The best graphics in the world. Games with the most beautiful graphics

Every computer game developer tries to improve their product. One of the improvements is improved graphics quality. Since 2014, it has become possible to significantly improve the realism of graphics, and already in 2017 it is possible to create whole list such products. It is very difficult to single out one game, but there are several projects that can confidently be called leaders in the rating.

Forza Horizon 3

The car simulator was presented in September 2016. It became the ninth part of the series. Many critics immediately noted the fact that at the time of the product's release, Forza had the most realistic graphics in the game. This was facilitated by the ForzaTech engine, thanks to which the developer company was able to achieve very high picture quality.

Distinctive feature The simulator has become cross-world between platforms. The thing is that the game is available for personal computers running the Windows operating system and for the Xbox game console. The hardware allows gamers who play on personal computers and consoles to compete with each other.

Worldwide critics gave high marks to both versions of Forza Horizon 3. The most authoritative publications, which are GameRankings and Metacritic, stated that at the end of 2016 Forza is the game with the most realistic graphics. The car simulator received an average score of 87% and 86 out of 100 from GameRankings and Metacritic, respectively.

Battlefield 1

It was released in the spring of 2016 and for 6 months took first place in the most realistic graphics category. Well-known critics immediately spoke out about Battlefield 1 and highly valued the shooter.

Like previous versions of the series, this part was created based on the Frostbite engine, which was first used by the developer several years ago. It allows you to achieve a high level of destructibility and high quality graphics. Battlefield 1 took first place in the “Graphics of the Year” category according to the popular web resource “Gaming”.

Since the release of the trailer, both critics and gamers have lashed out. positive reviews. The first video, which showed the gameplay of the game, was released almost at the same time as Call of Duty. However, DICE's product received five times more positive ratings than the legendary Call of Duty. After this, many experts dubbed Battlefield the “CoD killer.”

The product with the most realistic graphics in the game in Russia faced serious criticism. At the presentation of the shooter, it was announced that the game would include Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the United States of America, Austria-Hungary, as well as Ottoman Empire. The reason for the indignation of domestic gamers and critics was the lack Russian Empire. In this regard, the Russian community sent a petition to DICE asking to add the Russian Empire to the list of playable nations. The developers' response was not long in coming. The company said that both France and the Russian Empire will appear in upcoming additions to the game.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon

The tactical shooter was released in early spring 2017 and immediately became the game with the most realistic graphics on PC. The announcement took place two years before the official release at the E3 computer games exhibition.

A distinctive feature of the shooter is the open world. Before this, no product in the series could boast of such an element. The gamer begins the game as one of the members of a fictional group of fighters from the United States of America. The group was formed to solve certain operations based on the US Army.

After the release of the game, the Bolivian government issued a statement condemning the developers for presenting their state in the shooter as a country where violence and drug trafficking are rampant. The developers later issued a statement in response, saying that Bolivia was chosen because of its beautiful landscapes.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon shooter was nominated for the title best game 2015. But despite the fact that Ghost Recon has some of the most realistic graphics in games, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon could only win the “Best Shooter” category.

GTA 5

The cult GTA franchise has not pleased its loyal fans for a long time. The fifth part of the series was announced in 2011. Owners of personal computers had to suffer for a very long time, but only got the opportunity to enjoy the game in April 2015. As of 2013, when GTA 5 was released on gaming consoles, it was called the game with the most realistic graphics in the world.

A distinctive feature of the 3D shooter was the presence of three heroes at once. This did not happen in any of the previous versions of the famous game. The gamer has the ability to switch between characters almost at any time. There are also missions during which the player can control two players at once.

The game consists of 62 main missions and a large number of side missions. However, the number of main missions increases by 7 as there are chapters that can be completed in multiple ways. Additionally, GTA 5 has three different endings.

The game received the highest ratings both in Russian-language publications and in foreign ones. For example, the most popular Russian web resource “Igromaniya”, dedicated to video games, gave the 3D shooter a rating of 10 out of 10, as did the well-known foreign publication IGN.

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt"

But GTA 5's leadership did not last long. In mid-May 2015, the third part of the famous Witcher series was released. Immediately after the release, it became clear that in “Wild Hunt” you can see the most realistic graphics in a PC game. In early autumn 2016, version 1.3 was released. The real-time strategy game is available for all popular platforms.

The lead artist stated that CD Projekt RED would use different methods when creating character models than those used to develop the first game in the famous series. While working on “Wild Hunt”, models of the game’s characters were first created, on the basis of which low-resolution models were formed. They are what are used in the game. To depict hair, fabric, shadows and fur, tools from Nvidia were used.

Star Wars: Battlefront

The Star Wars franchise is represented not only by a large number of films. This extends to video games as well. In 2015, a first-person shooter called Star Wars: Battlefront was released. The game was the third in the series. The shooter was created over the course of two years. Development began in 2006. But in 2008, work on it was frozen until 2013.

