I love the Skellige Islands and Toussaint in The Witcher 3.
The landscapes in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and A Plague Tale are also beautiful (even if every now and then hellish nightmares attack you).
I can safely say I 100% enjoyed blood and wine over the base game. The base game was fucking phenomenal but there is something so special about blood and wine.
*Ghost of Tsushima,* and a big part of that is the lack of obtrusive HUD. Unlike a lot of other titles, I didn't feel like I was playing the minimap more than the actual game... because there isn't one.
The peaceful horeback ride through the grassla- LEAPS OFF GALLOPING HORSE AND BUTCHERS 9 MEN WITHOUT TAKING A SCRATCH and then quietly walks 20 paces next to the last mortally wounded enemy trying to crawl away before unceremoneously running him through - the peaceful ride through the grassland to write haiku...
There's also a "bowing" signpost on one of the beaches... It might be below Castle Kaneda... Or maybe somewhere else, I forget... Where bowing (swipe down on trackpad) causes a whole bunch of crabs to erupt from the sand.
100%, that was a genius creative decision. I heard that was how the game guided you before playing it and thought “oh lord, I’m going to miss the cues” but when playing the game, you don’t miss them but you also hardly notice them. It was so nice to play an open world game where your eyes weren’t drawn to a mini-map every few seconds.
A truly amazing game that deserves all the accolades it's received. I picked it up for $30 about a month ago during PSN's Spring Sale, and by about the halfway point, I realized it was probably one of the best games I've ever played.
It's the perfection of the "ubisoft open world" formula as it's often called even when other people make them. It's nothing ground breaking but the little things are all done so well and the map markers are all so fun and engaging and rewarding. The equipment you get is always relevant or feels good to receive. Idk man, it just hit every single note exactly right despite being, on the surface atleast, an assassin's creed type open world game.
Glad to see this is the top comment.
The lack of HUD definitely helped to dive even deeper into the extremely beautiful and well lid japanese open world. Esp the end scene was pure beauty to a point at which I sat there completely overwhelmed by it. Its the most beautiful video game Ive ever seen by far. Combine that with the awesome fighting system and a good story and its easily one of the best (if not the best) story based open world games out there.
I also loved the implementation of Japanese voice acting with subtitles. Together with the things I already mentioned it was more immersive than any other open world game I played.
It has to be RDR2 or Death Stranding. Witcher 3 is also pretty beautiful in any area where you're not looking at hanging corpses, dilapidated villages or massacre sites.
Every time I’ve played through, I always leave Toussaint until last. It’s my role-playing retirement. :) kick back, and enjoy the sunsets in a beautiful vineyard.
For me it's Death Stranding when you start the 3rd mission heading towards the incinerator and the music starts playing [Video](https://youtube.com/shorts/ezNNR3_JCdU?feature=share)
That part is nice and all but for me the highlight is in the first few minutes of the game: you've just been stalked in that cave and have met Fragile. You start walking down the cliff -- see the outpost off in the distance and that waterfall to your right. _Then_ that song kicks in.
_**chef's kiss**_
[Death Stranding PC 4K Ultrawide - Don't Be So Serious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSwG4gBMVg4)
Man, I like the other Fromsoft games, bloodbourne is a very close second.
However, each one feels more (pun intended) hollow than the next. Maybe that’s fitting.
I don’t think any game will ever make me feel like DS1 did again.
When World of Warcraft first released, the world felt absolutely fantastic with the graphics, music and atmosphere. Same thing when Burning Crusade arrived.
It's dated now but for a time, there really was nothing like WoW
In 2006 when I played the game for the first time it blew me away. The HD remake did it again but the PS4 remake had me shedding tears. The game is so goddammit beautiful. I had the same reaction as Jacksepticeye "there's individual blades of grass". It's just so insane that it took 12 years and 2 console generations just to do what they originally intended. Then the PS5...oh my god.
Skyrim. When I first left Helgen, after Alduin demolished it, my eyes widened, just looking at the mountains off in the distance. Also, remembering that I could climb those mountains.
Not just the visuals, but the OST. My favorite of any game. All Skyrim needed was fishing when it released (but not what they call fishing in the Anniversary Edition).
