After PC Perspective had a preview with BFG PhysX card, HEXUS came out with a full review of it. Results are quite negative, since first generation games for the card don’t really utilize the card for physics calculation, instead just add some extra debris effect that fades in time and say “We have PhysX support !!!”. So does it justify dishing out USD250 (which roughly would be RM1k) for that extra bits of debris, my answer is a big NO. Don’t get me wrong, I feel that this is a very innovative idea, and I’m sure it’s not Ageia’s fault that the first generation game developers doesn’t use the power but instead just using some cheap tricks for marketting hype. All Ageia needs now is some killer apps to really show the full potential of the card, perhaps when UT 2007 comes out, we’ll see the card being fully utilised. Quote from HEXUS:

However, much like the early days of 3D graphics (take a moment to remember your first encounter with GLQuake, or the Tomb Raider patch if you were in to 3D graphics back then, for those are sweet moments), the PhysX PPU needs traction with a killer title or two to make the world sit up and notice. GR:AW that ain’t. Bet on Soldier that ain’t. Rise of Nations that ain’t.

I remember the feeling the first time I fired up GLQuake on my Voodoo Graphics accelerator. I get almost the same feeling when I fire it up now. I don’t get that feeling when I play PhysX-enabled titles, since the effects presented in the first wave of supporting titles isn’t as overwhelming and persistent. And it remains to be seen where the first killer title will come from.