Uncharted 4 Retail vs E3 2015 Video Graphics Comparison

Uncharted 4 appeared on store shelves today, and for this event many players have waited. If you're interested how the game has changed since last year, then check this video graphics comparison of E3 2015 build and final retail version.
Video source for this comparison thanks to Gamersyde.com

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

Love the upgrade in details and more vivid colors in retail

Takes notes Ubisoft

[Thatguy-310]

I'm confused e3 one looks better. I mean the retail game looks great noneless but e3 built looks better. Maybe ps4Neo build?

[SCW1982]

Your blind if you think that.

[objdadon]

Are you blind or something? lol

[Eidolon]

Lol, ps4Neo build. This retail build looks better for sure.

[KTF26]

Darker isn't better

Edit:
Dark isn't worst
but the Retail version has more details

[Inzo]

How did you get to that conclusion? The retail game looks far better far more detailed than the E3 build.

[SolidStoner]

actually they are the same, just edited lightning and some changes here and there, its not better and its not worse.. just different, in some areas E3 2015 looks better, and in some retail version, but thats because of lightning changes, textures and physics are the same!

[SolidStoner]

Ohh.. why many people think darker is better?

remember NFS underground was only at night? and it looked epic for its time, its because in darker areas you cant see sharp edges or other negative effects.. it works just like in real life, in dark club girls looks more beautiful, when you bring her out in sunlight you start to see all details.......

[The 10th Rider]

Eh, it's a bit of both. If you watch Sully's shirt right about the 8-10 second range, it clearly has more detail in the E3 build, but if you look at his hand in the 16-18 second range, it clearly has more detail in the retail build.

[Yi-Long]

Personally I prefer the contrast/shadows much better in the E3 version; it just looks more natural. Also, the leather strap has nice highlights and the background just looks a bit sharper and more impressive.

Obviously the retail-version looks great, but I prefer the E3 version.

[jc12]

Agreed, I think the E3 version looks better - though not by a lot. E3 version has better lighting and overall softer shadows, though its color pallette is a bit muted.

[DARKKENT]

All I have to say is..

I have never seen xbox fanboys this butt hurt over a PlayStation game before and im talking from the playstation2 era to now

[Malphite]

Subsurface scattering seems much improved and the motion blur looks better too. Those things are clearly visiable even with the compressed video file. Seems like they've moved the the position of the sun in the first scene.

[Unspoken]

What's with the downgrade being acceptable with this game, but every other game it's not? The lighting and shadows are much worse in retail.
Eh. Fanatics.

[rainslacker]

Is this really an apt comparison?

I mean, in one case we have the E3 build/stream which would have been produced with the highest quality capture process for getting onto video meant for promotion, compared to some guy who did his own capture? Not knowing the settings he used to capture, or his ability to get accurate colors through a capture/upload/editing process, it's kind of hard to compare them for the purposes of if one is better. Even if he did it through twitch using PS4's built in streaming process, that still compresses the video compared to actual output.

I see more detail in the retail build, but better lighting contrast in the E3 build.

[Eldyraen]

Reveal looks better at times but part of it is weather/lighting change. In others retail looks better or the same so it's a bit of both.

The clearer vista at beginning imo looks much better than the foggy distance and the light bloom on the umbrella tables was definitely more severe than e3 trailer. So for that part e3 wins for me for sure. Sun is in a different position by looks (shadows are different positions) but while playing it won't really matter as comparison is moot.

[Muzikguy]

You're right on the confused part

[jb227]

Yeah you are just plain wrong there. Maybe you misread which screen was which?

The retail build is objectively & plainly better in every aspect.

[Kaneda]

hmmm.. Some of the details were remove from the retail version. Don't know what ND fanboys are smoking.

[AndrewLB]

Notice how they removed subsurface scattering of light (look at the umbrellas) and smeared everything with vaseline?

[TheCommentator]

Love all the blind Sony fanboys around here trying to argue that the retail release looks better, when it's not as sharp, the textures are flatter, the lighting/shadowing is downgraded... It has clearly been changed for the worse from the E3 build.

It's the time of day, it's the capture techniques, it's, it's, it's...LOL.

[nowitzki2004]

I agree. Look how blurry the crowd is. Everything is more blurry.