Battlefront's gameplay is all about combat. The gamer can choose which side to take. He has the opportunity to fight for the rebels, going through a campaign based on the original trilogy, or play for the army of the Galactic Empire. Star Wars fans have a great opportunity to take part in the most famous battles in the galaxy. One of the advantages of the game is the fact that the gamer is able to control military equipment.

Despite the popularity of the franchise and excellent graphics, the game did not receive high ratings from foreign publications. In Russia, popular gaming resources gave the shooter a rating of 8 out of 10. Only Playground gave Star Wars 5 out of 10.

Fra Cry 5

Another game with great graphics. Its announcement took place in mid-May 2017. The expected release date for the first-person shooter is late winter 2018. The development by Ubisoft will take graphics in computer games to a new level.

The gamer will control a sheriff's deputy. He will have to go to the fictional Hope County in order to arrest Sid, who has decided to establish control over the entire county. A distinctive feature of the fifth part of the game is the presence of an editor in which you can change appearance main character. You can change not only things, but also the skin color and gender of the character.

The game will feature large number gadgets and a wide arsenal of weapons. It includes shotguns, pistols, bows, explosives and even baseball bats. Also in battle, the main character can be helped by wild animals tamed by him. The game's campaign can be completed in single player mode or in multiplayer.

Need for Speed: Payback

The new NFS was introduced in early June. The official release is scheduled for the end of autumn this year. Critics are already saying that the most realistic graphics in the game will be in the new “Need for Speed.”

The car simulator will be available on all engines - Frostbite 3. Multiplayer and single-player modes are available in Payback. Vehicles will be divided into five categories: drift, racing cars, off-road, runner and drag. For racing, one or another class of car is required. Police cars can drive around the town of Fortune Valley and chase the racers, and do not hesitate to break any rules traffic to stop violators.

The main characters of the game are Tyler Mac and Jesse - three race car drivers who team up to challenge the Dom cartel. The cartel took control of criminals, corrupt police officers and the city's casinos. Three riders will try to make a difference in Fortune Valley.

Bottom line

It's difficult to answer which game has the most realistic graphics on at the moment is capable of leading the ranking of the best projects. IN recent years every product is different high quality images. In some cases, it is difficult to distinguish a picture in a game from a movie.

At the moment, the game with the most realistic graphics is Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, released in 2017. However, with a high probability, the car simulator will be moved from the first line of the conditional pedestal in the same year, when the game NFS: Payback is released. But the legendary car simulator won't stay at the top for long. Assassin's Creed: Empire is expected to be released in 2017 and will become the best game in the world in terms of Graphics.

Just 15 years ago, you couldn’t even think about realism in games. Everything looked sketchy, angular and primitive. But technology does not stand still - over time, the picture acquired detail, shaders, HDR and other effects that greatly raised the quality bar appeared. More time began to be devoted to depicting the surrounding world, the physics of the objects located in it, and the notorious cinematography appeared.

Below we will look at several particularly technically advanced projects that managed to amaze gamers with their graphical component.

Ten games for PC and consoles with the most realistic graphics

Star Wars: Battlefront II

  • Platform: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
  • Release date: April 15, 2017
  • Developer: EA Dice, Criterion

The sequel to Battlefront turned out to be a controversial project in all respects - overly casual and monotonous gameplay, long leveling, unlocking weapons and, as the final nail in the coffin of player expectations, aggressive imposition of donations in the form of . The only thing we can praise the developers for is the excellent graphics.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q51LZ2HpbE Video can’t be loaded: Star Wars Battlefront II: Official Gameplay Trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q51LZ2HpbE)

The Frostbite engine allowed us to show excellent pictures, realistic effects and a lot of small details, such as leaves swaying in the wind, circles on the water, or dust raised by a vehicle hovering near the ground. When it comes to space battles, the wow factor is here to stay. Space stations, laser projectiles and explosions look no worse than in the original film.

L.A. Noire


  • Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, XBOX One
  • Release date: May 17, 2011
  • Developer: Team Bondi, Rockstar

Open world detective L.A. Noire cannot be called a graphically advanced game. It was released on the previous generation of consoles, squeezing the most out of it (and even on PC the situation has not changed much). Therefore, players had to put up with low detail in the environment, a small number of NPCs, and other consequences of the desire to “shove in what can’t be squeezed in.”

The game is definitely worth recommending to all fans of realistic graphics for its system of character facial expressions. All dialogues were recorded by professional actors using Motion Capture to thoroughly convey the characters' personalities. And this is not just a visual decoration, but a working gameplay mechanic. By questioning suspects and witnesses, lies, fear, and other emotions can be revealed.

