Just to give a further impression of the impact HDR has on the game, here are a few further screens all with max texture settings, but with HDR On, and then Off all together.

No HDR - Please click on the image to load up a full sized version of the screenshot.

Bloom effect enabled - Please click on the image to load up a full sized version of the screenshot.

HDR On - Please click on the image to load up a full sized version of the screenshot.

At first glance, Bloom seems to do a nice job of competing with HDR, as your eye is caught by the light source through the left hand window. However, take a look at the wooden flooring, and the clouds through the right hand window. You see none of that lovely reflected light that HDR gives you, losing some of the vibrancy and impact. Without either HDR or Bloom, the scene looks rather lifeless and flat, so please try to keep with at least bloom if you really cant afford the performance hit of HDR.

Sound Quality

To be honest, there isn’t a whole lot to say about the sound in this game, apart from the fact its generally excellent, with full 5.1 support as with any other source based game. The clashes and grates of mettle on mettle when sword fighting is spot on, as is the whistling of an arrow through the air, followed by a resounding ‘thunk’ as it embeds itself into a plank of wood.

Orcs grunt and bellow suitably, while the dogs who hunt in packs make a kind of panting sound, that you can hear a few seconds before they appear, generally keeping you on edge wondering where they are about to jump out from. One slight niggle is the fact that enemies generally tend to repeat themselves, each type with their own selective lines, however overall, it’s an immersive aural experience, that really does enhance your involvement in the game.