Wrap Up

These multi-platform launch games, then, have tangible and noticeable improvements on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. But there’s no doubt that the majority of these games simply do not amaze. These titles don’t offer a moment that makes you say "now this is next gen." Appreciated graphical upgrades aside, these experiences don’t feel that much different than what the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 have offered for years. In this way, the next generation has not yet defined itself. But truthfully, that shouldn’t be surprising. It takes time for developers to grow comfortable with new hardware and eke out everything a platform has to offer. Launch titles in particular are not usually very pretty (or very good). Compressed development schedules and brand-new consoles aren’t a good match for high-quality games. And, perhaps most importantly, console gaming is now in a transitional period between the two generations, and developers won’t do their best work for these new consoles until they’re free to leave the limitations of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 behind. If we want a true look at the future of what these brand-new consoles can offer, we must look at games designed solely for the next generation.

Launch games are rarely impressive — we're looking forward to what's next

Forza 5 offers a taste of what’s to come. The improvements that separate it from 2011’s Forza 4 for the Xbox 360 shows how upgraded lighting, higher resolutions, added detail, improved performance, and other graphical upgrades will define what games look like on next-gen consoles. The lighting across the entire game brings the racing to life; whereas reflections in Forza 4 were largely limited to the top section of cars, you can see the road pass by in the rear bumper and even the lenses of the taillights in Forza 5. Additionally, environments are now properly lit as a result of improved dynamic range. This brings out fine details in cars as well as the tracks, which are now far more complete, featuring grandstands full of fans. These details can be hard to notice while racing, though, thanks to the motion blur. It’s not a new effect, but we’ve seen heavier use of motion blur with next-gen games and that — combined with the game’s flawless 1080p presentation at 60fps — gives a heightened sense of speed often missing in Forza 4.

Good graphics don’t make great games, however. Part of what makes Forza impressive is that it uses next-gen improvements to change its gameplay. It takes advantage of the Xbox One controller’s "impulse triggers" to give nuanced force feedback that truly helps you feel where you’re losing traction, and perfect (and boring) AI competitors have been replaced by "drivatars" based on how your friends race around each track.

This isn’t to say that Forza 5 is a perfect game, but if you’re looking at launch games like Call of Duty: Ghosts and Assassin’s Creed 4 and aren’t impressed with the next generation, just wait until the drastic visual improvements characterized by first-party exclusives like Forza 5 on the Xbox One and Killzone: Shadow Fall on the PlayStation 4 make it to upcoming next-gen games. There’s no reason to think this won’t happen; indeed, it’s very reasonable to expect games to quickly surpass this visual level in a year or two.

All told, there are precious few next-gen games that offer revolutionary graphics. But if history is any indication, those experiences will come in due time; it often takes years for developers to fully exploit the capabilities that a new console has to offer. We’re just days into this new console cycle, while the venerable Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have had over half a decade to come into their own, making them better values than ever before. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will surely get there too — the best is yet to come.