gen. Pixel counting has to get old some day. It was amusing a year and two years ago but how long will ppl, and more importantly the media will continue this crusade this?

Wheres the fun factor? The wonder factor this gen? Here's hoping MS and Sony keep pushing original games that capture that fun and wonder factor of the PS2 days again. Those were the best moments in gaming imo.

[ninsigma]

Hmmm I don't think crackdown is. Not sure about scalebound. Quantum break on the other hand looks amazing in the graphics department. Will probably be the best looking xbox game when it releases (please release soon!).

[parentsbasement]

They are xbox exclusives, that's the only benchmark , if you want to play them I mean...

[Fishy Fingers]

You'd hope so, obviously future exclusives are expected to one up what came before them.

From what I've seen QB is one of the best looking upcoming games not only on the Xbox but across all platforms.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Quantum Break looks like it is going to be the best looking 3rd person action/shooter of 2016. It has already been crowned the SIGGRAPH award for best techinical graphics. The graphics, real time rendering, particle effects, and physics will be best in class in 2016. You can deny it if you want but the awards speak for themselves.

Crackdown 3 looks great, continues its unique art style and brings in proven cloud destruction.

Scalebound is already beautiful with massive set pieces, dragons, and open world Exploration.

I might add that Forza 6 will be the best 1080p racer running at full 60 fps with dynamic weather and accurate track physics.

The Xbox was deemed weak but it is clear it is very powerful, when used properly by the people who engineered it.

Take my money!!

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Mispoke they did not win an award but Remedy did present their rendering techniques.

[Sweep14]

What are you smoking son ? Remedy won nothing at SIGGRAPH 2015

[PrinceOfAllSaiyans]

"Quantum Break looks like it is going to be the best looking 3rd person action/shooter of 2016."

I know you're saying this out of spite,but QB doesn't even come close to what Naughty Dog are doing. Uncharted 4 has much more going on way more. But that still doesn't take away the fact that Quantum Break looks phenomenal also.

[jb227]

Also there is the actual art direction to take into consideration, and Naughty Dog are the masters are cramming a litany of unique & jawdropping environments into their games. QB looks great for sure, but at this point we've only seen urban settings, construction settings & a whole of of concrete, not to mention that the heavy fog drastically conceals the outer environment and brings in draw distances. Looking at QB's immediate surroundings are great for sure, but looking at the vast scope of Madagascar, and Nate's ability to walk the full distance to that shark head mountain is just on a completely different level.

A game's graphics are about so much more than resolution, its about an atmosphere, from the small touches of cool physics & particle effects (like those sandbags draining cover for Drake) to the large landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see, simply jaw dropping and awe-inducing in every sense of the word. As for a full overall art package it honestly is very hard to consider anyone topping UC4 based off of the history of the series and the half hour we've already seen of the game. By contrast we've only seen 2 minutes of quick cuts in a trailer for the newer iteration of QB.

[MysticStrummer]

"The graphics, real time rendering, particle effects, and physics will be best in class in 2016."

Nope, unless you mean best in XB1's division.

[guyman]

Scalebound and crackdown didnt look so impressive visually. QB on the other hand looks like it could be the most beautiful game released this gen

[Lennoxb63]

To the people that are complaining about Crackdown 3's graphics. You do realize that the build they showed was pre alpha and are far from done tweaking the graphics right? There's no way that they would release that game looking like that.

[Spotie]

Then how can Crackdown, which has only been shown in that form, be included in the discussion?

[Sweep14]

Just wait until QB (like TR) are confirmed to be 1080PR games...

[Lon3wolf]

Who cares?

[Lon3wolf]

Don't know, don't care they all look great and I can't wait to play them.

[StrayaKNT]

They are setting the graphical benchmark for this generation with Qb being the best looking game to every hit consoles

[DougLord]

In very different ways. CD3 for destruction, Scalebound for Scale, QB for pure traditional gfx.