I've also had the opportunity to play both console version of Rage. The PS3 version comes on a single BD-ROM while the Xbox 360 version comes on 3 discs with one disc dedicated to the multiplayer content.
The PS3 requires a mandatory HD install, of course, while you may forgo an install with the Xbox 360 version. id recommends that users install the full game on the 360. Those without a HDD or for those who have only purchased a 4gig system are going to be at a disadvantage as your won't get the full performance from the game. For the purposes of this comparison, I didn't install any game discs, as I believe most users don't make a habit of doing so.
Since I only care about the single player campaign, I ran through the initial two hours on both platforms.
Graphically, both games look quite stunning. Both versions run at a very consistent 60fps. I did not detect any frames drops during my playtime. It's very impressive that a game with such large areas can run at such a high speed while still looking this good. Like games running the Unreal Engine 3, though, you will still notice some texture pop-in. It isn't quite as bad as it was with Halo or Gears of War but it still comes up often enough for you to notice even in the game's closed environments.
The PS3, as usual, suffers a bit from image clarity, though most people will not be able to tell without some close scrutiny. The 360 version is just a hair cleaner though some textures favor one system over the other. The 360 version also has less of an issue with texture pop-in but it's still very, very close in terms of update time. Here, the 360 wins in terms of overall visual quality.
For sound, you get the usual Dobly 5.1 for the 360 and 5.1 PCM for PS3. Here, the PS3 just edges out the 360 due to featuring uncompressed audio.
Game play is practically identical on both systems. I really didn't perceive any lag time in either version of the game. Even the unusually large dead zone most PS3 games have isn't as present on this game so it's just a matter of which controller you prefer. Personally, I like the 360 controller setup better.
In the end, Rage is just a tiny bit better on the 360. With it's slightly crisper image and slightly less texture pop-in it is the better experience for the campaign. The game looks especially good compared to both Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3.
Is the game worth playing? Well, when it's fun, it's very fun. The shooting is tight, the AI manages to be just smart enough while still being stupid enough to be enjoyable. The racing is a little uneven; I just wish the cars were a bit heavier as they tend to bounce around and spin a bit more than I'd like. I'd say if you could get it at a discount then it would be well worth your money.