Detroit: Become Human


  • Platform: PlayStation 4
  • Release date: May 25, 2018
  • Developer: Quantic Dream

Quantic Dream has once again managed to squeeze out all the possibilities from the current generation of Sony consoles. First there was a good Fahrenheit for PS2, a kind of test of the pen, then the extremely popular Heavy Rain was released and Beyound was dubiously received by the public. And now, having the power of the PS4 at their disposal, the developers have managed to make an interactive movie with well-animated characters. There are, of course, minor flaws, but they are skillfully masked by a blue image filter and a slight blurriness of the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BWFlO_cHjA Video can’t be loaded: Detroit: Become Human – Trailer from E3 2016 in Russian | Only on PS4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BWFlO_cHjA)

The in-house engine with Tiled Forward rendering is simply beyond praise, and of course, the sophistication of the animations, as always, is at its best from Quantic Dream

Crysis series


  • Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
  • Release date: 2007-2013
  • Developer: Crytek

Despite the fact that several years have passed since the release of the final part of the trilogy, it still manages to load gamers’ computers. And this is not some Assassins Creed: Origins, which, with an empty world and stripped-down graphics, is ungodly slow and laggy. In Crysis you can immediately see where the resources of the processor and video card are spent. Realistic shadows and lighting, destructibility of small objects, detailed high-poly textures. The developers did a particularly good job with the vegetation - the blades of grass sway in the wind and bend to the sides when the character walks along them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvs8tv4lh9M Video can’t be loaded: Crysis 3 – Official full gameplay trailer! (HD) 1080p (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvs8tv4lh9M)

However, not only the third part deserves attention. Even the original, released back in 2007, looks more decent than many modern projects. Walking through the jungle dotted with vegetation, enjoying high-quality weather effects, is still interesting today (especially if you install the HD mod).

Once the kings of photorealism, Crytek created a truly cool graphics engine that works quickly and is still in use today.

Rise of the Tomb Raider


  • Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One/One X
  • Release date: 2015
  • Developer: Crystal Dynamics

The latest installment in Lara Croft's adventures has raised the bar for video game quality to a new level. The developers' own engine, Foundation Engine, produces excellent images while adequately loading the system. Physically accurate rendering of materials made surfaces look realistic, and the combination of HDR and adaptive tone mapping allowed for excellent lighting effects - highlights, transitions from dark to bright, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRY4kooD9oM Video can’t be loaded: Rise of the Tomb Raider PC Trailer 4K (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRY4kooD9oM)

Interaction with the environment was also a success. Steps in the snow leave realistic paths, and the main character’s bathing in the water is accompanied by circles diverging in different directions. We also worked on the character himself - all movements look smooth and cinematic. Of course, to experience all the benefits, you need to play on a PC or at least buy the PRO/X versions of the latest generation consoles.

The Order 1886


  • Platform: PlayStation 4
  • Release date: February 20, 2015
  • Developer: Ready at Dawn

If you are the proud owner of a PS4 console, be sure to play The Order 1886. This dark action game in the steampunk style does not offer any original mechanics, but it allows players to admire the beautiful graphics.

Thanks to the efforts of the developers, the result is a real interactive film - you won’t immediately notice when a long interactive video smoothly flows into the gameplay. The level of detail in the game rivals that of early CGI graphics like those featured in the Final Fantasy animation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hxz8IWWzt8 Video can’t be loaded: The Order: 1886 | E3 2014 Full Trailer | PS4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hxz8IWWzt8)

Doom (2016 version)


  • Platform: PC, Xbox ONE, PS4, Nintendo Switch
  • Release date: May 13, 2016
  • Developer: id Software

The atmospheric shooter Doom has become a real treat for the eyes of gamers, while being perfectly optimized even for systems that are weak by today's standards. The setting of the game itself (the action takes place on a Martian base under attack by demons, and in hell itself) does not imply the presence of abundant vegetation, water and various effects that cause sagging frame rates. The power freed from the additional load was directed to more worthwhile things - high-quality high-resolution textures, effects from shots, explosions and realistic dismemberment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEQuDIVcU7o Video can’t be loaded: DOOM First Trailer E3 2015 in 4K UltraHD (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEQuDIVcU7o)

Doom looks great even on medium settings, but it would be much better to crank the settings to ultra-nightmare levels and raise the resolution to 4K. True, you will have to fork out for a modern video card with 6GB of onboard memory and a monitor that supports 3840x2160.

Rainbow Six: Siege


  • Platform: PC, Xbox One, PS4
  • Release date: December 1, 2015
  • Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

At the start of sales of the multiplayer shooter Rainbow Six: Siege, many gamers felt deceived and quite naturally bombarded Ubisoft with accusations. And all because the gameplay and graphics shown turned out to be greatly reduced when compared with the promotional video released two years before the release. The developers were forced to cut some effects and remove destructibility in some places so that their project would produce normal performance in multiplayer battles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbLLRdg9u8 Video can’t be loaded: Inside Rainbow Official Trailer – Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbLLRdg9u8)

However, if you put aside the opinions of people with the “high expectations syndrome” and look at the picture objectively, you can see a well-done job - realistic light and shadows, well-detailed textures of characters and environments. Various small effects like smoke from shots, bullet marks on walls, etc. also look excellent.