[OB1Biker]

I don't trust these comparisons you see every where on the Internet. I haven't got to play this part yet but I can easily tell though that a few scenes of what I played look as good as E3 2014, yea that famous cutscene showing drake. And DF agree.

[TwoForce]

I think final version looks better. Because you can see Sully face that he is sweating just like Sam and Nate.

[the_dark_one]

No no no, sully is sweating like a hooker on a church

[zeuanimals]

There's a lot less artifacting from the motion blur/AA too. You can see it when they compare the truck chase scene at 2:10, the cargo truck to the side has a ton of artifacting on the top in the E3 build while it's completely absent in the retail build. Artifacts were also everywhere elsewhere in the E3 build and I'm guessing they've greatly reduced the amount you can see on the screen in general for the final build.

[badz149]

Holy mother of upgrades! Nicely done ND! And just for you guys' information, I've succeeded in my hunt for the Collector's Edition! YAY!! The entire area where I live got just the 1 and I got it! Take my money ND! You guys deserve it!

[Gol3m]

That with the 12 inch statuette? I managed to nab one yesterday in my local eb. Went in to see if they had a midnight release and just happened to ask if the had any limited ones left. Upgrade FTW

[badz149]

@Gol3m

Yeah, that one. AWESOME!

[moegooner88]

DF seems to agree, never seen them praise a game that much.
http://n4g.com/news/1903260...

[Muzikguy]

This is so great. It's awesome that a company like Naughty Dog can do this yet other, much bigger companies, can't. I don't trust reveals from so many companies these days

[lxeasy]

E3 looks slightly better, but not by much. Both versions look stunning.

[GamingIVfun]

Game looks amazing, I don't they did much to change the look other than changing light sources and the shaders are less dark. The game looked kinda dark originally, they probably changed it to resemble the previous games.

[iistuii]

Started playing late last night. The game without doubt looks amazing & from a PC gamer it's just great how nice it is to play a console game with great AA, I have no idea how they've done it. The only problem I have so far is the 30fps. I just can't get to grips with it, it's just not as smooth as I'm used to. It's my opinion, I know people who just play on console won't worry whatsoever, but go on the amazing U2 remaster & see how smooth they made it & jump back on U4 & you'll clearly feel the difference. I'm tempted to leave it where I am in hope of the neo being able to play it at 60fps, because the game deserves it.

[starchild]

Yeah, but this is the smoothest 30fps I've ever seen/felt. Honestly, the consistency and tightness of the frame delivery is excellent and the motion blur they are using is second to none.

And you're right, this game is using some incredibly good anti-aliasing. It's probably the cleanest I've ever seen a console game look (along with The Order 1886).

Just an outstanding job by Naughty Dog all around.

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

My jaw hasn't left the floor since I pressed start!

[iistuii]

It's a great game & a fantastic looking one, really enjoying it so far. Your right about it being a smooth 30fps, which is great, unlike other titles that drop frequently, but it's still noticeable to me when I play all my games on PC at vsync 60fps. I am by no means knocking it, in fact ND advertised their Uncharted collection stating themselves that it's better at 60fps, it always will be.

[Unspoken]

Smoothest 30 fps? LOL

[nowitzki2004]

Its def. the greatest looking console game of all time. The MP 60fps is amazing and I wish the SP was like that, but I can live with the way it is at 30 fps. easily playable lol.

[DEAD-DEVIL-DISCO]

Yeah i can imagine being used to 60 all the time then the transition . I tried it in last of us remaster._..I feel ya. But for folks like me i jumped in and dont even care right now. I have never loved a game this much in a lot of aspects. Thank God for these guys.._. Ps4 worth every average joe gamers fkn penny that cant afford your rig homey :) and no offence cause i love your gaming enthusiasm . Honestly. Edit.. And btw i dont know why you would lay it down.._..Never know what tomorrow brings. Ps neo or nuclear obliviation._.._bwhahahaha

[Rute]

I guess it depends on your taste as to which version you prefer. The biggest difference I see is that in the E3 version the character's skin shadows reflect more of the bluish tint from the sky whereas in the retail version the shadow is of strictly the skin color.

The retail version also lacks some of the background dust effect and gloss effect (palm leafs, pillar, parasols from 0:02 to 0:06, leather strap on Nate's shoulder at 0:27).

