Game

[pilonv1]

@ optimum, fucking hell.

[fistfulofmetal]

  as much ram as possible 

[cool breeze]

I just noticed the graphics cards they listed aren't on the market until after this game comes out.

[maxy]

Should be no problem for snerds,they all have super-duper PCs

Peasant version for me

EG has "another" tech Metro 2033 interview(old stuff and some new things)
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-tech-interview-metro-2033

Naturally most of the features are graphics related, but not all. The internal PhysX tick-rate was doubled on PC resulting in more precise collision detection and joint behavior. We "render" almost twice the number of sounds (all with wave-tracing) compared to consoles. That's just a few examples, so that you can see that not only graphics gets a boost. On the graphics side, here's a partial list:

    * Most of the textures are 2048^2 (consoles use 1024^2).
    * The shadow-map resolution is up to 9.43 Mpix.
    * The shadow filtering is much, much better.
    * The parallax mapping is enabled on all surfaces, some with occlusion-mapping (optional).
    * We've utilised a lot of "true" volumetric stuff, which is very important in dusty environments.
    * From DX10 upwards we use correct "local motion blur", sometimes called "object blur".
    * The light-material response is nearly "physically-correct" on the PC on higher quality presets.
    * The ambient occlusion is greatly improved (especially on higher-quality presets).
    * Sub-surface scattering makes a lot of difference on human faces, hands, etc.
    * The geometric detail is somewhat better, because of different LOD selection, not even counting DX11 tessellation.
    * We are considering enabling global illumination (as an option) which really enhances the lighting model. However, that comes with some performance hit, because of literally tens of thousands of secondary light sources.

Optimal should be able to run this...at 30 fps

[Cormacaroni]

lordy, this could be just the thing for the PC i'm building next month around a GTX!

[Bebpo]

If games start needing 8 gigs of ram I fear for their console versions.

And I'm probably screwed on the "fast hard drive or SSD".  Like a lot of PC things, I got lazy and just got a plain old hard drive.

[Stoney Mason]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[BlueTsunami]

Looks like a non-whimsy Breath of Fire V

[pilonv1]

Well there's no PS3 version so not much to worry about there

[Third]

Great stuff. I hope the X360 version will look good.

And  at the Gamestop exclusive shotgun.

[maxy]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

Book writer is there,some slight spoilers

[cool breeze]

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/black-station-metro-2033/62467
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/black-station-metro-2033/62469
http://www.gametrailers.com/video/black-station-metro-2033/62471

New videos of the 360 version.  I'm amazed by how good it looks.  I'd say best looking 360 game if I could ignore the smaller scope of it.

[Third]

Those are from the X360 version? Really? Best looking console fps for sure.
I'm liking everything about this game so far..

[The Fake Shemp]

I kind of want to get this. I dunno.

[demi]

Russians are good with atmosphere but gameplay is always shit. Look at their PC games. Cryostasis... Necrovision... Penumbra... Stalker

I'd like to be proven wrong. I'm interested, but I like some good atmosphere.

[Great Rumbler]

Russian's really like their stark gameplay. In Stalker, you're kind of just on your own as to how to proceed and you get the worst guns ever at the start. It's also got a more "realistic" approach to gunplay, which favors taking things slow instead of running and gunning. It's all quite a bit different from American and Western European games.

It's got great atmosphere though, which I think the stark gameplay kind of compliments in a "the tank controls make Resident Evil scarier!" kind of way.

[cool breeze]

I want to play this too, but I keep getting the feeling that it will be 5 hours long or something.  I'm a PC nerd and I'll probably end up renting it for the 360, then down the road buy it on PC.

[cool breeze]

The two reasons gunplay is wonky in eastern block shooters are because the AI is so terrible and they always try too hard to make guns feel realistic.  Like, in stalker you have a bar that measures your gun realizable; lower than 80% and it becomes shit with all the jamming and stuff like that.  They also try to pass it off by saying the weapons are "old/built".

I don't think combat is ever really the focus, and in most cases you can drop enemies with a shot or two in these games.  It pays to be slow and aim your shots well, but if you get into a firefight, the games fall apart.  Again, a mixture of how out of controls weapons feel and how bad the AI is.  Also, the recoil and gun/head bob is insane in these games.

Even in those videos, which is a beta so it can improve, you see how bad the AI is in Metro 2033.

It's got great atmosphere though, which I think the stark gameplay kind of compliments in a "the tank controls make Resident Evil scarier!" kind of way.

