Look, we all know that there’s two main reasons to play video games. The first is because they’re fun, obviously, but the second one is because the graphics in a lot of games look incredible, leaving you pointing at your TV saying words like “cor”, “phwoar” and “ooooh, isn’t that pretty?” You get the picture, we all love it when games look fantastic, or at least have a visual style that separates them from the pack.
2023 has seen its fair share of games that look incredible, so we’ve decided to rank them just for you. If you’re looking to show off how amazing games can look in 2023, or you just measure the value of video games by how much they make you audibly gasp, this is our countdown of the best looking video games of 2023.
10. Metroid Prime Remastered
Developer: Retro Studios, Iron Galaxy, Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
It might seem a bit strange to include a Nintendo Switch game on this list, given the handheld platform’s shortcomings in graphical fidelity compared to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X & S, but there’s no denying how much better Metroid Prime Remastered looks compared to its original GameCube counterpart. 2023 has seen plenty of remakes, some of which we’ll be talking about later on in this list, but Metroid Prime Remastered is worthy of merit for how much it improves on the original.
From the lighting to textures and overall level presentation, Metroid Prime Remastered is nothing short of a revelation, and is in the running to be considered among the best looking games on the Nintendo Switch. At times, it even feels like a full-blown remake as opposed to a remaster. If this is what Retro Studios, Iron Galaxy and the other studios who worked on this port are capable of with just the original version of the Nintendo Switch, then Metroid Prime Remastered 2 on the next version of the Switch should look absolutely incredible.
9. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform(s): PS5
Insomniac has certainly been putting the PS5 through its paces over the past few years, with their work on both Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and previous Spider-Man games sitting among the best that the PlayStation has to offer. This year’s Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 continues Insomniac’s fine work, and while it’s not the biggest improvement on their previous PS5 games, it’s still a brilliant showcase for the power of the PS5.
Cutscenes and facial animations for the characters are all wonderful, especially for the villain Kraven, but Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 achieves an excellent looking open world on a massive scale, leveraging the PS5’s SSD to allow both Spider-Men to travel through New York and Brooklyn seamlessly. Swinging through the city during a beautiful sunset is one of the most gorgeous things you can do on the PS5 though, so no wonder Spider-Man 2 made an impression this year.
8. Forza Motorsport
Developer: Turn 10 Studios
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X & S
We’ve said this on the website in the past that racing games, particularly simulation racers based on real-world vehicles, are typically seen as the barometers of what a console’s graphics are capable of. Just look at Gran Turismo 7 on the PS5 if you want an example of some of the best graphics that platform has to offer, but this year saw the launch of Forza Motorsport on PC and Xbox Series X & S, creating a brand new graphical showcase in the process.
The Forza games, whether it’s Motorsport or Horizon, have always been absolutely gorgeous, so it’s not surprising that this year’s Forza Motorsport is no exception. From the amount of detail shown on the cars and tracks, to the dynamic weather effects that occur during races which drastically change both the look and feel of a race, Forza Motorsport’s graphics are something to behold.
7. Dead Space
Developer: Motive Studio
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S
It’s hard to say that Dead Space is a gorgeous looking game, because it’s about as grim as games get. The Ishimura spaceship has so many browns and greys in its color palette that this industrial nightmare hardly looks welcoming, but Motive’s work on Dead Space should be commended. You can always add a healthy dose of red to the walls and floors by shooting Necromorphs anyway.
Dead Space is a rather hardcore depiction of sci-fi horror, one that we’ve seen before of course given that this is a remake, but like Metroid Prime Remastered, this year’s Dead Space improves the graphics in a massive way. The lighting in particular is astonishing, even if there’s typically not enough of it to see the monster trying to slice your face off. Either way, Dead Space is a graphical powerhouse.
6. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Developer: Respawn Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S
The Star Wars franchise is perhaps the most instantly recognizable franchise based on visuals alone, so any Star Wars game has to have excellent graphical style, so it’s just as well that this year’s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the best looking Star Wars game ever made. Sure, the gameplay is excellent and among some of the best Soulslikes that have been released this year, but the graphics are something else.
From the urban titan of Coruscant, to the incredible variety seen in planets like Koboh, Jedha and Tanalorr. You might not be there long during the game, but Tanalorr alone is absolutely stunning. Throw in a few realistic yet terrifying looking Rancors and Jedi: Survivor is among the best looking games of the whole year. Well, it was on PS5 and Xbox Series X anyway. PC players might have a different opinion, unfortunately.
