One thing that everyone is cheering, is that Spidey’s web no longer attaches to the clouds. Aren’t we jovial about it? Even so, our focus would be on the multi-platform game’s graphical prowess across a number of platforms.

"You’ll come across a LOT of jagged ends. It’s almost painful when you’re swinging from building to building. Bokeh depth of field is present which probably saved the developers a little resources by not bothering to render detailed far off objects which is acceptable since it actually adds to the experience. "

Since the previous generation of consoles haven’t been anywhere near browbeaten by their superior successors till now, The Amazing Spider-Man 2  has found its way to the older generation of consoles. The game is locked at 30fps on almost all platforms (even the PC with V-sync turned on), but the 7th gen consoles haven’t been able to handle this game satisfactorily.

The game looks mediocre on the Xbox 360, with rather unsettling texture rendering, too dark a gamma rendering resulting in shadows being a tad too dark. The bloom effect in the game is nothing to boast about and sun rays are nigh on non-existent. There are plenty of instances of frame rate drops even in cut scenes where there’s a simple yammering done by a handful of people with nothing fancy going around. Thankfully, the fight sequences do not have such severe frame rate drops, but it does affect the overall experience of the game.

You’ll come across a LOT of jagged ends. It’s almost painful when you’re swinging from building to building. Bokeh depth of field is present which probably saved the developers a little resources by not bothering to render detailed far off objects which is acceptable since it actually adds to the experience. The textures on the 360 are blander than its Sony counterpart and particle shadows are lacking too, evident from the uniformly coloured smoke/fire that you’ll come across. The shadows in the game, I frankly couldn’t stop staring at in horror. All of the shadows in the game are wobbly like half settled Jell-O. WITH jaggies. The horror.

"The PS3 version of TAS 2 is noticeably better than the Xbox version on a number of levels, but by no means is it phenomenal. The PS3 has less instances of screen tearing and frame rate drops, although the latter is still there and very apparent at times. Depth of field on the PS3 is quite decent with an equally agreeably bokeh depth of field albeit slightly more detailed owing to better texture rendering."

The PS3 version of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is noticeably better than the Xbox version on a number of levels, but by no means is it phenomenal. The PS3 has less instances of screen tearing and frame rate drops, although the latter is still there and very apparent at times. Depth of field on the PS3 is quite decent with an equally agreeably bokeh depth of field albeit slightly more detailed owing to better texture rendering.

The gamma correction in the game is nicely handled too. Bloom and reflections are significantly better than the 360 but the problems with object shadows still remain. Foliage in the PS3 version is significantly more detailed than the 360 version. Overall, better than the 360 version, but only marginally.

The Wii U, which is more of 7 3/4ths generation, is pitted against the 7th gen consoles. Owing to the newer hardware, the textures are remarkably better than both the previously mentioned consoles. The overall experience of the game is rather smooth (around 30fps) but jagged ends show up more often than one would like. The textures are still not up to the mark but that’s also because of poor game optimasation.

There’s almost no bokeh depth of field except in combat, but the a fair amount of details of far off objects are maintained. Ambient occlusion is present, but only just. Again, shadows in the Wii U version are wobbly. It’s like looking at T-1000 from Terminator 2 re-forming. Only, it’s not that. The combat in the game is fluid although yet again, cut scenes are accompanied by frame rate drops.

Character designs and animation remain rather tepid and similar across all three platforms. Owing to the smoothness of the gameplay, the PS3 version of TAS 2 was bearable, although still rather vexing.

"Ambient occlusion is visible across both platforms although gamma correction in the Xbox version is employed at a greater level, resulting in deeper shadows and more contrasting colours which make it look rather appealing. But this means that at night time, all things become too dark and lose detailing, which the PS4 doesn’t. "

The eighth generation consoles handle the game like their earlier counterparts. The PS4 version of the game seems better optimised. The PS4 effortlessly maintains the consistency of 30fps, almost all the time. Xbox One on the other hand, YET AGAIN, experiences frame rate drops in excess of 5fps in CUT SCENES. Ambient occlusion is visible across both platforms although gamma correction in the Xbox version is employed at a greater level, resulting in deeper shadows and more contrasting colours which make it look rather appealing. But this means that at night time, all things become too dark and lose detailing, which the PS4 doesn’t.

The PS4 version seemingly has more waning colours – a sobre look if you may – but remains more detailed, provided you give a close inspection to the two versions. Light rays and bloom is employed splendidly in both the versions of the game. So much so that you can soar through the city without bothering with the missions. The city looks quite beautiful as you cruise along, but don’t ever get too close to the buildings.

All buildings look like hastily made and utterly blatantly plain coloured rectangles. It’s a BIG letdown. Anti-aliasing in both the games is commendable. The Xbox version can get annoying at times with screen tearing in fast sequences, but it’s not a recurring or game breaking problem. Also, bokeh depth of field is more prominent in the Xbox One than in the PS4 version.

