The graphics of video games have improved quite dramatically in recent years, especially compared to the pixelated origins of the first video games ever designed. And when you think about it, it’s frankly shocking that video game graphics have progressed as far as they have in such a relatively short amount of time!
So it’s only natural, once you consider how amazing it really is that we’ve managed to achieve such realistic and life-like imagery in our games, that we take a look over some prime examples of games with great graphics. This is why we’ve lined up 15 games for you in this article, and why we’re going to stop wasting time and get right into the list! Sounds good, right? That’s what I thought.
#15: Metro Exodus (PC/Mac/Linux/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S)
The Volga - Realistic Ultra Graphics Gameplay [4K UHD 60FPS] Metro Exodus
We’re starting our list off strong with Metro Exodus, a graphical powerhouse that takes players on a visually stunning journey through a post-apocalyptic Russia. Players will easily get lost in the game's attention to detail within its environments that are nothing short of being frankly phenomenal, with meticulously designed locations that are rich in atmosphere and realism. From the eerie, dimly lit tunnels to the sprawling, desolate surface world, every setting that you’ll find yourself in across Metro Exodus will leave you feeling like you really are stuck in the frozen wastes of a post-nuclear war Russia.
What helps set Metro Exodus apart is its dynamic day-night cycle and realistic weather system. The transitions between the harsh, unforgiving daylight and the eerie darkness of night create a constant sense of tension and immersion as you’re trying to keep yourself in relatively one piece, as raindrops splash against the visor of your gas mask, and at the same time, the cold winter wind howls in your ear while you navigate this brutal, unforgiving world. The characters you encounter in Metro Exodus are just as impressive as the world itself, with lifelike animations and expressive facial animation quality that adds depth to both the immersion factor of the world and the narrative of the story. This level of attention to detail extends even further to the weaponry and gear you’ll collect and use, as well as the mutants and other enemies that you’ll encounter, all of which are intricately and impressively designed.
Whether you're exploring the decaying remnants of Moscow or battling terrifying creatures in the wilderness, Metro Exodus showcases some of the very best in gaming graphics. For fans of survival games, be it previous entries in the Metro series or other similar games like the Fallout series, this game will entertain you with its gameplay just as well as its impressive visuals, serving well as a great start to today’s list.
Flee the shattered ruins of the Moscow Metro and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across the post-apocalyptic Russian wilderness in Metro Exodus.
#14: The Quarry (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S)
THE QUARRY - Gameplay Walkthrough FULL GAME (4K 60FPS, BEST CHOICES) No Commentary
Developed by Supermassive Games and published by 2K, The Quarry is a spiritual successor to 2015’s Until Dawn, in the sense that The Quarry is both an interactive drama horror that’s inspired by classic teen slasher horror and monster films like Friday The 13th and The Thing, and a graphically immaculate experience that utilizes cutting-edge technology paired with incredible performances from an ensemble cast of Hollywood talent. The cast of The Quarry includes David Arquette, Siobhan Williams, Justice Smith, and many more talented individuals who are brought to life in the digital scape through high-quality facial capture technology and filmic lighting techniques that when combined with the performance of the cast makes for a pulse-pounding cinematic thrill-ride on par with some of the best horror movies.
The world of The Quarry is just as detailed as the motion-captured actors themselves, as painstaking attention to detail was put into creating the world of Hackett’s Quarry and the summer camp where our cast of teenage counselors will reside, and potentially get hack-n-slashed if they’re unlucky enough. From the intricately crafted textures of the world of The Quarry, ranging from the rocks and foliage of the forest to the subtle, natural movements of the characters, every element of The Quarry’s graphical ability will leave players astounded by the realism and authenticity of the environments and characters as they dive into the game’s captivating storyline. Whether it is the way the raindrops glisten off the forest leaves, the way that the moonlight casts eerie shadows on the environment, or the way that a splatter of blood looks on the face of a terrified camp counselor, The Quarry will have a bit of everything for fans of both terrifying horror stories and top-tier graphics.
In no uncertain terms, The Quarry raises the bar for what gamers can expect regarding graphics and immersion in a narrative-driven experience. If you’re looking for a tense and thrilling story charged with emotional performances on top of stunningly realistic visuals, then 2022’s The Quarry is certainly worth your time for a playthrough or two.