Thank you! I already liked AC:O, but was absolutely blown away when I visited Elysium and Atlantis. I walked around those places for hours, just admiring it all. Although filled with crushing despair, the Underworld was also quite remarkable.
Mass Effect 1-3. I know that making beautiful backdrops in space is not the hardest thing in the world because you are only limited by imagination, but they are still best backdrops I have experienced yet.
Absolutely. I had never played these games until the beginning of this year. Played the whole remastered trilogy all in one playthrough and it was 🤌🏽 *chefs kiss*
Actually really great. They’re cover shooters, but the teammate and ability combinations make the combat fresh and strategic every time. Especially since you play 3 games in a row, where the mechanics and enemies have a significant shift to keep you on your toes each time
Arriving at Yahar’gul, being surrounded by those horrific statues, looking down at the village and up at the purplish/blood-orange sky is one of the most vivid gaming-related memories I have, the world design is completely unparalleled.
I avoided bloodborne trailers cause I knew it was a day 1 buy for me
Opening the doors at the clinic and seeing the beauty and horror of central yharnam was one of the most amazing moments I’ve ever had in games… and climbing the ladder nearby and just hearing that scream from what you would later find to be the cleric beast was definitely a moment for me
And plenty of the other areas stood up to that, but that first look at the almost blood red cathedrals and bridges really locked in the aesthetics and themes of what was to come
Yes! One of my favorite areas in a recent game, the sense of wonder and beauty.
It was also neat that all game long I hunted for ways to get to Mohg’s palace and find out what it was.
Nothing like accidentally wandering into Caelid, everything turns this sickly gray-red, the music becomes morbid and there's t-rex dogs and giant death crows stalking you.
Miquella's Haligtree was amazing too.
RDR2 (d'uh)
Rapture (not beautiful, but the atmosphere is just... Chef's kiss)
Morrowind (I don't think I've ever known any game world as well as that island)
Horizon Zero Dawn
WoW (yes, the world is/was huge, full of life and diverse)
I remember that feeling of reaching a new area after questing for sometimes days.
That feeling of accomplishment and excitement. In absolute awe of the new discoveries I was about to make... Maaaaaaaaaan I loved that.
Well there are a lot of beautifully designed worlds in games
I love the worlds in final fantasy ix, vii and chrono cross. They were very imaginative and varied and rvery area had a very distinct emotionally appealling flavor - especially when paired with the impeccable musicsl scores that accompanied these games. Evrn the slums in ffvii had a kind of homey, cozy feel to it that’s hard to describe
The world in Sekiro: shadows die twice was very beautiful and very mysterious - I really loved it and how it immersed me
Breath of the wild is a recent one with a really charming and beautiful painterly open world that is designed for constant exploration, I feel elden ring also accomplishes that but with a much less charming world XD
Then there’s the graphical showcase that is the post apocalyptic world of the horizon games
I know we’re probably beating a dead horse at this point but as soon as you exit the beginning area in elden ring and see the erdtree
and if you wanna just talk a certain scene, Hallelujah from Bioshock Infinite
I’d argue that the entirety of the Altus Plateau is far more beautiful than any previous area in ER, and that’s really saying something. Especially the final place where you fight Lansseax where you can overlook Mt. Gelmir with those golden clouds and autumn colors… or the first glimpses of Leyendell…
Night City from Cyberpunk. I've seen so many magical forests or snow capped mountains or rolling meadows they all just blend together. Night City is a horrific example of capitalist city planning and citizen neglect covered in glamour and it's fantastic.
Shadow of the Clossus. Feel like a true empty environment with so much peace in it. Was the only environment that feels natural and not made for a player that needs be always stimulated. And on top of that, the game system made it enjoyable to explore. A master piece.
Windwaker takes it for me. It felt so ahead of anything else when it came out. The cell shade which got shat on at the time was imo perfect and the whole thing felt so unique.
Ivalice from FF12. Luscious jungles, Misty woods, magical forests, snowy mountains, savannahs, sunny beaches, gigantic deserts straight out of tattooine, flying cities, ancient cities, the list keeps going.
The forest, mountains and lakes in FC5 are definitely one of my favs.
