Image via Complex Original
With next-gen consoles now on store shelves and millions of players still holding on to their aging seventh generation hardware, it only makes sense that publishers and developers have – for now, at least, a vested interest in releasing games for both last-gen as well the newer, more powerful consoles.
While the difference between the PS3 and PS4 – used here to highlight performance with the most powerful next-gen console available on the market – obviously creates a discrepancy in graphical performance and technical components like texturing detailing and lighting, it can be hard to know whether or not it's worth it to upgrade to a newer system just to play a particular new game. Since the PS4's game selection is still relatively slim pickins, cross-gen makes up a wide swath of what's available.
To that end, here's a look at five titles that may (or may not) be worth the upgrade.
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Madden 25
PS3
If you're used to playing Madden on PS3, you won't find too much difference here. The game touts a new precision modifier system that lets you max out the potential for any given athlete in their area of expertise, which is a nice addition, if one that feels more incremental than totally groundbreaking. Most of the improvements to this year's Madden are technical, with the engine getting a physics overhaul that makes animations feel more grounded, even on now-last-gen hardware (there's also the addition of Owner mode and some trivia trappings about the series history).
On the PS3, controlling players feels responsive, though the slightly herky-jerk way you can go from the proverbial 0-60 or suddenly drastically shift directions, with, say, a receiver coming out of a run lends this less powerful iteration a little more of an arcade-y feel than its next-gen brethren. Graphically, Madden 25 looks perfectly fine for the hardware, both before the snap or in the game's numerous close-ups and instant replays (which highlight those great animations).
That said, the AI can be a little silly at times – to the degree where it's possible at times to ram your offense straight through to the end zone using nothing but shotgun passes and a little luck (at least with Tom Brady). You also probably want to shield your eyes from any low-texture random outside aerial shots or close-ups of the overly uniform crowd – not that that's why you play Madden.
PS4
There are three major areas where next-gen Madden 25 improves on its last-gen counterpart: AI, graphics and physicality, though all offer caveats of their own. With the boost in tech the PS4 offers, you'd expect the players here to be smarter, and they are. If you don't play smart, whether pulling the same play through multiple times in a row, hesistating on the snap or just throwing a bad pass and the computer will jump on your incompetence (though players still seemed to be susceptible to blitzes and other strongarm defense tactics).
Visuals are probably where Madden 25 surprises the most – unfortunately because its graphical presentation is a mixed bag that seems to tell a story a story of new hardware dev that was sadly rushed out the door for launch. The game is undoubtedly sharper, with crisper, higher poly player and sideline character models which look the best (and cleanest) in close-up shots.
But compared to NBA 2K14 (or even Battlefield 4) Madden 25 still looks baffingly last-gen at times, with a weird lack of consistent facial shadows (which at times makes players look like they're made out of plastic) and likeness modeling that can more closely resemble flatter texture mapping than proper motion capture. (Weirdly the degree this is an issue seems to depend on who's being shown – you'll swear the players actually look better in action on the field than they do on the sidelines.)
While the visuals are hardly a deal breaker (just, seriously oddly all over the map), what might be a deciding factor for early PS4 adopters or those on the fence might be the new sense of weight the players have on the field. The implementation is subtle, but on PS4 you'll notice that players move with a real momentum – just like athletes do in real life – where you can't just instantly shift running weight or shoot off at max speed from a standstill. This makes the smooth transitions between momentent animations that much better, but it also makes Madden feel suddenly more like a gridiron Gran Turismo, if only just. That can certainly make the game more interesting, adding a new level of challenge, though it's definitely something fans will have to get used to.
Should I upgrade?
It depends on whether or not you want to play a sim or, for lack of a better term, less of one. Madden is hardly Blitz, but the weight difference between the PS3 and PS4 versions is still palpable. Madden 25 might be a hair better on PS3 at this point despite the AI and slight graphical improvements. It's clear that the series is still getting its feet wet for this new console generation – Madden 15 will assuredly be a more solidified effort.
Injustice: Gods Among Us
PS3
Injustice is a pretty straightforward prospect no matter what system: Netherealm puts DC Comics heroes and villains in a fighter using a modified version of their Mortal Combat engine, dials down the gore and lets players go to town. Injustice does away with MK's blocking button and limits the spread of its tapping combo chains (i.e., you'll have to use the d-pad for Capcom-style charges and such), and if you're a DC fan there's a good deal of material and modes to work through.
On the PS3, the majority of the game's graphical real estate is spent on the many beefy, well-detailed character models, with some added flourish for, say, environmental interactions (like smashing the Daily Planet's globe on your opponent). The visuals are sharp and clean, running at what looks like around 30 FPS, and boot up pretty fast – it's an impressive looking effort for seven year old hardware.
Oddly, in story mode the cutscenes use compressed video, with what looks like far lower poly models that frankly look pretty bad compared to their in-game counterparts (likely a measure to prevent long load times). But overall Injustice is quite pretty on PS3 - it runs well and has all the modes that its next-gen cousin does.
