Given the fact that Australians still don't have Xbox 360, it hasn't really become an issue yet to compare the current generation hardware to the so-called "next-gen." But as the much-delayed launch draws near, we decided to accept Ubisoft's gracious offer to let us get some playtime with their hot upcoming titles. We got to play the latest Far Cry Instincts on both platforms, as well as test-fly Blazing Angels, which has come a long way since our first look last year. Last but certainly not least, we got to spend a few hours with Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, which is easily the best indication of what to expect from a truly "next-gen" title we've seen so far.

Ubisoft have also announced that their Xbox 360 titles will retail for the incredibly hefty pricetag of $119.95, which for the mathematically challenged out there is a 20% price-hike from the usual hundred-buck pricetag. Lucky for our readers, XBW has played both versions, and we'll let you know whether it's worth the extra coin.

More on that later- for now, enjoy our hands-on, head-to-head look at these killer titles from Ubisoft!

Far Cry Instincts: Evolution (Xbox)

The critically acclaimed Xbox exclusive adaptation of the PC favourite, Far Cry: Instincts was a top-notch FPS that managed to earn top honours in Xbox World Australia's Best of 2005 Awards . It's little surprise then, that a follow-up to Instincts is in the works, sub-subtitled Far Cry Instincts: Evolution. So what's new?

First and foremost, Evolution contains an all-new singleplayer experience, billed as a follow-up (some might say "sequel"!) to the events of Instincts. While the details are still top-secret, we can tell you that it will involve Jack Carver going up against other evolved creatures like himself, hence the subtitle. Word has it there's even a mysterious native tribe deep in the jungles of Jacutan who have all the same predator abilities you possessed in Instincts, which should make for an extremely intense solo experience!

We couldn't confirm whether Carver had new abilities or new traps (although there is rumoured to be at least one new sneaky snare), but he did have a few new weapons at his disposal. There's a new automatic rifle with an under-barrel grenade launcher, as well as Molotov cocktails and pipe-bombs for hand-thrown hilarity in multiplayer. The Molotov's are quite powerful, dishing out major damage to players and setting vehicles aflame if you manage a lucky shot. Being liquid fire, the Molotov's contents will drip over the edge of balconies and so forth, making them the gift that keeps on giving. The pipe-bomb sent us on a trip back to the halcyon days of Duke Nukem 3D; there's something quite satisfying about dropping one in a narrow corridor and then blasting anyone silly enough to follow you through. Now all we need are the laser tripmines....

Far Cry Instincts: Evolution will also have a slew of new multiplayer goodies, including access to the new weapons we mentioned, as well as a bunch of new maps in which to do battle. There's talk of a new Predator game-mode, in which every player has the super-charged abilities of the predator. First thing that jumped to mind when our Ubisoft host sent us flying through the air was Halo 2 with Elite swords only!

The modding community hasn't been left out either, with the already excellent map editor getting an overhaul and some new abilities, such as being able to create tunnels (finally!). Given the high calibre of fan-made content already available on Xbox Live, this can only mean bigger and better things for fans of Far Cry's online experience.

Thought it couldn't get better? Well the word from Ubisoft is that Evolution will retail for the add-on pack price of $49.95c, which makes it an affordable must-have when everything else next month is going for a premium. Expect Far Cry Instincts: Evolution to claw its way onto shelves late March.

Far Cry Instincts: Predator (Xbox 360)

Not to be outdone by it's elderly sibling, fans can expect Far Cry to appear on the Xbox 360 around the same time as Evolution hits Xbox. The Xbox 360 version is called Far Cry Instincts: Predator, and while it doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well, it still tastes mighty sweet! Predator is a combination of both the original Instincts content and the all-new goodies found in the Evolution expansion for Xbox.

Naturally, both have been rebuilt from the ground-up with a swag of enhancements to make the most of the Xbox 360's powerful hardware. To start with, the water effects have been totally redone, and now feature waves that vary in intensity depending on their location- open water tends to be rough with larger waves, while inlets and lagoons are more flat and subdued as you would expect. All of the textures have been enhanced too, making everything a much higher resolution, which in turn makes the verdant jungles and grasses of Jacutan even more striking and vibrant.

The draw-distance has also been significantly enhanced, which is a godsend when you're moving rapidly though locations on vehicles, and adds a reconnaissance element to using the hang-glider. It may just be our imagination, but Jack seemed a little bit faster in his movements, and any trace of framerate issues the original Instincts may have occasionally had are gone.

The end result is a game whose enhancements may seem purely aesthetic, but the improved visuals and draw-distance subtly change the way you approach the game. Is it enough to warrant a replay? Probably not, but fans will love it, and the tropical eyecandy give it a wow-factor that make it the perfect game to showcase your new 360's abilities to skeptical friends.

Dollar-for-dollar: So is it worth the extra $20 to grab the Xbox 360 version? If you don't already own Instincts then definitely yes. If you've already got it on Xbox then you'll probably be happy with just grabbing Evolution, but given that the 360's Predator has both the old and new content as well as high-def graphics, it's a fairly reasonable buy. Put it this way: if you were buying the two separately for Xbox you'd be paying around $120-130 anyway. So at this stage, we reckon the Xbox 360 version is going to be your better bet.

Continue onto page 2 where we look at Blazing Angels and Ghost Recon 3...