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Your Best Looking Games


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So, while I'm very much of the opinion that gameplay and a good story are more important than graphics - it is always a nice bonus to have all three.

 

By this, I don't just mean the greatest display of graphical graphical power - a perfectly replicated grey hallway is still just a grey hallway. I'd rather take the colourful, but lower res, vibrant outdoor scenescape.

 

So, whether it is because of lifelike graphics, interesting use of colour or even an 8bit game that has some great design choices behind it, which game (or games) would you say have some of your favourite visuals?

 

For me, I'm going to go with Elite Dangerous. It has nice graphics, granted, but the main thing is that I've played MMO's before (of which I loosely consider Elite), and none of them have felt like an actual living world (or in this case: universe). Elite is one of the most 'alive' games I've ever played in this regard, and I think a lot of that is due to the design choices in the game. Everything looks like it is something that could legitimately exist in our future, even to the point where each manufacturer of ships have their own unique style compared to the rest.

 

I've got the Xbox version, which will be graphically inferior to the PC edition, but even so - I think most players will remember their first exit from warp, coming face to face with a star:

 

 

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It is one of the few games where I can just stop and take in the view.

 

So yeah, that's mine - which would be yours?

 

 

 

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You took the words right out of my muzzle about Elite Dangerous. I have the Xbox one version as well, and though it might be graphically inferior to the PC, I can barely tell. That game just oozes with atmosphere and its visuals are such an amazing view on space and our galaxy, it is difficult to not get lost in it.

 

Another best looking game for me? Forza 6. That game simply looks incredible. The sheer detail on all of the cars and the interiors is near jaw-dropping. Then there are the rain effects, which are the best I have ever seen in a racing game.

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Final Fantasy XIII remains the most visually appealing game ever imo.

I've never owned it, but remember seeing the trailer for it and thinking that the graphics were ahead of the curve.

 

Another best looking game for me? Forza 6. That game simply looks incredible. The sheer detail on all of the cars and the interiors is near jaw-dropping. Then there are the rain effects, which are the best I have ever seen in a racing game.

I'll have to check that out, I can't think of any games that have nailed rain yet (though many that have tried)

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So, we're talking not specifically "most advanced graphics," but rather, best looking games of any gen?  Like, best use of the technology of the era?  That's a great conversation right there.  Good topic.  Graphics are definitely about far more than just whatever the current, cutting edge tech is.  Good game visuals are about much more than "Lookit our watery water and ambient occlusion!!!"  Some of the nicest looking games of all time are some of the older, retro stuff.

 

Let's see....well, to start with, I'll just go ahead and get some of the newer stuff out of the way.  I've always thought that God of War III remains, to this day, one of the best looking games ever made.  And I'm not even talking about the remaster.  Just the original.  But I think I'd have to give it to Metro Last Light for the best looking game I've ever played.

 

I'm still mesmerized by Diablo II, even today.  I love the detail of that retro, isometric style.  Diablo II did it best.  It just looks like an intricately painted tabletop game come to life on your computer screen.  I also love the look of Roller Coaster Tycoon II for that reason.  (But not RoCo III.  :eww: )  Final Fantasy 6 still has a wonderfully pleasing appearance, too.

 

Skyrim has great looking still water.  I still think Halo Reach does moving water and waterfalls the best.  Final Fantasy XIII probably does the best hair I've seen.  And keep in mind, this is all just considering what I've played.  I don't have the very brand spanking newest games.  Last Light and Outlast are about as new as I've gone.

 

But you know, a series that is greatly underappreciated is the Trine series.  Those are definitely some of the most visually appealing games of all time, 3 being the best.  Trine 3 is a sensory overload of beauty.  If I try to picture the most beautiful locations ever imagined, the places where I'd most like to live, it's very difficult to think of anything that rivals Trine 3.  Trine makes James Cameron's Pandora look like a rusty old sewer.