Survive the night against an unknown deadly foe in The Quarry, where your split-second decisions are that stand between the teenage counselors of Hackett’s Quarry and a certain, grizzly death.
#13: Battlefield V (PC/PS4/Xbox One)
Battlefield 5 : RTX 4090 24GB ( 4K Ultra Graphics RTX ON / DLSS OFF )
Though you could argue that a game like this doesn’t need to have the highest quality graphics available, Battlefield V still went all-out for its graphical quality as well as its gameplay quality. Whether you're storming through the war-torn streets of Rotterdam or trudging through the snow-covered landscapes of Norway, Battlefield V’s stunning visuals will immerse players in the chaos and devastation of World War II as they play across dozens of environments that are both highly detailed and highly destructible. And even though this game was released in 2018, meaning that the graphics in Battlefield V are slightly dated, that sentiment only applies to the technical level as both the visual design of the various world environments still hold up incredibly well five years later, and that’s not even mentioning the quality of character animations either.
What helps Battlefield V distinguish itself is its use of ray tracing technology, which creates incredibly lifelike lighting and reflections across numerous types of surfaces in the game. From the way sunlight filters through dense foliage to the realistic ripples on water surfaces, every aspect of the game world feels meticulously crafted in all the right places, which you’ll notice quite easily if you can afford a moment to stop fighting and look across the war-torn world you find yourself within. The immaculate graphical design is paired wonderfully with the sound design as well, as listening to the roar of massive tanks, the crackle of gunfire, and the various distant explosions going off only further sells you that sense of realism and immersion when playing a match.
Despite being stuck on what are now considered to be “past-gen” consoles, Battlefield V still holds up in terms of its visual fidelity thanks to its well-crafted maps and impressive sound design, which overall makes the game quite the realistic and enjoyable WWII experience, even despite some of the historical inconsistencies that this game is very well known for. But when playing across maps that range from the amphibious assaults of the Pacific Theater, the once-serene landscapes of Belgium that are now littered with tank husks, and even the streets and plazas deep within German territory, you’ll quickly come to see that Battlefield V’s graphics still hold up beautifully today, even with an oddly placed custom character or two being present in the fight.
Experience the intense combat of World War II in real-time when playing across the many masterfully crafted maps located in Battlefield V.
#12: The Callisto Protocol (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S)
The Callisto Protocol - Brutal Combat & Realistic ULTRA Graphics Gameplay [4K 60FPS Cinematic Style]
Taking place on Jupiter’s dead moon Callisto in the year 2320, The Callisto Protocol blends atmosphere, tension, and brutality in its terrifyingly immersive setting of a maximum security prison that gets ravaged when the inmates begin mysteriously transforming into terrifying monsters. If you didn’t know, the director of The Callisto Protocol was directed by Glen Schofield, and if you don’t know who that is already then everything will click once I tell you that he was the original creator of the Dead Space series and that The Callisto Protocol is considered a spiritual successor of that series. Of course, The Callisto Protocol has the additional benefit of modern-day graphics! Though you might’ve already guessed that from the game being on this list.
The Callisto Protocol succeeds in giving players a truly horrifying experience by creating highly detailed and realistic environments, then taking it a step further by dressing them up with nerve-shaking visuals, eerily mysterious noises rattling in the distance, and of course the addition of viscous monsters waiting around every corner. When traversing the Black Iron Prison on the Dead Moon of Callisto, the lighting and shadow effects work in tandem to create an atmosphere that’s as visually terrifying as it is pretty, in its own twisted way. And when you combine the visuals of the world itself with the grotesque and nightmarish creatures that stalk the player, you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat as you become immersed in the horrifying Callisto setting. This level of detail extends to the protagonist Jacob Lee and other human characters as well, who utilize lifelike movements and facial expression animations that only help add to the overall horrifying atmosphere.
Whether it's the flickering lights in the dimly lit corridors or the disgusting enemies getting viscerally ripped apart, every element of the game contributes to both the truly terrifying and visually impressive atmosphere of The Callisto Protocol. So if monstrous mutants trying to kill you while you escape from your incarceration on a Dead Moon sounds like the kind of graphically impressive game you want to dive into, then The Callisto Protocol is your kind of game. But if it's not, don’t worry, we’ve still got a few terror-filled games for you later on in this post.
