Most beautiful game you've played?
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I would have to say the most beautiful games I have played are COD:MW, Homeworld, Homeworld 2, Freelancer and X3.
# COD4 springs to mind because of how gorgeous and silky smooth it played on my PC with all the graphics ramped up, and being utterly impressed by the graphical and sound quality of the game, as well as the set pieces. The sound of a silenced M4 in that game is divine.
# Homeworld 1 for the simple reason of seeing multiple ion beams flying across space smashing into enemy ships, accompanied by what I can only describe as middle-eastern themed battle music (I'm probably wrong in that regard). Seeing the trails left by fighters, bombers and corvettes, seeing fighters and corvettes refueling; It was a sight to behold.
The same could be said for Homeworld 2 for the most part.
# Freelancer was just breathtaking for me, both in a graphical and aural manner; Together they made the game incredibly immersive.
# X3, mostly because it is very pretty. Nothing much else to say because I couldn't figure out how to play it
# COD4 springs to mind because of how gorgeous and silky smooth it played on my PC with all the graphics ramped up, and being utterly impressed by the graphical and sound quality of the game, as well as the set pieces. The sound of a silenced M4 in that game is divine.
# Homeworld 1 for the simple reason of seeing multiple ion beams flying across space smashing into enemy ships, accompanied by what I can only describe as middle-eastern themed battle music (I'm probably wrong in that regard). Seeing the trails left by fighters, bombers and corvettes, seeing fighters and corvettes refueling; It was a sight to behold.
The same could be said for Homeworld 2 for the most part.
# Freelancer was just breathtaking for me, both in a graphical and aural manner; Together they made the game incredibly immersive.
# X3, mostly because it is very pretty. Nothing much else to say because I couldn't figure out how to play it
As the usual suspects have already been mentioned or are 100% certain to come up, I'll go with current issues.
Right now, GTA V (Online) blows me away with its weather and lighting effects, and all the different materials and textures said light is allowed to bounce off of. Sure, it still has some issues and got some new annoying ones with the latest patch, but the lighting on our anemic current consoles is just stunning.
It's just so darn beautiful that inbetween all the killing, you really do want to go someplace nice to enjoy the sunrise or sunset or whatever it is that pleases your eyes to the point of utter bliss.
Right now, GTA V (Online) blows me away with its weather and lighting effects, and all the different materials and textures said light is allowed to bounce off of. Sure, it still has some issues and got some new annoying ones with the latest patch, but the lighting on our anemic current consoles is just stunning.
It's just so darn beautiful that inbetween all the killing, you really do want to go someplace nice to enjoy the sunrise or sunset or whatever it is that pleases your eyes to the point of utter bliss.
My first thought upon reading the title of this thread was Okami. I was amazed at how beautiful it was when I first played it and I can't think of anything that even comes close to it today. Just look up "Great Divine Intervention" on youtube.
I don't have a PS3 so I never had the chance to play Journey.
I don't have a PS3 so I never had the chance to play Journey.
Wind Waker, Okami, Mirrors Edge, FF13 (Gapra Whitewood!) and 13-2 (probably 13-3 too), FF12, Prince Of Persia 2008, GTA V. Cell shading always looks good so add in any other game that does it.
It's less about pure graphics (like Crysis) and more about aesthetics for me.
It's less about pure graphics (like Crysis) and more about aesthetics for me.
I boot it up every so often just to play here and there for a few minutes, and I always forget that it's a game which was originally released in 2008. It probably helps that they didn't really have to bother too much with character modeling since most of the enemies share models and there are only about three or four other unique models in the game not counting Faith, but the game does hold up really well. The stark contrast of white with bright reds, greens, yellows, and blues makes everything pop just that little bit more and helps obscure any potentially low-res textures.Zhukov said:
OT: As far as pure fidelity goes, The Witcher 2 or Crysis 3 probably take the cake. It'd be far more difficult to pick one based on artistic aesthetic, and most of those have been taken already.
I'll take "beautiful" as something visual. In that case, I'll give it top 1 to Trine 2 (maybe 1 as well) followed by graphically modded Skyrim (ENB Shaders--- super awesome) and Oblivion. Crysis also comes into mind. Metro 2033 and Last Light for the atmosphere. X3 Terran Conflict surely is the best in space. Bioshock Infinite, and Guild Wars 2 also come into mind.
Wow, I never intended that list to be *that long.
Wow, I never intended that list to be *that long.
I don't know exactly what you mean by beautiful but the reason I keep saying Metroid Prime and Half-Life 2 are the greatest is partly because how engaging their environments can be. Oh hell, there is plenty of games I could mention that are beautiful in their own way.
A few more ideas:
Guild Wars 2. Their proclaimed "painterly" art style is positively gorgeous. The textures are top-notch and colorful, and the world feels alive and vibrant, moreso than most. It truly is a thing of beauty.
Magic: the Gathering. Sure, the graphics may not be as flashy as some, but the art is truly magnificent: simultaneously epic and tiny, grim and silly, hideous and beautiful, logical and abstract. Few other games can boast such diversity. (What? you didn't say video game, did you?)