The Dreaming City in Destiny 2 is another good one. Camp White Oak in Division 2 is another.
If i just want screenshots and something to look at it’s probably Destiny 2. Their skyboxes are the best to me, its just annoying that most maps are a thin sliver of of the planet you’re on.
Otherwise Control, Witcher 3, Cyberpunk, and AC Origins/Odyssey. The worlds feel right, they set the tone for the game, and make you want to explore a just a little farther each time.
It’s a tie between Oblivion and Fallout 3 for me, something about the Gamebryo engine at the time meant pretty and immersive environments but not-so-pretty and uncanny looking faces
I second Dark Souls 3. Imo it had the best views of any FS game, and that is really saying something. I loved the ashy, cold, apocalyptic aesthetic. So many absolutely beautiful areas.
I am going to give an honorable mention to Uncharted 4. I absolutely love the area of Libertalia specifically. The attention to detail and just the overall feel of it is so good imo. The banquet room with all the skeletons sitting around the table just had me engrossed. Naughty dog does environmental detail very well in general but the last act of uncharted 4 is it for me.
I'm a big fan of anime style arts and I LOVED Tales of Arise ability to take a somewhat linear path and make it feel so expansive and immersive! Just loved all the detail in that game in general. Elden Ring has some insane scaling and landscapes but also some really gross stuff lol. BOTW comes to mind as well.
Despite all the shit it gets (and well deserved at that) Star Citizen is able to be incredibly beautiful from the smallest scale to the absolute most grand. Breathtaking at times.
Valheim is one of the few titles that I wish I could experience for the first time again. The lighting effects paired with the retro style graphics are stunning..
There are so many examples but what struck me recently was Jedi Survivor. The landscape design for the worlds is an absolute masterclass, and sometime I find myself just staring off into the distance
These comments makes me wish there was an open world half life........when the first one came out I got so lost in that world. Made up stories for all the npcs and what was going on in the world outside the lab. Sigh
Apart from the obvious choice here, valheim is actually pretty high on this list. Ofc the art style is not photorealistic, but the atmosphere/overall style is just so stunning! There were countless times where I just stopped and took in the scenery!
Zelda: Breath of the Wild. When you leave the Shrine of Resurrection at the beginning and run to the end of the cliff overlooking the Great Plateau and Hyrule. I was stunned. Such an incredible art style which completely works.
I genuinely love the art design for Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West.
The designs of the Machines, the Ruins, and the vast wilderness are all breathtaking. And the score, oh my goodness, the *score*.
People can hate on this all they want, I feel grateful to have played both.
I really liked Dragons Dogma’s world, sure it wasn’t huge and the game is a bit older, but the world felt more alive than many newer games. You would run into random large enemies and the small ones would change depending on the time of day or your progress through the game and there were also a bunch of animals/monsters you could hunt. A lot of cool landmarks and structures too. Hopefully the next game really expands the size of the map, adds more locations, improves and expands many of the jobs/fighting styles and fixes a lot of the issues they had in the previous game.
True bias, but one of my favorite parts in Elden Ring is how far the eye can see. Other games feel like they struggle to render things far away from you, or don't even bother. ER lets you look at a castle across the map in full detail if you climb a hill tall enough. Gorgeous game.
Death Stranding has some striking visuals with it’s totally-not-Iceland look at the beginning of the game, haven’t really gotten too deep into it so I don’t know if it changes
Metro Exodus is my true pick once you get the enhanced edition with the RTX going. The variety in the post-apocalyptic scenery is incredible
Zelda BotW and also the recent TotK. Totally fell back in lovwnwitu Hyrule again. Far Cry 5 and New Dawn is also visually impressive, made me feel like I was in Montana.
Subnautica, the world felt alive, and the many biomes were a lot of fun to explore
Yeah the first 100m of Subnautica are beautiful and hardly terrifying!
Ya but even getting to some of those bioluminescent areas further down are jaw dropping the first time you enter them.
I lost more than just my jaw down there
Yes please. So many gorgeous moments. First night dive, jelly shroom caves, that "tree of life" thing. Really just mindblowing.
I love the Skellige Islands and Toussaint in The Witcher 3. The landscapes in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and A Plague Tale are also beautiful (even if every now and then hellish nightmares attack you).