Uncover the secrets of the United Jupiter Company and explore the depths of fear as you try to escape Jupiter’s Dead Moon of Callisto before you fall victim to the mysterious illness that’s transforming the moon’s inmates into deadly abominations.
#11: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S)
Modern Warfare 3 "Crash Site" Stealth Mission [Veteran] Max Graphics
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III serves as the 20th overall entry into the Call of Duty franchise and the third entry in the rebooted Modern Warfare sub-series. The realistic modern setting of the series returns across both the campaign and multiplayer modes, ignoring the zombie survival mode part of the game of course, which includes the stunningly realistic visuals and technical prowess that the series is known for. All sixteen multiplayer maps from 2009’s Modern Warfare 2 return, alongside a series of new multiplayer missions and the continuation of the single-player campaign’s storyline.
The returning multiplayer maps have been updated with modern graphical quality on top of a few actual gameplay changes such as some maps being increased in size for a few new game modes, giving each map a fresh new coat of digital paint that showcases exceptional visual fidelity across each of the meticulously crafted environments found in-game. From suburban and city environments across numerous countries around the world to snow-covered train depots, arid deserts, lush forests, and a handful of other environment types, Modern Warfare III’s multiplayer will be just as beautiful to look at as it will be intense to fight in. The characters in Modern Warfare III get as much detail as the environments as well, with the player characters being given vivid movement and lifelike facial animations giving an authentic feel to any firefight you’ll find yourself in. And that’s not mentioning the detailed visuals and animations for weapons and equipment either!
Modern Warfare III’s exceptional visuals are paired well with that classic Call of Duty FPS gameplay that’s made the series a success for as long as it has and does its job well of portraying the thrilling intensity and grit of, you guessed it, modern warfare. If you’ve been a gaming fan for any decent amount of time, you likely already know whether or not you’re interested in the latest addition to this long-running series. So if you do find yourself interested, then Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will greet you with both thrilling FPS gameplay and lifelike graphics alike.
Experience the intensity of modern warfare as you engage in fast-paced, blood-pumping FPS combat across both the single-player campaign and various multiplayer maps and game modes.
#10: Hogwarts Legacy (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S/Nintendo Switch)
[8K] Hogwarts Legacy looks simply amazing on RTX 4090 with DLSS 3 and RTX ON - Raytracing FIX
The wizarding world of the Harry Potter series was fantastically brought to life within the gaming world with February 2023’s Hogwarts Legacy. Set in the 1800s before the events of the books/films, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world RPG that allows you to become any kind of Witch or Wizard you want. From the towering castle spires of the iconic Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which has been recreated with stunning and meticulous detail, to the lush greenery of the Forbidden Forest, and a handful of other explorable locations that each are splitting at the seams with enchanting graphics and visual effects meticulously crafted down to the last detail.
Players will be blown away by the intricacy that’s been put into the design of the game’s textures, spell effects, and vibrant, fantastical environments that they’ll be able to freely explore to their heart's content when journeying across the magic-filled world of Hogwarts. Not only will players be able to learn and use new types of spells and potions with their own nicely designed visuals, but they’ll also get to meet a wide range of characters with their own unique and detailed appearances, and maybe even a handful of magical creatures. Everything that you can find and experience across the world of Hogwarts Legacy has been finely-tuned and filled to the brim with stunning visual effects and high-quality details, which when all put together only elevates the immersive experience that’s felt when playing the game.
Whether it’s a burst of Ancient Magic used to overpower a hostile wizard or a simple Lumos spell to light up a darkened corridor, the spellcasting visuals in Hogwarts Legacy never fail to deliver that magical feeling to its players. And when you put those together with the overall well-crafted open-world environments of the game, you’ll quickly find that this love letter to fans of the franchise is a must-play for any Harry Potter fan out there. If you take the opportunity to step foot into the wizarding world of Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll swiftly be enchanted by its captivating graphics just as well as its overarching story and cast of memorable characters.
Discover the mystery behind your ability to use a long-lost form of ancient magic as you become the Witch or Wizard you’ve always dreamed of being in Hogwarts Legacy.
