Despite the 9x resolution boost and the associated GPU load on X hardware, Final Fantasy 13 still delivers tangible improvements to frame-rate that clear up most of the issues found in the original game, powering past both the original Xbox 360 version and its PS3 counterpart. On top of that, there's also a performance increase. Higher resolution versions would be preferable of course, but this is the best way to handle those assets otherwise. On top of that, 2D bitmaps - seen on the HUD - get upscaled via a nearest neighbour technique for crisp, non-blurry representations for lower quality assets. However, the design choices and style of the art, combined with Microsoft's use of negative LOD bias to push higher quality mipmaps to the fore, ensures that what we get here is a viable, beautiful presentation for 4K screens.

There are several X-enhanced titles out there where the resolution boost - although welcome - can also highlight the shortcomings of the original textures. What's important here isn't just the number of pixels but also the quality of Square Enix's original artwork. For pseudo-sequels Final Fantasy 13-2 and Lightning Returns - also backwards compatible and X-enhanced - that increases from the original 720p to full native 4K, again with 2x MSAA. Final Fantasy 13 originally ran at a somewhat disappointing 1024x576 on Xbox 360 with 2x MSAA, but Microsoft's vGPU delivers a vastly improved 3072x1728 native resolution on Xbox One X, retaining the same AA technique. There's an established baseline with improvements to the X-enhanced back-compat line-up - specifically, a 3x resolution increase in both X and Y axis, for a 9x boost to pixel-count overall. Better still, it also sees Microsoft going the extra mile to bring an enhanced experience to users, to the point where the line blurs significantly between backwards compatibility and a bespoke remastering effort.įirst of all, let's tick off the basics. And for X owners at least, the transformation is astonishing: what was originally the least preferable version of the game is now by far and away the best way to play it. The recent arrival of Final Fantasy 13 on Xbox One is a simply brilliant addition to the backwards compatible library.

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