5. Resident Evil 4
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform(s): PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X & S
Capcom certainly had their work cut out for them when they decided to take on the mad lad project of remaking the horror classic Resident Evil 4, but Capcom knocked it out of the park with this year’s iteration. Leon’s Spanish suplex sabbatical looks utterly incredible, which isn’t that surprising considering it’s running on the RE Engine, which has been blowing gamers away for years now. Since Resident Evil 7, it’s been hit after hit graphically, and Resident Evil 4 has been the best yet.
The character models, from both the main characters and even the enemies, are all stunning, but it’s the level design, lighting and textures that make Resident Evil 4 one of the biggest graphical standouts of 2023. With Capcom confirming that more remakes are on the way for the Resident Evil series, along with a new version of the RE Engine, future Capcom games are going to look out of the world. Especially Pragmata.
Y’know? Because it’s a space game? We write good jokes here.
4. Final Fantasy XVI
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform(s): PS5
Much like how racing games can be seen as proof of how good graphics can be, a new Final Fantasy game is often met with the same reaction. The Japanese giant’s RPG series tends to push the envelope when it comes to graphics, both in its cutscenes and gameplay, and Final Fantasy XVI was no exception. Sure, it might look more realistic and less “fantasy” than other games in the series, but this is without a doubt one of the best looking games of 2023.
The character designs are stellar, particularly with lead characters Clive, Jid, Cid and the precious good boi, Torgal, but Final Fantasy XVI earns its graphical props with regards to its environments. The world of Final Fantasy XVI, while gritty, dark and oppressive, hides some beautiful vistas and landscapes. On top of that, the elementally-infused combat, which borrows pretty heavily from character action games, looks as impressive as it feels.
3. Mortal Kombat 1
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Games
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S, Nintendo Switch
NetherRealm Studios have been a studio to watch when it comes to games with incredibly impressive graphics ever since their work on Injustice 2. They improved their work even further in Mortal Kombat 11, but this year’s release, Mortal Kombat 1 steps the graphics up to another level. Fellow fighting game release Street Fighter 6 also boasted great graphics this year, but Mortal Kombat 1 takes the cake in that genre.
From lighting to facial expressions, along with the game’s liberal usage of color that just so happens to not be red, Mortal Kombat 1 never fails to catch the eye. Sometimes, it’s hard to take notice of the actual fighting when the arenas themselves are so wonderfully detailed, but if you want a true display of Mortal Kombat 1’s graphical power, start throwing out the fatalities. You’d be surprised how many gooey bits you’d find inside a person.
2. Alan Wake 2
Developer: Remedy Games
Publisher: Epic Games
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X & S
Graphics alone aren’t just what make a game one of the best looking games of 2023, but Alan Wake 2 definitely boasts some of the best graphics of the entire year. The dual settings of the Real World and the Dark Place each boast their own visual style, each of which produces an equal amount of screenshot-worthy graphics and moments, but aside from that, it’s how Remedy creates its visual style that makes Alan Wake 2 a true gem.
Like previous Remedy games, Alan Wake 2 blends in-game visuals and live action footage, with real-life footage often overlapping on top of in-game visuals to create an aesthetic unlike any other game or studio out there. Remedy’s production levels and “swing for the fences” choices they’re making when it comes to visuals are absolutely wild, and we’re here for it. The gameplay and story are also both fantastic, but Alan Wake 2’s visuals alone make it an easy recommendation.
1. Hi-Fi Rush
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda, Xbox Game Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X & S
We couldn’t celebrate the best looking games of 2023 without giving the top spot to the one game that actually looks unlike anything else on the market at the minute, and that’s Hi-Fi Rush. Xbox made a bold decision to surprise launch Hi-Fi Rush during an Xbox Showcase event at the start of the year, but the cartoony visuals and animations meant that Hi-Fi Rush was all anyone could think about once the event was over. While it might have been snubbed in the Game of the Year category almost across the board, no one can deny that it has the best visuals of the whole year.
Hi-Fi Rush’s visuals look like they were lifted straight from a Hollywood animated film production, with the way the cutscenes are shot and the jokes that fly out every 5 seconds only amplifying that feeling. It’s a measure of a game’s success that it can be immediately distinguishable from any other game on the market, and there’s nothing else like Hi-Fi Rush out there.
READ MORE: 15 Best PS5 Games For Christmas 2023
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