Siege hits 60 FPS with an almost completely destructible environment! Graphics programmers have made the most of the In-house engine!

GTA V


  • Platform: PC, Xbox 360/One, PS3/4
  • Release date: September 17, 2013
  • Developer: Rockstar Games

At the time of release, back in 2013, the new part of GTA set another high quality bar for games with open world. The need to create a huge seamless space did not stop the developers from Rockstar from detailing the environment and making realistic transitions weather conditions and time of day, natural reflections in glass, water and other mirror surfaces. To unlock the potential of the game and turn the settings to maximum, gamers had to put their consoles on the shelf and buy powerful PCs equipped with video cards with a memory capacity of at least 4 gigabytes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFmArNoAVfw Video can’t be loaded: GTA 5 NEW ULTRA REALISTIC GRAPHICS MOD 2017 (4K) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFmArNoAVfw)

Now, of course, the new Just Cause is coming out, and the second Watch Dogs was able to show great graphics (no). Compared to them, GTA V is slightly outdated, but the situation is easily corrected by modders. Enthusiasts are posting more detailed textures on the Internet, playing with filters and lighting, and working on effects. This allows you to achieve impressive results - screenshots of a well-pumped version are difficult to distinguish from CGI and even real photographs.

Project Cars


  • Platform: PC, PlayStation 4, XBOX One
  • Release date: May 6, 2015
  • Developer: Slightly Mad Studios

The developers of this excellent racing simulator took the old engine from NFS Shift and worked hard on it, creating a graphically advanced product. The detailing of the textures, both inside the car's interior and on the exterior, is simply amazing. Yes and the world around us with its weather effects, dust from under the wheels, and a realistic lighting system, it will also delight those who like to sit behind the wheel of a virtual car. For graphics connoisseurs, a special photo mode has even been invented that allows you to take pictures of sports cars from different angles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjN6WfQUzbY Video can’t be loaded: Project CARS | Ultra Settings | Rain, storm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjN6WfQUzbY)

Conclusion

As sad as it is to admit, computer game developers have stopped chasing realistic images in their games. This is due to their focus on the console market, which can provide much greater profits than sales on PCs. And since the hardware of these systems is not particularly powerful and is not able to squeeze out a stable 60 frames in new products (the same upcoming Spider-Man from Sony will work at a modest 30 FPS in FullHD), no one will add additional graphical bells and whistles to the game. We can only wait for the next generation of consoles and hope that at least it will allow us to achieve a technological breakthrough.

I'm sure many will say that choosing games with best graphics simpler than, for example, games with the best plot or the most unpredictable ending. In the end, . But it's not that simple. Some things are really easy to evaluate - lighting quality, display realism various materials(that is, does the metal body of the car look plastic) - everything is clear here.

But it happens that the engine is great, but the designers screwed up a little, and then we see not the best animations, primitive and monotonous landscapes, and so on. But it also happens differently - not the most powerful engine (hello Skyrim), but through the efforts of the developers, everything and even more has been squeezed out of it. What is this all I'm leading to? Even such a TOP 10 can be a little (very little) subjective, because different people may evaluate game graphics differently.

Another thing you should remember is that games that are currently being rated are being rated - that is, up to January 2016. Therefore, projects such as Deus Ex: Mankind Divided And Dishonored 2(and others due out during 2016) will not be mentioned. And now that all the i's have been dotted, let's move on to our review.

10. Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain

Last Metal Gear(really the last one, because Hideo Kojima left, but the plot ended) amazes not only with its plot and gameplay. There are also excellent graphics here. Magnificent landscapes of the jungle and deserts, conversations with partners, excellent visual implementation of all game moments (for example, kidnapping pets using miniature balloons). Weather effects and changes in time of day are commonplace here. You can specially start landing in the evening, in order to admire the sunset, you can enjoy watching the explosion you created. It's not about shaders and pixels (although the engine is really good), the whole point is in the very atmosphere that the game's graphics create. And it deserves as much praise as the plot.

9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3

A great depiction of a dystopian future. The smoke and explosions look great, the cityscapes are pleasing to the eye, and the characters don't look like plastic bobbleheads. The levels are varied, some are gloomy, others are a typical theater of war, and others... well, this is something strange, but, nevertheless, very beautiful. And if we remember the characters again, the facial animation is very well done. Here you can immediately see emotions, you don’t have to guess them, here you believe the actors, and this is worth a lot. In general, the game can be praised for its graphics. It’s just a pity that the plot let us down – but that’s a completely different story.

