Xbox 360 Factor

The next two years will be interesting indeed. During that time, both the original Xbox® and Xbox 360™ will coexist side by side. While there won't be any more first-party games, third-party publishers will continue to crank out hit after hit for the current-gen machine. In fact, many games will release simultaneously for both platforms for the foreseeable future.

Fighting so real, your jaw will hurt.

Given that many outside publishers have adopted a new price point of $59.99 for the Xbox 360 versions of their multiplatform titles, many gamers have wondered aloud what they'll be getting for that extra $10 of hard-earned cash. After examining both versions of Electronic Arts' upcoming boxing game, EA SPORTS™ Fight Night Round 3, I can honestly tell you what sort of bang you can expect for your buck. Read on for the full details.

Different, Better
Publisher Electronic Arts has stated on more than one occasion that it takes a "platform agnostic" approach to gaming. In other words, as the world's largest publisher it's in their best interest to bring their huge roster of games to every platform possible, including both the current-gen and next-gen Xbox consoles. What that means is that if you own either console (or both), you have the opportunity to get your mitts on almost any game EA puts out.

Rather than simply bulking up your boxer into a
lumbering powerhouse, fine tune his specific techniques.

When a game is made available for both current- and next-gen hardware, there are usually many differences. The most obvious is graphical fidelity, attention to detail, and overall polish of visuals. While many original Xbox games can be displayed in progressive scan or widescreen resolutions, the support is optional. On Xbox 360, every game is base-lined for 720p widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) and can be converted up to 1080i. That means you've got a bigger view of the action.

Train your fighter to be the best.

Xbox 360 has nearly 10 times the RAM (Random Access Memory for you non-geeks) as the original Xbox, and developers now have the freedom to split it up any way they see fit for game computing and graphics purposes. That means the textures on a boxer's skin are fine to the point of hyper-realism; if you're playing on a high-definition display you can see individual pores and imperfections on every character.

When a fighter takes a hit to the jaw, his cheek flesh ripples and undulates like slapped meat and small droplets of blood spray forth from his mouth. Gruesome? Without a doubt. But the added realism hits the point home (pun intended) that you're fighting an equally brutal opponent in a game of high stakes.

Immersive Touches
In addition to the apparent graphical overhauls on the Xbox 360 version of Fight Night Round 3, there's also an added element of immersion to the gameplay mechanics. For starters, the current-gen version of the game still relies on a traditional health bar to give you an accurate reading of your fighter's status. On Xbox 360, the usual HUD has been done away with in favor of a more realistic method of tracking a boxer's stats.

Each boxer's facial expression speaks volumes.

As a fighter takes damage, his stance and behavior changes to reflect his deteriorating health; a once clean and perky face gradually morphs into a bumpy and bruised mess. His posture slumps and his expression changes into one of increasing despair.

Should a boxer be unlucky enough to get stunned by a powerful punch, he either kisses the matt or gets a chance (mere moments, actually) to stave off defeat by fighting in a first-person mini-game where, as the boxer, you have to take a decidedly defensive tactic to keep yourself conscious. While this first-person mode is slated for the current-gen as well, the lack of HUD is exclusive to next-gen hardware.

New Online Modes
Unlike the previous entry in the series, Fight Night Round 3 requires the player to beat and unlock certain goals (possibly achievements?) that will directly carry over into the online space. Rather than simply bulking up your boxer into a lumbering powerhouse, you are instead encouraged to fine tune that character's specific techniques, which should make competitions more dynamic than before.

Because the Xbox 360 version will be running on the new-and-improved Xbox Live®, all of the online service's signature integrated features (cross-game invites, TrueSkill™ matchmaking, voice chat, achievements, etc.) will be present and exclusive to that title's experience.

In the end, both the original Xbox and Xbox 360 offerings of Fight Night Round 3 will be great in their own right, but it goes without saying that the next-gen version will be both visually stunning and more immersive than any of the current-gen spin-offs. Keep checking back for more coverage on what looks to be a promising ringside experience later this year.

Article by Franklin Beans