What this means is that, far off buildings are quite blurred in the Xbox One while the PS4 has the same buildings, less blurred and more neatly detailed. This may be done to reduce resource load but we have no idea why. Every bit of foliage in the Xbox One version looks like to have been made from a pair of paper sheets while the PS4 renders the foliage in good detail. Rendering problems in the Xbox One sometimes lead to misalignment of objects but that’s not a problem at all.

"The character design and concept needs polishing, so does animation and voice acting/lip-syncing. The graphics are merely acceptable by any standards. "

Which is better which in the 8th gen consoles is a no brainer. The PS4 version is better optimised than its MS counterpart although it eludes me as to why the developers would make one version of the game inferior to the other. The Amazing Spiderman 2, is a significant improvement over its predecessor, but it’s not up to the mark. fans of the series might enjoy the game but not otherwise.

The character design and concept needs polishing, so does animation and voice acting/lip-syncing. The graphics are merely acceptable by any standards.They are nothing to brag about even on the current generation of consoles. Beenox seems to have hastily delivered a potentially brilliant title owing to deadline pressures of releasing the game alongside the movie.

Had Beenox taken their time, improved upon the character art and design, dialogues etc, it would have been one of the best games out there now. It falls short of the hype, not too many to call it bad, but neither too less to actually call it good.

Frostbite 3 isn’t the only next gen engine that’s giving Nintendo’s platform a pass. At GDC this week, Epic confirmed that the next iteration of Unreal Engine will not support the WiiU. When Mark Rein, Vice President at Epic Games was asked by Kotaku if Unreal Engine 4 would run on the WiiU, he replied with a small burst of laughter, “no”.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the WiiU’s hardware is considered dated even by today’s standards, and is on par if not better than that of the PS3 and Xbox 360. Rein explains that Unreal Engine 4 is targeted at next-gen consoles and the WiiU just lacks the hardware to be feasible.

”I just laugh at the question…Unreal Engine 4, we’re not PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, or Wii U. It’s next-gen technology. That’s what we’re aiming for.”

“Our goal for Unreal Engine 4 console-wise is next-gen consoles. That’s really what our energies are focused on,” he further added. “If you want to make a Wii U game, we have Unreal Engine 3, and it’s powering some of the best games on the Wii U already.”

On a side note, Unreal Engine 4 will also be skipping the PS3 and Xbox 360. This is the second blow to Nintendo during the same week. It looks like Nintendo will have to rely on first party titles to push sales, as it’ll have a very hard time keeping up with the competition. It’s a shame though, as Epic has demonstrated that despite its scalability, Unreal Engine 4 is capable of showcasing some truly spectacular visuals as showcased here.

If a listing on Amazon is any indication, then 2011’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution might be making be gracing WiiU.

Considering that the listing includes a box-art as well a full list of key features, it’s safe to say that this is in fact legit. However, the listing has been removed after it was discovered. More and more third parties are jumping on Nintendo’s newest platform and the WiiU gamepad is a perfect match for Deus Ex where hacking and selecting augmentations would be made infinitely easier and enjoyable.

Here’s the list of features:

• Ultimate Deus Ex: Human Revolution experience: Take advantage of a multitude of improvements, features and additional content that bring this already critically-acclaimed adventure to whole new levels
• Tap into the Wii U’s GamePad true potential: Adam Jensen’s newest augmentation, the Neural Hub, offers an immersive and empowering experience, right at the tips of your fingers
• Absolute fusion of action and role-play: A unique combination of action-packed close-quarter takedowns and intense shooting, offering a vast array of augmentations and upgrades for the many weapons at your disposal
• Multi-solution structure: Choose how to accomplish each mission using combat, hacking, stealth or social mode to create a customized experience to suit any gaming style
• Diverse customization: Engage in combat and challenges utilizing deep, specialized character augmentations and weapon upgrades

We expect Square Enix to make an official announcement soon, and we’ll let you know when they do.

Thanks Joystiq.

The final installment in the third numbered entry in the Monster Hunter series has finally made its way to North America, after being available in Japan for over a year. The game is available for the WiiU and 3DS, and can be puchased online from Nintendo’s eShop.

The expansion includes 38 new monsters, new quests to tackles, new areas to explore, and a slew of new powerful equipment to find. Up to four players can team up to form hunting parties, either locally or online.

Those who own both the WiiU and 3DS version of the game can transfer their saves to the 3DS and pick up the game on the move wherever they left off.  To do so, you’ll need to download the “Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Data Transfer Program” for the 3DS and the “Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Packet Relay Tools for Nintendo 3DS” for the WiiU.

A free update will be available in April and will being with it  cross region functionality and the ability to play the game solely on the WiiU’s gamepad. In the meantime, Capcom has released a launch trailer to make it easier for you to decide on a purchase. Have a look.

There’s no denying the popularity of the Monster Hunter franchise in Japan. It’s vast and gorgeous fantasy world, blended with RPG and Action Adventure elements have allowed the game to single-handedly push Nintendo consoles on to the top of the sales charts. However, the franchise hasn’t enjoyed the same degree of success in the west, but Capcom wants to change all that.

