Summary
When a new console launches, or when a sequel to a much-loved game comes out, the first thing everyone notices are the graphics. What does the game look like? Is it realistic? How is the lighting? Does it look new? Is it next gen? We often focus on the visuals of the games first.
Some video games warrant that initial reaction. Some video games wow us with their new tech and visual prowess. There are video game sequels that vastly improve on their predecessors in terms of visuals, many of which are the result of new hardware and gadgetry under the hood of the console.
8God Of War: Ascension (2013) – God Of War (2018)
Two console generations passed by between God of War: Ascension and its long-awaited follow-up,God of War (2018). The result was that God of War (2018) was vastly superior, graphically speaking, than any of the priorgames in the series, which were already considered to be very good-looking.
God of War: Ascension was notable for its inclusion of multiplayer, but also for its visual overhaul. The sequel took it to the next level, with motion capture, new camera techniques and fantastic lighting, making it one of the most realistic, stunning games available on modern consoles and PCs.
God of War Ragnarokis also a visual spectacle —check out our review of it!
7Max Payne 2: The Fall Of Max Payne (2003) – Max Payne 3 (2012)
The first twoMax Paynegames were developed by Remedy, and the third was developed byRockstar Games. A gap of almost ten years separated them both, plus the introduction of a new console generation. That gap, the change in developer, and the new hardware available made Max Payne 3 a much better-looking game than what came before it.
Max Payne 3 benefitted from motion capture, improved physics and mechanics, and greater lighting. It was far more lifelike and colorful because of the tech and resources available. But, while it looked great in terms of its graphics, longtime fans of the series were not so pleased with the newer, brighter setting.
6Metal Gear Solid (1998) – Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty (2001)
The originalMetal Gear Solidis one of the greatest games ever made,especially in the stealthand action genres, but looking at it now can be a disappointing experience. Visually speaking, it has not aged as well as its mechanics and game design.
The sequel launched only three years later is visually stunning in comparison. The sequel was launched on thePlayStation 2. It ditched the cuboid and faceless characters of the original, in favor of more rounded, lifelike characters, greater lighting and atmospherics.
5Fallout 2 (1998) – Fallout 3 (2008)
Video games take a long time to make, especially when they’re vast in scale and scope, with plenty of choice and options for you. The first twoFalloutgames were isometric, role-playing games set in an open world, post-apocalypse.
Ten years later,Fallout 3evolved the series into a first- and third-person role-playing game. The new perspectives meant greater care and detail were needed in the characters and locations. The excellent art design gave the game its charm, and enemies took on a more menacing, often frightening aesthetic.
4Doom 64 (1997) – Doom 3 (2004)
TheDoomseries has undergone a series of reboots and relaunches. The original games were among thefirst ever first-person shooters, with level design, mechanics, and visuals that look dated. But the art design stood out, with grotesque monsters and creatures.
Doom 3, launched seven years later, reinvented the series for the modern gamer. It adopted a more modern perspective for its first-person shooting, it had far more detailed character models and environments, and its lighting was immersive and, at times, frightening.
The firstRed Dead Redemptionis anopen-world gameset in the Wild West. It has large vistas, open landscapes, wildlife, fauna, and plenty of great things to look at. In many ways, it’s one of the greatest, best-looking video games ever made.
But the prequel,Red Dead Redemption 2, takes the visuals to the next level and then some. Characters were more lifelike thanks to motion capture and fantastic animation, HDR enhanced the lighting, and the environments were highly detailed and layered. Not only that, but small elements and details really made Red Dead Redemption 2 one of the best-looking games ever made.
2Wolfenstein 3D (1992) – Return To Castle Wolfenstein (2001)
The history of theWolfensteingames is not all that different from those of the Doom series. Primarily because they were at one point made by the same developer, id Software. The first games therefore match the first-person perspective and style of the earlier Doom games.
For Return to Castle Wolfenstein, development of the single-player portion was handed over to Gray Matter Studios. The developers modernized the perspective, aligning it with currentfirst-person shooters, and the environments were more detailed, with greater depth, and the game revitalized the series.
1Grand Theft Auto 2 (1999) – Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
Another Rockstar Games series that has shown several visual improvements inits sequelsisGrand Theft Auto. The initial games were top-down, open-world, action games with little detail and limited visual appeal.
Grand Theft Auto 3came along just two years later and changed the perspective to 3D, requiring far more work and detail in its characters, environments, and vehicles. It not only blew everyone’s minds because of how good-looking it was, but it propelled the open world genre further into the spotlight, influencing many games since.