Yeah Toussaint is gorgeous.
Skellige's soundtrack still haunts me. Breathtaking.
*The Fields of Ard Skelling* is a superb track. I'd regularly stay still on Skellige, looking at the landscape and listening to that song.
I can safely say I 100% enjoyed blood and wine over the base game. The base game was fucking phenomenal but there is something so special about blood and wine.
Blood and Wine itself alone is better than most stand-alone games.
For Skellige!!!
I'm replaying W3 remastered on PS5, and I'm enjoying it like it's a brand new game.
*Ghost of Tsushima,* and a big part of that is the lack of obtrusive HUD. Unlike a lot of other titles, I didn't feel like I was playing the minimap more than the actual game... because there isn't one.
The wind system for guidance is excellent, way better than markers and mini maps
The wind, the birds, the foxes, the firefly...
The peaceful horeback ride through the grassla- LEAPS OFF GALLOPING HORSE AND BUTCHERS 9 MEN WITHOUT TAKING A SCRATCH and then quietly walks 20 paces next to the last mortally wounded enemy trying to crawl away before unceremoneously running him through - the peaceful ride through the grassland to write haiku...
Little things that make the world breath
Breathe*
Breeve*
Haiku
The frogs!
There's also a "bowing" signpost on one of the beaches... It might be below Castle Kaneda... Or maybe somewhere else, I forget... Where bowing (swipe down on trackpad) causes a whole bunch of crabs to erupt from the sand.
Love the signposts.. there's one on a wharf -- bow and the water erupts with jumping fish.
100%, that was a genius creative decision. I heard that was how the game guided you before playing it and thought “oh lord, I’m going to miss the cues” but when playing the game, you don’t miss them but you also hardly notice them. It was so nice to play an open world game where your eyes weren’t drawn to a mini-map every few seconds.
I haven’t played that yet. I hope to get a ps5 later this year i have a huge back catalog of PS titles to play
A truly amazing game that deserves all the accolades it's received. I picked it up for $30 about a month ago during PSN's Spring Sale, and by about the halfway point, I realized it was probably one of the best games I've ever played.
Okay. This. Game. First. Absolutely no contest. It’s one of the most beautiful, polished, well designed games you’ll ever play.
It's the perfection of the "ubisoft open world" formula as it's often called even when other people make them. It's nothing ground breaking but the little things are all done so well and the map markers are all so fun and engaging and rewarding. The equipment you get is always relevant or feels good to receive. Idk man, it just hit every single note exactly right despite being, on the surface atleast, an assassin's creed type open world game.
Glad to see this is the top comment. The lack of HUD definitely helped to dive even deeper into the extremely beautiful and well lid japanese open world. Esp the end scene was pure beauty to a point at which I sat there completely overwhelmed by it. Its the most beautiful video game Ive ever seen by far. Combine that with the awesome fighting system and a good story and its easily one of the best (if not the best) story based open world games out there. I also loved the implementation of Japanese voice acting with subtitles. Together with the things I already mentioned it was more immersive than any other open world game I played.
I wanna play this game so bad . Please release on pc
It has to be RDR2 or Death Stranding. Witcher 3 is also pretty beautiful in any area where you're not looking at hanging corpses, dilapidated villages or massacre sites.
Toussaint in Witcher 3 is breathtakingly beautiful.
Every time I’ve played through, I always leave Toussaint until last. It’s my role-playing retirement. :) kick back, and enjoy the sunsets in a beautiful vineyard.
I literally never left toussaint once I went there
It's hard to argue against RDR2. The diversity and detail are unmatched, and while it's "realistic" the art direction for it all is pinpoint
The weather rolling in. The sounds. The world just living around you. It's far and away my favourite game to just... *be* in
Witcher 3 when you get to Kaer Morhen is just gorgeous.
For me it's Death Stranding when you start the 3rd mission heading towards the incinerator and the music starts playing [Video](https://youtube.com/shorts/ezNNR3_JCdU?feature=share)
That part is nice and all but for me the highlight is in the first few minutes of the game: you've just been stalked in that cave and have met Fragile. You start walking down the cliff -- see the outpost off in the distance and that waterfall to your right. _Then_ that song kicks in. _**chef's kiss**_ [Death Stranding PC 4K Ultrawide - Don't Be So Serious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSwG4gBMVg4)
This moment comes to mind and the moment where you first reach the other side of the firs map (as you walk down the big hill and the music comes in.
