As always, both 360 and PS3 versions are patched up to the latest update (1.02) before we start - labelled as a multiplayer mode update that weighs in at 123MB on start-up, but we kick off with a current-gen vs. To jump straight into the comparisons, we've put together a PS3/PC/Xbox 360 comparison gallery and the usual barrage of head-to-head videos, each clip highlighting different gains in visual fidelity between the generations.

Indeed, the overhaul is remarkable at points, though DICE still plays to the older hardware's strengths to deliver impressive results. A cutting edge shooter that presses the 360 and PS3 formats harder than most with sandbox-style maps and destruction physics, it's inevitable that the next generation versions deliver more than just resolution and frame-rate boosts. Just what kind of graphical leap is the upcoming generation really bringing us? Of course, years lie ahead for studios to tap into the fullest potential of the PS4 and Xbox One, but right now, launch window titles like Battlefield 4 give us the clearest barometer of where technical progress is being made.

Battlefield 4 xbox