I disagree with that.  I thought Cryostasis was entertaining enough but the combat was so bad.  It's one of those games where feeling out of controls feels artificial, like instead of being designed well, it feels like there is someone smacking you in the face and dancing in front of the screen.

[maxy]

There is some review(xbox gamer magazine)-8/10

+Storytelling, terrifying AND terrific firefights
- Linear, scripted, some wonky combat

Expected.

[Great Rumbler]

It's got great atmosphere though, which I think the stark gameplay kind of compliments in a "the tank controls make Resident Evil scarier!" kind of way.

I disagree with that.  I thought Cryostasis was entertaining enough but the combat was so bad.  It's one of those games where feeling out of controls feels artificial, like instead of being designed well, it feels like there is someone smacking you in the face and dancing in front of the screen.

Haven't played Cryostasis, I was talking more about Stalker and Penumbra.

[maxy]

GamePro review,german,360 version
[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

Everyone that likes scary,atmospheric shooters packed with lots of thrilling scenarios,look no further  ...he recommends playing in dark,good sound system a necessity

In many missions you can go either stealth or guns blazing...
Surface missions are not as tense as underground ones.
"Dense" story...
German voice over is not too good...
They finished it in 7 hours...

[Third]

Yeah...

The German GamePro review. Taken from GAF:

Campaign is 7hrs
Gripping atmosphere
Monsters are easy at the beginning
Not that many firefights at the beginning
Game is very linear
Simple tasks
Sneaking is an option at some points
Cover is important
AI is so-so, but they hit very well
Turret sections freshen the game up
Buy weapons with bullets, some ammunition is worth more
The outside levels are beautiful, but somewhat monotone
Gasmasks can be destroyed, which is fatal outside
Game's key feature is atmosphere, with lighting and sound design et cetera
Very good graphics, especially in the lights and particles department
Play it with a sound system beyond stereo, worth it
German localization sucks ass, the russian accent is awful
Story is awesome
Scenario is really fresh

Bottomline: Thumbs up

The game seems to be pretty short wtf.

[maxy]

Well he says that that there are multiple ways to approach certain situations...they went with guns blazing
If you go with stealth,destroying the lights,sneaking and killing everybody silently it will probably be twice as that
Besides in places when people live you can upgrade,buy equipment,read stuff...and those places really feel like people have lived there for ages.

God of War 3 can be finished in like 7-8 hours also,so.....

Much better than FF13 that drags and drags itself just for the sake of the game length.

[cool breeze]

yeah, 7 hours is a fine length, just maybe not worth full price is all, especially considering it is supposed to be linear.  I'll probably rent this on 360.

[The Fake Shemp]

This seems like the type of game I'll buy once it hits $20 or $30, like BioShock 2.

[Herr Mafflard]

This seems like the type of game I'll buy once it hits the Steam sales, like Shattered Horizon. 

[maxy]

You're crouched in a corner clutching your AK-47 with both hands. You're down to your last magazine. Five monsters are trying to get a lock on your scent in the next room and just beyond them a group of Nazis are sitting at their sentry post waiting for movement. You should have saved some ammunition but you blew it all to buy a sniper rifle at the last outpost. Nietzschean law doesn't apply: what doesn't kill you here just makes you weaker. You want to go back but you can't: the shelter doors are locked and won't be opening again any time soon. Life in the Metro is tough - but above ground the situation's even worse.

Metro 2033 opens a window into a world totally unexplored on Xbox 360. Step through it and there's an unshakable feeling you're trespassing into a PC game. Yes, there are a few moments where the edges are so rough you wonder why Black & Decker didn't pick up the publishing rights and stock Metro as part of their hacksaw range, but the unique look and feel is fascinating to behold. The world is utterly captivating: if the theme is strictly Fallout and the concept is Bioshock, Metro's closest cousin in terms of game mechanics is undoubtedly Half-Life 2.

What really resonates, though, is how the game hasn't been dumbed down for consoles. Fail to keep your torch topped up* and you might just miss a hidden tripwire which hurls a spiked pendulum into your noggin. Ignore the audio cues that indicate a crumbling ledge and you'll be dunked into toxic soup before you know what's happened. Metro 2033 is never unfair - 4A mercifully fixed the ammo and difficulty spikes present in last month's preview code - but, simultaneously, it's far from forgiving.