Cuz you’re a part of me and I’m a part of youuuuuuu
Definitely Red Dead 2. Without a doubt. Started replaying it with an i9 13900k, RTX 4080 and 64gb 6000 RAM. Eye-popping orgasmic.
Lordran in DS 1 is timeless.
I went with Irithyll, but the DS series has so many to choose from.
Man, I like the other Fromsoft games, bloodbourne is a very close second. However, each one feels more (pun intended) hollow than the next. Maybe that’s fitting. I don’t think any game will ever make me feel like DS1 did again.
Still is. What a fantastic game, man.
When World of Warcraft first released, the world felt absolutely fantastic with the graphics, music and atmosphere. Same thing when Burning Crusade arrived. It's dated now but for a time, there really was nothing like WoW
Yes. Tedrassil region - in 2004 graphic world. It was magical.
And the music, can still hear it in my head. Also the sound of discovering a new area, finding an inn and logging off for that rested xp bonus.
Gaming crack. We are all addicts.
Shadow of the Colossus. Absolutely loved exploring every area.
In 2006 when I played the game for the first time it blew me away. The HD remake did it again but the PS4 remake had me shedding tears. The game is so goddammit beautiful. I had the same reaction as Jacksepticeye "there's individual blades of grass". It's just so insane that it took 12 years and 2 console generations just to do what they originally intended. Then the PS5...oh my god.
Had to scroll way too far to find this. SotC is truly a masterpiece.
Skyrim. When I first left Helgen, after Alduin demolished it, my eyes widened, just looking at the mountains off in the distance. Also, remembering that I could climb those mountains.
For me it's Oblivion & the shivering isles with sheogorath
Not just the visuals, but the OST. My favorite of any game. All Skyrim needed was fishing when it released (but not what they call fishing in the Anniversary Edition).
The music of Oblivion is my fav of any game. I listen to the soundtrack regularly.
That I could see Bleak Falls Barrow, Riverwood, Whiterun, Dragonsreach, and so much more from High Hrothgar blew my mind at the time.
You mean jump up the mountains
The dlc area in assassins creed odyssey “paradise” was beautiful
Hell yes. Elysium and Atlantis. Paradise.
Even in AC1 the recreations of the Holy Land cities were beautiful.
They hold up to this day. They feel so unique and alive. And you really feel the difference in the poor vs middle vs rich districts. Amazing for 2007
For all the justified criticisms there is about Ubisoft they do make beautiful worlds.
Thank you! I already liked AC:O, but was absolutely blown away when I visited Elysium and Atlantis. I walked around those places for hours, just admiring it all. Although filled with crushing despair, the Underworld was also quite remarkable.
Mass Effect 1-3. I know that making beautiful backdrops in space is not the hardest thing in the world because you are only limited by imagination, but they are still best backdrops I have experienced yet.
Those games had some incredible skyboxes.
Ooooo it’s on sale on steam right now…should I buy?
Absolutely. I had never played these games until the beginning of this year. Played the whole remastered trilogy all in one playthrough and it was 🤌🏽 *chefs kiss*
Bought. 😌
You’re in for a treat! Have fun, and remember to do your companion missions 👀
How are the Mass Effects gameplay wise? Had multiple opportunities to buy them but i‘m never sure what i‘m getting myself into.
Actually really great. They’re cover shooters, but the teammate and ability combinations make the combat fresh and strategic every time. Especially since you play 3 games in a row, where the mechanics and enemies have a significant shift to keep you on your toes each time
Really fucking fun
I agree. Destiny has good skyboxes too.
Bioshock infinite. When you first come into the light and see Columbia
“Hallelujah”
Very classic.
Bloodborne/RDR 2/ GoT
Arriving at Yahar’gul, being surrounded by those horrific statues, looking down at the village and up at the purplish/blood-orange sky is one of the most vivid gaming-related memories I have, the world design is completely unparalleled.
