The engine upgrades we see in Resistance 3 serve a combination of purposes, but perhaps the most important element is in how they enhance the actual gameplay. The physics engine ensures that all the fun you've having with the weaponry translates into suitably appropriate action on-screen, with Battlefield/Frostbite levels of destruction mostly utilised in a series of standout, interactive set-pieces. The impact of your weaponry on both environment and Chimera is appropriately impressive, and there's a real sense of collateral damage to the gunplay as props go flying in the carnage. Compare and contrast to Medal of Honor, where a lamp stays rooted to a table even after a direct RPG hit.
Purely visual improvements to the Insomniac engine come across as a hybrid of Killzone 3 and Metro 2033. There's a wealth of intricate detailing in all aspects of the artwork and a lot of dynamic lights and shadow in play. Ambient occlusion is also well implemented, adding a further layer of depth to the environments, and there's a wealth of post-processing effects in play, including some beautiful light shafts/god-rays.
Resistance 3 doesn't skimp on alpha effects either. Fog, smoke and dust are all well utilised in adding to the realism of the scene, and come into their own during the pitched combat and the destruction-based set-pieces. Camera and object-based motion blur are also par for the course - something of a standard in all of Sony's key first-party titles.
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