We're not just talking about the obvious pointers either. The stunning visuals, creepy enemy design and sound effects all play their parts as you'd expect. But it's the little details which really grip you. It's the people who proudly belt out Russian songs with voices ravaged by twenty years of impure air and vodka diets, or the moment you overhear a young boy telling his friend how the nosalis monsters steal away children and scoop out their brains for food. It's the time you carry somebody to safety and feel the controls turn sluggish because of the added weight. The way your lighter's flame will react with acute precision to wind or movement. Everywhere you turn there's something of note. Stories about the last stand of desperate survivors are told through a series of visual clues: spent casings and blood trails paint a picture so vivid you didn't need to watch the events to understand what passed.

A brilliantly atmospheric shooter with forgivably imperfect gunplay. Stick with it.
Uppers
  Gripping levels, superb world
  Full of clever ideas
Downers
  Weak shooting

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=238823

Ukraine developers
Western developers 

Vodka
 


9/10 btw

[dark1x]

Is this a DX11 game?  I'm eager to give my new 5870 a workout.

STALKER-CoP is a mixed bag, visually, with some scenes looking great, but a lot of them appearing very dull (long distance terrain shots are ugly).  At least I can run it in DX11 with the highest settings + 4x AA.  It's about as good looking as it can possibly get and runs very well (40-60 fps).  Also, the dynamic lighting bug (framerate stays high, but game judders while looking at things like fire) that happened on both of my nVidia cards is GONE on the ATI card.  Tessellation adds virtually nothing to the game, though.  The problem with it seems to be that they focused on creating individual, high quality assets without really taking great care to make sure the "big picture" was great looking.

DiRT 2 is a sexy beast in DX11, though.

[Third]

The game is "out"

[cool breeze]

One review said this game is poorly optimized on PC.  It's not a direct comparison, but the guy who reviewed it on PC gave it a 7 and another one who reviewed it on 360 gave it an 8.  The 360 version is supposed to be spotty too and it was mentioned that sometimes it dropped to 10 fps.

[Stoney Mason]

One review said this game is poorly optimized on PC.  It's not a direct comparison, but the guy who reviewed it on PC gave it a 7 and another one who reviewed it on 360 gave it an 8.  The 360 version is supposed to be spotty too and it was mentioned that sometimes it dropped to 10 fps.

So its exactly like every other Eastern European game.

[cool breeze]

that's about right

I don't know if anyone who checked out the leaked version(s? I did notice a 360 version out but not a PC one) can give different opinions on how it runs.  Sometimes it is nice to have people sound off on these things before the games are released.

[maxy]

I am playing it right now and it runs buttery smooth on 360.

"Wake up Borys"-that made me 

I just had a conversion with a hooker,such a cute bitch
 
"is that a gun in your pocket,or you are just happy to see me"
"what is it,not enough lead in your gun"

So i agreed to pay her,aaaand...i am not going to spoil it for you

 

[maxy]

This is amazing game.Yes there are some janky animations,but that is nothing that money couldn't solve.

The game has atmosphere,i haven played a game like this in a long long time...

If you like sneaking in the dark,killing enemies silently...or non-silently,game will still force you to sneak in the dark,use environment to your advantage,listening to some "ancient" music,it really feels like you are in some alternate universe...you have everything monsters,nazism,communists...and ammo is precious
Look no further.
Game will force you to observe environments closely,no run and gun...move slowly and pay attention,otherwise you are dead...plenty of checkpoints though,never unfair

And yes,game feels like a PC game...
 

[Fragamemnon]

I'm somewhat interested in playing this, but asking a full $40 price for a 10-12 hour PC game is a bit of a stretch. I'm sure it's quality and awesome, but unless the ride is really unique and compelling, the value that I expect from my gaming dollar isn't quite there.

[dark1x]

This is amazing game.Yes there are some janky animations,but that is nothing that money couldn't solve.

The game has atmosphere,i haven played a game like this in a long long time...

If you like sneaking in the dark,killing enemies silently...or non-silently,game will still force you to sneak in the dark,use environment to your advantage,listening to some "ancient" music,it really feels like you are in some alternate universe...you have everything monsters,nazism,communists...and ammo is precious
Look no further.
Game will force you to observe environments closely,no run and gun...move slowly and pay attention,otherwise you are dead...plenty of checkpoints though,never unfair

And yes,game feels like a PC game...
 

Sounds awesome.  I've heard that gamepad support is in the final PC version.  If so, I think I'll bite.

[Bildi]

This flew under my radar but I saw it on a TV show last night and it looked pretty darn cool.  Stealthy, survival horror-ish FPS with little communities you come across - sounds awesome.

