While it’s true that graphics aren’t always everything it should go without saying that they’re still pretty damn important. The fact of the matter is that a lot of gamers out there actually crave an amazing visual display, sometimes overlooking nearly everything else in the process. At the same time, you still have to have some excellent mechanics and gameplay to really make any game worth your time, which is why we’ve pieced together this list. We’re about to dish out what are perhaps the most visually stunning Xbox One and PS4 titles of 2014. So, here they are, presented in no particular order…
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
An incredible amount of time, energy and money was poured into Advanced Warfare, not to mention all the various incremental upgrades which ultimately contributed to its formation. Because of these factors, not to mention all the intense pressure to produce something better than the last outing, this latest installment went above and beyond expectations for many. Visually speaking, it’s extremely impressive and incredibly “fast” as well, a perfect match for either the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, to tell you the truth.
Far Cry 4
Far Cry 4 pretty much just upped the ante from where FC3 left off, adding graphical flair and amazing new level design to the mix. All in all, it’s just a much more fleshed out game, with great care taken to ensure that the general sense of nature exploration is left intact and compatible with the arc of the story. Just standing around looking at the mountains in this game is almost enough to get even the most jaded gamer excited, when you factor in all the additional visual flair, well, you have a truly special open world FPS title.
DriveClub
Even though it’s been heavily criticized for not delivering quite as much as everyone had hoped, make no mistake about it – DriveClub is an amazing racing game that looks almost too good to be true. The level of detail present in this game is so striking that it’s almost dead-on photorealism. Not only does this make the presentation incredible but it also completely immerses you in the racing experience as well.
Titanfall
For a lot of Xbox One gamers, Titanfall nearly reinvented the first-person shooter, as they say. It’s seemingly simple, innocuous design lends itself to some really creative combat, in fact, sort of breaking the mold while also simultaneously adhering to it. Of course, visually, the game also delivers, adding its own level of realism to the mix replete with smooth as silk graphics and gameplay. If you’ve grown tired of the same formulaic systems and are in the mood for something different, Titanfall is definitely the way to go.
Alien: Isolation
When it was announced that someone was working on a bona-fide “Alien” game, taking designs and concepts straight from the Ridley Scott film, many were understandably excited. Well, to say that they nailed it is a bit of an understatement, of course. This survival horror masterpiece not only pays great tribute to the movies that inspired it but also manages to look absolutely amazing while doing so, which is no easy feat to accomplish. The look of the lone Xenomorph featured therein, slinking around as it hunts for you, is enough to merit this title a place on this list. As it turns out, the other aspects of the game are also great too.
Destiny
Destiny also took the brunt of gamer criticism upon its release, with legions of players seemingly divided on whether or not it was a hit or miss. The verdict is in, of course – it’s a big hit. Regardless of whether or not you personally enjoy the type of gameplay that Destiny provides, you cannot say that it isn’t a stellar-looking game, because it is surely that. Again, so much detail is present here, which, when taken along with the lighting, modeling and art, raise the overall presentation to a dramatic new height. Staring out across a vast planetary expanse with large solar bodies looming over you in the distance is beyond impressive, it’s almost religious.
Grand Theft Auto V
While GTA V was already a massive hit when it was initially released, you could say that it didn’t really hit its stride until it was released for the Xbox One and PS4 (November, 2014). That’s when we all got access to the incredible first-person mode as well as various other little perks and additions which took something that was already amazing and further elevated it. Now, the game’s almost too good to be true and when it’s running on an 8th generation console you can really see it sparkle. Hands down, this is one game that every Xbox One, PlayStation 4 owner should have in their respective collections.
