Top 10 Best Looking 8th Gen Video Games

Script written by Caitlin Johnson

Top 10 Best Looking Games of the 8th Generation

Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 best-looking games of the 8th generation.

For this list, we’re prioritizing games with photorealistic graphics that have noteworthy environmental and character detail! And while we understand there are way more than 10 beautiful games that were released throughout the generation, these are the ones that really stood out to us, so let’s jump in!

Let us know in the comments which one you can’t take your eyes off.

#10: “Marvel’s Spider-Man” (2018)

Plenty of games have been set in New York City, but none have been as detailed and realistic as the version of Manhattan seen in “Spider-Man” on PS4. Though there was some controversy at launch about whether the game had seen a graphical downgrade, this turned out to not be the case – it’s a stunning game through and through. But the most impressive thing about “Spider-Man’s” visuals aren’t the textures or the animations: it’s the incredible speed at which New York is rendered as Spidey swings through the streets. You won’t see any pop-in or frame rate drops while traversing. And the snow effects in “Miles Morales” are a sight to behold, too.

#9: “Death Stranding” (2019)

Hideo Kojima’s magnum opus – at least, until he releases his next game – “Death Stranding” is a technological achievement like no other. Sam needs to traverse a desolate world on the brink of extinction, but though you won’t run across many NPCs, you’ll spend plenty of time in the great outdoors. The gameplay itself is a little divisive, but there’s no denying that it’s one of the most photorealistic games ever made – you can see every hair on Norman Reedus’s head in 4K on PC, after all. It’s just a shame so many of the game’s environments are so similar to each other.

#8: “Final Fantasy VII Remake” (2020)

As the first 3D “Final Fantasy”, the original “Final Fantasy VII” was already pushing the boundaries of graphics way back when it first released on PS1. Ever since, the franchise has had a name for its incredible visuals, and the remake of “Final Fantasy VII” is no exception. This is Midgar as you’ve never seen it before, vast and beautifully recreated from top to bottom. But though some of the background textures fell flat, the game excelled more than any other with its outstanding character models. Some of gaming’s most beloved characters were given a new lease on life by Square Enix in 2020.

#7: “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” (2019)

FromSoftware’s last 8th gen game was also, of course, their best looking, with a rendition of feudal Japan that’s as beautiful as it is brutal. In “Sekiro”, photorealism combines with Hidetaka Miyazaki’s legendary eye for enemy design, creating a monumental number of unique bosses, minibosses, and enemies for you to take down with your trusty katana. On console, the game looked pretty good, but it was the PC version that really shone, with a locked frame rate of 60fps and even higher resolution textures. In short, “Sekiro'' doesn't just have some of the best gameplay in the industry, but also some of the best graphics.

#6: “Resident Evil 2” (2019)

Capcom spared no expense when they remade “Resident Evil 2” back in 2019. Using the RE Engine that had first been shown off in the equally impressive “Resident Evil 7”, “Resident Evil 2” was a masterclass in lighting effects. Leon’s flashlight proved invaluable as he scoured the RPD station, and in plenty of creepy corridors it was the only source of light at all, further adding to the game’s terrifying atmosphere. On top of the shaders used, the game also featured realistic damage modeling, meaning if you shoot an enemy in the head, expect to see skull and brain all over the place.

#5: “Horizon Zero Dawn” (2017)

Aloy doesn’t just have one or two distinct biomes to explore, but four, all with a unique visual flair and their own mechanical wildlife. You begin in the forests of the Nora homelands, before traveling to harsh and snowy mountaintops, the orange canyons along the Greatrun River, and finally a dense jungle far to the south. That’s without mentioning the game’s many digital dungeons. You’ll never be short of an opportunity to take a great screenshot, especially not if you take the time to scale the Tall Necks and see the world’s vistas from above. For a planet overrun by robots, “Horizon Zero Dawn” never fails to be lifelike.

#4: “Ghost of Tsushima” (2020)

What better way to cap off the PlayStation 4's life cycle than with a remarkable title such as this? The world of Tsushima is teeming with life, rendering objects at incredible detail and creating a world designed not just for combat and exploration, but for an expansive Photo Mode. "Ghost of Tsushima" presents a breathtaking world that is both grim and beautiful, from its golden leaf trees and steamy hot springs to its ominous atmosphere of smoke and storms. You can even enjoy these scenic environments with a filter that replicates the look and feel of a film made by Akira Kurosawa, the director of many samurai films including the legendary "Seven Samurai".

#3: “God of War” (2018)

Borrowing heavily from movies, “God of War” played out in its entirety in one take, with all the action and cutscenes happening fluidly from one moment to the next. At a glance, the game is incredibly photorealistic – this is Kratos as we’ve never seen him before – but the attention to detail runs deeper than that. From the elemental effects you’ll see in combat to the designs of the game’s most notable characters, “God of War” knocks it out of the park on every level, overflowing with the high-quality Sony’s first-party games are known for.

#2: “The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

Though extremely polarizing, gamers can at least agree on one thing when it comes to “The Last of Us Part II”: it looks incredible. Naughty Dog has always been known for being a graphical powerhouse, with “Uncharted 4” showing off what the PS4 could do just a few years into its life cycle. With an additional four years of experience under their belt, Naughty Dog released one of the most photorealistic games ever made. Ellie’s violent travels through an apocalyptic Seattle overrun with both zombies and plant life are astonishing to watch, and the graphics ensure you won’t be able to look away – even when the game reaches its goriest points.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few Honorable Mentions:

“Forza Horizon 4” (2018)

This Gorgeous Franchise Continues to Push Xbox Hardware to Its Limits.

“Batman: Arkham Knight” (2015)

Because Gotham City Never Looked So Good.

“The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” (2015)

A Vibrant Open World With Detailed Environments & Enemies

“Assassin’s Creed Valhalla” (2020)

A Stunning Recreation Of 9th Century England & Norway

#1: “Red Dead Redemption 2” (2018)

Rockstar spared no expense in making the natural wilderness of their blockbuster cowboy simulator the most beautiful world seen in gaming so far. Every part of the five fictional states you visit is living and breathing, from the sounds to the sights to the wildlife. Plenty of ecosystems are contained within this vast game, with Arthur Morgan traveling between the snowy mountains of Ambarino, the humid swamps of Lemoyne, and the grasslands of New Hanover. Even the parts of the map that already existed in the first game were completely remade from the ground-up: no longer is New Austin brown and washed out but orange and picturesque. No matter where you are in “Red Dead 2”, the world will always look like a postcard.