We’re through the first two years of the PS4’s life, which means developers have started to iron out the kinks of the hardware in order to create graphically stunning games. Many of the most beautiful games ever to grace a console are due out in the near future, and each one of them looks to immerse us in virtual worlds like never before. This article will look at ten of them, in no particular order…
Uncharted 4
One of the most hyped games of 2016 is also one of the prettiest- Uncharted is back, and it’s looking better than ever. Much like past games in the series, 4 will take you all over the world, from lush green forests to turquoise oceans sparkling like so many jewels. The bright colors of the many environments combined with the dark grittiness of protagonist Nathan Drake will definitely push the PS4 to bring us visuals like no adventure game has before.
Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst
The graphics in the original Mirror’s Edge served an important gameplay purpose in addition to just being great to look at- red was the color that every virtual parkour expert learned to look out for, as objects covered in crimson marked important free running pathways across the many sterile white rooftops of the city. Catalyst looks to expand on this concept, and it’s definitely looking good so far.
Horizon Zero Dawn
In a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by robotic dinosaurs, you can expect things to look unique, and they really do in Guerilla Games’ upcoming Horizon Zero Dawn. The immersive world is definitely stunning, from the tall yellow-and-brown grass blowing in the wind to the cool grey steel that makes up the intricately detailed bodies of the predators stalking through it.
Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Another open world title set in a wild land (hence the name), the newest Ghost Recon shares a lot of environmental elements with HZD, but the similarities pretty much end there. Whether you’re infiltrating a rain-soaked airfield at midnight or tearing across alpine hilltops in a dune buggy at high noon, this game looks incredible. You can take things slow or hit your objectives fast… just don’t forget to take in the beauty surrounding you.
Dark Souls 3
It’s almost here, and while Dark Souls 3 promises to not only be as challenging as ever, it also looks to be the prettiest Souls game to date. It’s easy to see the detail on the grotesque enemies that you’ll face, and who can’t get excited about the intricacies and care that went into the environments? These games are all about atmosphere, and the graphics in 3 look to take that to a whole new level.
DiRT Rally
While it’s pretty much the exact opposite of Dark Souls in almost every way, DiRT does share a few similarities, and that’s in the details of its models and the breathtaking nature of its environments. Whether you’re screaming across the desert in a WRX or plowing through the snow in an Impreza, you’ll be doing it at 60FPS and in solid 1080P. This is a port from the PC, and the devs have ensured that absolutely nothing was sacrificed.
Gran Turismo Sport
Another racing game, GT has long been known for its stellar graphics, and Sport is continuing that tradition. While Gran Turismo offers a wildly different experience than DiRT, the visuals are still fantastic. If immersion is your thing, a cockpit view with a racing wheel will give you one of the closest experiences you can have to driving a Lamborghini from the comfort your living room.
No Man’s Sky
While this unique title doesn’t offer the most realistic graphics, it doesn’t really need to… because it is absolutely still a work of art. Using almost every color in the visible spectrum, the indie developers of No Man’s Sky most definitely used visuals to help enhance their groundbreaking survival experience.
DOOM
As silly as it looks now, the original DOOM actually blew. gamers. away. with its graphics, and DOOM 3 did something very similar when it was released. This new entry in one of the most important franchises in FPS history looks as gorgeous as ever, and no matter if you prefer to chainsaw your demons, turn them to giblets with a shotgun or curbstomp them, every little droplet of blood is going to look glorious as it splashes in your face once DOOM drops.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
The Deus Ex games have always had a very stylized visual theme (as Square Enix does best), and if you saw the now-almost-a-year-old announcement trailer, you probably noticed that not much has changed this time around. This is a good thing. That trailer was mind-blowingly gorgeous, and if the final gameplay even looks half as good, we’re definitely in for a visual treat.
I’m Nate, PS4 gamer and freelance writer from Denver… I like to game, obviously, as well as hike and camp and all of that stereotypical stuff! My favorite game of all time is GTA: San Andreas, but I love playing Diablo 3 with my girlfriend!