What do you think the best looking PC game released to date is?

[LookingGlass]

I'm wondering what game you'd use to test out your new system. To really show you what it can do. For a while, it was obviously Crysis (1), but I'm not sure that there's a consensus these days.

I started playing Metro 2033 last night (for the second time). I remembered it running like crap on my old computer, but I foolishly expected this 2 year old game to be able to run it on its highest settings in DirectX11 mode on my ~1 year old PC. It was fine for the first 5-10 seconds... then not so much. Still, even on settings my PC can handle, it does look pretty awesome.

But are there better looking games?

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

The Witcher 2 is probably the best looking game and one of the most demanding. Ultra + Ubersampling looks amazing.

But Trine 2 looks magical. I can't stop looking at it. It's so pretty.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

Crysis 1 and 2, Witcher 2, Battlefield 3, Metro 2033, DIRT and Forza, all are top of the line in their own ways.

Honestly, I'd say the best looking game ever made is PROBABLY Crysis 2 on it's highest settings. It may not have the OMG REAL look that Crysis 1 has, but it has an astounding level of detail on its own while also maintaining a much stronger and varied art style.

 

[The Madman]

Overall probably Witcher 2. I just love the attention to detail and the bright vibrant colours it presents. Lighting is also brilliantly done as is the motion blue and other visual effects. It really is just a brilliant looking game!

Trine 2 is also absolutely fantastic looking. Just something about bright colourful fantasy settings that I love I guess.

 

[Haunted Serenity]

EVE Online looks pretty damn sexy now. They are slowly patching/updating the skins of sations and ships and well everything.

Minmatar ships still look like a gravity well in a scrap pile happened then tied some solar pannels to it. Voila. Why do I fly that garbage around?

 

[OSHarlequin]

Well apart from the obvious ones like crysis and the witcher, i'd have to say games like company of heroes or the recent entries into the total war series.

Shogun 2 anyone?

 

[Weaver]

Just Cause 2 maxed out can actually be really beautiful.

 

[Dragonmaster3]

Crysis 2, Battlefield 3, Witcher 2, and Dirt 3. All of them look really good on the PC.

 

[distortedreality]

Crysis 1, Witcher 2, Metro 2033, Far Cry 2.

A year ago I would of preemptively added BF3 to the above list - such a shame that I can't.

 

[isometry]

Crysis still has some of the best graphics, and it was made on a budget of $22 million [http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/899/899976p1.html] and released in 2007. This industry is in bad shape if games are profiting hundreds of millions and it just goes into fat cat wallets instead of towards producing better games.

"Sir, we could upgrade to Crysis level graphics, but it would cost us 2-3% profits."

"Pah! No need to bother doing that when they will buy slightly-sharper-than-Xbox graphics!"

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well CryEngine 2/3 is capable of higher details with DX11, however Crysis 2 is a console port so they limited it extremely in howmuch you get to see.
But with custom jungle maps it still blows everyone else out of the watter.

When it comes to aesthetics however Trine 2 is the king.

 

[lacktheknack]

Just Cause 2 maxed out can actually be really beautiful.

This. It's definitely up there.

I can't put my finger on which game is objectively the prettiest, all other factors aside.

However, if we are to consider the time it was made, the answer is Myst IV. It's about five different types of gorgeous, even eight years later.

 

[demolisher360]

I'd say the best looking are probably metro, battlefield and crysis, but that's to be expected as most of these games are showcases of new engines (eg. rage, crysis, battlefield). Things like metro and trine aren't however which is why they stand out.

 

[spartandude]

either

Spoiler: The Witcher 2

or

Spoiler: Trine 2

 

[Blood Brain Barrier]

I would say Trine 2. Impossibly beautiful, even if you don't like the gameplay.

 

[Phisi]

Are we going with solely best looking or graphical fidelity as well because DEFCON still looks fantastic in my opinion