In an interview with Joystiq, product manager Laili Bosma had this to say:

“Capcom is very dedicated to the brand, obviously in Japan being as huge as it is. But, the team is also dedicated to trying to make it work here in the US,” she said.

“It’s not magical, it’s not going to happen overnight. My goal here is to try to get as many people to experience it first-hand, and for us to answer those questions.”

“We have a full on booth – a Monster Hunter dedicated booth – at PAX, we have a Monster Hunter dedicated booth at Wondercon, we’re also going to be attending C2E2 in Chicago, we have events that we’re planning on doing at Capcom’s offices in the near future,”

The latest release in the series, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate has yet to arrive on our shores, despite being out for the 3DS for over a year in Japan. The final release in the third installment of the franchise will be arriving in North America on March 19th and Europe on March 22nd for the WiiU and 3DS.

About Sports Connection

Game Overview:

Sports Connection is a fun new way to connect with family and friends and play the most popular sports from a new perspective. Sports Connection is being developed specifically for Nintendo’s Wii™ U™ system to take full advantage of Nintendo’s New Controller. Play solo, team up in co-op to experience new gameplay possibilities, or compete in multiplayer to take full advantage of Nintendo’s New Controller.

Publisher: Ubisoft

Platforms: WiiU

Release Date: Already Released

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt.com for more news and updates.

About Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper:

Publisher: TECMO KOEI

Developer: Tecmo Koei
Omega Force

Platforms: WiiU

Release Date: TBA

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt.com formore news and updates.

About New Super Mario Bros. U:

Game Overview:
Mario is known for, the game includes a number of special modes and features that will make players want to jump in again and again.
Challenge Mode: Challenge Mode tasks players with completing specific objectives, such as clearing a course without obtaining a single coin or touching the ground. There are four single-player Challenge categories: Time Attack, Coin Collection, 1-Up Rally and Special (miscellaneous challenges). Boost Mode Challenges require two players. Once players complete a Challenge, the game saves a replay of the action so players can show off their accomplishments.
Coin Battle: Up to four players run through a course and compete to see who can collect the most coins. Another player can also use the Wii U GamePad in Boost Mode to place Boost Blocks to help grab hard-to-reach coins. Players can also use the GamePad to edit and customise the coin layout in dedicated courses. The coin layout can then be saved and played by the players using Wii Remote controllers.
World Map: New Super Mario Bros. U is the first side-scrolling Mario game since 1992’s Super Mario World that features a seamless world map with named worlds and courses. The map contains many secret exits, which might change the map and cause shortcuts to appear. The worlds are interconnected, so people can play through the game in a nonlinear fashiion.
Nabbit: From time to time, a creature named Nabbit will appear on the world map. Players must enter the course and catch the speedy Nabbit to recover items stolen from Toad. If Nabbit is nabbed, players receive a powerful P-Acorn, which will allow them to fly continuously through an entire stage. The only way to obtain a P-Acorn is to catch Nabbit.

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo EAD

Platforms: WiiU

Release Date: 30/11/2012

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt.com for more news and updates.

About Game Party Champions:

Game Overview:

Game Party Champions offers three exhilarating game modes: Quick Play, Story Mode and Party Mode. Players who are hungry for instant action can pick any game and start playing in Quick Play. In Story Mode,players try to outplay each other to prove they’re worthy of the “World Champion” title.

Publisher: Warner Bros.

Developer: Phosphor Games

Platforms: WiiU

Release Date:

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt.com for more news and updates.

About :Nintendo Land

Game Overview:

Yoshi’s Fruit Cart: Using the GamePad touch screen and stylus, the player draws a path for the Yoshi Cart to follow through each course. However, only the view of the course displayed on the TV screen shows fruit that must be collected and obstacles that must be avoided along the way to the goal. This fun attraction is a great example of the kind of integrated second-screen game play made possible by Wii U and the GamePad controller.
Captain Falcon’s Twister Race: In this single-player Attraction based on the F-Zero racing franchise, players get a top-down view of the track on the GamePad, which is held vertically and turned to steer the vehicle through a winding, twisting track, as they try to hit checkpoints before time runs out. Driving across dash plates can provide a quick burst of speed, while obstacles like speed spikes, whirlwinds, other vehicles and even bombs can make for a dangerous run.
Octopus Dance: In this single-player Attraction, players use the GamePad to mirror dance moves performed by a deep-sea dance instructor. The goal is to always be watching one’s own movements from the back to more easily mirror dance moves, but the dynamic interaction between the GamePad and the TV adds a unique twist. Players must be ready to switch between the views offered on the TV screen and the GamePad screen, as sometimes one view is more useful than the other.

Publisher: Nintendo

Developer: Nintendo EAD

Platforms: WiiU

Release Date: 30/11/2012

Stay tuned to Gamingbolt.com for more news and updates.