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

E3 version looks darker and more detailed in the background.

Retail looks brighter, more colored, Sully's shirt changed, Nate's shirt is covered in dust, and the background for some reason has been a bit blurred.

No downgrade by any means. It just had some minor changes. Hater be like looking at that shirt to claim downgrade.
Watch the chase sequence, and see what I mean with the colors (the sky, and the truck is more detailed qnd colored)

[DragonDDark]

They are both similar and different in some ways and both are good in their own way. Retail version imo is better, look at the street when the truck is chasing nate and sam near the end. In the retail version it looks like you are really moving at high speed. And the umbrellas at the start look better in the retail version. The faces are more clear in the retail version. In the E3 version the faces were full of dark textures that you couldn't see their eyes lol

Also: https://twitter.com/dragond...

[rainslacker]

The lighting in the "retail" version looks too washed out to me. This is more indicative of a poor capture and compression process than anything. Not sure how he sourced his video, but if it was through the built in Twitch stream, it would be more compressed than what we saw at E3, which typically darkens an image, so it's more possible that he used some sort 3rd hand capture process which may not allow for the entire dynamic range of colors in the whites and blacks, or he has his contrast and brightness settings set too high.

What I do see is more detail in the retail version, but that detail can show up more with lighter images. I see more dynamics to materials in the darker version, but that's typical with better lighting and shadow contrast, and is a common method for making games with less detail look better. So common in fact, it was practically ubiquitous last gen, which is why many games looked extremely dark on crappy TV's without low black cut off.

As far as lack of background dust/effects, a lighter version may just wash them out, as they tend to be low contrast effects. As the contrast is increased, the low contrast stuff tends to end up being combined, and since dust and what not is more a particle shading effect, it just kind of blends together showing less detail. Gloss effects are more a material attribute which is heavily dependent on lighting, and lighter environments tend to have more gloss, so I can't explain that one other than compression may have washed them out.

It's also possible for background stuff the LOD was reduced to give more weight to the foreground. I doubt the detail itself was actually downgraded, because if one got closer to these objects the LOD would stand out. As a side note, it would indicate that ND went to a great effort to instill more LOD for such a close range.

I have a feeling this is one of those games that may shine on a higher quality TV, like from Samsung. Glad I recently got one and got it all calibrated last week.

[higgins78]

The E3 version is the more detailed, no doubt about it.

[DigitalRaptor]

You were going to be saying this regardless.

How much less detail is the retail build and where are you seeing it?

[Inzo]

Lol and to think there were people saying that it got downgraded.

[Silly gameAr]

Still saying it apparently.

[OoglyBoogly]

I have to agree. Sure the retail build looks fantastic and sure things aren't downgraded to like Ubisoft levels but to act like everything about the retail build is the same or better is just false. The vegetation seems to have taken a pretty decent hit like loss of reflections and weaker/no light scattering/diffusion. Certainly a pretty noticeable difference.

So yeah, certainly things were downgraded. It's not THAT major though but let's not act like it hasn't happened just because.

[Xavy]

ND are the best in the biz. No other console game comes even close to this.

[Perjoss]

Looking good, I should be playing this tonight!

[starchild]

I've been playing it for over 3 hours and I'm thoroughly impressed, just like I thought I'd be.

[mkis007]

No DOF in E3 build

[OoglyBoogly]

And I think it looks better. Or at least depending on the shot is WAY too strong in the final version.

[fox79]

E3 build is way more detailed just watch the start the detail in every object mainly clothes..

[Software_Lover]

The E3 build looks more natural. The lighting is better and colors are not over saturated, but it's nothing to get mad over. They both look great. If it were a multiplat it would be like a ps4/Xbox One comparison. Differences yes, major no.

[rainslacker]

Honestly, the retail version shown here looks way too over saturated for a ND game. They've typically gone for more natural lighting rather than lightening everything up to such high levels. Given that the detail seems to be about the same, just some things aren't as noticeable in the E3 build due to the darker shadows, it really seems unlikely this is how the game will actually look.