#9: RoboCop: Rogue City (PC/PS5/Xbox Series X/S)
Robocop Rogue City Looks Amazing | ULTRA Realistic Graphics Gameplay [4K 60FPS HDR]
Getting into the singular digits now, players will have to prepare themselves to protect the innocent and uphold the law in RoboCop: Rogue City. Part man, part machine, all cop hero, players will enter the role of the legendary RoboCop as the city of Old Detroit is hit by a new wave of crime that threatens peace and order in the city, meaning that you will have to control RoboCop as he investigates the mystery of who is behind this crime spree. Gathering evidence, interrogating suspects, maintaining public order, and eradicating criminals using your cyborg strength and cybernetic abilities are all in store for you as you fight to determine the fate of the citizens of Detroit.
RoboCop: Rogue City offers fans of the franchise a visually striking experience that’s worthy of sharing the name as the original films, ranging from the way that cement walls and other environmental objects can be crumbled and blown apart through gameplay, the way that criminals move and react as they fight and ultimately get viscerally blown away by the player, and of course the way that RoboCop himself walks, talks, and looks. The iconic suit, the mechanical components, and even the stoic expression of RoboCop have been recreated in stunning detail that it almost looks like it’s directly out of the films. The supporting cast of your fellow officers, the criminals you’ll face, and the civilians of Detroit have also been given that same painstaking level of attention to detail that helps bring the entire game together in a lifelike fashion that’s just frankly impressive.
Longtime fans of the RoboCop franchise will certainly be pleased by the overall presentation of RoboCop: Rogue City. The obvious factors like its enjoyable gameplay of mowing through criminals and dramatically destroying chunks of the world around you like an unstoppable cybernetic force of nature are paired perfectly with its incredibly designed graphics and overall performance from the game’s cast, which includes the original RoboCop actor Peter Weller returning to voice the character as well! So even with the focus on great graphics aside, I do recommend that you give this game a look whether you’re a fan of the franchise or just a fan of well-made first-person shooters, as RoboCop: Rogue City has it all for just about every kind of player and then some.
Enter the bionic boots of Alex Murphy and become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop as you fight with your powerful Auto-9 pistol to protect the innocent and uphold the law by any means necessary!
#8: Alan Wake 2 (PC/PS5/Xbox Series X/S)
Alan Wake 2 - 8k Ultra Ray Tracing Settings RTX 4090 Ultra Graphics! Next Gen PC Graphics Gameplay!
“Monsters Wear Many Faces” Alan Wake 2, the long-awaited sequel to the original 2010 Alan Wake, which resumes the story of best-selling horror novelist Alan Wake, who has been trapped within an alternate dimension for thirteen years and struggles to retain his sanity in hopes of finding a way out. Back in his original world, accomplished FBI agent Saga Anderson’s investigation into a string of ritualistic murders taking place in the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls spirals into a nightmare when she discovers pages of a horror story start to come true around her, suggesting a disturbing link to writer Alan Wake who went missing in the area over a decade ago. Another terrifying adventure is in store for Alan Wake, and the player can expect to be sufficiently immersed in the terror thanks to the game’s equally stunningly and horrifyingly good graphics.
The quality of Alan Wake 2’s RTX graphics and ray tracing tech helps to create a fully realized atmosphere that is assuredly unnerving to find yourself trapped in. The game uses lighting and shadow techniques to perfection, whether it be through flickering lights tricking your eyes as you wander through a darkened building, or dreadful moonlight creeping through the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest, which only further elevates the unease even before the supernatural phenomenon and nightmarish enemies start showing up to play. The high-quality character models and performances of the actors only further add to the foreboding atmosphere in a way that helps wrap the entire psychological horror experience together.
Alan Wake 2 puts players on a slow burn into terror using its equally disturbing visuals and an overarching story told between the titular Alan Wake and the newcomer Saga Anderson. I was a big fan of the original Alan Wake when I played it, so seeing the franchise return to the spotlight with a brand new chapter to the story and fresh new visuals on top of it has been great to see. Some of the graphical heavy hitters on this list so far have been part of the horror genre and this game is no different, so if you’re looking for a good excuse to scare yourself, Alan Wake 2 is fresh off the presses and just waiting for you to get your hands on it.
Best-selling horror novelist Alan Wake and FBI agent Saga Anderson will come face-to-face with a new string of supernatural horrors that are mysteriously brought to life straight from Wake’s horror stories, and will soon find their lives terrifyingly intertwined as they each fight for their survival.