 

Shipwreck.jpgZoya_jungle.jpgTrine-3-The-Artifacts-of-Power-announced

 

 

The Sanctum series is also gorgeous, and looks similar to the Trine games in many ways.  Oh, you know what is also a stunning gem?  Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.  That is a masterpiece, through and through.  One of the most gorgeous visual style I've ever seen, and a story that blew me away and brought me to tears.

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So, we're talking not specifically "most advanced graphics," but rather, best looking games of any gen?  Like, best use of the technology of the era?  That's a great conversation right there.  Good topic.  Graphics are definitely about far more than just whatever the current, cutting edge tech is.  Good game visuals are about much more than "Lookit our watery water and ambient occlusion!!!"  Some of the nicest looking games of all time are some of the older, retro stuff.

 

Let's see....well, to start with, I'll just go ahead and get some of the newer stuff out of the way.  I've always thought that God of War III remains, to this day, one of the best looking games ever made.  And I'm not even talking about the remaster.  Just the original.  But I think I'd have to give it to Metro Last Light for the best looking game I've ever played.

 

I'm still mesmerized by Diablo II, even today.  I love the detail of that retro, isometric style.  Diablo II did it best.  It just looks like an intricately painted tabletop game come to life on your computer screen.  I also love the look of Roller Coaster Tycoon II for that reason.  (But not RoCo III.  :eww: )  Final Fantasy 6 still has a wonderfully pleasing appearance, too.

 

Skyrim has great looking still water.  I still think Halo Reach does moving water and waterfalls the best.  Final Fantasy XIII probably does the best hair I've seen.  And keep in mind, this is all just considering what I've played.  I don't have the very brand spanking newest games.  Last Light and Outlast are about as new as I've gone.

 

But you know, a series that is greatly underappreciated is the Trine series.  Those are definitely some of the most visually appealing games of all time, 3 being the best.  Trine 3 is a sensory overload of beauty.  If I try to picture the most beautiful locations ever imagined, the places where I'd most like to live, it's very difficult to think of anything that rivals Trine 3.  Trine makes James Cameron's Pandora look like a rusty old sewer.

 

Shipwreck.jpgZoya_jungle.jpgTrine-3-The-Artifacts-of-Power-announced

 

 

The Sanctum series is also gorgeous, and looks similar to the Trine games in many ways.  Oh, you know what is also a stunning gem?  Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.  That is a masterpiece, through and through.  One of the most gorgeous visual style I've ever seen, and a story that blew me away and brought me to tears.

This shots of Trine look fantastic - like what I was saying with Elite - it's an example of a studio choosing an aesthetic and designing around it :)

 

Speaking of yesteryear - I remember thinking the original Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic was a very visually appealing game (when crash landed on that planet near the end, I always wanted to know what the spires off in the distance were).

 

There are also some current gen games (this and previous generations at the time) that don't necessarily aim to melt your GPU, but still nail the design. Bungie was good at that with Halo 3 - even when released it was already superseded by other games graphically, but the environment design managed to leave a sense of wonder to the experience.


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There are also some current gen games (this and previous generations at the time) that don't necessarily aim to melt your GPU, but still nail the design. Bungie was good at that with Halo 3 - even when released it was already superseded by other games graphically, but the environment design managed to leave a sense of wonder to the experience.

Ho, man, Halo 3 was such a beautiful, awe-inspiring style.  That's a great example of visuals that continue to amaze despite technology increasing.  Sure, Uncharted 4 is way more advanced, but Halo 3 continues to leave me spellbound every time I play it.

 

Oh, you know what else I forgot that I should really mention?  Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.  Well made game, flawless performance, though a bit dull with cookie cutter quests, but some of the most gorgeous visuals and charming art style I've ever seen.  Very Trine-ish.  Some of the places in Amalur make Equestria look like barren, ashen wasteland.  It fell short in other areas, but the real joy of that game is just touring the wilds and looking at everything.