[youtube=560,345]ib09Cw9-k04[/youtube]

[Cormacaroni]

Pre-ordered this on Steam. Got Red Faction Guerilla as a freebie

Now I'm just waiting for my new PC so I can play it!

[WrikaWrek]

Playing it.

Amazing graphics and athmosphere, and hooray. There are production values to be seen here!

[dark1x]

Sounds like the PC version is bringing rigs to their knees.  I was hoping to play in DX11 Very High, but it sounds like that is a tall order.  :\

[WrikaWrek]

Sounds like the PC version is bringing rigs to their knees.  I was hoping to play in DX11 Very High, but it sounds like that is a tall order.  :\

Don'tn have a DX11 card. Devs said that it mostly only has effects on performance though, as the visual fidelity is largely the same. I play DX10 all up in that, with physx on.

[dark1x]

Sounds like the PC version is bringing rigs to their knees.  I was hoping to play in DX11 Very High, but it sounds like that is a tall order.  :\

Don'tn have a DX11 card. Devs said that it mostly only has effects on performance though, as the visual fidelity is largely the same. I play DX10 all up in that, with physx on.

That's not true, though.  DX11 definitely adds some very fancy graphical effects into the mix.  If you run in DX11 and disable the DX11 features, the game supposedly runs smoother than in DX10 mode.

Going to try DX11 @ Very High and use a lower resolution (1280x720).  I don't mind sacrificing resolution for performance and features especially when the game takes place in dark, close quarters.

[maxy]

How's it look on 360?

Better than PC
Runs buttery smooth too.

[Bebpo]

X360 version 30 or 60fps?
And how much terribly worse does the X360 version look?

Since my rig definitely can't handle this game anywhere near maxed, I may have to go console.

[maxy]

X360 version 30 or 60fps?
And how much terribly worse does the X360 version look?

Since my rig definitely can't handle this game anywhere near maxed, I may have to go console.

30 fps.
It runs great,it looks great...don't worry


Developers quote

Well, the majority of our Metro 2033 game runs at 40 to 50 frames per second if we disable vertical synchronisation on 360. The majority of the levels have more than 100MB heap space left unused. That means we under-utilised the hardware a bit...

[archie4208]

X360 version 30 or 60fps?
And how much terribly worse does the X360 version look?

Since my rig definitely can't handle this game anywhere near maxed, I may have to go console.

But it would still look better than the 360 version.

[Smooth Groove]

Dark1x is a nice guy but he's like the phoniest graphics whore ever.  He was all about 60fps until it was obvious that PS3 couldn't handle 60fps.  Then it became all about a locked 30 fps and some messy vaseline-like motion blur that fudges everything up.  He makes a big deal about Burnout Paradise looking slightly better on the PS3 but whenever the 360 version looks better, his eyes suddenly becomes less discerning and the differences all look negligible to him. 

All I  know is that a real graphics whore wouldn't waste his time defending crap console hardware.  Instead, he'd be playing games at 60fps in 1080P or higher with everything at max, 4x AA, and 16x AF on a PC that has at least 3 GPUs and a 4ghz CPU. 

[MCD]

:tbslol 3 GPUs :tbslol

[dark1x]

Dark1x is a nice guy but he's like the phoniest graphics whore ever.  He was all about 60fps until it was obvious that PS3 couldn't handle 60fps.  Then it became all about a locked 30 fps and some messy vaseline-like motion blur that fudges everything up.  He makes a big deal about Burnout Paradise looking slightly better on the PS3 but whenever the 360 version looks better, his eyes suddenly becomes less discerning and the differences all look negligible to him. 

All I  know is that a real graphics whore wouldn't waste his time defending crap console hardware.  Instead, he'd be playing games at 60fps in 1080P or higher with everything at max, 4x AA, and 16x AF on a PC that has at least 3 GPUs and a 4ghz CPU.

Wait, what prompted this?

I *DO* play PC games at 60 fps in 1080p.  I run an i7 930 @ 3.8GHz + Radeon 5870 right now.  I, of course, stick to a 9th gen Pioneer plasma which absolutely smokes every single PC LCD on the market for gaming, but I always run in clone mode with my PC upstairs usable on a second screen (a recent Samsung 25" LCD, which is pretty shit, but gets the job done).

Have multiple GPU setups improved?  A friend of mine uses two GTX275s and there is a very subtle stuttering effect that is introduced in everything I tried that immediately disappeared when the second GPU was disabled.  The numbers are high in FRAPS, but it doesn't look right.

