Comparing the graphics via screenshots

[Abriael]

Might be, however the difference between the effect in the upper and lower pictures is way too high. Background matters, I guess.

But it's not only the effect, the textures are higher quality, maybe cause of it being a close-up image vs. screencap of a trailer.

Looking at the tunic, I don't see appreciable differences in texture resolution, besides a possible zoom for the whole image.

The effect is different because from what we've seen so far in the gameplay trailer, at gamescom and in screenshots the engine applies situational filters when certain spells are cast and skills are used to increase the dramatic impact, and removes them right after.

By the way, the texture definition in the current engine isn't even determined much by resolution (that is good but not exceptional), but by the extensive use of normal maps, that seems to be still present in ARR.