Prettiest Videogame

[norashepard]

Just kidding. In all actuality I think Mass Effect 3 had a lot of stunning scense (so did the other two, but ME3 has Palaven burning, so it wins. Other games with good visual style: Deponia, Asscreed III, and Sanctum.

Mass Effect had a very strong aesthetic and very good effects, and while I'd agree for the most part ME3 looked terrific with quite a few stunning scenes and set pieces, I've taken a look at some of the models and they're actually of lesser quality than their counterparts from the games previous. It's actually most apparent on the multiplayer models: from the waist-down, the textures are of half the resolution that they are from the waist-up, and almost every character model is like this in some fashion. You learn a lot about that stuff when you stick around the Garry's Mod porting community.

I am well aware of this. I do a lot of personal texture modding for lots of games, and Mass Effect is no exception. I hated the jaggedness on Legion because it's supposed to be this sleek robot but then no! Same thing with EDI who has some extremely visible texture glitches. So I made a whole bunch of replacement textures and it fixed it up quite nicely. It's too bad the game isn't easily moddable or else I'd release them to other people and the game would be even more pretty for everyone.

Although I think there was a TEXMOD pack for it somewhere that probably does it better than I ever could anyway.

 

[VladG]

I'll just throw in Bioshock Infinite. The game looks amazing, it's visual design and aesthetic are outstanding. Another good argument that solid aesthetic design will trump pure raw power any time (I'm looking at you, Crysis 3. Impressive graphics engine, still not as beautiful as Bioshock Infinite's much lower fidelity engine)

 

[Kyrian007]

Wow, a lotta great games mentioned here. I'd like to add Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean. The Gamecube Hardware isn't what one might call by today's standards very powerful. But Baten Kaitos still really holds up in the "pretty" category, which says a lot for how good the art design truly was. The game dropped the ball in more than one other category (voice acting was especially terrible) but this was a pretty game. Fun too.

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[ClassicJokester]

Pretty surprised no one's mentioned Bastion yet, but I guess I can forgive it this time.

Even if they don't know it at the time, anyone that talks about games needing a strong aesthetic theme in addition to graphical fidelity is talking about Bastion.

Spoiler: The Sundown Path

Spoiler: Prosper Bluff

Spoiler: The Bastion

I would use any and all screenshots from this game as a desktop background.

After getting my hands on Bioshock Infinite, it's easily top 5 for me. Seeing the post below me about Wind Waker reminds me why I play that every couple years, as well. Brilliant art design.

 

[Hades]

From the looks of it, Bioshock infinite. I don't care about graphics at all but i'm just drooling over how pretty Columbia looks.

 

[Drummodino]

Hmmm so many options... I'll break this up by platform I think.

PS2: Kingdom Hearts blew my mind as a kid.
PC: Far Cry 3 is astonishingly pretty.
PS3: Uncharted 3 is drop dead gorgeous, Naughty Dog really squeezed every last drop of power out of the PS3 in that game.

Honorable mentions for Shadow of the Colossus, Bastion and Skyrim.

EDIT: Also cookie for Minecraft's very unique style

 

[octafish]

Trine 2, Guild Wars 2, the newer maps in BF3, the ones with the wild flowers, the Witcher 2...and Minecraft because I find it pleasing to.look at.

...I suppose Skyrim too, if you mod it enough.

 

[Sp3ratus]

Since my first choice has been taken(Journey) as well as a few others, I was thinking of, I'll mention something else.

First is:

Spoiler: Eufloria

Simplistic, but very pretty.

Second up is:

Spoiler: Enslaved: Oddysey to the West

It's pretty in a ruinous sort of way. While the implications of the nature "taking back the world" are pretty dire, it sure makes for an amazing sight.

Last, but not least:

Spoiler: World of Goo

The visual design for this game makes sure this game stays pretty for years to come. There are lot of good levels in this game, but the above is one of the favourite.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

In 2013, is Odin Sphere still the prettiest game ever?

Why, yes, it is.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

Otogi. Fairy tale Japanese aesthetic, with incredible use of vibrant colour, fantastic use of particle effects (cherry blossom, falling leaves, etc), impeccable art design and a genuine sense of creativity and invention.

...it wasn't me...? I wasn't the one to mention Otogi first?!? What is this madness!?! I completely agree though. The best reason to own an Xbox in the day was Otogi and Otogi 2. They were fun to play and very pretty: True spectacle fighters.

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I agree with so many of these already but I'll add one of my own.

Viva Pinata

Such a wide range of colour used throughout both Viva Pinata and the sequel Trouble In Paradise.

I'll also mention Mirror's Edge and its' very slick and clean presentation too.

I had the first VP and had a lot of fun with it. It was another reason to go over with Xbox as it was (and probably still is) the most vibrant exclusive on the 360. I miss my little, paper-mache' crocodile...

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For me, it's Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (Gamecube...for now anyway).

There are Wii games that don't look this good. Hell, there are a cadre of current gen games that aren't as vibrant as this one. The expansive ocean is juxtaposed by many different dungeons and castles just waiting to be explored. I also really liked the bosses in this one...

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As much as I hated Final Fantasy XIII...it was god-damn beautiful.

 

[Festus Moonbear]

Curse of Monkey Island is a beautiful game and a reminder that not everything has to be in 3D. Oh, those clouds!

Spoiler

And of course Far Cry 2, where you can almost get a suntan just by playing, and shade is always welcome:

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[putowtin]

Skyrim,
It was the first game I played on my new, shinny, 40? HD LED
Wow do those mountains look good!
(Hon mentions to Uncharted 2 & 3)