[H] Far Cry Primal performance review

[3DVagabond]

AMD dominates, so Brent played it down. Seems like if a game runs well without major bugs or flaws it's just not worthy.

Small win for FuryX @ 4K. But nothing substantial.

Small win for FuryX @ 1140, but close enough to be the same gameplay experience.

Hawaii smokes GM104 @1440 with even the 390 beating the 980

Multi GPU works for both brands. SLI gets annihilated though.

1440

4K

Multi GPU scaling

65% for SLI

83% for Crossfire.

Needless to say they will not be adding this game to their testing suite.

 

[Shmee]

Looks like the scaling is decent for mulit GPU on both sides, good on the developers to support it.

 

[Silverforce11]

Wow, reading that review it's like a cry for help: "Hey Dude!! Where's my GimpWorks?!"

Key forward-looking graphical features like tessellated enhanced Godrays have been removed. There are no soft shadows, or improved ambient occlusion or simulated fur or hair.

What this means for the gaming industry is overall not a good thing. We've said this in the past, but games are the reason people buy new video cards that support new features and faster performance.

You've probably figured this out by now, but we will not be adding Far Cry Primal to our gaming suite for GPU testing. It has not earned it in terms of forward thinking visual quality and performance.

And their 4K commentary are a joke:

Just the fact that a single-GPU can potentially play this game at the highest possible game settings at 4K just shows how non-graphically challenging Far Cry Primal truly is.

29-35 FPS with the latest top of the line GPU, it's not graphically challenging? -_- Maybe they want some kind of slideshow and will be truly impressed with that.

Their forum members summed it up quite well!

https://hardforum.com/threads/far-c...performance-review-h.1894156/#post-1042190005

The contrast could not be clearer when we compare to FC4 on the same engine, GimpWorks activated, cinematic 30 fps mode achieved!

Sometimes GPU performance killing features aren't needed to make a great looking AAA game.

Nice looking game:

Performs well.

Basically, [H]'s stance is this: good graphics + good performance = not good for gamers.

WTF.

 

[controlflow]

Basically their logic is that unless a game features a bunch of extremely performance expensive features that sap away valuable frame rate resulting in a slide show on flagship cards, it is not worthy of being featured in their suite of tests.

There are a lot of graphical features in modern games that seem to add very little value and just eat performance, sometimes disproportionately punishing cards from competing manufacturers.

 

[casiofx]

Basically their logic is that unless a game features a bunch of extremely performance expensive features that sap away valuable frame rate resulting in a slide show on flagship cards, it is not worthy of being featured in their suite of tests.

There are a lot of graphical features in modern games that seem to add very little value and just eat performance, sometimes disproportionately punishing cards from competing manufacturers.

This far cry 4 and primal is reminiscent of assassin's creed black flag and rogue.

Both first game riddled with nvidia's "eye candy" ran horribly, then the later game comes out with the same engine but with lesser nvidia's "eye candy" runs like a champ.

 

[showb1z]

Basically their logic is that unless a game features a bunch of extremely performance expensive features that sap away valuable frame rate resulting in a slide show on flagship cards, it is not worthy of being featured in their suite of tests.

There are a lot of graphical features in modern games that seem to add very little value and just eat performance, sometimes disproportionately punishing cards from competing manufacturers.

Yea, this must be the new spin issued by Nvidia's latest PR directive :sneaky:. The usual suspects around here have been singing the same tune.
Gotta have those "premium" effects or it's just a console port not worthy of your time. Ridiculous.

Good to see even Ubisoft is moving away from this, it's a win for everyone.

 

[Silverforce11]

Basically their logic is that unless a game features a bunch of extremely performance expensive features that sap away valuable frame rate resulting in a slide show on flagship cards, it is not worthy of being featured in their suite of tests.

There are a lot of graphical features in modern games that seem to add very little value and just eat performance, sometimes disproportionately punishing cards from competing manufacturers.

Calling it logic is an insult.

To them: GimpWorks like this = good.

But higher playable performance at 1440p maxed out for FCP = bad.

Despite FCP being the visually prettier game.

 

[sandorski]

Haven't played FCP, but the Playthru videos I have watched showed it to be quite graphically stunning.

 

[Silverforce11]

Haven't played FCP, but the Playthru videos I have watched showed it to be quite graphically stunning.

And that's the point, games can look great and run great without NV's GameWorks.