8. Project CARS

The graphics in this racing simulator are excellent. Every detail of your car is worked out, shiny surfaces don't look like varnished plastic, and weather effects not only affect the gameplay, but are also simply beautiful. And most importantly, when you’re rushing through the rain (the weather here changes in real time), or towards the sunset, don’t forget to breathe, because everything is so beautiful that it’s simply breathtaking. Yes, the game has some arcade feel, and in some places the gameplay is not the most sophisticated - but a lot can be forgiven for such graphics.

7. Batman: Arkham knight

A story about a famous Dark Knight It's not so much the level of special effects as it is the sophisticated design. No, we don’t have any special complaints about the engine - rain looks like rain, wet surfaces shine, everything explodes as expected - but that’s not the whole point. The most important thing is the elaboration of the city landscapes. Not the cardboard props of many shooters, but a real city with real, living people. Here you believe that this is an office building with many workers, “blue” and “white” collars, and this is a classic residential area. There is no falsehood, and therefore you understand much better and faster who you came to protect. In general, this is the same case when the designers squeezed everything that was possible out of the engine.

6. Witcher 3

Someone may be indignant about how he got here The Witcher 3. Yes, there was a situation that the developers themselves admitted - for the release version they somewhat reduced the quality of the graphics, because in the form in which the game was originally, no console would have supported it. But, firstly, many patches have been released to correct this problem. And secondly, the game should be praised, first of all, for the work of the designers, in particular for the way the nature is made here. Glares of light on the water, trees swaying in the wind, dust raised by the wind. Here the nature is not just realistic - here you believe that this is that very reality. Therefore, the game definitely deserves praise for the picture on the monitor.

5. Star Wars: Battlefront

In this game, the bet was made on nostalgic fans of the famous saga, who will not tolerate falsehood, and who need that very picture from that very film. Landscapes are easily recognizable and look literally photorealistic. Without any clue, we can say that this is Endor with its tall forests, and these are the deserts and canyons of Tatooine. And what kind of space is there and what kind of battles... Everything looks just great even on consoles, not to mention PC. Despite the fact that the game is not as dynamic as many other shooters, you can calmly enjoy all these beauties. In general, if you want to look at familiar landscapes up close, welcome to the front line.

4. Rise of the Tomb Rider

The same one. In the new part, the graphics clearly did not disappoint. Animal tracks in the snow, which can be used to track prey (by the way, this applies not only to animals). A camera that tries to show us all the delights of local landscapes. And Lara herself, who is always nice to look at. Speaking of landscapes, sometimes you just want to admire nature, and the game even encourages us to do this, giving us short breaks. What else is interesting about the picture - everything here is not only beautiful, everything here is also logical. These are not paper models, these are real houses, cars, trees and mountains. And here's another thing... When Lara does her acrobatic tricks, try not to stare too much, yeah?

3. Bloodborne

A strange situation with this game - magnificent dark landscapes, classic gothic as it is, well-made opponents, sometimes striking with their terrifying grandeur, sometimes causing genuine disgust - and no opportunity to admire it all. As soon as you gape, your head is torn off, just like in classic Gothic works. As a result, you never stop noticing all the beauties, no – they just put you in the right mood. You don’t expect anything good here, and you quickly realize that these abandoned ruins were abandoned for a reason, and the blood on the walls is not decoration, but the remains of unlucky visitors. The picture perfectly complements the plot and gameplay, and does not stand alone, and this is pleasing.

2. Order: 1886

If you try to briefly describe this game, the following definition comes to mind - gothic interactive cinema. And, as in any movie, the picture is very important here. The detail and elaboration of the surrounding world is simply shocking. The first moments you just sit slack-jawed in front of the screen and admire the details of the environment. Everything has been worked out, even the smallest objects, and we can see them all up close. Then, when you break away from this activity a little, the landscapes begin - and then again you fall into prostration for a while. And then the movie (in the sense of action with shootouts) begins, which delivers the “finishing blow”. Yes, the game is short, but its graphics are simply amazing.

1. Dying Light

One could say that this is just a game about zombies with everything that goes with it, but fans might inadvertently beat you up for this. And they will be right, by the way. In addition to the fact that the gameplay and plot are not entirely typical (In terms of gameplay, it’s a very good survival game, and in terms of the plot... in general, I won’t spoil it here, it’s better to see for yourself), the game also has excellent graphics. The characters behave as if they were alive, their movements do not look wooden, and emotions can be guessed without words. A quick glance, a fleeting smile or a grimace of disgust - all this and much more simply fits into the phrase “facial animation”. But all the delights of the graphics don’t end with the characters. The cityscapes are impressive. When you look at the city from the rooftops, it is simply breathtaking. And when you walk around the apartments, it becomes really scary. Neat furniture, beautiful cheerfully colored wallpaper – and splashes of blood with swirling flies. We have already seen all this, but it was in Dying Light it really gets under your skin. In general, the game has such excellent graphics and design work that only the highest score can be given for it.

