Last night GTTV unveiled the Unreal Engine 4 tech demo the public has been anticipating, since its first showcasing at GDC. In comparison to many other tech demos however, the public didn’t quite react as impressed as one would expect.

Epic’s latest demonstration shows us the awakening of some sort of fire demon as he arises from a frozen throne, unleashing a volcano in the process to make for a sizzling entry. Experiencing the footage in full motion confirms the assumptions I made, back when we caught our first glimpse at the new Unreal tech, the engine really knows how to handle light effects.

The one thing that can make or break graphics in a video game is the lighting. Giving animations and high end models the final polish, proper lights are what transform a virtual world into something authentic.

Regardless of the technological achievements in the new demo, many gamers appeared to be disappointed with what they saw. Especially in a time like this, where the next generation feels like it’s right around the corner, the public can’t help but to make comparisons, in the search for the next graphical champion.

With software such as the CryEngine or the  showing an overwhelming attention to detail, it becomes apparent why many would argue that they simple weren’t “blown away” by the new Unreal video. However, I believe that there are a few factors many aren’t considering when comparing various engines.

When flipping through all of the titles we’ve seen during this generation of hardware, it becomes quite simple to filter out, which one was powered by Unreal. Character models feel somewhat jacked, the lighting has a certain personality and there is a characteristic gloss to the textures. Looking at U4, not much appears to have changed, but merely improved.

On the other hand Agni’s models seem much more delicate with elaborate facial animations (moreover the hair), all in a cluttered shanty town. At one point in Enix’s presentation we witness the summoning of some sort of creature with particle effects similar to what Epic’s demon touted.

Seeing how Enix obviously had more to show than a few hills and a crumbling temple, it’s clear to say, which demo was the stronger one, right? Not quite, as what makes a successful engine is not simply how good it can look right out the gate, but how much you can do with it.

Something I mentioned earlier on is proof enough that Epic will definitely hold a prominent role in the future market of gaming, there are countless games that use Unreal. Because the engine is so accessible to developers it is constantly being used and improved. It’s possible that Crytek’s and Square Enix’s tech might be able to achieve a better performance at fist, but I believe we will see a longer lasting success with Epic.

A prime example for why I can see U4 taking graphics to all new levels, is Star Wars 1313. After being shown at E3, the new title by LucasArts was thought to be the first title powered by Epic’s new engine, after word came out that it was running on Unreal. However, it was soon clarified that 1313 was actually using Unreal 3.

I bet if you were to show someone, who hadn’t seen them before, the and the U4 showcasing, that person could possibly side with the older build, due to the variety of effects.

From what we’ve seen now it would be easy to say that Unreal 4′s elemental demo is a disappointment, but I believe that in time we will see the new engine make enormous leaps forward in its presentation.