#7: WWE 2K23 (PC/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X/S)
(PS5) WWE 2K23 | Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock | Ultra Graphics [4K 60FPS HDR]
Like most games that center around simulating a real-life sport, the WWE 2K franchise seeks to push the limit of its graphical limit with each subsequent release, and WWE 2K23 seems to be one of the best examples of that mindset so far and raises the bar for the sports simulation genre as a whole. The pageantry and excitement of a live WWE event are recreated in painstaking detail in 2K23, with each of the over 200 playable WWE Superstars being faithfully recreated in the digital realm to such a realistic degree that at a glance you could almost mistake it for the real thing.
WWE 2K23 features many graphical upgrades from the previous release both big and small, ranging from new realistic lighting features to touch-ups on the faces and models of certain wrestlers, including reworked facial expressions that make the Superstars look even more accurate to life. The motion-captured wrestling move animations in the game have been touched up as well, making transitions between move animations look far smoother, upgrading the way wrestlers impact and react to being slammed on the ring mat, and plenty of other smaller upgrades to the overall responsiveness of the playable performers. These graphical upgrades also go beyond the men and women in the ring, with upgraded visuals being given to the arena lighting systems, the visual effects of LED screens around the arena, the effects of the pyrotechnics, and even the expressions and movements of the crowd members around the ring as they roar in response to the action! There are also a few minor changes like referees getting a few bonus voice lines, for example, that nicely add to the overall highly immersive WWE experience.
If you’re a fan of the WWE, pro-wrestling in general, or maybe even if you just enjoy playing the games for fun alongside some friends, you’ll quickly be blown away by the insanely lifelike visuals of WWE 2K23 once you play it for the first time. Whether you choose to play as heroic Faces like John Cena, Cody Rhodes, and L.A. Knight, or as villainous Heels like Roman Reigns, Rhea Ripley, and GUNTHER, among hundreds more playable figures from across the company’s storied history, WWE 2K23 will leave you on the edge of your seat just as if you were watching a live WWE performance thanks to its incredible graphical simulation capabilities that rival even the best of the best across the entire gaming industry.
WWE 2K23 is Even Stronger with expanded features and gorgeous graphics that will make you truly feel like you’re part of the show when playing as all of your favorite WWE Superstars and Legends both past and present.
#6: Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty (PC/PS5/Xbox Series X/S)
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty "PSYCHO" Settings Path Tracing RTX 4090 Max 4k 60fps PC Gameplay!
The world of Cyberpunk 2077 returned to our screens three years after its initial release with the launch of the game’s first DLC pack, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. Phantom Liberty continues the story of 2077’s cyber-enhanced mercenary, known only as V, by introducing an entirely new storyline that features new characters and a new explorable location called Dogtown, a dangerous district ruled by a trigger-happy militia. In Phantom Liberty, you will embark on a high-stakes mission of espionage and intrigue to save the NUS President, where you must forge alliances within a web of shattered loyalties and sinister political machinations with an eccentric cast of characters, including a few familiar faces that look as though they were taken from our reality and placed directly into the world of Cyberpunk 2077.
One of the most impressive aspects of Cyberpunk 2077 is the level of detail that was put into scanning in real-life actor’s faces and putting their likenesses into the game, the most notable examples being Keanu Reeves’ performance as Johnny Silverhand in the main campaign and Idris Elba’s character Solomon Reed debuting in the Phantom Liberty DLC. Each character is so detailed that it feels like looking into an alternate reality where these beloved actors are living out a life in the futuristic Night City. Night City itself shouldn’t be ignored either, as the entire city and its surrounding environments have been crafted with a meticulous level of detail using next-gen graphic and ray tracing technology that truly makes the world of Cyberpunk 2077 look and feel alive. Additionally, we of course have to mention the in-depth details that were put into the game’s entirely first-person perspective which further shows a high level of detail across both general gameplay and scripted story cutscenes.
With its commitment to detailed visual storytelling, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty safely secures its spot not only on this list for its amazingly well-crafted graphics but also among some of the best-looking games ever designed, period. If you haven’t taken it upon yourself to experience all that Night City has to offer, take the opportunity that the newly released Phantom Liberty expansion offers and let yourself get lost in the unparalleled futuristic dystopia of Cyberpunk 2077.