PS4
Injustice on PS4 is actually the "Ultimate Edition," so right out of the gate this one comes with the previously released DLC characters and costumes (although the Ultimate Edition was also release for last-gen as well). Before the game launched it was touted as running at a native 1080p at a rock-solid 60 FPS, and as expected, it performs very well on Sony's new hardware. The action is smooth and the controls have a snap to them, while the character models are given a great next-gen lick of paint (if one whose cosmetics are still built on the foundations of more basic rendering). The interactive levels have also been made over, looking considering sharper and more detailed, even if they're still just pretty backgrounds.
For sake of convenience (most likely, anyway), the cutscenes in story mode are still shown in the same compressed video format, and the difference between what you see here versus the in-game models is now much more witheringly drastic. Luckily, the story isn't integral to the gameplay in the slighest on either platform – this is a fighting game – so you can just skip the cutscenes entirely. Aside from the more obvious improvements, Injustice also loads both matches and bonus features faster, if you're into that sort of thing.
Should I upgrade?
If you're a big part of a fighting game community and really like DC Comics, Injustice on PS4 is the best deal, given the PS4's online sharing functionality. But since you can get the Ultimate Edition for either system, it's really a matter of how much you care about having the best graphics and framerate.
Need For Speed: Rivals
PS3
Like several of EA's upcoming games, Need For Speed: Rivals takes advantage of and benefits from the use of DICE's incredible Frostbite 3 engine, though with the somewhat limited destruction-in-gameplay here it's perhaps not quite as pronounced. Still, as what basically amounts to a modified version of 2010's Hot Pursuit (with just a touch of Drift) re-jiggered to be a racing MMO, Rivals' technical aspects work pretty well on both consoles.
On PS3, the game's framerate can stutter a little, although you likely won't notice it unless you're playing in first-person mode, which just mounts a camera to the front of the car rather than giving you a cool cockpit view (a feature that was probably too time-consuming to implement in order to make launch.) There's slightly less of a destructible feel on the roads or in the chassis you'll find, though it's hardly the end of the world considering Rivals' vehicles and environments haven't been built for full damage modeling (but thankfully show at least a hair more than Gran Turismo's).
Still, Frostbite 3's last-gen texture efforts are pretty solid, considering, and there's little pop-in, which helps offset the slightly more glassy look to the slightly dumbed down vehicular models. Given the PS3's larger install base, you should be able to find more players online on Sony's older hardware, though it's still early to tell. Either way, the Need is still there.
PS4
Not one to break from DICE's burgeoning next-gen pedigree, Rivals is quite the looker on PS4. You won't really notice any pop-in throughout the varied landscape of Redwood County, nor will you be bothered by draw distance (not that it's much of an issue on PS3) or a less-than-silky smooth framerate. Damage, as much as it exists in the game, is nicely implemented, though you're still hard-pressed to really wreck your car (GTAV puts Rivals' damage effects to easy shame). The cars also benefit from a big texture-boost, as well, making the whole affair pretty slick.
Whether you're playing as a cop or a racer, though, the game is damn fast, running at what appears to be 60 FPS. Similarly, the environments are gorgeous, even when you're just speeding by them at 120 MPH (or much, much faster). As another multiplayer-centric game (or synchronous single-player or whatever), Rivals seems poised to be a big part of Sony's gamesharing and broadcasting features, too, at least until the console gets some more titles to choose from.
Should I upgrade?
Though the social features and blurred lines multiplayer components are perfectly suited for either console, the PS4's sharing and broadcast might edge this one out over the PS3 version (totally dependant on how much you care about that). Then again, if you just want a good, fun arcade-y racer, Rivals works just as well on last-gen as PS4 – plus on PS3 you don't have to be PS Plus member to play online.
Battlefield 4
PS3
Battlefield may never have been able to really compete graphically last generation when put up against its PC version on a high-end gaming rig, but just as Battlefield 3 did in 2011, Battlefield 4 does a surprisingly great job of rendering a similar experience on PS3. Unlike 3, though, you're more likely to notice what you're missing compared to the next-gen edition. Character models look slightly less realistic CG, slightly more cartoony, for one (with flatter shading); you'll also find some minor pop-in textures and overall a little less dynamic destruction.
Lens flare, shadows and lighting effects seem to be dialed up a bit compared to their more subtle execution on the PS4, and overall the level of detail is less when it comes to, say, water streaming down surfaces. The campaign does have pretty fast load times, though, and despite the PS3's comparative limitations – DICE's ridiculously titled "Levolution" destruction system is clearly built for newer hardware – 4's performance on Sony's seven year old console is actually pretty solid, even if it doesn't run at 60 FPS. Set pieces also perform really well here.
