I'm a bit out of the loop on this one since I only recently upgraded my PC so that it could ply modern games. To give you an idea, I actually consider Wolfensien 2009, Portal 2 and Fallout 3 to be the best looking games I've ever played on a PC...

Now I've seen some better looking stuff on consoles and I've watched others playing some relatively modern games on their PC's (Crysis, Prototype). I've also watched loads of videos online of game engines and effects so I have a basic idea of what's available. Back in the day I knew everything there was to know about this subject but like I said, I'm rather behind the times these days. I wonder if there are any games presently out that are demanding on even the most powerful PC's money can buy? I mean well optimized games, not games made by lazy developers. One could program Wolf3D to chug on a super computer if so inclined. The trick is to make an amazing looking game work on a modest PC. From what I've seen, there aren't any truly heavy games out there as most are catered to consoles.

I'd say from what I've seen online, LA Noire has the best facial animation (due to the new face capture technology they implemented, I watched a lot of videos showing how that was done).

Hydrophobia has the best water effects and thus perhaps the best physics.

Battle Field 3 has the overall best graphics though as it looks most realistic. I'm not sure how good it's effects are though, given that I've not played the game so have not had the opportunity to see if the amazing destructible building are real time or simply scripted.

So I'd like to hear what you guys think though? Which games presently available have the best in graphics and physics?

I would say Uncharted 3 has the best water physics.

It depends on what you're looking for. For example, stick Wind Waker into Dolphin and it still looks gorgeous, and Blazblue looks awesome in motion in my opinion.
However, objectively speaking (and ignoring graphics mods), for outright best graphics you'll probably looking for the PC versions of The Witcher 2 and Battlefield 3.

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Graphics has to be crysis?

As far as jumps between consoles, genres or generations Half-Life 2 was a big step up for me.

It looked great and the physics allowed you to play it from several different perspectives.

Been surpassed obviously

Alan Wake looks pretty damn sweet on pc.

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Alan Wake does indeed look incredible on PC. Amazing use of post processing. Best physx use in a game is probably Alice: Madness returns. Metro 2033 probably has the best texturework of any game too.

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videogame graphics...n' gooseberry fool
TFPG: Some 2012 gooseberry fool about bad games

Not Rage?

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The textures there are so good that the game refuses to show them to our unworthy human eyes.

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Really? Wavrerace64 says different

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For serious?

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videogame graphics...n' gooseberry fool
TFPG: Some 2012 gooseberry fool about bad games

Yep, definitely agree with this.

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Isn't it about 3 years old now? Or even 4?

Best graphics is obviously going to be a PC game and this is coming from a petercrisp.

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Tell Waverace64 that he's wrong.

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Witcher 2 looks amazing on a powerful rig. I personally think it's the best looking game out there to date.


Hard Reset looks nice too and has great physics and lighting -

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The thing about The Witcher 2 for me, is that it looks a lot better in motion than it does in most of the stills I've seen of it.

Metro 2033 is quite a graphically advanced game I seem to remember too.

To be honest you, you'll still go some to find a better looking game than Crysis turned up to max.

At the moment I'd say the best-looking games on PC for me are:

Crysis 2 (hi-res texture pack)
Skyrim (hi-res texture pack)
Alan Wake (beautiful light and shadow FX)
Might & Magic: Heroes (extremely good-looking game)

In truth, though, there are now way too many good-looking games to mention, both on PC and 360. I've left a lot out.

Honorable 'best-looking' mentions:

Aliens vs Predator (DX11 version)
Hard Reset
Rage (has its moments, despite some questionable texture work)
Trine 2 (probably the best-looking side scroller anywhere at the moment)
Dirt 3 (DX11 version)
Disciples III: Renaissance

Just a few there, lol.

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Soul Calibur V, Crysis 2 and Uncharted 3 are probably the best looking games I've seen. I think Crysis 2 probably has the best physics as well. Things actually have the right weight. Most games just have everything super light.

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Soul Calibur? Really? It looks fine but it's far from the best.

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really? I think it looks amazing. The only downside is the stiff faces.

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What makes Waverace awesome isn't the look of the water (which has dated, lets face it). What makes Waverace's water special is the interaction of it with the players jetski. It feels right.



I wonder if we'll get a Waverace successor on the Wii-U? It'd be awesome to see it get a facelift.