Scotsman Games review: Titanfall, Xbox 360

THE long, lingering silence surrounding the development of this Xbox 360 version of Respawn Entertainment’s FPS naturally bred apprehension among gamers.

A mech in action in Titanfall. Picture: Contributed

Game review: Titanfall - Xbox 360

Score: 9.0 / 10

With no screenshots or footage to offer assurances that progress was being made, and a delayed release compared to its next-gen sibling, fears grew that the version would be hampered by the relatively modest processing power of Microsoft’s nine year old console.

‘Pace of Xbox One version intact’

Surprisingly, the most ominous of predictions levelled at Bluepoint Games have proved unfounded, with Titanfall on 360 just as invigorating and restless as the flagship Xbox One version. Granted, the limitations of the console’s memory cannot be disguised, but the pace and verve of the battles between the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation and the Militia is intact.

The inspired, if curt, campaign and multiplayer narrative is fully realised on the 360 alongside a full gamut of online competitive modes and the same crunching roster of weaponry and equipment. The matchmaking architecture - which makes use of dedicated servers - is also identical to the Xbox One, with waiting times for a game minimal.

Choppy frame rate

The compromises, of which are there are few, are most conspicuous in the heat of battle. With several titans and pilots engaged in a firefight, the frame rate dips, giving rise to a juddering camera whenever you turn your field of vision. The drop is never drastic enough to hamper the gunplay, though it can disrupt the flow when the screen becomes overly cluttered.

When proceedings are calmer, it is easy to see the concessions in textures and draw distances, which is a shame considering the sweeping grandeur of the game worlds.

Rest assured, however, this is still one of the finest looking games ever to grace the 360 and only those who have played the Xbox One version will notice the downscaling.

If anything, the quality of the 360 version will give rise to questions over whether Titanfall can truly be considered a next gen game. That such a superb version can be built for hardware that is close to a decade old is testament to Bluepoint’s abilities, but it also shows the gap between the two generations of consoles is narrower than some would have you believe. Either way, gamers are the winners.