Looking at it, the beginning where they're standing near the rail, they're standing in a shadow, yet their own renders look almost the same as before they step into the shadow, just darkened a bit all around...which is more indicative of poor prebaked shadows. However, everything else around them is cast in shadow. This is contrary to the way this game has been shown to use lighting, with pre-bakes on non-focused items, and dynamic shadows on focused objects, and is more indicative that the lighting and contrast are set way too high on whatever means were used to capture the video.

I'm assuming it's a captured setting, because focused objects have much more detail than before, just the contrast between details is much less than has been shown before. There's no reason to believe there would be such a big change to the lighting in one year unless the E3 version didn't run on PS4 spec'd dev machines. There'd be no need to change the lighting to such a degree, but over the course of a year, if they added more detail, which isn't apparent, it could mean they reduced the effects of dynamic lighting.

[SinisterKieran]

considerably less quality in retail :/ and shadow quality.
i'm loving the game so far though.

[DragonDDark]

Where?

[jimbobbeers]

The denial in here is strong. E3 clearly better, IMO.

[Dark_Knightmare2]

I don't think people really care when it's been called one of the most beautiful games ever by plenty of respectable sites so far. I think it boils down to fan boys in here trying to act like there was this huge downgrade because of how much hype and love uc 4 is getting which makes no sense to me

[rainslacker]

They're different. Better depends on what it is you're looking for.

Lighting is better in the E3 build, but detail is higher in the shown retail version. However, non-focused objects seem to have less detail, but nothing in the video showed what it'd look like if those objects became focused objects, which would indicate more LOD used than before(as in LOD is set to objects that are closer requiring a new LOD), which also indicates that draw distance has been reduced.

Shadows are definitely better in the E3 build, as well as overall lighting. The retail build just looks too oversaturated for a ND game, but the detail is more apparent in focused objects. But given the over saturation, I'm going to assume that the capture process used for getting the retail video was not calibrated properly.

Given that DF has said there isn't this much variance, I'm going to assume this is just some random guy capturing the video, but has no clue on how to calibrate his hardware properly. Anyone that has played games like this on the same TV, and played it on an uncalibrated TV, then again after it's calibrated can tell you what you see here is typical between the two.

On a side note:

Anyone who's interested in calibrating their TV, go look up AVCHD. It's free. Just setting the brightness and contrast can make a huge difference in picture quality and the ability to see more detail. Setting saturation and color may be harder without a filter, but some TV's do have an RGB setting which makes a filter unnecessary.

[cfc83]

Only a moron would call it an upgrade. It's clearly not, but very few people give a dam It'll be a very good game.

[fox79]

Are most Playstation gamers kids that don't even know what to look at when looking at graphics because E3 build is a lot better in 90% of areas..

Going off Rute's breakdown it's clear E3 build is better it looks more natural and much higher polygons on every object the colour is to hide the detail....

[cfc83]

They just don't care about facts. Playstation can do no wrong. Downgrades are upgrades, $3 wallpapers are great, and it's ok to charge $15 for a ps2 game etc. I will say though that UC4 is a fine looking game.

[rainslacker]

And I'd say most Xbox fans don't know what to look for in a quality capture appropriate for a comparison like this. Well, wouldn't really say that, because outside a few, I don't know what people prefer, but no one is really looking at this part of the equation. However, we trust DF to be able to know how to calibrate this stuff, and they claim there is no marked difference, and they certainly would have been over something this big.

Hell, I haven't seen anyone but myself mention such a thing, but in no way can I imagine ND would go with such poor lighting and shadow effects, when numerous games have used better shadows and lighting to date. Heck, UC3 and TLOU had more dynamic and better lighting. There is a big enough difference in lighting and shadow to indicate that the contrast and brightness are set way too high for the output of the retail version of the video. For all we know, this guy jacked up a game's in menu brightness setting.

@cfc

I won't claim what i say to be a fact, because I don't know. I can only assume it based on what I see.

However, are you willing to accept that perhaps the captured retail version isn't calibrated properly, and isn't indicative of what we may actually see?

I see some other areas where detail has been lessened, but also some areas where it has been increased. most of this is in actual details of focused objects. Lighting is a rather huge difference if this video is taken at face value.

[trooper_]

Yes, let the salt run through you!

You know, because people are blind./s

[JackVagina]

The only difference is a color change and added motion blur. Changing things doesn't necessarily mean downgrade or even an upgrade. It seems like the changes were made due to aesthetic purposes.