Experience the breathtaking world of Night City through an all-new storyline of high-stakes espionage and intrigue that could alter the fate of not just those around you, but your life as well. In Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, freedom always comes at a price.
#5: Dead Space (2023) (PC/PS5/Xbox Series X/S)
DEAD SPACE REMAKE Gameplay 8K 60FPS RTX 4090 ULTRA REALISTIC
Since we talked about the “spiritual successor” of this franchise back at #12 on this list, it was only natural that at some point we actually talk about this franchise itself, and more specifically that we talked about the 2023 remake of Dead Space. This remake was developed by Motive Studio and was built entirely from the ground up in the new Frostbite Engine to ensure an all-new level of visual fidelity and a slew of changes to the gameplay itself both big and small. With new features like updated lighting systems, upgraded graphics, and even changes to our protagonist Isaac Clarke like giving him a speaking role. unlike the 2008 original, Dead Space 2023 gives fans of the series the chance to immerse themselves in the terror of the USG Ishimura in an all-new, next-gen fashion.
Dead Space 2023 retells the story of the horrors that take place on the Ishimura through a new lens that doesn’t just include changes to characters and even a few new characters, but also entirely revamped audio and visual changes. The entire USG Ishimura has been upgraded not just with new and more advanced graphical textures, but also the addition of new volumetric and dynamic lighting systems to make for an even more immersive experience as you walk through hallways filled with cracked, flickering lights, with looming shadows eerily being cast on the walls, and sometimes with rooms being near-pitch black meaning that you’ll have to rely on your weapon’s flashlight more. Each room, both new and old, is frighteningly detailed both in terms of what purpose the room itself has and the level of blood and violence that’s put on display thanks to the Necromorph outbreak. These updates extend to Isaac and other human characters as well in terms of both visual and audio changes, as both Isaac’s movements and even his breathing and other audio factors will change depending on how wounded he currently is, adding another extra step to the level of terrifying detail that’s present throughout the game.
Dead Space 2023 represents a stunning visual upgrade to a beloved classic, serving as a love letter to fans of the original games while still being a new enough take on the story to be worthwhile to newer fans. For me, Dead Space is one of my favorite games of all time, so seeing it brought back in all its grizzly and bloody glory in a way that shows just how much love and care was put into its recreation by the devs has made me very happy to see. And if you’re a fan of sci-fi horror, then Dead Space 2023’s graphical overhaul and reimagining of its classic story should be more than enough to put this game on your “must-play” list.
Immerse yourself in next-gen sci-fi horror in the 2023 Dead Space remake, where you will once again enter the role of starship engineer Isaac Clarke as he fights for survival against the Necromorph outbreak and his own dwindling sanity aboard the USG Ishimura.
#4: Detroit: Become Human (PC/PS4)
Detroit Become Human - FULL GAME Walkthrough Gameplay No Commentary (Everyone Survives)
Developed by Quantic Dream and produced by David Cage, the team behind Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, Detroit: Become Human is another example of a game that does a masterful job of taking real-world actors and bringing them to life in the digital world. Set in an alternate near-future version of Detroit, in case you hadn’t guessed, this game tells the story of three Androids, robotic beings that look just like humans and were built to be servants to humanity, realizing their place in the world and breaking free of their programming to become “Deviants” that choose to live, fight, and maybe even die for their rights to be free to make their own choices. In Detroit: Become Human, you will experience an incredible cinematic journey as you control the actions of these three androids and determine whether they’ll live to see a new world or die in the old one.
The breathtaking level of detail put into Detroit: Become Human’s world, and more specifically the face models of its characters, set a new standard for the storytelling and interactive narrative genre when it was released back in 2018. The usage of both motion capture and face capture technology was done with expert precision that gave the characters in-game highly detailed movements and expression animations, making each character on screen feel just as lifelike as they already looked. The level of detail also extends to the world of Detroit as well which ranges from city streets bustling with humans and androids alike and overflowing with new technological advancements, to rundown “lower-class” suburban neighborhoods, to a surprising variety of other indoor and outdoor locations that have all been hand-crafted and filled to the brim with details that give us a glimpse into what life is like in this near-future version of Detroit, where human and android share a shaky coexistence.