Minecraft. I think Gavin "Miracle of Sound" Dunne said it best [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/miracle-of-sound/3009-Mining-All-Day-long]: "... I start to see the world in grey and blue and brown and green. These pixels are so simple and so beautiful and clean. And I feel good cuz' I've been minin' all day long."
Odin Sphere. A pioneer of the 2D sprite brawler, so full of life and color, but retaining its otherworldly style; a caricature of real life.
Final Fantasy 7. Top-notch visuals for its day, but the enduring parts are its themes of love and loss. FF7 takes the inner identity crises that stem from personal loss, trauma, and horrific tragedy and externalizes/explores them in ways only a video game can. (and the music... dear God, the music... I still well up a bit to Aeris's Theme.) Still a beautiful game at its core, despite not having aged well graphically. (Similar, but less game-specific praises to the other classic Final Fantasy games of the SNES and PS1 eras, some of which still hold up today.)
Guild Wars 2. Their proclaimed "painterly" art style is positively gorgeous. The textures are top-notch and colorful, and the world feels alive and vibrant, moreso than most. It truly is a thing of beauty.
Magic: the Gathering. Sure, the graphics may not be as flashy as some, but the art is truly magnificent: simultaneously epic and tiny, grim and silly, hideous and beautiful, logical and abstract. Few other games can boast such diversity. (What? you didn't say video game, did you?)
Minecraft. I think Gavin "Miracle of Sound" Dunne said it best [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/miracle-of-sound/3009-Mining-All-Day-long]: "... I start to see the world in grey and blue and brown and green. These pixels are so simple and so beautiful and clean. And I feel good cuz' I've been minin' all day long."
Odin Sphere. A pioneer of the 2D sprite brawler, so full of life and color, but retaining its otherworldly style; a caricature of real life.
Final Fantasy 7. Top-notch visuals for its day, but the enduring parts are its themes of love and loss. FF7 takes the inner identity crises that stem from personal loss, trauma, and horrific tragedy and externalizes/explores them in ways only a video game can. (and the music... dear God, the music... I still well up a bit to Aeris's Theme.) Still a beautiful game at its core, despite not having aged well graphically. (Similar, but less game-specific praises to the other classic Final Fantasy games of the SNES and PS1 eras, some of which still hold up today.)
I have to say Assassins Creed Revelations. Not a big fan of the AC series but the visuals of Revelations were just down right gorgeous. If anything I enjoyed this just as a virtual tour through ancient Istanbul(or Constantinople if you please). Skyrim deserves praise as well, if just for the beautiful weather effects and snowy landscapes. The graphical details and lighting effects of GTA5 are very impressive too, so much so that I think it will even put many early next-gen games to shame.
Metroid Prime 3 for Bryyo and Skytown. I'm told it looks even better in the Trilogy edition.
The Old Republic also has some jaw-droppingly beautiful planets and locations, such as Nar Shaddaa and Alderaan.
The Old Republic also has some jaw-droppingly beautiful planets and locations, such as Nar Shaddaa and Alderaan.
I'm probably going to get a lot of flak for this but I still consider Final Fantasy XIII to be the most beautiful game I've ever played. I hated the actual game play, disliked the plot and, strongly disliked all of the characters but it was absolutely beautiful.
As for a beautiful game that I both played and enjoyed, Wind Waker. That is, the original Zelda-Wind Waker on the Gamecube. I don't have the HD yet but should have it in the next few months. Even so, the original completely holds up in when it comes to prettiness.
As for a beautiful game that I both played and enjoyed, Wind Waker. That is, the original Zelda-Wind Waker on the Gamecube. I don't have the HD yet but should have it in the next few months. Even so, the original completely holds up in when it comes to prettiness.
Red Dead Redemption is drop-dead gorgeous. There's just something about deserts and their surroundings that make them so pretty.
Minecraft can have some really nice vistas, especially when you look at some of the maps made in Worldpainter. A good texture pack helps as well.
The Myst series have some stunning locations, especially in Riven and Exile.
Minecraft can have some really nice vistas, especially when you look at some of the maps made in Worldpainter. A good texture pack helps as well.
The Myst series have some stunning locations, especially in Riven and Exile.
I don't know what other people would count as making a game beautiful but the game where I had the biggest 'wow' moment with the visuals has got to Bioshock Infinite (Hallelujah). The moment where you see what will be the setting for the majority of the game was just breathtaking, seeing this amazing city in the sky that's aesthetically gorgeous and actually pretty unique (not to mention seeing the high quality of graphics in AAA games being used to convey more than just a brown-y grey-y dull blur).
Then there's also Flower, Journey, Skyrim (even without mods), Uncharted 2 + 3, Last of Us, Oddworld Strangers Wrath, Borderlands (I absolutely love the whole cell shaded look), and Final Fantasy 12 (although it's a bit dated these days).
Then there's also Flower, Journey, Skyrim (even without mods), Uncharted 2 + 3, Last of Us, Oddworld Strangers Wrath, Borderlands (I absolutely love the whole cell shaded look), and Final Fantasy 12 (although it's a bit dated these days).