[Rute]

Here's my technical breakdown for one scene: http://uploads.im/M0CJS.png

[DragonDDark]

I don't know if I'm right or wrong. Is the time of day different in both versions?

[mkis007]

The sun position changing so dramatically, the DoF, and the motion blur accounts for everything.

[rainslacker]

Jack up the brightness and contrast on the E3 version and you can see some of these same effects take place.

"Added gloss" is more a materials attribute, and if they added something for sweat on his brow, this would be reflected here. There is no detail such as this in the E3 version.

"Illuminated smoke" I can see what you were talking about here. I did miss it. However, I think this comes more to LOD, as it's been decreased in the "retail version". This isn't a brightness/contrast issue though.

"Added mud" There is more detail added all around for the characters in the retail version. Facial hair on Nathan is more pronounced for instance, but may be less shadow effect on his face makes it show up more.

I'll add the detail in Sullys shirt looks downgraded, however, the less dynamic texture seems more like a brightness/contrast setting, but definately a difference in cloth rendering. Perhaps they removed some of the mesh points.

"Opaque Parasols" This seems more that there is no direct light on the parasols themselves. There's less focus on them too, indicating more LOD for closer objects. The underside being dark could indicate a move to pre-baked shadows for these objects as well.

"Lack of gloss effect on Parasouls trees" Again, seems more that there is no direct light on the actual objects, which would mean the materials couldn't reflect something which would give it that effect. LOD is also a factor.

There is a definate changes to the draw distance, with closer objects being less focused.

Most of the rest of the image seems to be draw distance related, and I'm still not convinced the person capturing the retail version really had his set up calibrated right. Guess I'll find out in a couple hours when I go home, although I'm not going to obsess over this stuff while playing the game.

[blest]

Simply the best next gen game out. I feel like I'm just now started a real next gen game!!

[GoldenJoystick]

Ofcorse best ps4 game out but there's a tonne of better next gen games out bro expand your library

@blest
You seriously need to buy some more games lol we have had next gen games since the beginning of the gen. Best next gen ps4 game for sure though

[blest]

I have both system and have played mostly every game out. This is a real made next gen game. I don't mean in terms of features or anything like that. I'm talking about as far as a game being put together so well. The graphics,the dialogue,the attention to detail ,the lighting, the mechanics, the physics, the way they use motion capture. OMG. Trust me this is a real next gem game.

[Dark_Knightmare2]

Really I own both ps4 and x1 and have played plenty of games so please point me to one that's the complete package like uc4

[Kreisen]

Did nobody watch past the first few seconds? The chase scene clearly had a major drop in quality. You can barely even see Nathan brothers face on retail.

[FasterThanFTL1]

Slight decrease in image quality and way too much motion blur in the retail version but the game is still a masterpiece without a doubt.

[PizzaSteve]

Keep it real guys you know it was downgraded but not by much and that's fine. An amazing game.

[DragonDDark]

It got upgraded and downgraded in some ways

[esmittystud101]

Retail deffinatly pops better to me. Its brighter and I can see it better. Coming from someone that has bad eye site, the retail is better looking to me.

[ninsigma]

I think there's a give and take between the two. Some points look better in e3 build but some are better in retail. Also gotta take into account that they've changed the lighting since the e3 build so different features look different simply because of lighting. Either way, the retail looks fantastic! The Madagascar plains look nothing short of incredible. Attention to detail is damn good too! Hell of a game so far.

[WhyWai88]

Wow.... retail version that looks better than PV for a game!! Mind blown by Naughty Dog!!

[boodi]

as much as a fan I am , it's impossible to say the retail version is better ala "holy shit" as many here say ..and as for preference as well as for major details on beckgroung and processing effect/shadows , i much prefer the e3 build

[Orionsangel]

One is lighter and one is darker, lol

They got rid of motion blur for the retail.

[GoldenJoystick]

The motion blur is really bad in the retail version that's one of my biggest complaints, that and no sprinting

[myopt]

i know that some people are mad that there is no downgrade, it's so funny to me how sad some people are

[marioJP87]

Developers are like, "Dear Naughty Dog, how do you do it?"
This is how you upgrade a game.

[ILostMyMind]

The details in the retail version are better but there was a decline in the quality of the colors.