Halo 5, Forza Horizon 3, Battlefield 1, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands and many others

The computing power of today's gaming systems allows developers to create real miracles. But some 20 years ago everyone dropped their jaws to the floor because of the picture of the original Quake!

In general, the notorious “graphene” is now a universal measure of the quality of almost any game: gamers like technologically advanced projects in which the shadows fall evenly, and the circles scatter in the water according to physics, and so that that vase in the far corner of the room, in which even You can’t go in, there were no “ladders” at the throat. The developers realized this, and therefore, in many AAA projects, stupid scripts, annoying music, faceless and spineless characters, or simple gameplay began to appear, which are reliably plastered with a good layer of 4K textures, advanced physics and ultra shaders, which sometimes make you want to scream. But some truly justify their graphicness, and that’s what we’ll talk about today. Here are the top 10 games that will load your video card to its limits.

Halo 5: Guardians (XONE)

343 Industries, 2015

The latest installation in the series about the adventures of a galaxy-famous Spartan has a good plot, but what primarily attracts attention is its chic graphic design. And this is logical, because the series is famous not only for its deep and detailed universe, but also high level manufacturability. The story cutscenes running on the game engine look simply impressive, and the game itself is a little inferior in terms of detail and level of polish, but the difference is so insignificant that you don’t even notice it. Especially when everything is racing at 60 frames per second.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Redux (PC, PS4)

The Astronauts, 2015

This forest walk simulator was created on Unreal Engine 4, which allowed the developers to create a beautiful and highly detailed world with simply fantastic drawing distance and picturesque panorama, which, despite its visual splendor, still harbors a piece of a dark and frightening atmosphere. Something sinister is clearly hidden behind the marvelous facade, and wandering through the forest, riding an old tram and rummaging through the rubbish of dilapidated houses of an abandoned village, thanks to realistic graphics, you are immersed in this world headlong.


Forza Horizon 3 (PC, XONE)

Playground Games, 2016

One of the most beautiful racing games of the current generation, which perfectly demonstrates the capabilities of the Xbox One console - Forza Horizon 3. The game takes place in Australia, and the artists from Playground and Turn 10 were able to very convincingly convey all the beauty of this continent, with its dry deserts, dense jungles and cozy towns. Not to mention the weather effects, physical model and simply stunning coastal sunsets.


Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (PC, PS4, XONE)

CD Projekt RED, 2015

CD Projekt RED, the authors of the already legendary Witcher trilogy, wrote their own engine during the development process, called REDEngine. "Wild Hunt" looks infinitely beautiful with its mysterious snow-covered creeks mountain peaks, tiny villages and picturesque thickets. And reverent attention even to to the smallest details, beautiful special effects of spells, water physics and other barely noticeable, but so important for immersion little things, make the world truly alive.


Battlefield 1 (PC, PS4, XONE)

EA DICE, 2016

DICE games have always looked great (thanks, Frostbite Engine), but this first-person action game set during World War I raises the bar even higher than usual. Dirty trenches, sun-scorched deserts and dense forests; menacing tanks, terrifying armored trains and huge airships - it’s as if you really are on the front line and the outcome of the war may depend on your every step. For complete immersion, you can completely disable the interface.


Batman: Arkham Knight (PC, PS4, XONE)

Rocksteady Studios, 2015

Despite a very tough start, associated with hundreds of angry reviews from owners of the broken PC version, and even a halt in sales on Steam, this story about a crime fighter in tight latex was remembered by many. The transition of Bats from one generation of gaming systems to another gave developers access to significantly greater computing power, which, as in the case of Assassin's Creed, for example, made it possible to create a larger and more detailed world that was fully able to convey the dark tone of a world mired in crime and the lawlessness of Arkham. And all the visual power of the game is demonstrated by the size of Batman's carriage, which takes up 160 gigabytes on your hard drive.


Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4)

Guerilla Games, 2017

This is an amazingly beautiful game set in the distant future, where people share their world with various robots. Guerilla Games has been working with the hardware of Sony consoles for a long time, so it was not difficult for them to create a stunning 4K world with flora and fauna previously unseen in any game - a kind of symbiosis of primitiveness and post-apocalypse. Well, all these brilliant cyberbeasts, which you can watch for hours, discourage German game makers from releasing another simulator of hunting poor wild boars - here it’s much more fun to do it.


Uncharted 4: A Thief's End (PS4)

Naughty Dog, 2016

Sometimes it seems that Uncharted 4 uses the resources of the PS4 at 100 percent and even finds some hidden reserves of the system that even the company's engineers were not aware of. There is no other way to explain how the game even manages to work with all that level of insane detail in almost every cobblestone. Textures, work with light and shadows, special effects, physics - everything in this game is done at a phenomenal level. Now we are waiting for Naughty Dog to not let us down with the Crash Bandicoot remaster - these components are no less important there.

