So the PS3 version apparently utilizes the ME3 engine. I haven't played it, and I have to ask: Does it look better? If so, in what ways? If you've played it, let me know what you think!

It doesn't.... 
 
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-masseffect2-face-off

From the reviews I read it actually looks a bit worse, though not by much. Read that article DoctorChimp linked to it explains how.

Goddammit. So was all that shit about using the new engine a lie? Or is the "new" engine not really any different? Uggh I don't understand a lot about the tech behind games. All I know is, better hardware and newer engines should mean nicer-looking games. That's my opinion.

" Goddammit. So was all that shit about using the new engine a lie? Or is the "new" engine not really any different? Uggh I don't understand a lot about the tech behind games. All I know is, better hardware and newer engines should mean nicer-looking games. That's my opinion. "

The default Shepard dood looks a little more tired, exhausted--and even older in some shots--on the ps3 version, from those clips shown. The lighting isn't as impressive on the ps3 version, either, but they're nothing to make any fuss over, least for people who are taking their first step into the Mass Effect verse with ME2 on the PS3. 
 
The framerate is more unstable in the PS3 version too, apparently, which is common amongst ps3 ports.

" @Dtat said:

" Goddammit. So was all that shit about using the new engine a lie? Or is the "new" engine not really any different? Uggh I don't understand a lot about the tech behind games. All I know is, better hardware and newer engines should mean nicer-looking games. That's my opinion. "

First off...better hardware? Calm down, PS3 and 360 are both graphically middling PCs and kinda the same... Second PS3 has been notoriously difficult to get Unreal Engine 3 to work on it.  So it probably is using the Mass Effect 3 engine, but it's being offset by being on the PS3. "

" Goddammit. So was all that shit about using the new engine a lie? Or is the "new" engine not really any different? Uggh I don't understand a lot about the tech behind games. All I know is, better hardware and newer engines should mean nicer-looking games. That's my opinion. "

alternatively you can just get the PC version which looks fantastic and is always at 60 frames, except loading screens where it dips to 20 for some odd reason

" @Dtat: The new engine actually makes the game feel unnecessarily jerky, according to Eurogamer. they also didn't take advantage of the Blu Ray to make the cutscenes look any better and the lighting is questionable.  It looks like the other two versions are still the better ones, namely the PC if you have a good rig. All DLC combined would make them the cheaper versions too. The PS3 version isn't the definitive version at all, especially with more DLC on the way "

" alternatively you can just get the PC version which looks fantastic and is always at 60 frames, except loading screens where it dips to 20 for some odd reason "

" @Doctorchimp said:

" @Dtat said:

" Goddammit. So was all that shit about using the new engine a lie? Or is the "new" engine not really any different? Uggh I don't understand a lot about the tech behind games. All I know is, better hardware and newer engines should mean nicer-looking games. That's my opinion. "

First off...better hardware? Calm down, PS3 and 360 are both graphically middling PCs and kinda the same... Second PS3 has been notoriously difficult to get Unreal Engine 3 to work on it.  So it probably is using the Mass Effect 3 engine, but it's being offset by being on the PS3. "

I didn't mean to imply the PS3 is vastly superior, but the way I understand it, the hardware is capable of more. (I could be wrong though.) Also like I said, I don't know a lot about the tech, so troubles with the Unreal Engine are foreign to me.  I'd like to point out I wasn't expecting anything mind-blowing, but it seems a little odd that with how much Bioware was talking up this thing as being more than just a regular ass PS3 port, we get the same exact issues PS3 ports always have. Just disappointing is all. I hope this isn't an indication of the quality of the ME3 engine. It would be nice if ME3 made some graphical improvements like ME2 did over ME1. But even if it doesn't, ME2 is a beautiful game. "

"that's because the cutscenes are rendered in the game engine and are not pre-rendered CG. "

" Goddammit. So was all that shit about using the new engine a lie? Or is the "new" engine not really any different? Uggh I don't understand a lot about the tech behind games. All I know is, better hardware and newer engines should mean nicer-looking games. That's my opinion. "

Second PS3 has been notoriously difficult to get Unreal Engine 3 to work on it.  So it probably is using the Mass Effect 3 engine, but it's being offset by being on the PS3. "  

• Bioshock 1 & 2 
• Borderlands 
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Unreal Tournement 

It does some things better, some things worse, no extreme difference, really.

whatever, just buy it and play it!  graphics aren't everything, and if you have a PS3 but no 360 and your PC is slow and old, this is your only chance to enjoy one of the best games in recent memory.  Who cares about this console fanboy pissing match?

" @Doctorchimp said:

Second PS3 has been notoriously difficult to get Unreal Engine 3 to work on it.  So it probably is using the Mass Effect 3 engine, but it's being offset by being on the PS3. "  

It may be tough but there are a lot of UE games on the PS3:  

• Bioshock 1 & 2 
• Borderlands 
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Unreal Tournement 

 just to name a few.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unreal_Engine_games#Unreal_Engine_3   Is the new ME3 engine still based on Unreal or is it something custom?  "

" It does some things better, some things worse, no extreme difference, really. "

" @flannelbeard said:

" @Doctorchimp said:

Second PS3 has been notoriously difficult to get Unreal Engine 3 to work on it.  So it probably is using the Mass Effect 3 engine, but it's being offset by being on the PS3. "  

It may be tough but there are a lot of UE games on the PS3:  

• Bioshock 1 & 2 
• Borderlands 
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Unreal Tournement 

 just to name a few.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unreal_Engine_games#Unreal_Engine_3   Is the new ME3 engine still based on Unreal or is it something custom?  "

Because me saying Unreal Engine 3 is harder to work with on the PS3 means that the PS3 can't run Unreal Engine 3 right? RIGHT!???   

Are they not just using the UE3 engine like in the first game?

So they lied when they said it looks and runs better? Nice!

If you care about how it looks, build a gaming PC.

It looks like they turned a lot of the shadows off in the PS3 version too probably in order to make it run smoother. I say just get the PC version.

Either way the game takes forever to load in places.

What do you expect when a game is ported?

For all of those who re-purchased ME2 on the PS3 (which was asinine to begin with) I'm so sorry that you wasted your cash.

" @Doctorchimp: lately UE 3 games have been about the same on both, but yeah they still slightly favor 360. Mass Effect 2 looks great on PS3. If it looks better on 360, its only by a unnoticeable margin. Only thing different is lighting, and that more personal taste.  Jduging by comparisons it seems to look about the same, but performs a tad worse. but you wouldnt notice it probaly. "

Well honestly the textures looked lower-res, and there was some extreme framerate dips in the videos I saw, nowhere near as bad as ME1 on 360 though. It's still a good version of an amazing game. Deciding not to play it because of a few small problems like this is blasphemy.

Honestly, I never expected the PS3 version to look better (the 256MB of VRAM is a big limiting factor for the PS3), nor do I expect that Mass Effect 3 will looks significantly better than Mass Effect 2. I think that at this point, there's only so much that you can do with the Unreal Engine 3.5 and that the ME3 engine will probably be more about optimization and subtle improvements than necessarily a significant graphical upgrade.

" http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/digital-foundry-pits-ps3-mass-effect-2-against-xbox-360-original/   Relevant.  "

It's not just shadows that are different, the textures look quite a bit worse on PS3 too. Just look at Garrus' face. 
 
 http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/3/1/8/7/3/8/texture1_ps3.bmp.jpg
http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/3/1/8/7/3/8/texture1_360.bmp.jpg   

" @CL60:  As near as I can tell that looks like lighting, not texturing. "

" @CL60: Which does not have to be a symptom of a difference in texture, can just as well be lighting. "