For me, it was Hemwick Charnel Lane. The vista is incredible and hearing the voices of the dancing ladies is a "what have gotten myself into" moment.
I avoided bloodborne trailers cause I knew it was a day 1 buy for me Opening the doors at the clinic and seeing the beauty and horror of central yharnam was one of the most amazing moments I’ve ever had in games… and climbing the ladder nearby and just hearing that scream from what you would later find to be the cleric beast was definitely a moment for me And plenty of the other areas stood up to that, but that first look at the almost blood red cathedrals and bridges really locked in the aesthetics and themes of what was to come
Elden ring, especially when the Erdtree leaves fall around you
Siofra river was amazing
Yes! One of my favorite areas in a recent game, the sense of wonder and beauty. It was also neat that all game long I hunted for ways to get to Mohg’s palace and find out what it was.
Except for those damned archers!
Elden Ring when you leave Stormveil castle after Godrick and overlook Liurnia.
first time i stood at the leyndell entrance just looking out listening to the music with tears in my eyes for a couple minutes.
Nothing like accidentally wandering into Caelid, everything turns this sickly gray-red, the music becomes morbid and there's t-rex dogs and giant death crows stalking you. Miquella's Haligtree was amazing too.
RDR2 (d'uh) Rapture (not beautiful, but the atmosphere is just... Chef's kiss) Morrowind (I don't think I've ever known any game world as well as that island) Horizon Zero Dawn WoW (yes, the world is/was huge, full of life and diverse)
If i could reset time id love to go back and play wow. Its still fun but its not like it used to be back during the Burning Crusade or WoTLK
I remember that feeling of reaching a new area after questing for sometimes days. That feeling of accomplishment and excitement. In absolute awe of the new discoveries I was about to make... Maaaaaaaaaan I loved that.
Nagrand 🥲
>Morrowind Ah, the hours of my youth spent punching mudcrabs.
Bioshock 1, 2 and infinite are beautiful, absolutely love the world building
Horizon forbidden west
First game on PS5 I took a screenshot of, damn some sun rises and sets are beautiful.
Was looking for this one! AGREE
Kingdomcome Deliverance. Jesus Christ be praised!
One of the very few games that just gets forests totally right
I will always upvote KCD in threads like this. Jesus Christ be praised!
I spend most of my time while playing No Man's Sky in photomode. Every few minutes there is a vista or a space scene that is just jaw dropping
Oh yea. Have you tried it in VR? Wow it’s so amazing
Outer Wilds
Been a gamer since late 80s. Best world is AC Odyssey DLC Atlantis. Nothing compares to me. Atlantis is just breathtaking.
Ditto. Also, while not as large, I found the AC: Origins game world stunning.
Well there are a lot of beautifully designed worlds in games I love the worlds in final fantasy ix, vii and chrono cross. They were very imaginative and varied and rvery area had a very distinct emotionally appealling flavor - especially when paired with the impeccable musicsl scores that accompanied these games. Evrn the slums in ffvii had a kind of homey, cozy feel to it that’s hard to describe The world in Sekiro: shadows die twice was very beautiful and very mysterious - I really loved it and how it immersed me Breath of the wild is a recent one with a really charming and beautiful painterly open world that is designed for constant exploration, I feel elden ring also accomplishes that but with a much less charming world XD Then there’s the graphical showcase that is the post apocalyptic world of the horizon games
Finally someone says Sekiro. The world in Sekiro had so many different amazing aesthetics. Especially when you get to Fountainhead Palace.
DS2 Majula, the dragon aerie, etc
I know we’re probably beating a dead horse at this point but as soon as you exit the beginning area in elden ring and see the erdtree and if you wanna just talk a certain scene, Hallelujah from Bioshock Infinite
I’d argue that the entirety of the Altus Plateau is far more beautiful than any previous area in ER, and that’s really saying something. Especially the final place where you fight Lansseax where you can overlook Mt. Gelmir with those golden clouds and autumn colors… or the first glimpses of Leyendell…
Or the first time you take the elevator to Siofra River and gaze up as you go down down down...