NV added VXAO in Rise of the Tomb Raider and in the other thread, I posted comparison screenshots and people could not figure out which has it enabled. Despite tanking performance. That's great for gamers everywhere, right? -_-

In FCP, they have sun shafts and light rays, without using GW GodRays and it looks even better and more natural, rather than sharp lines as seen in FC4 or Fallout 4 with GodRays maxed.

 

[Good_fella]

And that's the point, games can look great and run great without NV's GameWorks.

NV added VXAO in Rise of the Tomb Raider and in the other thread, I posted comparison screenshots and people could not figure out which has it enabled. Despite tanking performance. That's great for gamers everywhere, right? -_-

In FCP, they have sun shafts and light rays, without using GW GodRays and it looks even better and more natural, rather than sharp lines as seen in FC4 or Fallout 4 with GodRays maxed.

And what about AMD sponsored games? Congrats, AMD. You take gimping to the next level.

NV added VXAO in Rise of the Tomb Raider and in the other thread, I posted comparison screenshots and people could not figure out which has it enabled. Despite tanking performance. That's great for gamers everywhere, right? -_-

Then you have no idea what you posting.

http://imgur.com/QK9Z4Vq
http://imgur.com/mxQdI27
http://imgur.com/7wE6wco

 

[Silverforce11]

Then you have no idea what you posting.

Lies.

Stop comparing AO off vs VXAO.

HBAO+ works fine on vegetation in Rise of the Tomb Raider, even AO does.

VXAO vs HBAO+

Source: http://www.computerbase.de/2016-03/rise-of-the-tomb-raider-directx-12-benchmark/3/

1.

2.

3.

4.

Maybe you can try to figure which is which.

As for Hitman, plenty of sites show improved performance in DX12. Even I find massive improved performance on my rig. -_-

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=38097854&postcount=313

But you want proof? How about a VIDEO side by side comparison with frame times?

https://youtu.be/1SZw7XhRx6A?t=3m25s

Even the 970 gets faster in DX12. Go and deny there, against video evidence.

It's despicable that some would post fake AO OFF images to compare against VXAO as if it makes such a grand difference to justify the huge performance hit. Really pathetic in fact because anyone who has played the game knows AO and HBAO+ does not look like that. -_- Propaganda knows no bounds.

 

[3DVagabond]

And what about AMD sponsored games? Congrats, AMD. You take gimping to the next level.

Then you have no idea what you posting.

http://imgur.com/QK9Z4Vq
http://imgur.com/mxQdI27
http://imgur.com/7wE6wco

So, when you look at those results do you not question what's going on? Think maybe that they aren't really running at the same settings besides the DX version? Or unoptimized drivers? Makes no sense. Especially when you look at these benches run at Max detail? Not just VHQ.

I understand that you are just responding to Silverforce11 but hopefully we won't go too far off topic. There is a Hitman thread already.

 

[swilli89]

Its enraging to me that publications like [H] would do this. They are literally pushing for features that heavily favor only one brand of cards while neglecting to say that the visual features barely do anything. Wasn't this the site that championed playability?

Like the [H] forum dude said, how could ANYONE in their right mind who sat there and watched their 770, 780, 780 ti, 970, or 980 steadily perform worse and worse compared to AMD's Hawaii POSSIBLY consider sticking with nvidia? Two generations now is definitely a trend.

 

[Face2Face]

Good showing for AMD. I haven't played the game yet, but looking at the screenshots, it appears to be a good looking game.

 

[Stuka87]

And what about AMD sponsored games? Congrats, AMD. You take gimping to the next level.

Then you have no idea what you posting.

http://imgur.com/QK9Z4Vq
http://imgur.com/mxQdI27
http://imgur.com/7wE6wco

Your comparison is flawed. Of course the game doesn't look as good with *NO* AO. How about you compare the different AO methods, and then try and tell the difference.

 

[Kenmitch]

Pretty sad he chooses not to include it in his benchmark suite. The game runs good on all cards it looks like. Guess it's the fact that AMD offerings run too good in it. It is somewhat lacking in the visuals but it's not really that bad. I kind of like more performance than visual fidelity anyways.

 

[Headfoot]

I don't know if its a fluke or a turning of tides, but with The Division and Far Cry Primal, Ubi has actually published 2 very good looking games back to back with minimal GW bloat that run well given how good they look.