Months of persuasion and daily savings on school lunches throughout the year have finally borne fruit - your parents bought you a monstrous computer system capable of clicking “Crises” like nuts. Naturally, you immediately turned up the graphics settings in Minecraft to maximum and fell out of your chair in surprise. The changes were so unnoticeable compared to the minimal settings...

But how can you not show your friends from the next door the square faces of the main characters and the sprite jungle with greetings from the nineties? I want to show them a picture so realistic that they will choke on their own drool. And then we appear on a white horse with a list of the most beautiful games for PC. Install them on your beast and enjoy the envy of your school friends.

Now you can expand the list, but for now we’ve jumped off to compile a rating of the most soulful gaming projects for those who are ready to put up with even pixel graphics, as long as the game has that same atmosphere.

11. Crisis

  • Developer Studio: Crytek
  • Engine: CryEngine 2
  • Release date: November 2007

A real legend among schoolchildren of the mid-2000s (the current generation of students is already praying for Crysis 3) and the main counter-argument for PC boyars when arguing with console players. The fact is that this project is PC-exclusive (we are talking about original project, since the game was released on consoles with a different engine) and even after 9 years it looks like a cucumber. Clear textures, divine sun rays, incredible detail - all this creates a beautiful picture, which, however, has become a little outdated over the years, which is why Crysis did not make it to the top of our rating.

If you were born after the release of this game, but consider yourself a true follower of Vanomas, then completing Crysis should be at the top of your priority list for the coming weekend. Even though many people criticize it for its boring gameplay, ill-conceived balance and banal plot, it doesn’t matter, because where else can you pick up a highly detailed turtle and throw it into the azure waters of the ocean?

10. Battlefield 4

  • Development studio: DICE
  • Engine: Frostbite 3
  • Release date: October 2013

For a long time, the Battlefield series was revered by millions of schoolchildren around the world for its graphic perfection, and the fourth part is no exception to the rule. This tradition will certainly be continued by Battlefield 1. So, what can this multiplayer shooter offer us? Large-scale battles involving several dozen soldiers and pieces of equipment, an advanced destruction system, high-quality textures and a huge number of bugs. At the time of release, the game was almost unplayable, and the frame rate rarely exceeded 30fps even on the most powerful gaming systems. True, today most of these errors have been eliminated.

Battlefield 4's system requirements still look pretty daunting, and there's a good reason for that. The fact is that it has such an option as a resolution scale, which allows you to increase the clarity of all textures in the game. Naturally, it “eats” a huge amount of resources, but at the same time it allows the project to demonstrate an excellent picture.

9. Far Cry: Primal

  • Development studio: Ubisoft Montreal
  • Engine: Dunia Engine 2
  • Release date: March 2016

Although in the new part of Far Cry we have to play as a caveman, modern hardware is required to run it at maximum settings. The game boasts good lighting, detailed environments and clear textures. In addition, Far Cry: Primal on PC uses the latest Nvidia technologies, which can plunge even “top” video cards into a swamp with low fps.

Otherwise, this project is a classic conveyor product with a minimum of innovations and a maximum of borrowings. Even the original setting is not able to dispel the boredom of tedious collecting flowers and killing cute saber-toothed cats with believable fur (thanks again to Nvidia). But you can see in detail the evil faces of the Neanderthals. Why not exotic?

8. Just Cause 3

  • Developer Studio: Avalanche Studios
  • Engine: Avalanche Engine
  • Release date: November 2015

Dictators beware! Rico Rodriguez is back on the hunt. This time he decided to go to his homeland - the fictional Medici Island - to deal with another tyrant who dreams of world domination. Just Cause 3 is worth buying for those players who adore vast spaces and tropical landscapes. The area of ​​the game world here is almost 1000 square kilometers, and the lighting and visual effects are so good that, at times, it feels as if the hero is in real paradise. At least, it seems so, until the realization comes that every resident of the island wants to send the protagonist to the next world.

Another advantage of the game is its very advanced physics, which allows you to destroy large objects and launch opponents into the air, tying them to gas cylinders. True, realism is a little difficult here - you understand this when main character, as if nothing had happened, jumps from one jet plane to another right in the air, and then attaches it to a helicopter and arranges a cheerful aerial carousel.

7. Assassin's Creed: Syndicate

  • Development studio: Ubisoft Quebec
  • Engine: AnvilNext
  • Release date: November 2015

In the middle of the 19th century in Great Britain, things were not very good for workers - they had to work 12 hours in a factory to earn money for food. Now those who want to buy a computer capable of running Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate at maximum settings have to work for so many hours. It tells a lot interesting story about the Fry twins, who are trying to put together a gang of ordinary London workers in order to throw the elite, who are also Templars, from their homes.