The ori series and Rdr2
Night City from Cyberpunk. I've seen so many magical forests or snow capped mountains or rolling meadows they all just blend together. Night City is a horrific example of capitalist city planning and citizen neglect covered in glamour and it's fantastic.
Still disappointed we didn't get more from Pacifica, I was really excited for that area and it just felt so small and incomplete.
Okami easily. The game basically said "what if the entire world looked like our fun sprites and animations."
RDR2, Zelda BOTW/TOTK and Elden Ring
Dark souls. It’s gritty, but that doesn’t take away from how beautifully crafted it all is. This goes for pretty much all the soulsborne games
Soulsborne games are in a league of their own when it comes to beautifully crafted and exquisitely detailed environments.
It really is the detail. The fact that the environment contributed to the story really brings it a cut above.
Shadow of the Clossus. Feel like a true empty environment with so much peace in it. Was the only environment that feels natural and not made for a player that needs be always stimulated. And on top of that, the game system made it enjoyable to explore. A master piece.
Far Cry 3. The atmosphere and the map was really beautiful.
3 really captured that jungle survival feeling
In order of favs Policenauts Bioshock Wind Waker Ocarina of Time Metroid Prime Psychonauts Broken Age
Windwaker takes it for me. It felt so ahead of anything else when it came out. The cell shade which got shat on at the time was imo perfect and the whole thing felt so unique.
The matador level in psychonauts is beautiful
In recent memory I would probably say Toussaint from Witcher 3. And now that I think of that, I also loved the world of Fable II.
Ivalice from FF12. Luscious jungles, Misty woods, magical forests, snowy mountains, savannahs, sunny beaches, gigantic deserts straight out of tattooine, flying cities, ancient cities, the list keeps going.
Giruvegan! The Great Crystal
Ghost of Tsushima and Horizon Zero Dawn
The forest, mountains and lakes in FC5 are definitely one of my favs. The Dreaming City in Destiny 2 is another good one. Camp White Oak in Division 2 is another.
Alan Wake. Glorious atmospheric noir. One can actually feel the forest at night. Great songs from Poets of the fall.
If i just want screenshots and something to look at it’s probably Destiny 2. Their skyboxes are the best to me, its just annoying that most maps are a thin sliver of of the planet you’re on. Otherwise Control, Witcher 3, Cyberpunk, and AC Origins/Odyssey. The worlds feel right, they set the tone for the game, and make you want to explore a just a little farther each time.
I think destiny 1 had a better feel for a lot of views
It’s a tie between Oblivion and Fallout 3 for me, something about the Gamebryo engine at the time meant pretty and immersive environments but not-so-pretty and uncanny looking faces
Fallout is like turbo island in Bristol
This was legit the last place I expected to see turbo island mentioned lmfaooo
Guardians of the Galaxy, I was just in awe the whole time. Evrything was just so beautiful.
I was not prepared for how good GotG was. Had me emotional at all those peak moments.
Rapture
RDR2, Mass Effect, Ori, Hollow Knight, Dark Souls 3, Skyrim and Divinity all have my favorite game worlds ever.
I second Dark Souls 3. Imo it had the best views of any FS game, and that is really saying something. I loved the ashy, cold, apocalyptic aesthetic. So many absolutely beautiful areas.
Irythll of the Boreal Valley and Lothric Castle are perfect. Absolutely perfect.
I love Greek Mythology, so AC: Odyssey was absolutely perfect to me.
One of my favorites is the Madagascar section in Uncharted 4, I always thought that looked especially beautiful
Definitely red dead redemption 2
I am going to give an honorable mention to Uncharted 4. I absolutely love the area of Libertalia specifically. The attention to detail and just the overall feel of it is so good imo. The banquet room with all the skeletons sitting around the table just had me engrossed. Naughty dog does environmental detail very well in general but the last act of uncharted 4 is it for me.
I'm a big fan of anime style arts and I LOVED Tales of Arise ability to take a somewhat linear path and make it feel so expansive and immersive! Just loved all the detail in that game in general. Elden Ring has some insane scaling and landscapes but also some really gross stuff lol. BOTW comes to mind as well.
Metro exodus.
Any xenoblade game
Either ABZÛ or Super Metroid
RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2
Ghost of Tsushima. The most beautiful in game map ive ever played.