Consoles are consoles, PCs are PCs.  I have different standards for consoles than PCs.  Consoles are closed boxes and I find it fascinating to see what developers can achieve on these machines.  In particular, the PS3 interests me because it is so different (weak GPU with a seemingly powerful, but unique, CPU).  I know Crysis 2 will look insane on the PC, but I'm much more interested in seeing what they can do with a more limited, but closed, platform.  I definitely prefer the PS3 and I can't even explain why, but it tends to shine through more in a place like this where it is so damn hated.  Seriously, I've never seen such venom towards a single platform in one place.

I've always loved motion blur, though.  That has nothing to do with any platform in particular.  It delivers a more CG-like appearance that I can't get enough of.  What's wrong with that?  It looks best at 60 fps, definitely, but I think a 30 fps game (solid 30) with high quality per object blur can look better in motion than a 60 fps game with no blur in many cases (even on the PC).

Again, I maintain that I love all platforms.  Heck, I cancelled that bullshit God of War III special edition box and used the money saved to buy Metro 2033 instead.

I remember how he was praising MGS2 on the PS2 downplaying the obvious better looking PC Substance version.

Oh no, you're not getting away with that bullshit.  Back then, PCs were total shit at handling post processing and the like.  The first release of the game didn't even work properly on ATI cards (which were huge at the time due to the 9700 Pro release).  The PC version was missing all sorts of details and effects (as was Silent Hill 2).  In all honesty, it was probably due to the fact that the game was ported by a shit developer from a very specialized platform (the PS2).  The PC version of Substance was simply a bad port.

framerate that drops from 120 fps to 117 fps and hurts the "fluidity" of the game.

I would never bitch about that as I lock all games at a maximum of 60 fps.  Going above that is useless.  If you have a 120 Hz screen, sure, that's fine...but most people simply disable vertical sync to achieve those numbers.  120 fps can look like absolute shit with the wrong configuration.

[demi]

He's spittin fire

[Bebpo]

This is stupid.  Dark1x is and has been one of the best people concerned with visuals on the gaming forums for years.  He might enjoy the PS3 a little more, but normal people have a slight bias toward one thing or the other, it's only human. 

Otoh, Smooth Groove calling him out is the biggest rolleyes ever since Smooth Groove is probably the biggest PS3 hater on this forum who claims to be a graphics purist but always finds excuses for why everything on the PS3 is inferior.  Borys calling him out was just weird since Borys is good people.  I think sometimes he just gets too excited

[duckman2000]

dark10x just nuked Borys, god damn

[duckman2000]

Borys calling him out was just weird since Borys is good people.  I think sometimes he just gets too excited

Borys of our day comes in two flavors. One is the batshit insane, ranting and raving, platform-less fanboy of certain things, the type that is just about always wrong, late or just irrelevant. The other is the silent type that doesn't post much.

[dark1x]

dark10x just nuked Borys, god damn

I admit my memory of what PCs were back when MGS2 has been released is a bit HAZEy

Still he did not change a bit.

Bebpo, what triggered me (I edited it already and you can't read it) was how dark10x was trying to tell people over in the GAF Metro 2033 thread that Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2 look better than it.

This is just bollocks and he knows it yet he still plays his "PS3 titles look better than PC titles because they use the hardware better!" game that annoys me to no ends.

For obvious reasons I cannot post there so I vented here.

There.

Oh, THAT comment?  That's more about budget than processing power.  The areas where those games shine do so as a result of the money spent on animation and the like.  Technically speaking, Metro 2033 is definitely doing more impressive things.  There is no question about that now.

[maxy]

Damn,what did i miss...war
Borys is right in a way,dark is a strange creature,sometimes he defends outdated PS3 with such a passion,like he made it...i think that he is related to Ken in some way
And yet he is always mumbling something about his super duper PC,TV and who knows what else...

[MCD]

dark is a strange creature,sometimes he defends outdated PS3 with such a passion,like he made it...i think that he is related to Ken in some way

[Smooth Groove]

Dark1x, I don't know what's wrong with you friend's config but multi-gpu definitely works.  Like I told, you before, SLI or crossfire works well up to 3 GPUs.  The stuttering effects are more likely with quad configs but those can usually be taken care of with good driver optimizations.  There is also increased input lag with each additional GPU but that's usually impercetible as long as the framerate is at least 60fps.  From my experience, with only 2 GPUS, the input lag is completely unnoticeable.    