In addition to a good plot, there is the classic gameplay of the series and good visuals that immerse players in the atmosphere of Victorian London. High-resolution textures, excellent play of light and shadow, excellent animation of movements - allow you to believe in what is happening on the screen and truly empathize with the main characters. In addition, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate on PC got rid of all the software “sores” that plagued the previous part.

6. Rise of the Tomb Raider

  • Developer studio: Crystal Dynamics
  • Engine: Foundation
  • Release date: January 2016

What can Lara Croft fans expect from the developers of the next games featuring the new adventures of the Tomb Raider? Exciting gameplay? Original locations to explore? Abstruse puzzles and complex riddles? Of course not - everyone is waiting for a better model of the main character, and Crystal Dynamics did not disappoint the fans. The 2016 PC version of Rise of the Tomb Raider features the most detailed model of Lara in the series' history. Just look at these rounded shapes of magnificent natural landscapes. Where else can you see such beauty?

The only pity is that PC users had to wait several months before the game appeared on computers. Let's hope that the next part will be released on all platforms at once and will delight players with even better “landscapes”.

5. Metro: Last Light Redux

  • Development studio: 4A Games
  • Engine: 4A
  • Release date: August 2014

The first Crysis was considered the most graphically advanced and hardware-intensive game for several years until the release of Metro 2033, which amazed many with its perfectly simulated subway and beautiful lighting. Metro: Last Light Redux is the latest installment in the series and continues its tradition by pushing players' systems to the max and presenting them with incredibly realistic locations. All thanks to the use of geometric tessellation, volumetric fog, advanced PhysX, clear textures and complex smoke effects.

However, in open locations this game still loses to the other heavyweights in the rating, which is why it is only in 5th place.

4. Crysis 3

  • Developer Studio: Crytek
  • Engine: CryEngine 3
  • Release date: February 2013

If the original Crysis blew everyone's minds with its mind-blowing graphics at that time, then the second part looked like a poorly made console port. Adherents of the PC cult accused the developers of all mortal sins and promised them a separate cauldron in Hell. Crytek got scared of the enraged occultists and released another game that melted any video card at the moment of its launch. Even now, running Crysis 3 on ultra settings requires an expensive graphics accelerator.

What can surprise the third part of the seasoned PC boyars? Firstly, a huge number of heavy visual effects and believable physics. Secondly, using tessellation. Thirdly, the use of high-resolution textures. All this still produces a wonderful picture, which is why Crysis 3 took such a high position on our list.

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

  • Developer studio: CD Projekt RED
  • Engine: REDengine 3
  • Release date: May 2015

Who would have thought that the Poles are masters not only in pickling cucumbers, but also in creating large-budget role-playing projects. A striking example of this is The Witcher series. The second part could well have made it into our rating if the third had not existed, since even it shows an excellent picture, although it was released about 5 years ago. As for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it may be inferior in terms of realistic graphics to Star Wars: Battlefront or Crysis 3, but in terms of atmosphere it is much ahead of them.

There is an incredible feeling when you stand in a clearing in the middle of blossoming apple trees and see in the distance the white caps of mighty mountains, which are not ordinary decorations, but real objects that you can reach on your own two feet. Plus, don’t forget about mods for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which can significantly improve the lighting and quality of textures in the game.

2. Star War: Battlefront

  • Development studio: EA DICE
  • Engine: Frostbite 3
  • Release date: November 2015

Photorealistic images, spectacular shootouts, as well as familiar scenery and characters - what else do Star Wars fans need to be happy? Oh yes, the presence of a single-player campaign, the absence of paid DLC, the total cost of which exceeds the price of the game itself, the presence of a larger number of planets, vehicles, characters, maps and other game elements... However, we digress from the topic, because in terms of graphics, Star Wars: Battlefront on PC is incomparable, which is why it is one of the three most beautiful games.

The forests of Endor amaze with their dense vegetation and tall trees, the rocky surfaces of Tatooine look as if they came out of the photographs of a professional photographer, and the wastelands of Sallost, covered with lava veins, are just asking to be put on your desktop as wallpaper. But most importantly, you don’t have to have a super-powerful “machine” to enjoy all these beauties, because the developers managed to perfectly optimize their game. However, Titan owners should not be upset about this, because they can always turn up the resolution scale to 200 percent and see even the smallest grains of sand on the ground.

1. ?

There is no first place. Why is this so? It's simple - most TOPs are a subjective assessment of one person trying to present his point of view as objectively as possible. However, the first place should represent a kind of ideal, and, as you know, even the sun has spots. Therefore, each player’s rating will always be topped by his own game. In some cases it may coincide with the author's choice, but in others it may not. For example, I personally would place Gothic 3 at the top, which at one time amazed me graphically more than Crysis. It was quite difficult to get used to the fact that only a year ago we saw characters with shovel hands in games (hello GTA: San Andreas), and a few months later we were walking through the beautiful forests of Myrtana. Which game would you put in first place?