That said, it's instantly obvious that the same level of image quality isn't present on the Xbox One release, which looks visibly worse in comparison to the unpatched 900p PS4 game. This isn't necessarily a deal breaker though, if you consider how well the stock 900p PS4 game is upscaled - even without the patch, overall image quality still looked remarkably smooth.
Moving onto Microsoft's console, there's no special update to boost resolution on the Xbox One game, which renders at 1600x900 while using an older post-process AA algorithm that doesn't provide the same smooth level of coverage we see on PS4. This gives the game a clean look overall, barring issues with sub-pixel detail that can only be resolved on PC, where a vast range of anti-aliasing options are available if you have the GPU power to run them.
So once the day one patch has been applied we're looking at a crisp, native 1080p framebuffer on the PS4, backed up by a new custom post-process anti-aliasing solution that works well in suppressing jaggies across much of the scene.
The situation improved still further when Ubisoft released a post-release patch delivering a clear 44 per cent boost to resolution without any noticeable performance penalty, offering up a slick, highly appealing full 1080p presentation.
Regular readers may recall that our initial impressions of the launch PS4 code were very positive: rendering with a 1600x900 framebuffer we saw the stock retail code maintain a solid 30fps throughout the initial time we spent with the game. In terms of video, let's kick off with the flagship next-gen console versions of Black Flag. One year later, is there any improvement? Is there any sign at all that the more modern Nintendo architecture can offer up an experience above and beyond the impressive, if performance-challenged last-gen versions? A vast raft of comparisons is set to follow, beginning with something of a first - a colossal hex-format comparison gallery, encompassing every version of the game. Last year's offering didn't quite match up to the existing PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, but it was a solid effort on a technically ambitious game and one of the few multi-platform success stories of the launch period. There's also the Wii U version to address too. There is a real sense that the game is held back by the constraints of last-gen console hardware, with the potential for both Sony and Microsoft's new consoles to finally deliver a smooth experience where the action isn't compromised by a lack of system resources. But it's safe to say that choosing between PS3 and 360 is something of a Hobson's choice.
To recap, the 360 and PS3 versions of the game offered up essentialy an identical visual presentation, with matching art and a native 720p framebuffer, with the Xbox 360 version closer to reaching the desired 30fps update, in turn delivering smoother gameplay with better controller response. But just how big of a leap are we actually witnessing? And is the difference worth paying a premium for over the current generation editions of the game? Finally, with all six versions of Assassin's Creed 4 on the table, we can put these issues to the test with the definitive look at Ubisoft's epic open-world swashbuckler. Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag may not promote itself as a "built from the ground up" next generation experience, but Ubisoft's in-house AnvilNext engine is designed to scale up and take advantage of the latest graphics technology, and plenty of visual upgrades and performance improvements are promised for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 owners.