[DragonDDark]

Really? I just saw decline of shadows

[GoldenJoystick]

Downgrade confirmed but I'm enjoying it. It has visuals as good as the order and rise of the tomb raider. I only wish you could run, it really pisses me off that you can't run :(

@below
I don't need sites to tell me what my eyes can see guys lol some of you guys love a game because of other people's opinions I seear

[DragonDDark]

It has visuals better than those two as stated by Digital foundry and NXGamer

[Ezz2013]

DF and NXgamer and pretty much most sites agree it's the best looking game ever on consoles.

[vulsker]

I think at times the flatter color look of the e3 showing does come off a little better but overall the retail version is the best. The extra finer details such as the lighting and sweat on their brows truly makes it magical! Cannot wait to pick up my copy today!!!

[XanderZane]

Video does even work anymore it seems. If there is any downgrade, it's most likely very minor. The retail version of the game looks great. Really nothing to complain about.

[StormLegend]

@ 0:20 you can see that Sully shirt is downgraded. But before anyone gets mad I have the game coming today from Amazon and can't wait to play it.

[bananaboats]

all looks the same to me when the game is actually in motion

[sliggio32]

Wow, retail looks better. First time that i can remember that happening.

[Nathan_Hale53]

It looks like time of day difference really. The E3 looks a bit worse cause you can really see the aliasing on Sully and Nathan in those first 30 seconds or so. Anyone who see a "downgrade" prove it cause nothing looks worse or better, no dirtier textures, no bad particles, no downgrade to characters, nothing. I personally like the colors better.

[DafunkyRebel]

some of you in the comments need to got to Eye Masters for their buy 2 get 1 deal.

[ion666]

They just changed the position of the light source. you could tell by the shadows on the ground. Its the same graphics.

[gedden7]

WESTERN and EUROPEAN DEVS. TAKE NOTE. The game LOOKS BETTER WHEN RELEASED, NOT BEFORE. I know there's a 5 gig day one patch, but there still room for improvement.

[nitcorp]

E3build has more detail and the retail version is missing some effects and things in fine details in the background is missing

[Christopher]

Poor comparison. This guy really needs to adjust the settings of his game capture software. Its defaults are too bright and not representative of what people will actually see in game after adjusting their own screens.

[XboxInnovation]

Slight downgrade. I still think Quatam Break looks better, though.

[Gol3m]

You've got meatloaf for a brain then. Delusional. Seek help

[OoglyBoogly]

E3 definitely has better vegetation. More natural light scattering and reflections. The very first few seconds clearly shows this.

Otherwise I sort of like the sharper and colder image of the E3 build. Retail certainly isn't downgraded Ubi style but there are differences.

[Duke19]

Lighting looked better in the demo (no surprise that probably had to be turned down for framerate), but some of the models look improved.

Solid job all around

[GMR_PR]

Just bought my copy. Can't wait to play this master piece tonight.

[DivineAssault]

There was give n take on some things but retail ver is definitely better overall.. Well done ND!

[Keregan]

E3 was way better, but it's nothing new, ND always downgrade their graphics, it was the same with UC2 and 3. They are still really nice though

[Doabarrelroll]

Nothing new just a troll here with nothing better to do

[Xavior_Reigns]

LMAO! Seriously?! Suddenly the xtwats have a case as my own side censored me out.

[voltron420170]

Okay, might get some hate for this but let me make my point.. I LOVE the uncharted games except for number three (it was not as good as the first two but still fun). With that said I've been playing through #4 and it doesn't feel like the new game has evolved enough from the others. The game play still has sloppy gun play and it is constantly hand holding the player at every corner it doesn't give you a chance to figure out puzzles on your own (yes, even on high difficulty settings).. Don't hate but my opinion is that Rise of the tomb raider is the better game. It has a way more open environment and better combat. In regards to the GFX, the opening in TR is pretty epic and has probably the best GFX I have seen in any video game including U4.. I'm enjoying U4, haven't finished it but so far this is my opinion. Don't hate.

[jhpadilla]

Wait wait, so it is actually possible to make the final product look BETTER than the demos shown before the launch?!?!

Naughty naughty, Naughty Dog... You're giving big studios an even WORSE name.

[Tymeko01]

Wow talk about a downgrade