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Best looking? Well, I don't really get around to digging through the best looking games bin, so here we go:

 

Majora's Mask 3D (I thought it was pretty sweet)

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag (A breath of fresh air)

EA's Star Wars: Battlefront (Still impressed)

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Personally I really like the way the Kingdom Hearts series looks. They have a few weird things like flat mouths during some scenes but overall I thought they chose the right style. Even on the PS2 I saw almost no graphical issues. This really showed in Kingdom Hearts 2 when they tried to use a realistic world from Pirates of the Caribbean. You can really see how KH sets itself apart from other games of the PS2 era.

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Best looking? Well, I don't really get around to digging through the best looking games bin, so here we go:

 

Majora's Mask 3D (I thought it was pretty sweet)

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag (A breath of fresh air)

EA's Star Wars: Battlefront (Still impressed)

I've gotta say - I agree with Battlefront (haven't played the other two so can't comment on them :s), and it feels so much like being in Star Wars. Walker Assult on Hoth is probably one of my favourite game modes+map in any online game, partly because of the gameplay and partly because they've nailed the visuals/sound design etc to make it feel like the film.

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I've gotta say - I agree with Battlefront (haven't played the other two so can't comment on them :s), and it feels so much like being in Star Wars. Walker Assult on Hoth is probably one of my favourite game modes+map in any online game, partly because of the gameplay and partly because they've nailed the visuals/sound design etc to make it feel like the film.

I remember PCGamer freaking out about how the specs for the game were so outrageously high. I'm not certain, but I believe it's still one of the most demanding (and rewarding) games out there (graphics wise). 

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I remember PCGamer freaking out about how the specs for the game were so outrageously high. I'm not certain, but I believe it's still one of the most demanding (and rewarding) games out there (graphics wise).

 

One of the advantages of consoles, while in many respects an inferior experience to PC, at least you don't really have to worry about whether or not you can run the game (and even with that, BF still looks excellent on the Xbox).

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Another one:

 

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While generally speaking the graphics are actually really terribad Deadly Premonition's faces and character models are top of the line. It's like they put the entire graphical budget into them. :lol:

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I absolutely love the platform style game 'Ori and the Blind Forest'.

I found the visuals absolutely stunning and beautiful. The story is new, unique and quite moving. The soundtrack was wonderfully magical that perfectly suits the game. This is by far my favourite game.

Unfortunately so many people don't even know what it is despite the awards it won or was nominated for... all due to the release of Undertale! They were released at roughly the same time and of course Undertale has over shown so many games.

 

I ask you guys to check this game out. It will become an absolute classic.

 

Here's some info on it:

 

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/nohud/images/d/d5/Ori_and_the_Blind_Forest_cover.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150327105211

 

http://www.oriblindforest.com

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I absolutely love the platform style game 'Ori and the Blind Forest'.

I found the visuals absolutely stunning and beautiful. The story is new, unique and quite moving. The soundtrack was wonderfully magical that perfectly suits the game. This is by far my favourite game.

Unfortunately so many people don't even know what it is despite the awards it won or was nominated for... all due to the release of Undertale! They were released at roughly the same time and of course Undertale has over shown so many games.

I ask you guys to check this game out. It will become an absolute classic.

Here's some info on it:

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/nohud/images/d/d5/Ori_and_the_Blind_Forest_cover.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150327105211

http://www.oriblindforest.com

Yes!!!!!!!! Ori was one of those games at E3 (when first revealed) that I really wanted to be good, and (happily) I was completely blown away when I finally got my hands on it - easily makes my top 5 games of all time list - and it is absolutely gorgeous to look at too! When they released the definitive edition I didn't have to think about it, I saw it in the store and insta-bought it XD

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I really like the graphics of Just Cause 3. It's really intensive on your computer, but it's really good.

 

Here's some screenshots. :catface:

 

 

 

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It feels great to play. You have a huge map, full of gorgeous scenery, which you can just fly through.


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