Just downloaded this beauty from the amd site - will report back on my findings.

Requires XP-64 for extended systems (won't work on the Itaniums, but will with Zeons / AMD64).

Does that work under XP 32 bit OS?

Bob.... stoppit you big fat troll

well the update is that the game is much smoother - has quite simply "Stunning" graphics and now takes the number one spot for jawdropping from HL2.

Not played enough of it to test the AI yet, but will give you another update.

This isnt another "biased" review, but my god it has to be seen to be believed.

Gav, dont suppose you benched it before on the 32 bit then again on the new one to give us a fps type update? Curios to see how a 64bit game fares against its older siblings.

you cant do that as all textures in the 64 bit version are improved as is the AI and the number of particles in explosions etc - it would be unfair and totally pointless to bench them as a comparison.

I also use vsync , cant bear to play without it. So its 42fps at top settings for me all the way

It's really staggering just how good this looks, its like the first time it arrived all over again.

However, I get texture flickering with my 6800GT , im not sure if its the video card or my overclocked processor - getting late now, so I will unclock everything and see how it goes tomorrow.

If this is a taste of things to come with 64 bit re-compilations it really is going to be an exciting couple of years for us gamers.

Other 64 bit "enhanced" versions are Shadow Ops and something ive forgotten

I know what you are getting at jamie, but I just dont have the equipment to bench properly and to be bluntly honest - I think benchmarks are pretty much a crock of shit used by marketing people anyway, as no two pieces of hardware are the same.

For example. CS:S runs much smoother and NEVER dips below 85fps (vsync again) on xp64, but did have dips on XP32 - but then again my XP64 is a clean install as opposed to my XP32 which I had installed since the launch of XP - so its really impossible to say whats down to the 64 bit drivers and whats down to just having less junk in the registry.

I have deleted my XP32 installation as of the MSDN launch of 64 anyhoo, as its perfectly stable.

My standpoint on the XP64 vs 32 thing for games is this :

Its far too early to tell.
Things that are worse are:
Drivers are tough to find and usually a few revisions old
Some games need a bit of TLC to get installed properly, if they have databases with hard constraints on how memory is used (Football manager 2005 for example).

Things that are better are:
Memory Management - finally we can use fastwrites and the 6800GT stuttering issues are gone as a result.
Farcry.

and thats about it so far

Fair enough, I am going to hang fire on the 64 bit thing for a while now, until its a worthy investment, and drivers arent too much of an issue.

Aye, unless you have mainstream hardware then you are in bother.

USB works fine, but anything other than ATI/NVIDIA for graphics and Creative for sound.

But anyway, we go off topic - this game is mighty fine and the AI seems fixed (no longer do enemies shoot you when you are totally hidden).

Gav, any update on how 64 bit stuff is then? Going to order a new mobo and cpu today, have a 64 bit copy of xp pro on download now, just owndering what puitfalls I should keep an eye out for.

Well I've carried on using it since it came out - no real reason for me to go back to 32 bit windows (unless I want to print something ).

Not had any problems other than that.

It's surprisingly pain free now, there are "areas" where a bit of research was needed - but here are my suggestions:

64 bit virus scanner - Avast is probably the most reliable option and it's free.

2. 64 bit drivers and program info - www.planetamd64.com

aparrently farcry is gonna be £9.99 after christmas, for the normal one and the 64bit one i read somewhere