Also, I want to clarify what I meant about 3 GPUs.  I meant to say 2 GPUs for graphics and 1 for PhysX.  With the current tech , no matter what the GPU, you need at least 2 of them to ensure 60 fps w/max settings, 4xAA, 16xAF for 99% of the games.  The 5870 is fast but one is just not quite enough for max settings at 1080p.  Physx is common enough that all graphics nuts should dedicate 1 GPU to it.  Because of the performance hit, Physx is basically useless if you aren't dedicating an entire videocard to it.  

Otoh, Smooth Groove calling him out is the biggest rolleyes ever since Smooth Groove is probably the biggest PS3 hater on this forum who claims to be a graphics purist but always finds excuses for why everything on the PS3 is inferior.  Borys calling him out was just weird since Borys is good people.  I think sometimes he just gets too excited

WTF? Disliking the PS3 makes perfect sense for a graphics purist.  Most PS3 games barely run at 30fps despite the laughably low resolution, anti-aliasing, filtering, texture quality, etc.  Me hating the PS3 makes a lot more sense than Dark1x loving it despite his rep for being a graphics whore.  360 is a POS hardware as well.  I just have less disdain for it because there's way less hyperbole about what the 360 can do.  

[Smooth Groove]

Borys reads GAF even though he's no longer allowed to post there?   

I dunno if I want him on my side. 

[WrikaWrek]

Sounds like the PC version is bringing rigs to their knees.  I was hoping to play in DX11 Very High, but it sounds like that is a tall order.  :\

Don'tn have a DX11 card. Devs said that it mostly only has effects on performance though, as the visual fidelity is largely the same. I play DX10 all up in that, with physx on.

That's not true, though.  DX11 definitely adds some very fancy graphical effects into the mix.  If you run in DX11 and disable the DX11 features, the game supposedly runs smoother than in DX10 mode.

Going to try DX11 @ Very High and use a lower resolution (1280x720).  I don't mind sacrificing resolution for performance and features especially when the game takes place in dark, close quarters.

Well show me some comparison shots of those very fancy graphical effects, and i'll believe it then. Last time that happened was with Dirt 2, and it was like a 2% upgrade.

Holy shit, get of Dark's nuts man. Yes he prefers the PS3, and it's noticeable, but he never comes off as a douchebag or a troll, or both at the same time whatever fancies you.

And he is right about MGS2 btw, MGS2 on the PC was a port of the Xbox version, suck it Borys.

I'm loving how the Physx integration really gives it the edge in athmosphere, and i think this game has the best lightning i've ever seen. Also amazing textures!

[dark1x]

Also, I want to clarify what I meant about 3 GPUs.  I meant to say 2 GPUs for graphics and 1 for PhysX.  With the current tech , no matter what the GPU, you need at least 2 of them to ensure 60 fps w/max settings, 4xAA, 16xAF for 99% of the games.  The 5870 is fast but one is just not quite enough for max settings at 1080p.  Physx is common enough that all graphics nuts should dedicate 1 GPU to it.  Because of the performance hit, Physx is basically useless if you aren't dedicating an entire videocard to it. 

I can do one for PhysX as I have a card lying around that would do it.  I'm concerned about combining ATI and nVidia, though.  I know there are ways around it, but that always tends to become troublesome when you wish to update drivers.  I may give it a shot for kicks, though.

I'll probably stick to one 5870 as I can already do 60 fps in nearly everything (even Crysis, but not at 1080p).  I suspect that no rig will be pulling 60 fps in Metro 2033 @ 1080p w/ Very High settings.

I definitely think you're more worthy of the truth graphics whore crown, however.  I'm just extremely picky about certain things.  I can overlook some shortfalls if other areas make up for it.

360 is a POS hardware as well.  I just have less disdain for it because there's way less hyperbole about what the 360 can do. 

See, that's the same logic that causes me to support the PS3.  There is so much hate for the system around here so I am more compelled to stand up for it.  I definitely prefer it, but not by some huge margin or anything.  Given the choice with a mutiplatform release, I either end up going PC or 360.  Only when the difference is minor or friends are playing the PS3 version do I select that version.  Sometimes I go astray.  Bioshock 2, for instance, I bought on PS3 and it was a mistake.  I would have gone PC but lack of pad support is a real problem where I play.  Should have purchased it on 360...

Also, believe it or not, I'm going home this evening and firing up Metro 2033 over God of War III.  Something about it is very compelling to me AND I want to see how my rig handles it.