The multiplayer, Battlefield's bread and butter, is where last-gen takes a hit. Unlike the PS4, you can't play 64-player matches (not that you can do that on Sony's new console just yet, either – DICE has been having difficulty with getting big games set up for players, though a patch is supposedly coming this week), limiting your scale to 24 player skirmishes. As in single player, the destruction in multiplayer feels a bit more canned, as well. The biggest deal, though, is that in 4's last-gen, there's no motion control leaning.
PS4
Battlefield 4 is a next-gen showcase. What DICE is capable of using the PS4's hardware often makes the game look close to CG (though to be fair, the PS3 hits a higher milestone there than you'd think possible), with absolutely stunning water, lighting (amazing bokeh, especially) and particle effects (though water doesn't flow off of parked cars, for some reason), not to mention environments that are close to fully destructible (outside of geometry basics like buildings' skeletal structures that keep them from being Red Faction Guerrilla-style LEGO houses).
Also tucked away in the controls options is the ability to lean by tilting the Dualshock to one side or the other, which essentially fundementally changes the gameplay, allowing you to play this console game essentially like a PC shooter rather than having to come out of cover every time you want to shoot. It's a subtle touch, but one you won't want to play without once you try it.
Then of course there's multiplayer – while DICE is still working to patch the guargantuan 64-player matches of Conquest mode, Battlefield 4 more than holds its own here, with little in the way of pop-in or collision problems even in the thick of heavy firefights. Given that launch titles are never able to fully take advantage of new hardware's capabilities – it takes years to get to that level of prowess – even what the developers have pulled off here is incredible and bodes well for the future.
Should I upgrade?
If you bought Battlefield 4 new on PS3, it comes with a code to upgrade to the edition of the PS4 for $10 – under these circumstances there's no reason not to, even if it works as previous EA extra-game-inclusions have (the PS3 disc has to be in the drive for you to play the digital version), meaning you have to hold on to your last-gen copy to play it. Still, even if you got the game used or digitally, picking up the PS4 version is worth it if you're a fan of the series. Between the bokeh effects and the leaning (multiplayer notwithstanding), the differences are huge.
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
PS3
Assassin's Creed has always been a damn fine looking series no matter what the platform, and Black Flag's vast 18th century Carribbean doesn't disappoint on last-gen. The island jungles and aquamarine waters of the South Pacific look fantastic on PS3, though not without their prices. Interestingly, ACIV isn't really a "next-gen" game per se, because the developers didn't know what specs they would ultimately working with when it was developed, but it's not really last-gen either, because, quite frankly, the weight and scope of its world often just feels like it's a little too much for aging hardware.
The bad news is that on PS3 you'll from time to time encounter stuttering framerates, pop-in, a hazy draw distance, clipping or physical animations that don't quite connect. Though it's inconsistent, as of this writing last-gen's Black Flag also has a fair share of bugs, just as AC III did, which range from sound issues to weird, impossible to replicate scenarios like Edward creepily performing an entire cutscene with his mouth wired open in an unnatural smile like something out of A Clockwork Orange (seriously).
Hopefully this stuff gets patched, because despite these hitches the game is still quite fun to play, with generally stellar visuals and sharp textures, especially on the open sea (and regardless of limitations). The PS3's architecture even gives the games colors a slightly richer tone, though the contrast is also just a hair higher as well (as well as quite possibly the world's slowest day/night cycle, which seems oddly faster and more pronounced on PS4).
PS4
As good as Black Flag looks on last-gen, it's stunning on PS4, even without being rebuilt from the ground up. The environmental details go a really long way here – the dynamic weather can shift at the drop of a hat, the sea roils and rages (wait till you see the Jackdaw take a huge swell right in the gunwale) and when there's water involved, it drips and gathers on pretty much every surface, making for an incredibly immersive scene.
Likewise, nearly all of the game's technical issues (that, again, just couldn't really be avoided given the game's overwhelmingly massive scope) are absent in PS4, with a locked-in 60 FPS framerate in 1080p. Combat, while long in tooth from a design standpoint, connects with greater punch and everything from character models to motion blur to draw distance (there isn't one) is more effective and vastly improved, making Black Flag a contender for most improved visual presentation yet on the system, despite its next-gen status being something of a technicality.
Occasionally you still suffer some boneheaded AI and there are some clipping issues with Edward moving through shipmasts and the like at times. You'll still also encounter times when Edwards get "stuck" when jamming down on the freerunning button, in the event that one weird corner or geometric juxtaposition leaves the engine wondering which way you're actually intending to aim your assassin. But overall, Blag Flag's visual presentation is so sumptuous you can only imagine how good the more "next-gen" next installment will be. As it stands, regardless that its majority improvements are mostly surface level cosmetology, this is easily one of the best looking – and playing – games on the PS4.
Should I upgrade?
Like Battlefield 4, new retail copies of Black Flag come with a code to download the game on PS4 for $10, though again you have to unlock play through the last-gen disc itself. And while the game is totally playable on last-gen, but once you see Assassin's Creed IV in its full, blisteringly gorgeous next-gen detail, you won't want to go back.
