QOTW: Which is the most visually stunning computer game?

[KeyboardDemon]

A visually good computer game will always be relative to others in it's time.

Back in 1984, I thought the graphics in Elite where visually stunning. I thought the same in 1997 when Quake came out. These days the graphics on either can easily be beaten by the cheapest of phones or consoles, but at the time they where groundbreaking.

This is so true, but that said, when it comes to thinking about games that are visually stunning I think it has more to do with how the visual make me feel rather than simply how technically brilliant the visuals are or were at the time.

There are a few games that spring to mind for me, games like the Alan Wake series were stunning because of the way they used light and dark, the spectacular backdrops and awesome locations.

I really like the settings in the Battlefield games a lot more than the COD games as these have massive vistas and open horizons to look across.

If I had to name a single game it would have to be Assassin's Creed. From the very first time I climbed a tower and activated the Eagle Vision and was rewarded with that awesome animation as the newly unlocked map locations were revealed to me I was instantly hooked on that game. Later games improved the visual quality, but none have managed to match that moment of amazement for me in quite the same way, but I have still never tired of that and love climbing the towers in games now, be an Assassin's Creed title, Far Cry 3 or 4 or even Tomb Raider.

[jonathan_phang]

For me, if its wow, then it has to be Crysis 1. It was leagues ahead of what had come before, from a certain viewpoint. I remember getting to that first vantage point, light shining through the trees and thinking wow. More recently, it gets tougher due to greater computing power available etc, but I would have to say overall, Crysis 3. I've recently gone back to playing it to test out some new crossfire drivers, and not that I have the pure grunt to play it at a fluid FPS, I get to realise what a beautiful, detailed world it was. Went from a test to playing it all again. From an artistic point of view, coupled with graphics, was the Bioshock game. Walking into and around Rapture was amazing, loved that Art Deco style.

[cptwhite_uk]

WipeOut (1995) on the original PlayStation was something of a revelation coming from a Mega Drive.
Destruction Derby - the physics and realism were also amazing back in 1995/96
Freespace 2 - Massive capital ship battles in space, just awesome
Half life 2 for pure realism back in 2004 - the lighting and textures were incredible at the time.
Crysis - The first sunrise after the intro bit with the vista and the waterfalls / water animations
Battlefield 2/3 at their respective times were also incredible to look at

[TaintedShirt]

The games many of you have mentioned were so realistic and they were/ are amazing for their time.

For me, however, the game I found most visually stunning was not that realistic but gave more of an atmosphere. It is a game I still take out and play and that game is Mirror's Edge. I really love the look of the game, the colours etc.

[KeyboardDemon]

The games many of you have mentioned were so realistic and they were/ are amazing for their time.

For me, however, the game I found most visually stunning was not that realistic but gave more of an atmosphere. It is a game I still take out and play and that game is Mirror's Edge. I really love the look of the game, the colours etc.

It is a stunning game game, great PhysX effects too, you could almost feel the wind on your face.

[jim]

Thinking back, I reckon Oblivion and Crysis were the ones that impressed me the most.

I remember *finally* coming out of the dungeon in Oblivion and just gazing at the scenery for ages.

[Agrippa]

Right now it has to be Witcher 3, but the biggest visual impacts I got from Morrowind and Oblivion. Morrowind because it was so utterly different from anything and everything else and Oblivion because the scenery was of a whole different league at the time.

[xslavic]

GTA V of course.

[Moogly]

Toss up between Mirror's Edge and Hot Pursuit 2010. When they came out my mind was instantly blown. Extra points points for the fact that they looked awesome even when your rig sucked.

[3s-gtech]

HL2
Uncharted 2 and 3
Mirror's Edge
Far Cry 3
GTA V

...all have blown me away in different ways. HL2 redefined how games could look for me - I built my PC purely to play it, and wasn't disappointed. The fact it still looks good is testament to that.

Uncharted (1 looked good, but 2 and 3 were jaw-dropping) went to show how much beauty could be created from great design rather than just graphical horsepower. The ships' graveyard was something else.

Mirror's Edge was so distinct, clean, fresh and memorable. Loved that game, even after falling off the same roof 50 times.

FC3 was so pretty. That is all.

GTA V just achieved so much. It was beautiful on PS3, will get it on PC when my rig is up to it. I expect I'll be blown away again.

[TRUTHnTRINITY]

I was blown away by a few games, Mario World 64 was amazing for me as a 8 year old, I remember Oblivion and Battlefield Bad Company 2 really blew me away when they released, the original and 3rd Crysis, Skyrim was pretty breathe taking, Lost Planet 2 looked awesome any platform, the first Assassin's Creed really was a beautiful game, and Medal of Honor 2010 was like candy!

[TRUTHnTRINITY]

Forgot one, Project Cars! Seeing the detail added to the vehicles and the realism of the weather....mind blown!

[loccothan]

Lot of'em exists:
Crysis 3, DA:I, Witcher 3, Assetto Corsa, NFS Rivals, ROME, Ryse, Dying light, Trine....

[this_is_gav]

For the current scene I find Next Car Game: Wrecked to be awesome. Creaming into a corner with 30 other drivers with tyres and debris flying in all directions. I still don't know how a PC copes.

The Forest is very pretty.

The Tomb Raider reboot still looks stunning in my opinion, especially so given it's relatively lower required specs.

I can't remember anything from my youth that made me sit up and say wow! I was more into racing sims, and nothing in that genre was ever that spectacular.

[imshimaru]

I always remember being awestruck by the graphics of Unreal, it was a whole other level to anything I'd played previously ...I think I had to get a new voodoo card to play it. Good times

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Crysis has stood the test of time and is nearly 9 years old!

Also,remember,that Ultra is not the highest setting in the game as you could increased the settings even higher by editing a config file IIRC.