 

[crisium]

Brent is really showing his color here. He has officially devolved into dishonorable scum. He wants an unplayable, unoptimized mess (because $650 GPUs not being able to achieve a locked 30fps is not demanding enough for him), and wants proprietary lighting technology even if Far Cry Primal arguably looks as good or better than FC4.

Fraud detected. Remember his Alien Isolation Review? He praised AMD for using open lightening, and actually was critical of Nvidia for being the opposite.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014..._video_card_performance_review/1#.VugmVNAhGFk

Still, at 1440p a 980 averaged over 100fps. They decided it didn't push boundaries enough. Ok, fine, you can work with that. But in FCP the 980 gets a miseravle 44fps at 1440p, and the top of the line GPUs barely get 30fps at 4K. And now this is not pushing standards enough?? Great visuals, very demanding but less so than other games, what's the problem? Is it that this unsponsored, neutral game happens to favor one color?

Fraud.

 

[raghu78]

Brent is really showing his color here. He has officially devolved into dishonorable scum. He wants an unplayable, unoptimized mess (because $650 GPUs not being able to achieve a locked 30fps is not demanding enough for him), and wants proprietary lighting technology even if Far Cry Primal arguably looks as good or better than FC4.

Fraud detected. Remember his Alien Isolation Review? He praised AMD for using open lightening, and actually was critical of Nvidia for being the opposite.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014..._video_card_performance_review/1#.VugmVNAhGFk

Still, at 1440p a 980 averaged over 100fps. They decided it didn't push boundaries enough. Ok, fine, you can work with that. But in FCP the 980 gets a miserable 44fps at 1440p, and the top of the line GPUs barely get 30fps at 4K. And now this is not pushing standards enough?? Great visuals, very demanding but less so than other games, what's the problem? Is it that this unsponsored, neutral game happens to favor one color?

Fraud.

The entire hardocp team is now left without any credibility. Kyle Bennett, Brent Justice, Grady Mckinney are all openly biased in favour of Nvidia right from the start of Maxwell generation. Its pathetic. But it is what it is.
The funny part is Dying Light is a part of hardocp's test suite but its less demanding than Farcry Primal. GTX 980 can do 56 fps at max settings at 1440p in Dying Light while it does 44 fps at max settings at 1440p in Farcry Primal. If Farcry Primal is not demanding then what the heck is Dying Light doing in their test suite.

http://hardocp.com/article/2015/06/15/nvidia_geforce_gtx_980_ti_video_card_gpu_review/5#.Vugp19D6HEk

http://hardocp.com/article/2016/03/14/far_cry_primal_video_card_performance_review/3#.VugrH9D6HEk

 

[Erenhardt]

If Farcry Primal is not demanding then what the heck is Dying Light doing in their test suite.

Earning $. Why asking?

 

[crisium]

Gameworks titles get a free pass into the test suite for being "forward thinking" unless they happen to favour AMD, which two Gameworks titles so far this year do so but you won't see them in any HardOCP reviews.

 

[Paul98]

Brent is really showing his color here. He has officially devolved into dishonorable scum. He wants an unplayable, unoptimized mess (because $650 GPUs not being able to achieve a locked 30fps is not demanding enough for him), and wants proprietary lighting technology even if Far Cry Primal arguably looks as good or better than FC4.

Fraud detected. Remember his Alien Isolation Review? He praised AMD for using open lightening, and actually was critical of Nvidia for being the opposite.

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2014..._video_card_performance_review/1#.VugmVNAhGFk

Still, at 1440p a 980 averaged over 100fps. They decided it didn't push boundaries enough. Ok, fine, you can work with that. But in FCP the 980 gets a miseravle 44fps at 1440p, and the top of the line GPUs barely get 30fps at 4K. And now this is not pushing standards enough?? Great visuals, very demanding but less so than other games, what's the problem? Is it that this unsponsored, neutral game happens to favor one color?

Fraud.

It's just terrible review, where the reviewer has no knowledge of what he is supposed to be reviewing.

 

[thesmokingman]

WTF.

WTF is right! The in-game shots are asbofreakinglutely gorgeous. The depth of field and blur is just right, where it is normally way off the mark. Omg, this might be the first FC game I actually buy with my own money in a longtime.

As for [H], they've always been tools, nothing new there.

 

[AtenRa]

Why even bother reviewing non GameWorks games over at [H] ???

 

[tential]

GAmes like this make me want crossfire polaris ASAP