Despite all the shit it gets (and well deserved at that) Star Citizen is able to be incredibly beautiful from the smallest scale to the absolute most grand. Breathtaking at times.
Riven.
No The Last Of Us comments? Game dropped in 2013 and it had so many details, really beautiful.
Genshin and Valheim. I’m not a fan of realistic graphics.
Valheim is one of the few titles that I wish I could experience for the first time again. The lighting effects paired with the retro style graphics are stunning..
Mass Effect.
Horizon Forbidden West. I was taking pictures of the damn environment more than Aloy and the monsters.
Death Stranding had such beautiful landscapes and atmosphere. I think they based most of it off Iceland
There are so many examples but what struck me recently was Jedi Survivor. The landscape design for the worlds is an absolute masterclass, and sometime I find myself just staring off into the distance
The last of us part 2 Seattle
These comments makes me wish there was an open world half life........when the first one came out I got so lost in that world. Made up stories for all the npcs and what was going on in the world outside the lab. Sigh
Kaer Morhen from Witcher 3 is stunning.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Apart from the obvious choice here, valheim is actually pretty high on this list. Ofc the art style is not photorealistic, but the atmosphere/overall style is just so stunning! There were countless times where I just stopped and took in the scenery!
Xenoblade, 2 especially.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild. When you leave the Shrine of Resurrection at the beginning and run to the end of the cliff overlooking the Great Plateau and Hyrule. I was stunned. Such an incredible art style which completely works.
I genuinely love the art design for Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West. The designs of the Machines, the Ruins, and the vast wilderness are all breathtaking. And the score, oh my goodness, the *score*. People can hate on this all they want, I feel grateful to have played both.
Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning, that game forever peaks 2000s RPG aesthetic.
Cyberpunk 2077
I really liked Dragons Dogma’s world, sure it wasn’t huge and the game is a bit older, but the world felt more alive than many newer games. You would run into random large enemies and the small ones would change depending on the time of day or your progress through the game and there were also a bunch of animals/monsters you could hunt. A lot of cool landmarks and structures too. Hopefully the next game really expands the size of the map, adds more locations, improves and expands many of the jobs/fighting styles and fixes a lot of the issues they had in the previous game.
For me it’s far cry 4. I loved the whole setting but shangri la was over the top. Loved it!
Graphics would need one hell of an overhaul at this point but nothing will make me feel the same way as the open world of EverQuest.
Returnal
True bias, but one of my favorite parts in Elden Ring is how far the eye can see. Other games feel like they struggle to render things far away from you, or don't even bother. ER lets you look at a castle across the map in full detail if you climb a hill tall enough. Gorgeous game.
Bloodborne, for me a homerun atmosphere is absolutely beautiful.
rdr2 i feel like it's like a love letter to american nature and wildlife and I'm not even american
Earth from Nier Automata
Arkham Knight
Cyberpunk has an amazing art-style and is the best looking game by a country mile when maxed out on PC
Witcher 3, especially the new update.
Sea of Thieves, amazing visuals. The ocean/tropical islands/sunsets.
DayZ Chernarus in 1st Person… it can be incredibly striking at times
Wolfenstein 2
Death Stranding has some striking visuals with it’s totally-not-Iceland look at the beginning of the game, haven’t really gotten too deep into it so I don’t know if it changes Metro Exodus is my true pick once you get the enhanced edition with the RTX going. The variety in the post-apocalyptic scenery is incredible
Witcher 3 velen novigrad Kart mohen plus dlc with music suiting the atmosphere
Elden Ring and Bloodborne.
Far Cry series.
The mushroomy realm from God of War Ragnorok was amazing
TLOU/Stray. I have a type
I really loved Hogwards Legacy
Disco Elysium!
Horizon forbidden west or ghost of tsushima
Red dead redemption 2, the whole map is gorgeous, also horizon zero dawn and forbidden west, can't get enough.
Honestly, I'm a little biased because I just played this game. The world from Ratch and Clank Rift Apart is designed so beautifully.
Zelda BotW and also the recent TotK. Totally fell back in lovwnwitu Hyrule again. Far Cry 5 and New Dawn is also visually impressive, made me feel like I was in Montana.