Detroit: Become Human is another one of my favorite games on this list due to its unique setting and spin on the age-old tale of fighting for the rights and justice for all… or fighting for your superiority and proving your dominance among humanity, depending on whichever story path you choose to follow. Whichever way you decide to shape the stories of the three androids you can play as each pathway will lead you across a rich narrative-driven experience fueled by both top-notch performances from the cast and stunningly realistic visuals that will almost make you forget you’re playing a game instead of watching a live-action film. If I can advocate for any story-driven game on this or any list, Detroit: Become Human is up there with the best of them.
Experience the stories of Connor, Markus, and Kara, three vastly different Androids living vastly different lives, whose stories will ultimately tie together as the surge of Deviant Android incidents continues to grow in this near-future version of Detroit.
#3: Star Wars Battlefront II (PC/PS4/Xbox One)
Star Wars Battlefront 2 : RTX 4090 24GB ( 4K Ultra Graphics )
I think the story of Star Wars Battlefront II’s somewhat disastrous 2018 launch, which garnered plenty of controversy before the game slowly earned back love and admiration from fans after developers DICE spent years fixing their mistakes and turning the game into a genuinely well-made experience, is well-known by most at this point. But one thing that was never up for debate even during the height of the game’s notoriety is Star Wars Battlefront II’s graphical quality. Very few Star Wars games before or even since have managed to capture the level of detail that Star Wars Battlefront II managed to achieve with its graphics, ranging from the way the maps set across various planets were structured, the details that were put into the playable soldier units, and especially the level of care that was put into recreating iconic heroes and villains from across the Star Wars films inside Battlefront II.
Star Wars Battlefront II is a visual spectacle that transports players into everyone’s favorite galaxy far, far away first and foremost with its faithfully recreated environments from across the galaxy, including the picturesque city streets of Naboo’s capital city Theed, the sand-covered spaceport of Mos Eisley on Tatooine, the frozen tundra of Starkiller Base, and many more iconic locations from the Star Wars Universe. From the Battle Droids and Clone Troopers that fought in the Clone Wars, the Imperial Stormtroopers and the Rebel Alliance soldiers that fought in the original films, and even First Order soldiers and Resistance fights from the Sequel trilogy, this level of attention to detail also extends to each of these iconic factions from the film series, including both the customizable ground units and the starships of each faction that can be played in the space battle game modes. And we can’t forget the Heroes and Villains either, from Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker to the Emperor, Rey to Kylo Ren and many more memorable faces from the Star Wars Universe look like they’ve been taken straight from the silver screen and put into Battlefront II.
The quality of Star Wars Battlefront II’s visuals is matched only by its audio quality, which adds to both the immersion of the massive battles via the sounds of blaster fire and explosions ringing in your ears and by pumping in triumphant music from the films that bolster the cinematic experience when watching a match unfold. Battlefront II, despite how negatively I viewed its launch, eventually became one of my favorite Star Wars games ever once I finally gave it a chance and experienced the game properly. So when you factor in the incredibly intense gameplay as well as the mind-blowing visuals of this game, it quickly becomes clear that Star Wars Battlefront II is certainly deserving of its #3 spot on this list.
Experience legendary battles that take place across the generation-defining Star Wars Universe, either as the footsoldiers of the galaxy’s many factions or as one the most memorable heroes and villains that the galaxy has to offer.
#2: The Last of Us Part I (PC/PS3/PS4/PS5)
The Last of Us Part I : RTX 4090 24GB ( 4K Ultra Graphics DLSS OFF )
The story of The Last of Us has been told across multiple console generations since it was first released for the PS3 in 2013 and has since won a combined 500+ Game of the Year awards after its release. Then, after the 2020 release of The Last of Us Part II, the original game was remastered and relaunched on both the PS5 and on PC in 2022 as The Last of Us Part I, which was completely rebuilt from the ground up to take advantage of newer and updated hardware. From completely updated character models, updated graphics for the game world, and even updated controls and a few other new additions, The Last of Us Part I has done more than it needed to earn itself a spot on lists like these.
This post-apocalyptic survival game paints a bleak yet breathtakingly realistic picture of a world ravaged by a mysterious disease, which you’ll get to see plenty of as you experience Joel and Ellie’s tense and unforgettable cross-country journey through the ruins of America. The game perfectly showcases the quiet of a post-apocalypse world as you venture through ruined cities filled with slowly crumbling skyscrapers that are overgrown with plant life and abandoned suburban neighborhoods of empty homes and leftover detritus from those who used to live there, among dozens of other locations wonderfully brought to life through the game’s updated graphics and dynamic lighting systems. The characters living in this world are as believable as the world itself, with the performances given by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson as Joel and Ellie respectively making these characters feel the next best thing to real when combined with their detailed movements and facial animations that convey every nuance of their emotions, with their interactions and expressions drawing players into the emotional depth of their journey in such a lifelike way that it creates a narrative experience that is as visually captivating as it is emotionally gripping.
The Last of Us’s advanced graphical detail is just one part of the game that helps it successfully tell its emotionally moving story about the weary survivor Joel and the bond he slowly develops with 14-year-old Ellie as they fight for survival across the country. It’s likely no surprise to most that this game ended up somewhere on this list, regardless of its deserving status of being here. And it shouldn’t be a surprise either as the visual storytelling that we see in The Last of Us is just as important as every other piece of its expansive puzzle.
The story of Joel and Ellie returns with modern graphical changes and upgrades to the character models and expressions, giving an all-new layer of depth to an already emotionally gripping experience.
#1: Red Dead Redemption 2 (PC/PS4/Xbox One)
Red Dead Redemption 2 ►RTX 3090 Ti i9-12900KS Ultra Settings PC Gameplay! 4k Resolution 60fps
Capping off our list at #1 is Rockstar Games’ long-awaited sequel to its original 2010 old western classic, Red Dead Redemption 2. After many long years spent in development, Red Dead 2 was finally released in 2018 and gave us one of the most immersive and detailed worlds across gaming as a whole. This prequel story to the original Red Dead sets players in the boots of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw criminal on the run alongside his gang of fellow killers and thieves, as he travels across the roaming countryside of America in the year 1899, where both Arthur and the player will experience firsthand the dying days of the “Wild West” era in American history through the game’s captivating storyline and beautifully crafted graphics.
What immediately sets Red Dead 2 apart from most other open-world games is the high level of detail that’s put into virtually every element of the game’s dynamic, ever-changing world, especially in terms of its day-night cycle, and its realistic weather simulation that features some breathtaking visuals thanks to the game’s lighting systems, along with an intricately crafted wildlife ecosystem that features hundreds of different animals across different parts of the world, making every moment spent exploring the map a truly immersive experience. This level of degree extends to the human NPCs too, who each have their own unique appearances and daily schedules that they follow an everyday cycle, and can each be gunned down and have body parts blown off in highly-detailed ways thanks to the extensive and realistic details put into the game’s gunfighting. One of my favorite things to do in Red Dead 2 is to simply bask in the lifelike visuals of the game’s world, such as the absolutely stunning way that the sun’s rays beam through the clouds rolling overhead that look better than any other game I’ve played, or the way that you can see the infinite sea of stars when looking up from your campsite at night.
Red Dead 2 has earned its fair share of praise and awards since it was released in 2018, in no small part due to the level of technical advancement that the game managed to achieve. Rockstar Games is known for going above and beyond when pushing for the little details in their games just as they do the big ones, and Red Dead 2 might just be the ultimate example of the love and passion that their developers put into making their games. If there’s any game that deserves to be put at our #1 for its remarkable attention to detail and overall amazingly crafted world, it’s without a doubt Red Dead Redemption 2.
Experience the story of Arthur Morgan, an outlaw in the Old West who knows he’s in the final days of the “Wild West”, fighting for his survival within a visually stunning world that no longer wants men like him living in it.
Conclusion
And that’s it for this list of some of the Top 15 games with amazing graphics. Now that you’ve gotten to the end of this list, what do you think? Do you agree with the lineup of games that you’ve got, or do you wish there was a game or two that we had mentioned instead? If you’ve got something to share, I would love to read it for myself! But if not, I’ll instead just thank you for reading, and hope that you’ll come around again for the next one.
You may also be interested in:
- 15 Games With Really Impressive Graphics
- [Top 10] Most Important Video Game Design Elements
- Top Ten 4k Games That You Need To Check Out
